13 Kashmir #2
“Yet, I have a feeling that’s why you’re about to say yes to me.
” Sharing two devious grins, I knew we were on the same side for this.
It was the reason why I wanted to find her because I knew she was the only one who could grasp my worry.
Kit would be the only one to say yes to me and my odd request to learn self-defense.
“You’re right. Ruffling Ryatt’s feathers has always brought me a great sense of pleasure that I can’t explain. I have a small opening tomorrow in the morning. If you’re okay waking up that early, I can come get you and take you to the training room.”
“Please,” I sighed in relief.
She dipped her chin in acceptance. “Then you better be off to bed because you’re going to want all the rest you can get. And be prepared to hurt. No pain, no gain.”
Escorting me back to the stairs, she made her way down them to take me back to my room.
Turner was storming down the hall in search of me because he woke up from my absence.
His worry appeared blatant, but his look shifted into something else when he beheld Kit bringing me back.
Surprise slipped through his gaze just enough for me to see before he covered it back up, but just like the others, I could tell how much he loved the woman standing next to me.
It also didn’t take rocket science to know she still cared about them immensely.
I had no doubt that’s why she agreed to save our asses.
“Jericho, you’ve got to stop wandering off on us. Do you know what a heart attack I have every time I wake up and you’re not there?” His last question came out too late before he understood he said it in the presence of Kit.
She flinched. She did know what it felt like to wake up without them there, and she knew what it was like to never have them come back.
“Kit, I’m so sorry,” he apologized as fast as possible.
She held up her hand to stop him there, and I knew it had everything to do with how painful those thoughts were for her.
Whether it came from the guilt of my pack or the guilt that ate at me on her behalf, I felt like all of this was unfair for her.
“No need to dredge up our past. I’m just making sure Jericho gets back to your room okay before I head to mine.
Goodnight, gentlemen, and I’ll see you in the morning, Jericho. ”
Walking away from us, we watched her every subtle movement. Just like I had noticed when I first saw her at the window, Turner took in her disheveled appearance. I had no doubt he knew it wasn’t like her to look so unkept even though her natural beauty spoke volumes.
“Is there a way to undo a mating between an Alpha and an Omega?” I didn’t know if my question could come across insensitive or not, but I also didn’t know the answer. I had never met anyone who belonged to the wrong pack, and it became clear Kit wasn’t in the right one.
“The only way would be to kill her Alpha, but that’d be like gutting her from the bond being so deep within her core. Most feel a harrowing sense of loss and are unable to survive. No matter how badly I want Kit, I would never make her suffer that.”
I knew my own ties to them were deep, and I understood how fragile those bonds were.
I could never imagine losing any of my men because it would ruin me completely.
Kit had already gone through losing Ryatt’s pack, and that was without being marked.
Turner’s answer rang true; I couldn’t make her endure that suffering, if that was the only way.
“I’m not sure what her Alpha requests of her when it comes to sharing her bed, but I want you to know I would never mind if you saw her in that way.
” Letting myself turn back to look at Turner, I took in how his beard had been growing the last week.
His black curls spun around his shoulders from how long they were, and he couldn’t tie them back.
With his arm in a sling, healing his body had been his focus.
As an Alpha of our pack, he needed strength to help protect.
“You shouldn’t have to cope with her absence completely.
I can feel how all of you hurt whenever we’re near her, and it’s getting insufferable for me. ”
“We never thought we would see her again,” Turner’s voice cracked because he tried to fight the urge to cry.
“I know.” Walking to him, I placed my ear over the steady rhythm of his heart. Deep within myself, I felt every aching pulse because it mirrored my own in our bond. “I can’t imagine how hurt she must be if we feel like this. You guys lost one girl, but she lost the five of you.”
“I wish there was a way to undo all the pain for everyone. I’m sorry you feel what I am.” Turner kissed the top of my head. “I’d be lost without you, and you need to know that.”
The topic needed directed, knowing this conversation grew too heavy. “I asked her to start training me for self-defense. I don’t want the others to know yet because they’re gonna be pissed that I’m allowing myself to get hurt, but after all that we’ve been through, I need to prepare myself.”
“I don’t think that’s a bad idea,” he returned as he walked back to the room.
“Will you go with me to help me hide it from the others? If you come with me, they won’t try finding me like they do when I go for an evening walk.”
“Evening walk? Last time I looked at the time, it was after two in the morning.” He smirked next to me. “As for your training, I’ll take you, but you need to figure out when you’re going to tell the others.”
“Let’s get through the first day to see if I’m able to even stick with it,” I teased.