Chapter 29
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
SUNDAY
It was always unsettling when my mates were gone, but after the last supply run had ended with a shambling possessed zombie attack, I was completely on edge knowing Kingston, Noah, and Alek were out there.
Sure, they were strong and capable. I didn’t doubt them.
But they weren’t immortal. I’d nearly lost each of them more than once.
I didn’t realize I’d started pacing until the walkie-talkie crackled to life and I found myself on the far side of the suite Lilith had set aside for me and my mates.
We’d taken to using the little radios to stay in communication while groups patrolled the perimeter.
The Belladonna coven had found a way to make the signals work across realms. I couldn’t pretend to understand how the magic worked, but I wasn’t complaining about the results.
Once, when Kingston had asked Moira how she’d done something, she simply looked at him, shrugged, and said Because witches, and that had been the end of it.
“Mayday, mayday, mayday. We’ve got missing persons out here. We need relief.”
I raced to the walkie, heart in my throat. Not knowing which group had called in for aid had my stomach knotting with dread.
“This is home base. What’s your location?”
The radio crackled again. “Outside of Aurora Springs. Timmy and Zed are missing. They were supposed to meet us thirty minutes ago, but they’re MIA. We need backup so we can do a proper search.”
Relief hit me hard, and I sank down onto the bed, even as guilt churned in my belly.
My mates were safe, but Timmy and Zed were two of my pack members.
As happy as I was my men weren’t in trouble, I still had a duty to see these guys safely home.
Not just as tonight’s watch commander but as co-head of the Farrell pack.
“Do you suspect an attack?” I asked.
“No, it’s been quiet. Well, as quiet as we can expect.” The radio crackled and then went silent for a heartbeat, then came to life again. “I’m worried they got trapped in a mudslide near the hellmouth. The ground here is treacherous after the eruptions.”
That made sense. The groups patrolling that area had been complaining about the degraded terrain all week.
Before I could reply, Sally continued, “Carl and I want to go check, but we can’t leave this spot unmanned.”
It was vital that our entry points around the globe weren’t exposed to our countless enemies. Sally was right; there wasn’t an option for the two of them to execute a search and rescue mission without someone else taking over guard duty.
“All right, let me see who I can send. Give me ten minutes.”
“Copy.”
Shoving the walkie into my hoodie’s oversized pocket, I scrambled out the door to the common area. Caleb had stayed behind with me while everyone else went out so he could strategize with Lilith. He would be an ideal candidate for such a mission.
But when I got there, Caleb, Gavin, Lilith, and Crombie were all gone.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Where the hell are you guys?”
Turning on my heel, I made a beeline for the most likely place I’d find Caleb since he wasn’t here. Asher’s command center, complete with murder board. When he wasn’t with me, that’s usually where he spent his time.
I took off at a slight jog, a sense of urgency propelling me down the hall. The soft murmur of voices met my ear as I pushed open the door, but my heart sank when the only two people I found inside were Rosie and Pan.
“Look at you,” Pan crooned. “Even now with the world ending, you’re still my dirty little slut.”
Rosie giggled as Pan kissed his way down her neck, but at my sudden intrusion, her eyes went wide and she sat up straight. “Sunday! I was just about to come find you.”
I cocked one brow. “Sure looks like it.”
“Sorry, Pan distracted me.” She righted her clothes. “Caleb asked me to tell you he had an unexpected meeting. He and the others stepped out, but they should be back soon.”
Crap on a cracker. There went that plan.
“Everyone is gone,” I said under my breath.
Pan scoffed. “I beg your pardon. I am right bloody here.”
“I just mean . . . all my mates. The shifters, the Novasgardians, the fae. And the vampires are useless right now because it's still light out in Alaska, so unless they have the blood of the sun, they’re stuck inside until the sun goes down. I don’t know who else I can possibly send .
. .” I chewed on my bottom lip as I tried to come up with an alternative, but there wasn’t one. “It’s going to have to be me.”
“What the fork are you talking about, Sunday?” Rosie rested one palm on her growing belly and frowned at me. “You’re not making sense.”
“There’s a problem with the patrol in Aurora Springs. Two of my wolves are missing. They don’t think it was an attack. They’re pretty sure they got stranded somewhere due to the eruptions.”
“And what does that have to do with you?”
I pulled the walkie out of my hoodie and waved it at them. “I’m in charge right now.”
“Then ask Asher to go. Or Caspian.”
Pan snorted. “Caspian is good at captaining a ship. He’s terrible at being on watch. And Asher needs to stay here for a multitude of reasons, the least of which is keeping you safe.”
“As I said, it’s going to have to be me.” I pulled my hair back into a low knot at the base of my skull and lifted my hood over my head. “I’ll be back soon.”
Rosie awkwardly started to get to her feet. “I’ll go with you.”
“The hell you will,” Pan snarled.
She gave her mate a sharp look. “If Sunday can go, so can I.”
I understood the sentiment, but actually sided with Pan.
I was pregnant, but Rosie was pregnant. Because she was carrying twins, she looked way farther along, and she’d been struggling.
Not just with her rapidly changing body, but all the associated side effects.
The safest place for her and her pups was here.
But I was also smart enough to know I couldn’t say any of that. Rosie wanted to feel useful, not like a burden.
“Actually, I need you to man the walkie while I’m gone.” I held the little radio out to her with a wave.
She took it, her shoulders straightening as she looked down at the device. “Just press this button and talk, yeah?”
“Exactly.”
“Go find Asher, ma petite monstre. I’ll accompany Sunday, and we will ensure the portal is protected.” Pan’s tone was far gentler than usual as he ushered her out of the room. “Let them know assistance is on the way.”
“Stay safe,” she urged, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before rushing off.
“Thanks for doing this,” I said as he followed me to the portal room.
“It’s entirely selfish, I promise. Your mates would skin me alive if anything happened to you.”
As we approached the exit chamber, my belly fluttered in apprehension. “It’ll be just a few minutes once they can get out there and help. All it will be is a locator spell. That doesn’t take any time at all. They’ll find them, and then we can come back.”
“Are you telling me, or yourself?” he asked as we stood in front of the portal that led to Aurora Springs.
“Both?”
“Brilliant. Let’s get on with this.”
We walked through together, the smoky air stinging my eyes almost instantly as we appeared in the middle of the wooded area.
“Hello, daughter. It’s good to see you.”
A chill ran down my spine as my mother, the horsewoman War, wrapped her fingers around my wrist. I had barely a moment to register the bodies of every member of this patrol group crumpled at her feet.
Pan’s hand grasped my free one and I felt him tug hard, but it was too late. My mother let out a dark chuckle and said, “Two for one. I do love a bargain.”
Then the world went dark.