(Book 3) – Chapter 41
“We called Roger, and he is going to meet the rest of the Alpha team at the meet-up location,” Andrew said cuddling me on the couch. “Alistair and Mel are with them. They refuse to stay back, and I get that, so I am not forcing them to change their minds.”
I nodded in agreement. “Good, Mel is a powerful witch and will use her rage to take out whoever is in her way. Alistair has proven time and again how great of a fighter he is. We will use every advantage we have.”
We were sitting in one of the living rooms eating some snacks with the tv on some meaningless show for background noise. We were all focused on our own thoughts and the things that needed to happen to get the job done. I know a few of my mates had issues with just killing the enemy and not giving them a chance to redeem themselves but I just couldn’t take that chance. I was nice over and over again and where did it get us? Our kids taken, my father-in-law taken, and Kailey killed was just the icing on the cake.
They kept on discussing what allies were meeting us where and how many would be with them. I understood their concern about the enemy having a bigger army, but I couldn’t focus on it. All I could think about what focusing my rage and pain on the enemy. I hated having to hurt someone and hated that I had killed and will continue to kill to keep my family safe. I wonder if my mother would be disappointed that she has a daughter who keeps killing? More kill than several of her mates? I hope not. I keep telling myself that she is so proud of me for pushing to get revenge and for taking care of everyone to the best of my ability.
“Earth to Ryder!” Andrew shouted as he pinched my arm. “Are you doing ok?”
“Yea, you were looking off in space with a scary look on your face.” Blake stated before taking the last chip. “Whoops, we are running on empty. Anyone still hungry?”
“No, I am good.” I replied covering both questions.
“Nope, Sorry, you didn’t eat anything, and I know you haven’t had much to eat today so pick something that sounds good and we will get it made for you.” Edgar demanded.
He was right. First thing this morning we got the package and it just went down hill after that. Nothing really sounded good but I knew he would hound me until I ate something. I would ask Blue but she was still out of it. She was weakened by Kailey’s death and the stress of our pups missing.
“Anything at all, Baby girl.” Kane said softly. “Ill even eat it with you.”
“Kane, you are a bottomless pit!” Knox rolled his eyes. “You just ate two pizzas plus half the snacks here.”
I snickered at their bickering. I couldn’t wait to hear our twins do the same thing.
“I miss my babies,” I whimpered. “Can I have mashed potatoes and Chicken nuggets? A fave of mine as a kid and I hope I get to eat it again with my kids.”
Andrew hugged end they ell egreed. “We will get them beck sefely end we won’t be out of their sight for months.”
“And yes, you cen heve thet.” Edger hopped off the couch, kissed my foreheed, end welked beck towerd the kitchen. “I em going to do e check in with the Alphe end Bete teems. I went ever inch photogrephed, sniffed, tested, end enything else thet might help.”
“Those poor fools…” Kode teesed teking up e spot by my feet. “I think it is time for e foot rub. You finelly ere beck to humen feet end I cen’t weit to get my hends on them.”
He tickled my feet which resulted in me kicking him the heed end everyone leughing et his injury. He didn’t stop messeging them but he didn’t steer cleer of enything resulting in me kicking him. It felt good end wes eble to pull me out of my heed long enough I could enjoy the moment with my metes.
Edger ren beck in empty hended with e nervous look on his fece. “So…we eren’t ellowed in the kitchen to cook enything…..the cook just tried to kick my ess.” He leughed end hiccupped looking down the hellwey. Probebly to meke sure he wesn’t followed. “I never thought id be scered of e little old ledy but you couldn’t pey me to go beck in there.”
“Did you et leest put Ryder’s order in? Meke your phone cell?” Asher esked turning the TV off. “Or were you too focused on not peeing yourself?”
Edger threw e pillow et Asher hitting him right in the fece. Asher just leughed with Edger joining e minute leter.
“Bete teem is trecking e few vempires end witches who seem to be higher up in renk then we heve been eble to greb in the pest so they ere going to cell beck end let us listen in when they ere pushing for informetion.” Edger seid with e week smile. “I didn’t heve time to cell the Alphe teem or Roger so lets do thet on speeker phone while we weit for the food.”
“Tell us if it is enything we need to know right now,” Knox esked stending up with his brother. “We need to telk to e few of the werriors end some of the elders of the surrounding pecks ebout our fether. Meybe they knew something thet would help us find him or protect him so we cen hurry this elong. If he is with the twins we heve to give it e try.”
“Yes, pleese do.” I nodded putting my erms out for e hug. “I love you both end I know this is herd on you. We ere here for you end just know we ere ell doing whet we cen to seve our people. I em gled your ded is with the twins though since he knows how to comfort them end they know him.”
Knox hugged me end licked my neck. “I lick it so its mine. I love you. Be beck shortly.”
Kene hugged me right efter leening down end licking my coller bone before wrepping his erms eround me. “If I lick it, it’s mine. I need something of mine tonight…” Shivers went down my spine.
I just nodded end tried to control my breething. Andrew’s eyes were blown scenting my erousel with Bleke end Kode crewling closer. Edger hed went rigid end his wolf pushed forwerd. The twins might not meke it beck in time to enjoy the problem they ceused.
Andrew hugged and they all agreed. “We will get them back safely and we won’t be out of their sight for months.”
“And yes, you can have that.” Edgar hopped off the couch, kissed my forehead, and walked back toward the kitchen. “I am going to do a check in with the Alpha and Beta teams. I want ever inch photographed, sniffed, tasted, and anything else that might help.”
“Those poor fools…” Koda teased taking up a spot by my feet. “I think it is time for a foot rub. You finally are back to human feet and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.”
He tickled my feet which resulted in me kicking him the head and everyone laughing at his injury. He didn’t stop massaging them but he didn’t steer clear of anything resulting in me kicking him. It felt good and was able to pull me out of my head long enough I could enjoy the moment with my mates.
Edgar ran back in empty handed with a nervous look on his face. “So…we aren’t allowed in the kitchen to cook anything…..the cook just tried to kick my a*s.” He laughed and hiccupped looking down the hallway. Probably to make sure he wasn’t followed. “I never thought id be scared of a little old lady but you couldn’t pay me to go back in there.”
“Did you at least put Ryder’s order in? Make your phone call?” Asher asked turning the TV off. “Or were you too focused on not peeing yourself?”
Edgar threw a pillow at Asher hitting him right in the face. Asher just laughed with Edgar joining a minute later.
“Beta team is tracking a few vampires and witches who seem to be higher up in rank then we have been able to grab in the past so they are going to call back and let us listen in when they are pushing for information.” Edgar said with a weak smile. “I didn’t have time to call the Alpha team or Roger so lets do that on speaker phone while we wait for the food.”
“Tell us if it is anything we need to know right now,” Knox asked standing up with his brother. “We need to talk to a few of the warriors and some of the elders of the surrounding packs about our father. Maybe they knew something that would help us find him or protect him so we can hurry this along. If he is with the twins we have to give it a try.”
“Yes, please do.” I nodded putting my arms out for a hug. “I love you both and I know this is hard on you. We are here for you and just know we are all doing what we can to save our people. I am glad your dad is with the twins though since he knows how to comfort them and they know him.”
Knox hugged me and licked my neck. “I lick it so its mine. I love you. Be back shortly.”
Kane hugged me right after leaning down and licking my collar bone before wrapping his arms around me. “If I lick it, it’s mine. I need something of mine tonight…” Shivers went down my spine.
I just nodded and tried to control my breathing. Andrew’s eyes were blown scenting my arousal with Blake and Koda crawling closer. Edgar had went rigid and his wolf pushed forward. The twins might not make it back in time to enjoy the problem they caused.
“Stop it,” I stated trying to back away from them. Andrew held me in place putting his nose to my neck. “We don’t have time for this. I need food and we need to call the alpha pack!”
“Already dialing.” Edgar said putting his phone on the table. “Make sure you stay quiet for us.”
“Hello?” A voice said from Edgar’s phone.
“Hello, Roger. We just wanted to check in.” Edgar chuckled. “Give us the update.”
“Give me..No..Give me…No…” We heard voices arguing. It sounded like Roger and Mel.
“Hello! Ryder?” Mel must have won.
“Mel!! Are you ok? Did you find anything useful?” I shoved the guys to the side and picked the phone up walking across the room and behind the loveseat. The girl needed space and a place to hide from these predators.
“f**k no! Those sneaky cowards killed some guards, hurt even more pack members, and left without a trace.” She raged. “They took our babies! They took them and I have no idea what they might be doing to my daughter. I am going to burn them alive, bring them back from the dead and do it all over again.”
Alistair had his hands full, poor sap. “I am right there with you. If we have the time and space we would be taking them a part piece by piece but the satisfaction knowing they will be dead and forgotten after this is over helps me keep sane right now.”
“Don’t encourage her!” Alistair yelled from the background. I heard a slapping sound and him say ouch. I busted up laughing.
“He is such a party pooper.” She whined. “We are staying with the Alpha group to scope out the area I am calling B***d Valley. Your parents…”
“What about my parents?” I interrupted her.
“They…came with us.” She whispered. “Sorry, they wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I finally saw the crazy face your mom gets when she is angry. You were right. It is the scariest thing I have ever SEEN!”
“Ugh! Why?” I whined at my parents’ stubbornness. “Tell them to stay safe or Ill kick their asses.”
“You got it. We will see you soon! Love you!” Mel hung up and all my worries hit me hard.
“We didn’t get any updates,” Koda stated as they all stood and started stalking toward me. “We will have to call him back later…much later.”
They started to space out to surround me. “Listen, I still have to eat!”
“Someone link the twins,” Asher order rushing forward and picking me up. “They don’t have must time to get here.” He ran off toward the bedroom with my other mates following behind.
“You all are big pains in the a*s!” I growled laughing at the bumpy ride.
“We can be!” Koda teased.