Chapter 5 #2
Paralyzed and fearful of what might befall his mother, Cody knelt there, trying to control his anger at someone he never met.
If there was any hope of saving his mother more pain, he and Dylon had to go now, as fast as they could get there.
If they failed in this quest… Shaking his head, he couldn’t allow himself to think of what might happen.
Emerging from his daze, he felt Dylon’s hands lifting him and holding him tight before he asked his mate, “Babe, did you see it? The vision! Did you see the vision? We have to tell Jackson! Oh, my gods! Dylon we have to go NOW!”
With Cody in his arms, Dylon ran back to the house, kicked open the door, and bellowed for Jackson.
Wasting no time after setting Cody down, he grabbed his hand, pulling him toward their Alpha’s bedroom.
Every second they delayed could mean the difference between life and death!
Pounding on the door, Dylon yelled Jackson’s name, several times.
Damn! First Mac and now Dylon…what the fuck is it now? Rolling out of bed, Steel pulled on a pair of sweatpants before opening the bedroom door. Groaning at the sight of Dylon standing next to Cody, he was pissed that his night of sleep had been messed up. “What’s the matter?” he growled.
“Where’s Jackson?” Cody asked, worry and fear written on his face.
“I’m here,” Jackson said, coming up behind Dylon and Cody as he returned from the hospital. “What’s the problem?”
“Cody had a vision…we need Zane… immediately!” Dylon exclaimed.
“Was your vision about Willow Thatcher?” Jackson asked .
Cody glanced at Dylon, then turning and staring at his brother in amazement, said, “How do you know that?”
Rubbing his hand over his face, Jackson sighed. “Mom just told me.”
“Huh? She had a vision?” asked Cody.
“Not exactly…more like a dream,” Jackson replied. Shifting his gaze to Steel, he said, “Babe, would you wake up Zane and tell him to meet me in my study as soon as possible.”
“Will do,” said Steel, now wide awake.
After his mate left, Jackson said, “C’mon guys, we have a lot to do.” He turned and headed down the hallway to the stairs, his brother and Dylon following behind him.
~/~/~/~/~
“ Cuore mio !” David whispered to his mate, shaking Zane again.
“Wake up.” Still a light sleeper from his many years of imprisonment, it didn’t take much to rouse him, as the gentle knocking on their bedroom door proved.
His mate on the other hand seemed to be able to sleep through anything.
“Zane, someone’s at our door,” he murmured, pushing against his mate’s shoulder and getting no response, gave up, muttering to himself as he crawled from beneath the covers, He better not give me grief about answering the door.
Grabbing his pajama pants from where Zane had thrown them last night after undressing him, David slipped into them before heading toward the door.
Remembering his mate’s advice, David pressed his ear against it, listening for anything that might help him identify the person knocking, but without success.
Finally, he asked in a semi-whisper, “Who’s there? ”
Hearing the hesitancy in David’s voice, Steel gentled his tone before replying, “Hey, it’s me, Steel. Jackson sent me to get Zane.”
“Oh…uhm,” David murmured, turning to look at his mate who was still asleep, wondering how to wake him up.
“I gather he’s asleep,” Steel said.
“Uhm, yeah. I tried waking him but…” David’s voice trailed off. Unsure what to do, he turned back to the door and asked, “Is it important?”
“Yes,” Steel answered. “Jackson needs to speak to Zane right away.”
That made David’s decision easy. Jackson was his and Zane’s Alpha so if he wanted Zane, he had no choice but to obey. Unlocking the door, David peered through the crack, up at the Alpha Mate. “I can’t wake him…do you want to try?”
Shifting his gaze away from the clearly frightened David, Steel glanced at the bed, finding Zane stretched out, partly covered by a sheet. “Was he working late again?” he asked.
“Yes,” David replied, shifting from foot to foot.
“He was working all last week to find out about the enforcers who killed his family. My mate’s exhausted but he won’t give up.
Not that I want him to, but I think he’s wearing himself out.
I tried shaking him…several times…when I heard the knocking, but he never budged.
I’m worried because he always responds to me but not now. ”
“Hmm,” Steel said. “You’re a good mate, David. How about this? After he sees Jackson, I’ll speak to him about the hours he’s been keeping. Zane has a responsibility to you too and he needs to be reminded of it. ”
Shaking his head vigorously, David whispered, “Noooo, I don’t want to get my mate in trouble.”
“Trust me, you won’t,” Steel replied. “I’m just going to remind Zane about his responsibilities as a mate…and part of that is making sure he has enough sleep so you can wake him, if needed.”
Studying Steel’s face, David found only sincerity there. Satisfied, he replied, “Okay.”
“Good. Can I wake him now?”