Chapter 24 - Kelsey
It’s slow-moving to get back to the compound as some of the pack members are badly hurt.
Luke is one of those. He can barely walk and as he limps along, I let him lean on my shoulder.
I guess he’s still able to stand, so that puts him in better condition than the guys who are being carried.
It’s awkward because he’s much taller than I am and our strides are of different lengths, but I refuse to leave him to struggle on his own.
One of the taller men notices us and comes to take over from me when he sees me barely managing with the weight of Luke.
“Here, you go help somewhere else,” the guy says, slipping his arm around Luke's waist and easily supporting him.
Luke mumbles a quiet apology to me as I step away.
I don’t pay much attention to it as I walk towards some other guys carrying their friend and their packs.
“Let me take the pack, it’ll make it easier,” I say, holding out my hand.
“Thanks, that helps a lot,” the guy says, pausing to shrug it off his shoulders.
We walk together in sullen triumph.
We won that battle, but victory has a hollow darkness to it when it involves death and war. We did what we had to do. I did what I had to do.
For so many of us, it was the first time we’ve been in a real battle. It was the first time we’ve had to kill. But we did it to protect our pack, and despite the ache inside me, I would do it again without hesitation.
I sigh and look around at the bruised and blood-stained group that I call my friends and my team.
My heart clenches, knowing this isn’t all of us.
Miles is still out there with the rest of them. They are still hunting down rogues and possibly facing more danger.
Kala whines silently and sends warmth through my body to soothe her worry and my own as I try to comfort her. He’s a strong wolf. He’s trained for this for years. What we saw today is something he’s fought against many, many times before. It wasn’t new to him.
But even as I tell myself this, I also understand that their leader, Ace, is a man possibly more dangerous than any other they have faced.
He was viciously evil. His aura was tainted with slick black ooze that hung around his body like a dark cloud.
The thought of him still being out there is terrifying, but I have to trust that, with the help of my pack, we can fight him together.
But right now, Miles is out there too.
And all I want is to know he’s safe.
***
We arrive back at the compound, and people rush forward to help us. They pile the injured ones into vehicles to take to the clinics. As Luke ducks into a car, he throws me a wry smile.
I smile back because at least I know now that he’s going to be ok.
“Kelsey, could you help us at the clinic?” One of the young omegas asks.
“Of course, I’ll do whatever you need,” I say, and she gestures for me to get into her car.
At the clinic, I help clean wounds and bandage those that don’t need stitches.
People arrive to deliver food for the security team, and I help hand out the takeaway containers, making sure everyone has something to eat.
When I walk into one of the clinic rooms, I find Luke sitting on the bed, bandaged and looking a bit better than he did a few hours ago.
I set a box of food down on the table next to his bed.
He wakes up when he hears me.
“You should eat something,” I say softly, gesturing to the food.
Luke sits up, pulling a face when something hurts as he moves.
I’m about to walk away when he says my name.
“Kelsey…”
“Yes?” I ask, pausing.
“Why did you help me?” He asks.
I sigh and bite my lower lip. I guess I was expecting this question.
Luke’s face is strained with concern and guilt.
I could shout at him and tell him he’s an asshole. I could tell him that his dead friend deserves to be dead after attacking me again. But I don’t feel the truth in any of those fleeting thoughts.
I sigh again and turn to face him.
“Luke, we’re on the same team. And where I’m from, that means we help each other.
We support each other. That’s the whole reason people love being in a pack.
We’re supposed to be one big family. And its ok for family to fight sometimes, as long as we have each other’s backs when it really counts,” I tell him.
He nods solemnly.
“You’re a really good person,” he mutters.
I scrunch my nose. “Thanks,” I say, turning to leave again.
“No, I mean it. You’re a really good person.
After what I did? I didn’t deserve your help.
I deserve to be dead. I should have stopped Taylor.
I was angry at him when he went after you again, and it’s not even the first time.
We attacked you twice. You never reported us, not voluntarily.
And you …you saved my life after all of that.
You even put yourself in danger. You stood between those rogues and me like I was a friend of yours,” he sighs. “You’re a really good person.”
My entire body feels uncomfortable as he compliments me. This man has hated me for the longest time, and now he’s dropping his ego and complimenting me. It’s weird and awkward.
I laugh nervously and shrug it off. “Hey, that was your last chance, though,” I joke.
“Next time you try to pull anything like that with me again…I’ll throw you to the wolves myself,” I raise my brows at him.
It might be an awkward joke, but there is a lot of truth to it as well.
“But don’t sit here beating yourself up, Ok?
Let’s move past this. People can change.
Be one of those people who change?” I say.
Luke chuckles, relieved and slightly shocked. “I’ve already changed,” he nods.
“Good,” I smile, then back away from him. “I’ve got to go help and…”
He nods. “Go on.”
Hurrying from the room and the tension, I breathe a sigh of relief outside in the hallway.
One of the nurses smiles at me. “You should go home and rest. You’ve been so much help, but I think it’s all ok now.”
“Thanks. Call me if you guys need anything, ok?”
“We will,” she says.
***
The sun is coming up by the time I leave, exhausted to my bones and still achingly worried about Miles. While I was busy, I was somewhat distracted. Running back and forth with things to fill my mind. But now, in the very quiet dawn light, the worry is the only thing looping in my thoughts.
“Have you heard anything?” I ask one of the guards standing outside the clinic.
“Not yet, but they should be back soon,” he says, smiling tightly.
I nod, not reassured at all.
Instead of going home, I climb into one of the Jeeps and drive towards the tree line.
I park the car close to the path where they will come out of the forest, then I climb out and start walking into the trees.
I can’t sit there and do nothing. I can’t sit and wait and hope for the best. I need to go find him. It’s all too much.
I don’t walk too far in before I hear them.
Behind me, other people are arriving near the edge of the forest, cars parked as they climb out, alerted by the security cameras and motion detectors.
“They’re back!” Someone shouts. “The Alpha and his team are back!”
My heart staggers as I run towards them, deeper into the forest.
I’m terrified that I’ll see everyone but Miles. I’m terrified that they’ll tell me he didn’t make it back.
I spot Jace first. I’m about to shout his name, but I see Miles step out from the group, pulling a hoodie down over his head. They shifted at the security hut and grabbed clothes from there.
He tugs it to straighten it, and I fight tears of relief and try to swallow away the lump in my throat as all the stress I’ve been fighting for the past few hours dissolves through me.
“Miles,” I say with a shaking breath.
He spins at the sound of my voice. “Kelsey,” he shouts and runs straight to me. He scoops me into his arms and holds me tight against his chest.
“Are you ok?” I ask, pulling away to look at him even though he doesn’t put me down.
“Yes, we didn’t find anything else. Their camp was empty. They’re all gone. Ace is gone.”
“I was so worried,” I mutter, hugging him again.
Around us, the other guys pass, heading out of the forest to go home and rest and eat and all those things.
Miles starts walking in that direction too, still carrying me. But as he’s walking, my worry turns to anger, and I wiggle to get free of him.
“Put me down!” I demand.
“Oh, what…” he stammers, setting me down on the ground and taking a nervous step away from me. “What’s going on?” He asks.
I look around us. The team has all jogged past and is leaving the forest. We’re alone.
I don’t have the patience to wait another second to say what I want to say. I’ve been holding these thoughts in for far too long, and I’m sick and tired of it.
I punched him in the arm, hurting my hand, but it was worth it to get this frustration out.
“I’m sick and tired of you and your bullshit.
I have a right to be with someone who doesn’t refer to me as some kind of experimental thing.
Our marriage isn’t just a tool, a test, or a game that the elders can manipulate.
I don’t care what your image is or what you are trying to do with this marriage to make yourself look cooler or whatever it was that made you marry me in the first place. I want…”
“I love you,” he says, interrupting me.
“What?” I blurt out, confused and hyped after finally getting to be brutally honest with him and not holding back what I’m thinking.
“I love you,” he says again, and I stare at him in disbelief. I thought I’d misheard him.
I still think I misheard him.
Did he really just say that?
Stunned silence settles over me, and my mouth drops open. I stammer something wordless and continue to stare at him in shock.
Miles laughs and pulls me back into his arms.