Page 92 of Savage Sacrifice
“Please do me a favor and tell that boy he better grow a pair and find time to speak to his mother before she takes control of the situation and forces him to socialize with me,” she says with a wink before leaning in to press a soft kiss to my cheek. “Same goes for you, Polaris,” she adds, a giggle lightening the air around us, but before I can utter a word in response, she’s gone.
I blink at the spot where she stood, unsure of what actually just happened, when Wylder scoffs.
“What on Earth just happened?” I gape at him, at just as much of a loss as he is. “What was that?” he repeats, but I shake my head.
“I don’t know.”
He snickers quietly as he wraps me in his arms. I sink into him, letting his scent engulf me and his touch soothe me. Thatfeeling of home, it’s there. Deep in my stomach, fueling my every breath. As much as I want to get lost in it, I can’t. Not yet, at least.
“So, what's going on here? You wouldn’t mention a single thing on the phone. What’s that about?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck as I lean back to meet his gaze, and the disappointment I find there cuts right through the hope and joy I'd felt in my hurry to get here.
“We were right about Bryony,” he admits, slicing the cut deeper as my gut churns.
Dammit.
As much as I want to stand here and get lost in him, lost in all of my men and forget all those other priorities, I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly before I nod.
“Take me to Minnie.”
It’s not farto walk, but there’s a lot to learn. Wylder explains everything the best he can, and although the gut-wrenching feeling of betrayal weighs heavily on my heart, I can’t wrap my head around it.
I don’t doubt anything Tatum says he heard. I believe him without question. I just don’t understand the reasoning behind her actions. But there’s only one way I’m going to find out.
The basement of the vampire building is my least favorite place, and I’m reminded of that fact as the horrific sight greets me precisely as I recall it. At least this time, Ben isn’t strapped to a bed against his will.
Instead, it’s Bryony.
My gut twists, and my heart aches for everyone here, but my sole focus is the girl on the nearest bed. She’s staring up at theceiling, pretending like I haven't just arrived as Tatum calls out my name.
“Polaris.” There’s so much relief in one word, and it helps ground me in the minefield I’m navigating.
I’m in his arms a moment later. His hug is sweet, gentle, and soft as he presses a kiss to my forehead. He leans back just enough for me to rise up on my tiptoes and press my lips against his cheek in response. Our simple exchange that always floods my heart with love. As quickly as he arrives, he's gone again, replaced by Asher.
He cups my jaw, running his thumb over my cheek as he looks deep into my eyes. I feel like I've barely seen him. I’ve barely seen any of them, but Asher's always the most withdrawn in these moments, silently juggling his thoughts and his uncle. I didn’t realize just how much I’ve been missing our connection until now. Yet with that one single touch, everything feels whole again.
I lean into his hold as he presses a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth, his nickname for me a breath on his lips.
“Silver.”
I hum, but then he's gone, my recluse replaced by my angry wolf.
He frowns down at me, and I can’t help but wonder if he's ever not angry. To my surprise, he wraps his arms tightly around my waist, lifting me an inch or two off the floor as he holds me, enclosing me in his arms like his life depends on it. He breathes me in and I squeeze him back just as tight, quickly realizing that the Lincoln I've come to know isn't the one before me right now. Instead, he's vulnerable, lost. But what's more apparent is it's not for himself, never for himself. Maybe a little for me, but mostly for Minnie.
I convey my support, emotions, and love into our embrace before he sighs, relaxing his arms and lowering me back to the ground as he tucks a loose curl of hair behind my ear.
No words are spoken, but so much is said with our actions.
As he steps back, I search for my vampire, finding him a few steps away from Bryony’s bed. His head is dipped as he looks at me through his lashes. A blush creeps over my cheeks as I stand under his intense stare. He doesn’t move, not a single inch, and I find my feet carrying me toward him desperately.
A shiver runs down my spine as he grabs my chin, tilting my head back so he can stare deep into my soul. Or that’s what it feels like he’s doing at least. He doesn't wrap his arms around me, but his fingers ghost over my face as we stand toe to toe, drinking each other in.
Running my tongue over my bottom lip, I clear my throat. “Your mother isn't happy with you,” I state, and his eyelids flutter closed for a brief moment before they settle back on mine.
“I guessed not, but we needed you here and she’s the only one who could make it happen,” he offers.
There’s so much to unpack in that one statement, but I can sense the misunderstanding that lingers around him. The assumptions he predicts from his mother, and while there’s a lot to unpack there, it’s not really my place. Never mind the fact that he said she was the only person who could help. That doesn’t make sense either, but I need to juggle one thing at a time.
Instead of delving into any of the thoughts running wild in my mind, I offer him a soft smile.
