Page 68 of Alpha Exile

I sigh, a knot unwinding in my chest. "So what do we do?"

"I'm not exactly sure," she admits. "He needs to have his connection to Delphine cut off, just as you did with the others, though without a physical conduit like the vials of blood, I'm not sure how to do it. It's possible that the best solution is time—that, and whatever you can show him that reminds him of his own life.

"There's not much I can do for him right now, other than make him comfortable and safe. Which is why I'll be putting out as many shields around this house as possible—double, even triple protection. We'll have to keep him away from Delphine, and surround him with love and care, until he wakes up. Until then... try doing what you can to weave him back into your group, and sever him from the outside influences plaguing him."

Kerry passes me as she heads out the door, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. She gives me the water bottle, murmuring, "It may help you channel your weaving abilities, even if it doesn't help him. Just don't take it unless you're ready to burn through a great deal of magic and take a long nap afterwards—it's not the sort of thing you drink on a whim."

"Thank you, Aunt Kerry."

"Any time."

She winks at me before sliding out the front door, and I spot her through the little kitchen window, her fingers weaving together through the forms for protection. As I watch her, Cat comes over to me and hugs me again, then pulls back and stares up at my face.

"I'm going to go visit Niall for a bit," she says impulsively, reaching down to take my hands and squeeze them tightly. "I have the feeling that theremindingyou need to do with Roarke will be quite nosy and private, so I'll make myself scarce."

"It's not like that!" I object, though my shorts are still barely held together by the belt slung across them, and my thighs chafe with the memory of what we did—and what wedidn'tuse. "We'll probably just... show him old photos and stuff."

"Sure thing." Cat chuckles, winking at me. "Old photos. And stuff."

There's no convincing her otherwise. She slips out the door as well, leaving me alone with the guys.

"I tried to summon Jason again, but he wouldn't come," Bastian says suddenly, shifting back and forth on his feet, an unhappy frown on his lips. "I'm sorry that what he did didn't work, Delilah. I thought at least it had a chance."

"It's okay—he's at least not moonsick now," I murmur, reaching out to pull the gag from Roarke's mouth. A single growl escapes his lips as it leaves them, his blue eyes flitting up towards me, narrowed and unfocused. "I'm not sure if he's still in there at the moment, but there has to be a way to wake him up. First, though... he needs a shower, and some fresh clothes."

Worrying my lower lip, I glance across the room. "Kieran, can you help me clean him up?"

He nods, his face silent, his expression giving nothing away.

But I can feel the grief within him through our mate bond. My heart is in similar turmoil.

If we can't fix Roarke, the pack may never be the same again.

I know that I won't be, which is why we have to do whatever we can to save him.

If there is still ahimcapable of being saved.

Twenty-Eight

Delilah

"You never actually lived here, so I'm not sure what memories I'm supposed to show you," I murmur, following behind Kieran as he tugs Roarke into the large bathroom next to the big bedroom upstairs. "Maybe if I showed you some photos on my phone... I know there are some in here..."

My heart slams in my chest as I pull the phone out of its holster on my belt and thumb through the photographs.

"I'm going to get the water hot," Kieran says, pacing over to the big shower and turning on the faucet. "Then I'll grab him some clothes from my stuff. You just... stay here, and shout if anything happens."

Looking over at Roarke, who's gone catatonic again, I joke, "What will happen?"

"He could attack you." Kieran looks at his best friend somberly, his eyes skittering across Roarke's naked body like he's afraid to linger for too long. "I'm actually shocked he didn't hurt you when you found him last night. He... didn't, did he?"

I swallow, knowing that Kieran and the others would've felt my sexual pleasure through the mating bonds. In a hoarse voice I tell him, "He didn't do anything that I didn't want him to do."

"And if you hadn't wanted him to?" Kieran challenges, his mouth downturned, clearly unhappy at the thought. "I know you could've fought him off if you'd really wanted to, but..."

"Let's not think about things that didn't happen." I reach out to squeeze Kieran's hand, then shoo him towards the door. "Go get him some clothes. It'll get awkward if he's naked for much longer. I'm starting to feel like we're one of those fictional werewolves who tear their clothes apart when they shift."

"I know, right?" Kieran snorts. "Imagine the impracticality."

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