Chapter 119 Maddy
MADDY
Since the strange meditation session in the woods, there’d been something different about Nico.
It wasn’t any one specific thing I could put my finger on, but he seemed surer of himself.
He’d always been a confident man—something that came from being a pack alpha, I was certain.
Now though, that confidence emanated from him.
It affected everyone else as well. Each person who interacted with him said the same thing.
It was like his confidence touched them, and so increased their own.
My wolf sensed it as well. Being near Nico calmed and relaxed her more now, like she was completely at ease near him and trusted him even more than she had before.
Something had changed, and I was glad for whatever it was.
Nico needed it. He’d struggled so much with the weight of the situation.
He took so much on and wanted to be the one in charge, the one who took all the stress.
It was nice to see that whatever power he’d tapped into in the forest was helping him.
It might not last long, but the peace I saw on his face lightened my heart. I’d take it.
It was late when we gathered in Nico’s office. Sinthy came in, chugging an energy drink out of a brightly colored can.
“Are those things healthy?” I asked.
She drained the can and tossed it in the wastebasket by Nico’s desk. “Don’t care. Need the energy. This is gonna be rough.”
Luis and Sebastian stood at the far wall of the office. Nico’s dad sat beside Felipe, and two of Nico’s brothers were squeezed in there as well. The room had always been larger than the average office, but now it was absolutely cramped. The clock on the wall read one-thirty a.m.
“Luis, do we have anyone at the Moon Mate building?” Nico asked.
“The rest of your brothers are there,” Luis said.
“I’d like you to head down there too. I trust Tiago, but his people will be a little disoriented. I want as many hands there as possible.”
I remembered the first time we’d teleported. It had been disorienting for those first few moments. Vanishing from a place you know and ending up in and strange place would be scary as hell, especially for the children.
“Got it,” Luis said. He left without another word.
“Are you ready for this?” Nico asked with a wary look at Sinthy.
The woman shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m only teleporting like fifty people. No big deal.”
I couldn’t tell whether she was being sarcastic or serious, but Nico nodded as though he took it for assent.
“When do you want to do this?” Nico said.
“Whenever they’re ready. Call Tiago and let him know I’m ready when he is. I’m sure it’ll take some time to get everyone ready, but I shouldn’t be gone for more than ten minutes. If it’s been longer than fifteen, something has gone terribly wrong. That’s a heads up for you.”
Nico nodded. “Duly noted.”
He pulled out his phone, and a moment later, he was talking to Tiago. “Sinthy is ready to go. Are your people ready?” He listened for a moment, then nodded. “Sounds good. And you’re sure the coordinates are totally accurate, right?” Another pause. “Okay. Be ready.”
Ending the call, he slid a map across his desk. A large red dot had been drawn in the general location of Tiago’s pack. The latitude and longitude were written beside it, with a photo Tiago had sent pinned next to it. It was a large open area that looked like it was underground or in a cave.
Nico gestured at it. “This is enough, right? I don’t want you teleporting into the middle of a hunk of stone or something.”
Sinthy grimaced. “Oh, good. New fear unlocked. Thanks for that.” Nico looked stricken until Sinthy smiled. “It’s fine. This works. I have enough to astral project to that spot. My body will follow behind a millisecond later.”
“Okay, let us know when— ”
Nico’s words were cut off by the small clapping sound of her vanishing. A little whoosh of air filled the room, and that was it.
“Damn,” Sebastian said. “Not even a countdown or anything?”
The minutes passed with agonizing slowness. None of us wanted to talk. At least, that’s how it looked. Each of us waited in silence as our friend worked on bringing the others back here. When Nico’s phone rang ten minutes later, we all jumped.
Nico lifted it and read the screen. “It’s Luis,” he said as he swiped the screen to answer. “Are they here?” The smile faded into a confused frown. “Okay, we’re on our way.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Let’s go. Everyone. Luis said they’re all here, but Sinthy looks like shit. We need to get to her.”
Our entire group hurried downstairs and out the door.
In hindsight, we’d been dumb to have her leave from Nico’s house.
Sure, it was a more comfortable location, but why the hell hadn’t we simply had Sinthy depart and arrive from the same damned place?
My stomach was in knots as we sprinted toward the Moon Mate building.
Before we even reached the door, I could hear the rumble of many voices.
Chaos greeted us as we entered. Nico’s brothers were trying to direct everyone to different areas, and Tiago and a younger man—who I assumed was his son from their similarities—were working with their betas to get cots spread out for the men.
Several members of Nico’s pack had come here to have food ready for the new arrivals should they be hungry.
A line had formed for the soup and sandwiches set up against one of the walls.
The sound of children crying echoed through the room.
Nico and I shoved our way through the throng until we found Luis sitting with Sinthy. Her face was ashen, and she was slumped in a chair, her head lolling back against the wall behind her.
“Sinthy?” I called out as I ran forward.
She opened her eyes and gave me a tired smile. “Hey, Mom. Sorry I didn’t call. Am I grounded?”
I ignored the joke. “Are you okay?”
“My body is worn out. It’s like I did a million burpees or something. I feel like a blob of jelly,” Sinthy said.
Nico’s brother Gabriel ran forward, holding out a couple of orange slices and a bottle of water. “Here you go. Found what you asked for.”
Sinthy grabbed the oranges and devoured them.
I frowned as I watched her eat everything—including the peel.
That couldn’t have tasted good, but you couldn’t tell it from the look of relief on her face as she chewed.
Swallowing, she uncapped the bottle of water and downed the entire bottle of water in three large chugs.
“Oh, God. That hits the spot,” she said as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Relief flooded through me as her face regained some of its color. Nico bore the same look of relief. I could almost sense how happy he was that Sinthy was all right.
“Did everything go well?” Nico asked.
“Yeah,” Sinthy said. “Couldn’t have really gone any better.”
Tiago walked forward and shook Nico’s hand. “That was weird as hell.”
Nico chuckled. “It does take some getting used to. Are your people getting settled?”
He nodded. “We found the cots, and I’ve got my guys setting them up. You didn’t have to feed us. That was too generous.”
“Nope,” Nico said. “You’re our guests. The Lorenzo pack takes care of guests.
Also, for now, we’ll house all of you here.
Once we start bringing other packs in, we’ll keep the guys here, as I said on the phone.
We’ll fill up the meeting house next. After that, I’ve got a list of volunteers who are gonna house more. ”
Tiago seemed on the verge of tears. “Thank you. You… you don’t know how bad it was.
I think we were literally hours away from something happening.
Like Virginia, or maybe worse. These people are alive because of you, Nico.
Maddy, Sinthy, all of you. Thank you so much.
My pack and I are forever in your debt.”
Nico gripped the older man’s shoulder. “You are in no one’s debt. This is what friends do. I have no doubt you’d do the same for me if the situation were reversed.”
“You have a high opinion of me,” Tiago said as he wiped at his eyes. “I appreciate it. Hopefully, one day I can return the favor.”
Nico swatted Tiago’s arm playfully. “Go get some grub. It’s late.”
Tiago leaned down to take Sinthy’s hands in his. “Thank you. You’ll never know how grateful I am to you.”
He turned and headed to the food line. I glanced at Sinthy and saw the blush creeping into her cheeks.
The young woman was barely past being a teenager, and sometimes she still acted like it.
She was silly and sarcastic but also worldly beyond her years.
She could be sweet as well as kind. Once again, I was happy that she’d come into our lives.
Not only for her magical prowess but for who she was as a person.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sinthy asked.
I shook my head. “No reason. Just happy it all worked out.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You aren’t gonna get all sappy on me, are you?”
I chuckled. “Maybe? Would that be so bad?’
Sinthy rolled her eyes and stood. She looked a lot less shaky than when we’d arrived.
“I’m going to go to sleep for about eleven years. Don’t wake me until it’s time for lunch. Deal?”
“Deal,” I said.
She shuffled off, and other than looking weary to the bone, she seemed perfectly fine.
She would be tired, but I thought she’d be okay to bring the other packs in.
That would relieve a lot of Nico’s stress.
Once our close friends and allies were here and safe behind our wards, it would allow him to focus on the main situation.
My phone buzzed with a text from my father. What’s going on at that big building by our cabin? Lots of activity.
I huffed out a breath and tugged Nico aside. “I’m going to head over to my parents’ place real quick. I guess the noise from here woke them. I’m going to update them.”
With a nod, Nico pulled me close and said, “Do you need me to go with you?”