Page 49 of Rising

I smiled to myself. Happy things had finally started to feel a bit normal around The Compound, as I’d found a steady new rhythm of life. Most of my free time I still spent hyper fixated on figuring out what was going on. But, I’d made little efforts here and there to focus on the way forward, and not all that I had lost. I’d even changed the sheets for the first time since Jax’s passing. Reina insisted that burning them in a fit of rage while dumping every bottle of alcohol in my room on top didn’t count, but we all grieve in different ways.

A cup of chamomile tea warmed the top of my lip when the door to Moe’s study flew open and bounced off the wall.

“Shit,” I yelped, surprised by the splash of hot liquid that now covered my shirt, “Reina, what the hell.” I glared at her, her jumpiness causing me to now be covered in chamomile and honey.

“Oh hush, don’t blame me, blame this asshole,” she said, sitting up, gesturing to her brother glowering in the door frame. She turned to look at me. “Darn. You’re all sticky now. Here I’ll help!”

I was up in an instant as she chased me around the room playfully, trying to pull my shirt over my head. Eagerly offering me one off the floor from Moe’s messy space.

“Seth, what the hell?” I heard Moe exclaim as she rose to her feet, her inked arms crossed over her chest, pulling her long silky hair taut over her head.

I couldn’t hear his response outside ofattackas Seth’s voice muffled in my head as Reina trapped my arms against my ears with my shirt.

“Urgh, Reina, get off—”

“Got it! Here!” she cheerily said, handing me a black tank top.

I snatched it from her, turning back towards Seth. “What’s going on?”

His eyes remained on mine, not bothering to take notice of my now exposed bra. We’d been out beyond these walls together many times, it wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen before. He’d had my back as I washed up in rivers and streams, and I his. Privacy didn’t exist when you were focused on remaining as safe as possible.

As his lips parted in response, Riley came from behind him, his brows furrowed and his jaw was tight. His gaze was heavy with sorrow, and my heart dropped into my stomach. Things were bad again.

Seth turned as he felt Riley approaching his rear. Two beady, dead chestnut eyes met mine, followed by a slow look up and down my body with a smirk as I pulled my shirt down into place. The feeling of his gaze lingering against my skin.

“Oh gross,” Reina blurted, taking in the interaction and taking a step forward to obstruct Alexiares’ view. Squeezing her hand, I gave her a quick thanks as I put my new shirt on for the sake of having a serious conversation.

I cleared my throat. “Well somebody speak up. What’s going on? It’s ten p.m.”

“One of my men. They showed up with one of Seth’s. It’s bad.”

As much as I wanted to press forward, I gave him a minute to collect himself and his thoughts. Alexiares guided Riley through the door and closed it, then gave him a comforting pat on the back, urging him to continue. Tears of guilt swelled in Riley’s, brimming the bottom lines of his dark eyes.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes, not bothering to hide my annoyance at his assumption of being important enough to take up space in this room. Let alone have the audacity to offer an ounce of comfort to anyone inside of it.

Seth took over, realizing it was his turn to step in to debrief, as Riley had taken on for him many times before. Always having his back, despite the natural distance that existed between the two. “One of my calvary practically rammed his horse through East Gate with Riley’s guy barely strapped and hangin’ on to the back. It’s fuckin’ bad y’all. Bites everywhere. Myguy found him as he hauled ass back towards us from Reno. Trade line’s been compromised.”

Moe took a seat in my peripheral.I knew we should’ve sent people that way. I knew it.

“No. You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to blame yourself and leave us dealing with the pieces again,” Moe said quietly from her seat.

My fingers curled and my gaze shot back up, realizing they were all watching me. “Yeah, this ain’t your fault. No one could have predicted this,” Reina added.

Seth and Riley were still, soldiers awaiting their orders, each of them looking exhausted. No longer from a lack of sleep since the last few weeks had slowed down, but from never knowing what was coming our way. Always wondering which friend would be next.

“Ishouldhave sent people that way. There’s no denying that, and that’s my mistake to own. But there’s nothing I can do about it now,” my eyes wandered to Alexiares, who was now leaning up against the door next to Riley, studying my every move, “I guess—I guess we’re going to Reno.”

“Us?” Riley questioned tentatively.

“No. Not us, but someone else that’s qualified. We have too much to lose if we send one of us right now, knowing the risk for Seth, Riley, or me. I wouldn’t send just one without sending us all. And where things stand, I’m not seeing Reno as being the sourceof all our problems, but merely another victim. It’d be a waste of risk. We’re staying here.”

Seth and Riley nodded in agreement.

“Is he awake and talking?” Moe asked, cracking her knuckles, ready to play her role.

The men nodded again and Moe was back on her feet headed towards the door. Riley and Alexiares moved to either side of it, she paused, turning back towards me for further instructions.

“I need to know what they saw, so spend a decent amount of time on them both, but don’t exhaust yourself. You can always finish in the morning. I need to know whether it was a full-scale attack or an ambush. The more details you can pick up, the better. Anything like noticeable strengths or weaknesses is key.”

---