AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I have to admit, Jagger has grown more imposing since he took on the mantle. He was always more focused and driven than the rest of us, but still, I’ve always known him as just one of the team. He’s different now. In a good way. Our pack needs this sort of leadership.
“You’ve been waiting for me?” Cedara’s voice is small. She’s pressed up against me. A fact that is not lost on Jagger. He raises an eyebrow in my direction.
“Yes. You are welcome here,” he tells her. The tension rushes out of her.
“I…I… Thank you, Alpha,” she stutters.
I give Cedara’s hand a reassuring squeeze as Jagger goes on.
“We’ve learned a fair amount about your pack since your cousins arrived here,” he tells her. “We’ve made it a priority to help Sierra and Savannah find answers to what happened.”
“Wildview?” she asks softly. “Is it…?”
“I’m afraid your packlands are gone,” he says gently. “When we got there, the place had been abandoned, the buildings gutted.”
I can almost feel the sorrow welling in her. “I see,” she whispers, keeping a handle on her responses. “But the others who were with me…my family….”
“Your family is safe. And they are invited to find a home here in Steel Lakes if they wish. You are, too.”
Cedara pinches her lips together as she dips her head in assent. I’m guessing she’s finding it hard to speak.
“Your mother has been worried sick about you,” Jagger adds. “We’re just glad you’re safe.”
Cedara nods, her eyes shining with unshed tears. I can feel her emotions like a physical force flowing through our bond. She’s been so strong, holding it together despite being separated from her pack and not knowing if they were okay.
“I…I don’t know what to say, Alpha,” she stammers out. “Thank you. For everything.”
Jagger gives her a rare smile. “You’re one of us now. This is your home for as long as you want it to be.”
I squeeze her hand again, silently letting her know I’m here. Our eyes meet, and I can see the gratitude there. She leans into me, drawing strength. I can only imagine how worried she’s been.
“Your family will be overjoyed to see you,” Jagger says. There’s a softness in his tone that surprises me. “Casey will take you to the clinic first to get you checked out, then she’ll bring you to them.” At the mention of her name, Casey is back through the door; no doubt she’s been listening in.
She steps toward Cedara, all brisk efficiency. “Come on, let’s get you looked at,” she says. Cedara turns to me, her eyes wide and uncertain.
I lean in close, my voice a low murmur meant only for her ears. “Go on. I’ll come find you when you’re done.” There’s more certainty in my words than I’m feeling. I hate the thought of her being out of sight. But if I resist any of this, I’m going to complicate things.
She searches my face for a moment before giving a small nod. Letting her hand slip from mine, she follows Casey out of the room.
I watch them go, an odd feeling settling over me. Now that Cedara is safe, everything seems to be crashing down on me at once. The exhaustion, the anxiety, the relief…it’s all warring within me. I don’t allow it to show, however. I’m waiting for the chewing out that I know is about to come.
Jagger watches them leave, then returns to his seat and fixes his gaze on me. The gentle expression of before has been replaced by something harder. “Sit.” He gestures to the chair across his desk. “We need to talk,” he folds his arms over his torso and leans back in his seat.
Great. Here we go.
I walk to the chair and sit down. “Where would you like me to start?” I keep my tone neutral.
“How about from the time you decided it would be okay to go off the radar?” Jagger snaps. “What the hell was that all about, Chord?” His eyes flit to the door before coming back to me. “And this ‘mate’ business? What the fuck?”
“I need to explain,” I start.
“Damn straight, you need to explain!” His mouth pulls into a hard line.
I let out a deep breath, bracing myself. “When I first went to scout out the sanctuary the day I left Alpen and the others, I caught the scent of another wolf. A female.”
Jagger’s eyebrows knit together, but he doesn’t interrupt.
“At first, I thought it was just a stray that had wandered too close. I didn’t report back on it because I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t misinterpreting things; we already had enough to worry about without me leading us off on a wild goose chase.”
