Page 36 of Lightning Strikes

I look up at Ryan and nod. “Yeah. I miss her and Max… And Mac. And I’m sure Ella is going insane getting everything in her house ready to see her mate. Those two are so in love with each other it gives me a toothache.”

He chuckles and jumps over the couch to sit beside me. It’s just us today while the other three are with their families. I had to shove Carter out of the door with the promise of me not leaving the house unless we call him with enough time to get over here to be with us. Alpha’s orders are for two guards to be with me at all times. Oops.

Ryan wraps an arm around me and I close my eyes. “Take a nap, boss. I’ll watch these boring human sports and try not to drool in your hair.” I snort and snuggle against his chest and try to go to sleep.

I end up just relaxing and listening to the sportscasters moan and whine about the football players and the poor calls… something about flags. This week has been one of the most relaxing weeks of my life. I didn’t have to work, didn’t have to worry about Adam or Carolina, the clinic, Mac’s job… all I have done is relax, sleep, and eat. Cuddle with four men, getting to know them better. It’s been a treat. All four of them are as close as blood brothers, having worked with and lived together for the past decade. They’re informative, caring, and great cooks… which is great for me because I hate cooking. I would rather order take out or heat up something in the oven or microwave.

They include me in their inside jokes, gossip about the pack members with me so that I know who’s who… And they let me vent to them about my crazy life.

Ryan taps my shoulder. “Mac’s calling your phone.”

I blink my bleary eyes open and answer immediately. I frown as I place it on speaker and just hear yelling and grunting in the background. “Mac? Mac!” I call out and can’t figure out what’s going on.

I hang up and call Tom. “Yes, Ang?”

“Where’s Mac?”

He grunts. “No idea. He said he was going into town to go through your storage unit so that you had all of your parent’s stuff with you in New York. Why?”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “He just called me and it sounds like he was in a fight… Can you round up a few guys and go out looking for him? If he still has his location settings on, on his phone I can grab the location.”

“Of course, call me right back.” He hangs up and I jump up and begin pacing after I call Melissa and she promises she will text me the location right away. I checked the app as soon as I hung up with Tom and it says his location is unavailable to me… Thank goodness for Melissa.

Ryan pulls me into his arms. “Hey… What’s going on?”

“He’s had some issues with the police department there… I knew that the fucking piece of shit wouldn’t leave town quietly.” I lean back and run my fingers through my hair. I tell Ryan everything about Morrow and his crazy daughter and how he was supposed to be gone weeks ago. “Now he’s probably going to try to kill Mac… And Mac is going to wolf out somewhere in public and be shot. Or taken to a government lab and tested. And the pack will be found out and someone is going to take them all just like my parents.”

He just pulls me back into his arms and I hear my phone going off with several text messages. I read through them, thanking Melissa as I send the location to Tom and to Adam… If he wants some brownie points with the pack, he better fucking show up.

“Just breathe. Let’s grab some water bottles and go for a walk. I’ll call Carter to come back so that we’re followingordersand have two of us with you.”

I nod and stare down at my phone, chewing on my lip as I wait for Tom to call me back and tell me that Mac is fine.

Carter pulls up within minutes, out of breath and his white hair in a disarray, his black eyes wide and concerned. “What’s going on? Are you okay? Is it the baby?”

I frown and shrug my shoulders, Ryan explains what’s going on. They both stay close and quiet as we walk down the street into the forest and… fuck. I wish I could shift so I could just run and run until I calmed down.

By the time we get back to the house, Ella is pacing around my kitchen and scowling at me. “Why didn’t you call me?”

I let the tears fall then. Oh, fuck, I’m awful. “I’m so sorry.” I let her wrap me in her comforting arms and she shushes me and rocks me back and forth.

“Tom called me about an hour ago that they were on their way to Mac’s location. After I punched a few of my pretty walls, I came over here to find the place empty. I didn’t want to call you in case we missed one of their calls.”

I nod into her shoulder and we sit in the living room, staring at the fire that Carter lit while we wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

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