Chapter 419 Chapter 419
Noah walked with slow hesitant steps from Cale’s little cabin. He hoped Kobie assumed he was taking smaller steps for her benefit, but one thing he’d realized about her early on was that she noticed everything.
“How are you doing?”
He looked down at her but didn’t make eye contact. “I’m good.”
She smirked, knowing it was a complete lie. “It must be hard, having her here.” She gave him a focused look like she could see inside his head, “all the memories must haunt you even more.”
He was uncomfortable enough just walking with her, he didn’t want to talk about the horrors of his life with her. “It’s a challenge.” He finally said, hoping she would just let it go there.
“I can’t imagine it. What it would be like to see Blair and then not for so long—the uncertainty and everything.” She grinned, “I didn’t even want to be mated, but I couldn’t stay away from him either.” She made a point to make sure he noticed her looking up at him until they made eye contact. “I think you’re both incredibly strong.” She smiled an encouraging smile. “I couldn’t have done it.”
Noah paused and huffed out a breath, “I think you could have, but I’m glad you don’t ever have to find out.”
Kobie held his look long enough he was almost squirming in his skin. Would he ever get used to a female making eye contact with him? He didn’t think so. “You’re right because we are ending this insanity that we’re being forced to live with.”
One of the women that had recently been rescued stood outside the door to the house, looking at them. She had a panicked look on her face.
“I think she needs you,” Noah said and jerked his chin in that direction.
Kobie turned, “Alena has been having some problems with Indy since they got back.” She said softly.
Noah felt his chest tighten, the female’s nephew was around eight and if anyone knew the hell young shifter boys went through in Tomas’ world, it was him. “It’s going to take time, for-for the boys we brought back to remember it’s okay.” He couldn’t say it out loud, so he nodded, hoping she would understand. “They just need to remember they’re boys, and none of it is their fault.” He nodded again.
Kobie put her hand on his arm, compassion bleeding from her all over him. “You should spend time with them, Noah, the boys, I think they would benefit from your knowledge of what it was like.” She smiled again, “and hearing it from someone who survived it...”
“I think she’s right.”
Noah jolted and turned to see Emersyn standing a few feet away. He hadn’t heard her come upon them, but if there was one thing imprisonment taught a body, it was to move without sound and blend into the background.
“They’re so frightened, especially when they look at one of the girls or women.” she glanced to Kobie, and then those emeralds locked on him, “I don’t know what they tell the boys, but I know what they try to program the girls with and,” she looked over at Alena, “and if anyone can get through to them, it would be you, Noah.”
He swallowed, then tried to force air into his body in any way possible. “I, uh,” both women standing so close to him had his cat freaking out. He stepped back, trying to make it look like he was considering what they said, “I-I could try.” He jammed his hands into his pockets and balled them into fists, forcibly inhaling to oxygenate his lungs.
Kobie smiled up at him, “great.” she looked over at Alena quickly, “are you good here?”
He glanced at Emersyn then to Kobie, “I—”
“Noah has some good news,” Kobie said and looked at Emersyn.
The look on Emersyn’s face grew to hope so fast, it was like she’d flipped a switch. His cat froze inside him, with the expression on her face anxiety poured from her.
“You have news of Aspyn?” Her eyes were wide with expectation.
He nodded, while he tried to get his brain to switch gears and produce the words she needed to hear. “We, uh,” he turned to Kobie to see she was walking away. He was on his own, “they’ve figured out where Lindon’s remaining clan is,” he shrugged, “or close enough.”
The anxiety changed into excitement. It was so fast it made him dizzy.
“And that’s where Aspyn is?”
He opened his mouth to say he wasn’t sure, but that’s not what came out, “Yes.” He frowned, “it makes sense he’d send her to his clan to look after.” He added, even though he had no idea why the man had done anything he had.
She rushed at him, closing the space between them in a few steps, grasping his forearm in her warm hand. She looked up at him. “When are we going to get her?”
His cat crouched, not in an alert way, but in fear. She was touching him, voluntarily touching him, again. Then her words registered in his mind, “you’re not going.” It came out with a lot of hostility and a tone that he’d swore he’d never use toward a female again. It had been a command, not a reply.
She jerked her hand back so fast as if he’d hurt it. The excitement on her face sunk to a look that was sad and then to something else.
“We don’t know what we’re walking into.” He said quickly. He could fix this. He had to fix it. “I don’t want to take a chance that you’ll be hurt or...”
“Thank you.” She said stiffly, “but that is not your decision, is it?”
He opened his mouth but wasn’t quite sure what he should say. Warnings were sounding inside his head.
“Aren’t I free now?”
He nodded, “yes.” He could never do something that would make her feel otherwise, not after what she’d lived through—what they’d lived through.
“Okay. Then I’m going, Noah, to get my daughter.” Her stance changed, from the timid closed-off form to her hands on her hips and her chin raised.
Noah sucked in a breath, trying to find the words to speak. He wasn’t an educated man, but he wasn’t addled either, he thought. Right now, it was like he didn’t know a single word.
Stepping close to him, she poked her finger into the center of his chest, her green eyes sparkling up at him and his mind screamed danger. “You know what got me through all these years?”
He started to shake his head, but she didn’t give him a chance to.
“You.” She jabbed him again and then dropped her hand away to rest back on her hip, “I didn’t know you—-didn’t think I’d ever see you again but knowing there was still someone out there to fight for me,” she made a soft growl sound, and his cat was suddenly alert, looking for the threat, “it meant everything, Noah.” She made a softer growl, “so I know that I will be safe when you’re there and I will be going to get my daughter.” She jerked her chin once and then turned and walked away from him quickly.
Noah, mouth hanging wide open, rubbed his hand over where she’d poked him. He didn’t know what had just happened. He turned to see Blair and Calum standing across the yard, they’d seen the whole thing. Blair gave him a wide-eyed look and shifted his head to the side twice, telling him to go after her. Calum looked at Blair and then nodded to Noah. He scowled and turned to see she was almost to the trailer. Why was he going after her? His cat switched modes—-again and concern flooded through his mind. Gritting his teeth, he started walking toward the trailer. What the hell was he supposed to say? He had no idea. He didn’t even know why he was going after her. She’d said her piece and that was that, right? What more was there to say?