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21
Tasha
“Tasha, wake up,” Poppy whispers urgently, shaking my arm.
I blink awake, automatically reaching over to feel Paxton’s side of the bed. Icy dread fills my stomach when I feel the cold sheet. “Where’s Paxton?”
“Tobias says he’s okay, but—“
“Move.” For once, I don’t care that I’m being rude as I push Poppy out of my way so I can get out of the bed. “Where is he?” I’m in pajamas Tess found for me late last night, but I don’t bother to change. Paxton spent the end of the night attached to my hip. I don’t know what on earth could have pulled him away from our bed, but I can tell from Poppy’s wide, worried eyes that I should be worried too.
“They’re on Sovereign Pack land. Dominic called for the pack doctor to be brought to them because they didn’t want to move him without the doctor’s okay. Your sister said we shouldn’t wake you until we knew more, but I couldn’t do that in good conscience. He needs you to show up for him like he did for you.”
I’m worried, but I can help the snort that escapes me. “When did he do that?”
“Yesterday.” She tilts her head like she can’t figure me out.
“He came to be with his family,” I tell her firmly.
“No he didn’t, Tasha, and that’s okay. We know he came for you, and he stayed for you. I won’t speak for the rest of the family, but I’m happy to take what we can get from him. Even if he is only doing it to try to make you happy. It’s better than the alternative where we never see him.”
“Poppy—“
“We can argue about it later, okay? If you don’t get moving, you’re going to miss catching a ride with the doctor.” She waves me out of the room, her forehead wrinkled with concern. She’s obviously worried about Paxton, but based on what she just said, it’s clear she thinks I need to be the one to check on him and isn’t planning to join me. I don’t want to waste time arguing over whether she should be going to check on Paxton too, so I go.
He has to be okay.My wolf is jittery as I rush through the halls of the Anchorage Lake Pack pack house.Don’t ever let him out of our sight again. The family is safer together.
My wolf is right. Clearly, the Luna Sovereign’s warning was all too real. Paxton shouldn’t have gone off without me there with him. He gets irrational and impulsive, and I’m the balance he needs to not be rash. I suddenly have a complete sense of clarity about why fate gave me a second mate.
It’s a balance we both need. Him pressuring me to take chances again after loss and me giving him a voice of reason. A reason to come home. Giving him his family back.
He has to be okay.
I make it outside in time to see an older gentleman sliding into an SUV with a woman I recognize as part of the pack’s patrol team. “I’m coming with you,” I announce as I slide into the car with them. They both startle at my unexpected company.
The woman turns over her shoulder with nervously pursed lips. “Luna Sovereign.” She nods her head respectfully. “I’m Danielle, I patrol for the pack regularly. Alpha Dominic gave very specific instructions to not allow you or our Luna off pack territory.”
“Allow?” I raise an eyebrow, and her skin pales.
Her mouth falls open, but she stares at me with panic in her eyes and can’t seem to come up with a response. I cut her some slack.
“Thank you for being loyal to your Alpha, Danielle. I’m afraid I need to overrule his decision, though. Are you really ready to kick me out of this car when I’m worried about my mate and willing to doanythingto get to his side?”
She shakes her head and wisely starts the engine.
The doctor laughs and twists to offer me his hand. “I’m Al, the pack doctor, though I assume you already knew that. Dominic tells me Paxton’s injuries are mostly only flesh wounds. He asked me to bring the necessary items to stitch him up, but he didn’t ask for anything extraordinary, so I think we’re in the clear.”
“Flesh wounds?” My voice rises an octave. “What the hell happened?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know all the details, only that there was a conflict with other wolves that didn’t end well.”
I think I’m going to be sick. Why the hell were the guys even on Sovereign Pack land? If Paxton created a problem with Alpha Waverly, it could be disastrous. I have so many questions, and we can’t get there fast enough. If it’s worse than the doctor is making it sound and he dies, I’ll never recover. I can’t live through losing another mate. I have to dig my fingernails into my palms to keep from begging Danielle to speed up.
By the time the Sovereign Pack’s pack house comes into view, I’m so desperate to get to Paxton that I’m out of the car before we even reach the buildings.
“Tasha!” Danielle calls after me in alarm. I don’t stop moving, my feet pounding in the grass as I look around desperately for signs of anyone.
Dominic steps out from behind a building into my view and gapes when I nearly barrel into him. He grabs me by the shoulders to stop me, but my focus is on finding my mate, my head pivoting side to side looking for Paxton. “Where is he?”
