52. Phantom
Chapter fifty-two
I stomp away from the pack as they start discussing the final details for the movement plan tomorrow.
I know I’m not going to be any help right now, not with the adrenaline and anger running through me.
So I retreat to my room and to my shower, stripping off and getting under a lukewarm spray of water.
The emotions of the last half hour hit me again in waves.
Shock, disbelief, fear, rage. Waking up from a dead sleep to load up a gun and chase after Delilah was not something I ever thought I’d have to do.
She’s been so smart, so sensible. Why the fuck would she think it’s a good idea to go out in the middle of the night?
Did she not hear our multiple warnings about the bears being more active?
Or hell, even the psycho serial killer camped out somewhere nearby who wants nothing more than the opportunity to drag her away from us?
Why was she trying to leave? Siren said something about having a hard conversation, but we’ve had plenty of those. I growl to myself, hurt manifesting as anger. After everything we’ve done, she just tried to walk out?
I take several deep breaths, but they’re not helping.
I want to simultaneously wring her neck for scaring us like that and tie her to a radiator so she doesn’t do it again.
But if I go out there and confront her while I’m in this mental state, I’m going to undo the weeks of trust we’ve been building.
And that is the last thing I want to do.
The water starts to turn cold and I shut off the shower, not bothering to actually wash.
I’d just showered before bed, and that rinse was enough to get the sweat off me.
I dress in sleep clothes again, forcing myself to lay down and meditate.
Focus on my breathing, not my emotions. I’m able to calm down enough to sleep a little, but it’s a light sleep.
The first sign of movement has me up and alert. Delilah again.
I don’t bother putting on a shirt as I stalk out of my room and follow her, my teeth clenched so hard I can almost hear them cracking.
If she’s trying to sneak out again, I’m going to turn her ass so red, they’ll have to find a new name for the color.
Thankfully, she’s just in the kitchen, puttering around as she starts to make breakfast. She looks up and freezes when she scents me, her cheeks turning red before she looks down again.
“Did you sleep at all?” I ask, words coming out a little harsher than I had intended. But I’m still pissed, and she should know it.
She nods, going still and quiet. I rub a hand over my face and let out a long sigh. Why does she have to look so beautifully tragic when she’s upset? It makes it incredibly difficult to continue being mad.
“What were you thinkin’, baby doll? Running off like that last night?”
“I just wanted some air and then there was the trap. I wanted to go back inside, but then a bear came out of the woods and I just…” Her voice is tiny, and trails off as she shrinks before my eyes.
I shift my weight, sighing heavily before crossing my arms over my chest. I hate seeing her like this, but I can’t get the anger out of my veins.
No, not anger. Hurt. She tried to leave, and I refuse to let that happen.
I don’t think too hard about how much I’ve become attached to her, choosing to focus on the anger.
That I can deal with. I want to punish her, but I don’t know if it’s going to do more harm than good.
“Look at me, baby doll.”
She lifts her head at the stern tone of my voice.
I close the distance between us and cup her jaw, making sure she maintains eye contact with me.
Her scent, her true scent, comes through the thin layer of ash and rot that usually emanates from her.
Night blooming jasmine and dark chocolate, bitter and decadent.
I want to lean in and fill my lungs with it, to taste it on her skin.
“You scared the living daylights outta me, baby doll. Outta all of us. I know you feel bad, but I can’t let you go unpunished for this,” I murmur, brushing her cheek with my thumb.
“Yes, Daddy. I’ll accept your punishment,” she says, trying to drop her gaze again.
I growl low and she looks in my eyes again. “We don’t have time for me to properly punish you right now, but the moment we get to the safehouse, I’m going to bend you over and teach you a lesson. Am I understood?”
She nods in my grip. “Yes, Daddy.”
Leaning in, I kiss her forehead tenderly. “Good girl. Now what are we making?”
When she looks up at me again, some of the fear is gone, leaving a vulnerability that makes my heart squeeze a little in my chest. But I pull away, not wanting to undermine my sternness.
I watch her throat work as she swallows, handing me a bowl of potatoes to chop.
Slowly, my anger and hurt bleed away as we work in comfortable silence, my mind already planning how I’m going to punish my baby doll.
The rest of the pack wakes up as Delilah and I finish making breakfast together.
She’s getting better about letting others shoulder the burden of domestic tasks, but I can tell her instincts needed this act of service to show how sorry she is to the rest of the pack.
And she doesn’t even fight when Cross piles her plate with plenty of food, more than usual.
If I didn’t already have a plan for her punishment, I’d almost be tempted to let her off the hook. She’s punishing herself plenty enough.
“I want everyone dressed in full kit by 1100 hours. We need to have this place packed and wiped before we leave. No trace.”
Bones’s voice is low and serious, taking on a timbre that only appears before critical missions.
“How little trace?” Joker asks, also surprisingly serious.
Bones considers for a moment. “Scorched earth.”
By the look on Joker’s face, you would’ve thought Bones just told him he was getting four Christmases and a dozen birthdays in a row. He practically vibrates in his seat as he waits for Bones to finish the briefing.
“Data backups are almost complete. I started them last night,” Siren adds, picking at their food.
Our prime alpha grunts in approval. “Anything that can be left behind stays behind. Throw the fresh food in the woods, bring anything non-perishable. One duffle of clothes and personal items. We don’t have the time or space for more than that.”
There’s a general grumble of agreement, and Bones turns to Joker and Delilah. “Bring the essential nesting items. Try to keep it to one or two duffels. We can always get more when we get to our next location.”
Joker lets out a disappointed sigh, but he doesn’t argue.
Delilah nods and drops her gaze respectfully, which settles something instinctive in my chest. Not that I expected her to fight about material possessions, but having her compliance and obedience right now is going to make this whole process that much easier.
We finish eating together and start to move in organized silence.
I go back to my room and carefully pick out the clothes I’m going to need before packing them.
Then I pop the latch on the hidden panel in my closet and start pulling the guns and their cases from the storage compartment.
If we’re going scorched earth, we don’t want anyone to find these left behind.
Once they’re packed, I bring them to the living room, packing them into one of the long totes we usually keep in storage.
I drop my duffle bag off next, but I pause at the nesting room when I hear Joker and Delilah talking.