Chapter 8
Kyran
The phone rings not long after dawn, and all I can do is silently curse whoever decided I’m not allowed to sleep lately. Is it too much to ask?
Tara barely stirs as I reach for the nightstand. She didn’t move once after falling asleep again. Lucky her.
It’s Lucas. My instincts brace me for what I hope isn’t terrible news—but let’s face it, it seems to be the only news I’m getting lately.
“The overnight scouts just reported back after taking one last look at the border,” he explains. I know from the tone of his voice there’s more to the story, which he confirms by adding, “There was a message. A note nailed to a tree with your name on it.”
“What did it say?” Sitting up, I scrub a hand over my face, aware of Tara’s change in breathing. She’s awake now and listening hard to every word.
“Declan Black is calling for a meeting tomorrow night.”
I knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of Declan making the decision. I can’t stand having to sit here and wait for someone else to dictate my actions, but it’s been a surprising couple of days. I’ve done a lot of things I never would have imagined.
“And,” he adds, sounding strained, “he wants proof of life before today is over.”
Another non-surprise. I would make the same demand. “All right. I’ll take it from here.”
“What are you going to do?”
Not many people could get away with asking that question, but this is my beta.
It’s only fair I clue him in. “You’ll know as soon as I do.
” I have until tomorrow night to come up with a plan that won’t destroy my clan’s existence.
No pressure. A disbelieving chuckle dies in my throat as I end the call.
She doesn’t keep me waiting with her questions, speaking up from where she’s still lying beside where I’m sitting. “My brother wants to meet.” It’s not a question, I notice.
“He does,” I grunt.
“And he wants proof that I’m still alive and well.”
“Also true.”
“Are you going to give it to him?”
“Are you going to quit pestering me?” Like I need this on top of everything else.
“You should. That’s all I’m saying. You should let me talk to him.”
“I should do a lot of things,” I snap, slowly turning my head until I find her giving me a death stare. Let her. It’s better that way.
“I’m just saying.” She shrugs as if it actually doesn’t matter, which we both know isn’t true. “You’re the alpha, right? It’s ultimately your decision.”
“I am not in the mood for psychological games, Tara.”
“I’m not trying to play them, Kyran. But let’s look at the facts.
I know my brother much better than you ever could.
I know how he thinks. And even if I didn’t,” she continues over my grunt of distaste, “it only makes sense. If you want to go into this meeting in good faith, you have to show good faith by showing him I’m still alive and well. What’s the point otherwise, right?”
“I hear you, all right? You don’t need to beat a dead horse.” God, I can’t think with her chirping in my ear. Isn’t it bad enough I have my bear bugging the shit out of me? Like I need her to voice everything already going on in my head. “I will handle this.”
“But how? I know you don’t want to hear it,” she adds, defensive.
“I get it, okay? I really do. You’re worried about your clan.
I’m worried about what this is doing to my family.
I told you, we’re close, maybe closer than a lot of families because of what we went through together.
They need me, and I need them, and I’m sorry if I can’t just forget that because it’s an inconvenience to you. ”
The problem is, I respect her for it. She’s unselfish.
She wants what’s best for the people she loves, and the idea of putting them through pain makes her feel pain.
“Fine.” Turning around to face her, I fold my hands and lift my brow expectantly.
“Since you’re the expert, what should I do?
How do I avoid blowing this up any further? ”
“You’re actually asking me?”
“I swear, Tara, if you push me any further, I’m—”
“Fine, fine.” She blows out a sigh before sitting up. “I guess the only thing that makes sense is me giving them a call, letting them hear my voice.”
“I was thinking more like sending a photo.”
“Sure, but you can fake anything in a photo. He’ll want to hear my voice.” There’s a tremble in hers, full of emotion. “And maybe I want to hear his voice. I definitely do. I miss him. I miss all of them.”
As I watch, she ducks her head, running the back of her hand across her eyes.
Something about it touches me, and not much has the ability to do that.
I’m jaded. I’ve seen too much, suffered too much for emotion to make much of a dent.
She has changed that. “Would it make you feel better to talk to him?”
Sniffling, she nods. “Yeah, because I know it would make him feel better, too.”
What choice do I have? None, the way it’s been from the beginning.
“All right. But,” I add, raising a finger when her head snaps up.
“Speakerphone only, and I am next to you the entire time. You say anything that could be even remotely construed as a signal or code of some sort, and the conversation ends. All bets are off at that point. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes.” She doesn’t seem to care, so long as she can talk to her brother. I haven’t seen her this hopeful since those first moments we met in the woods. Like something has ignited in her and now burns bright. Hope can do that. It can also crush a person if they’re not careful.
“All right, then.” I know there’s no choice, which is probably why I resent the hell out of having to do it.
Alphas don’t take well to being told what to do, especially when it’s not by a member of their own clan.
This little wolf holds too much of my future in the palm of her tiny hand, and I hate her for it, but not as much as I hate the way I still want her.
It’s like having an endless thirst that nothing can quench.
There will never be enough for my greedy bear to be satisfied.
She dials the number, hands trembling, chewing her lip until I’m sure it has to hurt.
It doesn’t seem like she feels it, like she feels anything but anticipation and excitement.
Once the number is in the phone, I take it from her, turning on the speaker before opening an app and setting a three-minute timer.
She makes a face but is smart enough not to argue.
She’s getting what she wants, isn’t she?
The voice on the other end is full of suspicion. “Hello?”
Instantly, tears fill her eyes. “Declan? It’s me.”
“Jesus, Tara.” I hear his relief ringing loud and clear, and for the briefest moment, I envy her.
I used to have a family. I had a brother who would have been just as relieved to hear my voice, and vice versa.
What I wouldn’t give to have him bust my balls one more time.
“Are you all right? Has anyone hurt you?”
I wish she wouldn’t glance at me, like every tense moment isn’t replaying in her memory all at once. “No, nobody’s hurt me. I’m fine. Perfectly okay.”
“I’m not sure if I believe that.” Of course, because he has to be a hard-ass. “Is he listening now? How do I know you’re not saying what he wants you to say?”
If I bite my tongue much harder, it will fall off.
Her tone softens even further, full of love.
“I didn’t end up here because I wanted to go on a fun little hike, do you hear what I’m saying?
We’re talking about the mating call. That’s why I’m here.
No, he hasn’t harmed me at all.” Though she does wince, like she’s remembering being shoved to the ground last night.
She didn’t seem to mind it very much at the time.
“Dammit, Tara. Why didn’t you talk to me about it before you ran off?
” He’s a big brother now, not an alpha, scolding the girl he practically had to raise.
I remember her dad’s killing very well. She couldn’t have been more than ten or twelve.
“We could’ve helped you deal with it, all of us. Didn’t you trust us enough?”
I point to the timer. The clock is ticking.
“We can talk about that later,” she tells him.
“I only have so much time. Please make sure everybody knows I’m all right.
I’m absolutely fine, and I am so, so sorry I caused anybody any worry.
That’s what really hurts…” her voice fades to a choked whisper.
“It’s been killing me to think of you guys being worried. I’m going to be fine.”
Her voice tightens. “Listen to me.” Barely restrained emotion rings out in her voice. “Whatever happens, don’t turn this into a war. I’m begging you. Don’t fight over me.” She doesn’t bother wiping away the tear sparkling on her cheek.
“Tara…”
“I mean it. You and Cole and Zeke…” Her voice cracks before she lowers it. “You need each other.”
“I hear you,” he agrees with a sigh. “Be careful.”
“I will be.”
“You had better be,” he growls. Clearly, that’s more for me than it is for her. “When can we see you?”
She looks at me, brows raised expectantly. No. He does not get to dictate the terms of this discussion. “Time’s up,” I announce, ending the call abruptly, leaving her sitting with her mouth open and her eyes wide.
“I still had another minute!” she barks.
“Do I care?”
“Goddamnit!” Her little fist hits the mattress before she almost bounces out of bed.
Standing with her hands on her hips, she tosses her long hair over her shoulder and sends a wave of her sweet scent straight at me.
“Don’t you get it? You’re not the only one worried about the outcome of this, and I’m not only talking about my own neck.
I’m trying to help my pack through this the way you’re trying to help your clan. You’re making it impossible!”
“You told your brother everything he needed to hear. There is nothing else you could say that would change anything, and I don’t want to hear any more arguments about it.”