Page 121 of Stolen By the Alpha Hunter
I wrap my hand around his.
“Come back, Javi,” I whisper.
He groans…and that’s enough.
“Now we wait,” Suyin says.
I’ve had enough of waiting…waiting for rescue, for a sign that things were going to get better.
But for Javi? I’d wait forever.
30
PEACHES
There’s something chilling about abandoned places.
It’s even worse with abandoned people.
I can barely feel Javi through the bond, even when we’re in the same room. It’s the worst feeling in the world. Still, I stay at his side and I wait.
…and I wait and wait.
He’s human again, but my whole first day back at the den is like this—staring, vacant green eyes, his body motionless. I only leave to use the bathroom, not even bothering to go back to my room.
“I miss you,” I whisper against his chest.
I don’t know what time it is when Maggie comes to get me, a gentle hand on my shoulder. I look up at her, my eyes bleary, my heart in my throat.
“You should take a break,” she says. “Have a bath, get some food and rest.”
I look down at Javi, biting my lip. “Someone needs to watch him.”
“Colt’s right outside, just waiting for the go ahead to keep an eye on him,” she says. “And Suyin is in and out. He’s in good hands.”
I rub my palms against my eyes and heave a deep sigh. My head is pounding, and I know she’s right.
Sitting here isn’t going to do him any good when my presence hasn’t done a damn thing to wake him.
“Okay,” I say. “I’m…yeah. You’re right.”
“Colt, you can come in!” she calls.
The door opens and Maggie’s big, tatted alpha steps inside, his eyes flitting to Javi. He takes in the scene with an appraising glance, then crosses his arms.
“Wow,” he says. “Big guy. He’s gonna be helpful when he wakes up.”
It’s weird, but the way he talks about him makes things seem easier, simpler. It makes me feel certain that he’s going to wake up, Colt’s confidence giving me courage.
I smile. “He’s really strong.”
“I can see that,” he says. “Go—I’ll come and get you if anything changes.”
Maggie and I leave the clinic and walk toward the baths, my legs wobbly. I’ve been sitting down for too long. The corridors of the den are practically empty, which means night’s fallen and everyone’s at dinner, if I had to guess. Well—everyone except for my core group of friends, here to support me through it all.
“Thank you,” I blurt out as we walk through the door to the springs. “For everything. It’s been…this has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“I would say I can imagine…but I can’t,” Maggie murmurs. “But you got out and you’re never going back there—we’ll make sure of it.”
