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“After I wash up.”
I left the bathroom door open, flipped on the tap, and waited for the water to warm up. The dizziness wasn’t as bad as it had been, though my stomach still felt queasy. I splashed water on my face and rinsed my red, swollen eyes, then snagged a small hand towel and dried off.
Out on the nightstand next to the bed, my phone rang. Recognizing the familiar ring tone, I called out, “That’s Jessy. Go ahead and answer it.”
A tinge of sadness twisted my heart. I missed my twins.
“They’re probably leaving Aneta today.” I turned to glance out the door when Seff answered the call.
“Hey, Jessy, what’s up?” His face turned to granite as he stared across the room at me. The following words he said came out as a harsh order. “Run that by me again.”
CHAPTER FORTY
Astrange rush sweptthrough me as Jessy’s voice rattled on in one long, panic-stricken tone. Seff’s dark eyes widened as his anxiety seemed to ricochet back and forth through our bond. He ground his teeth together so hard I could hear them all the way across the room. Those full lips, usually so soft and supple, disappeared into a hard, flat line.
“That’s what I thought you said.”
Tapping the speaker icon, he said, “Jessy, I need you to slow down and start from the beginning.”
“She stole the twins!”
My breath caught in my chest. “Dear gods...”
Not realizing I’d moved, I met Seff in the middle of the bedroom. He took my hand and pulled me to his side. My mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario.I’ll never see them again.
“Jess.” Seff spoke with an unusual calm in complete contrast to the long, vicious-looking fangs hanging out of his mouth. “That’s the end, honey. We need a little more information.”
Dain’s deep voice came on next. “Viveca lied. The only reason her Alpha let her go to Red Lodge was to pay her respects and attend her sister’s Ceremony of Grace. He told her not to take the twins. When we got here, she lied. Jessy and me right there in the room. She said the Red Lodge pack didn’t want the twins. Of course, he knew she was lying and called her on it. She cried and begged, and he sent her out while he filled us in on the ‘whys’ and ‘what fors’.”
No. No. No.
Seff tightened his arm around me. Calm energy slid over my skin. His canines had receded and he gave me a slight nod as if to say, “I’m good,” then his soft lips touched my temple.
“Hold on a sec, Dain. I gotta do something.” He set the phone on the nightstand and pulled the blanket free from the bed. “C’mere, Des. You’re tremblin’ all over.”
“I’m...I’m...not...not...c-c-cold...c-cold.” Still, my teeth clattered together as though I were freezing. Bile threatened to rise as my stomach knotted.
It’s not the poison.
“I know, darlin’.” He wrapped the blanket around my body and guided me to sit on the edge of the bed. “When the cold sweats hit, you’ll be ready.” His mouth formed a sad grin as he picked up the phone. “Okay, Dain.”
“I hate to say this,” Dain continued. “Viveca was desperate. Her Alpha said she’s never gotten over losing her own babies. And, this year, her heat missed the full moon, so no chance of getting pregnant again.”
Seff huffed out a harsh laugh. “That’s no excuse for stealing someone else’s offspring.”
