25. Baron
BARON
The night sky gapes at me through the window at the end of the hall. The whitewashed walls stain my soul as tension ruminates, not only within me, but around me too.
“How much longer is this going to take?” Archer grunts, pacing in front of the door before me as Teddy huffs from his spot beside the frame, head dipped and foot braced against the wall behind him.
The anger is palpable between the three of us, each balanced on our own tightrope as we worry over our mate.
“I don't know, but when Hugo has more information, he'll come and tell us,” I explain, but it does nothing to ease the ache inside me.
Archer offers me a withering look, one I know he would prefer to be aiming at my brother right now, but I'm the closest thing to him, which puts me on death row too.
My muscles ache, the tension taking root as I find myself torn between the two most important people in my life: my Firefly and my brother.
One thing led to another, a snowball rolling into an avalanche as disaster tore through our bond.
My brother should not have charged off the way he did earlier; the problem in the forest involved more than just him, but I can’t deny this instinctive need to do something to protect our mate, and I can’t promise that I would have acted any differently.
Which makes it impossible to be mad at Ivy for rushing after him.
At a slightly slower speed, for sure, but the same intention was there.
We should have worked together as a team from start to finish, but we’re all as bad as each other, acting first and thinking later. What’s more distressing is sensing the anger toward my brother when I know deep in my soul that it wasn't on purpose.
My brother could never, especially not to her.
Yet there she was, crumpled at the base of a tree while his tiger’s eyes saddened as he stared down at her. He couldn't lift his head as we scrambled to get her up off the ground, and by the time I glanced over my shoulder, ready to soothe him, he was gone.
I can only assume shame and guilt have weaseled their claws into him, keeping him away for the time being. I’ve sent him a few messages, but he hasn’t opened them yet. Regardless, we're going to have to track him down sooner or later because this is not what Ivy needs right now.
I can't decide what's better or worse about fearing for Ivy.
Death is disastrous for everyone, even a phoenix, but at least her healing from that comes with rest. It needs very little guidance from doctors, more just a bed for her to lie on.
But with an injury like this, painful enough to warrant a trip to the medical center, means that there's further involvement and less control on my end.
I at least have the strength to see the perspective of everybody, but I know with certainty that Archer and Teddy aren't going to be the same.
“This is bullshit, man,” Archer grumbles, hands clenched at his sides. “I just want to see her,” he bites, and I nod in agreement.
“We will. They're just helping her right now.”
“They shouldn't need to be helping her,” he grumbles, earning another huff from Teddy, confirming his agreement, which twists the knot deeper inside of me as my fear transitions to my brother.
Because one thing is for certain: he might not have been able to look at us, but I was looking at him, and I saw those familiar orange circles around his eyes, just as I had when Teddy seemed to experience some kind of power enhancement.
I have no doubt he didn’t intend for that enhancement to be used against our fated mate.
Footsteps whisper from down the hall. Footsteps I'm almost certain I know. The rhythm is ingrained into my being, making my heart whoosh as my pulse races in my ears.
The world stills and speeds up all at once.
I tilt my head just in time to find my brother standing at the far end of the hall, the moonlight dancing behind him through the window.
Archer follows my line of sight, a snarl on his lips as his gaze collides with Sax’s.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” he snaps, anger in every word, and my pulse strums tighter.
“I can explain,” my brother states, taking a step toward us, and I'm more relieved to find that he at least took the time to get some clothes on before showing up here in a panicked state.
The last thing I need to deal with is his naked ass on top of everything else.
“Explanations aren't necessary,” Teddy grunts. "The state of Ivy is answer enough.”
His words are like ice through the air, driving home the point, and Sax's shoulders slink forward, defeat burning in his eyes before he stares down at his hands.
“It was different,” he rasps. “Everything was different,” he clarifies, silently confirming my suspicions, but the guys have no interest in hearing him.
“Well, when Ivy is available to make decisions for herself, maybe then you can show up and offer her some unworthy apology, but for now, you can get the fuck out of here,” Archer grunts, and my spine stiffens.
“He stays,” I bite, nostrils flaring as I fail to contain my emotions, but it’s impossible to do so when my defenses are rising immediately to protect my brother, who shakes his head.
“It's okay, I'll go,” he murmurs solemnly, and it pisses me off more.
“No, you won’t,” I retort. “They offered us the family room to wait in,” I explain, pointing to the door behind me. The room has remained unused since the three of us have paced back and forth repeatedly in front of her door instead. “You can wait in there.”
“Maybe it's not a good idea,” he states, and I shake my head.
“Did you hurt her on purpose?” I push, and his eyes widen, disbelief echoing through his frame as he shakes his head.
“Of course not.”
“Is there at least a reasonable explanation for the matter?” I carry on, and he nods. “Then you're not going anywhere.”
“I don't want him here,” Archer barks, snapping my attention to him.
“And I refuse to have you dictate everything. We’re a fucking team, so shut your mouth and wait for Ivy’s decision.
No one gets to outweigh anybody. Nobody gets to make the final call unless your name is Ivy; that's not how this works.” My heart races in my chest as the silence becomes deafening, and to my relief, my brother takes the order and slowly strides toward me, but his head remains dipped in defeat.
The moment he steps over the threshold, he reaches for my arm, gaining my full attention. “The bear, it was Meadow. Do you know if she is okay?” he asks, and it's my turn for my eyes to widen in surprise this time.
“The bear is Meadow?” I repeat, and he nods.
“She was scared, and I think the fear triggered her shift. The first time is always the hardest.”
I exhale slowly, patting him on the shoulder. “She's okay, brother. I don't think she's shifted back yet, that I'm aware of, but I think she's down the hall.”
He nods, slinking into the room without a backward glance.
The second I stand straight and return my attention to Ivy’s door, I find Archer offering me a withering look. But before I can decide whether to call him out on it or ignore him, another rattle of footsteps comes from down the hall.
Only this time, it's not one set.
It's more.
It's like a calling card to my nervous system, and as I tilt my gaze toward the approaching herd, it doesn't feel all that surprising to see my entire family charging towards us.
My mother leads the crew, my sisters a step behind her, while my father and Garside hold up the rear.
Terror stains my mother's green eyes, her cheeks blotchy as she presses her hand against her chest. “Ivy, is she okay?” she breathes, throwing herself at me, and I wrap my arms around her shoulders, pinning her tight to my chest.
“She's still being seen. How are you here?” I mumble, and she leans back, a sad smile on her lips.
“Sax called,” she explains,
"How are you guys all holding up?” she asked, extending the question across the hall to Teddy and Archer too.
I nod, unable to find words, and she quickly glances toward the others.
“Okay, despite the circumstances,” Teddy mutters, while Archer scoffs.
“I’m feeling a little frustrated, if I'm honest,” he bites, his gaze snatching toward the room beside me, while my mother exhales softly, a gentle nod in understanding.
“That makes complete sense. But you shouldn't pass judgment without walking in their shoes,” she breathes, not defending my brother, but offering a neutral standpoint, and that seems to irritate Archer more.
“I don't see much difference in our shoes,” Archer retorts, and my mother snickers, the sound sad.
“Have you experienced a power enhancement yet, Archer Bowen?” she pushes, and he shakes his head.
“Then they're not the same shoes.” Before he can respond, she tilts her head at Teddy.
“Baron mentioned a power enhancement with you yesterday?” she questions, and he clears his throat as he scrubs the back of his neck nervously.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“And how did that feel?”
He rubs his lips together before he exhales. “Different.”
“Heightened too?” my mother presses, and he nods.
“Now, those shoes sound a little similar,” she decides before clearing her throat.
“Let me pop my head in on our girl, and then I can check on my other son to make sure he’s not plotting his own demise,” she declares, clapping her hands together as she approaches Ivy's door.
“She’s in there with Hugo and the medical team,” I explain, but she waves me off, stepping inside and closing the door behind her without even considering knocking.
I expect her to get kicked out a moment later, but that's foolish of me. This woman finds a way to have a seat at every table, and this is no different.
“Is she going to be okay?” Aster asks, and Cami instinctively moves to her side, wrapping her arm around her twin’s shoulder as she looks to me for answers.