Page 40 of Destined Bear
“What if I come to see you?”
She doesn’t respond immediately, but she finally whispers, “No.”
It’s quiet and uncertain, but it’s still a refusal.
“What did you do with Millie?” She’s eager to change the subject.
“She’s in the cells that were not damaged. It’s clear that whoever set the fire came to get Seline specifically.”
“What if they come back for Millie?”
“I hope they do. We have enforcers waiting for them,” I reassure her. “Heath will question Millie. If she knows anything, we’ll find out.”
“I hope you’re right, Emeric. This has dragged on long enough. Next time, someone could get hurt. We should come up with a better strategy than just… You know what? Never mind.”
I gnaw on the insides of my cheeks. “I want to hear what you have to say about it.”
She chuckles dryly. “Since when?”
“Viv…” My heart pounds at the simple sound of her voice, and I’m sure she can hear it, the invisible tether between us growing stronger with our closeness. Just the timbre of concern is enough to tighten my chest.
“I don’t want it to be like this between us,” I murmur, wishing I could reach for her hand through the phone, the need to touch her physically paining me more now than ever before. I can’tresist her. The connection between us is too strong, and fighting it is futile. I can almost feel the heat of her breath through the phone.
“No. I don’t have anything to say about it. I should get back to Mom.”
My eyebrow rises. “Didn’t you just say they aren’t letting you near her?”
“Maybe they will now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Emeric.”
The call disconnects through the speaker, and my hands tighten with frustration around the wheel.
Everything around me is falling apart. I’ve lost my pack, my Beta, and my mate.
But I have to stay strong. I’m the Alpha. I don’t have a choice. It’s all on me.
Half of my enforcers aren’t in the meeting at the ranch the day after the attack.
“Where is everyone?” I eye Heath, but he looks everywhere but at me. “Hello?”
Alessa is happy to volunteer the information. “Probably working with the rogue shifters from Stonecrest.”
I balk. “Please tell me that’s your idea of a joke.”
She bats her lashes at me. “I’m much funnier than that.”
My head jerks toward Heath. “Are you saying half our enforcers were working with Stonecrest?”
“No,” Heath sighs, casting Alessa a dirty look. “But they’re not necessarily sure they want to stand with you after what you did to Raynor.”
“Raynor deserved it!” I jump up from my seat and scowl at the group. “You can’t talk about my mate like that and expect to get away with it!”
The group shifts uncomfortably in their seats, the acknowledgement of our bond creating an awkward silence that no one knows how to fill.
“Do we have anything to discuss other than the fire?” Heath directs the question at the group.
Collectively, they shake their heads.
“Go to the living room and make a plan,” my Beta instructs. “We’ll regroup there in ten minutes.”
