Chapter 72 Chapter 72
“What?” She grabbed his arm as he tried to move to examine the rooms again, stopping him.
“Love,” he growled lightly. “We don’t have time. I promised that I’d make sure you’re safe.” He yanked his arm from her grip and rushed up the stairs, ensuring that each room was secure, too.
Suki rushed to follow him as quickly as she could, but without her wolf-speed, she was constantly struggling to keep up.
The final room he checked was her bedroom. He closed the window and locked it, turning around just in time to watch her approach the doorway and rest against the frame, out of breath.
She gripped onto the doorframe to keep herself up. “Brendan…” she groaned weakly.
“You shouldn’t be rushing around after me like this,” he hastened over to her and guided her to her bed, making her sit down. “You don’t have your rapid healing, and you gave more blood than you should have just a few hours ago.” He knelt in front of her, looking up at her with concerned eyes. “The only way you’re going to get your strength back is through rest.”
Her shallow breaths slowly became steadier, but her eyelids felt heavier. “Who… Who breached the border?”
A lump formed in Brendan’s throat. “They don’t know.”
Suki’s eyes widened as she gasped, “How can they not know?”
“They lost them. Whoever they are, they’ve managed to make themselves undetectable against our senses. They don’t know how many there were or what exactly it was. All we know is that they’re initiating a lockdown until whoever it is is found.”
Looking towards the window, Suki’s heart rate began to speed up rapidly. “He’s going to the borders. It’s not safe.” She tried to stand.
“Suki, relax,” he hushed her, pulling her back down. “This is what he’s been training for his entire life, to keep you and everyone safe.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her sternly. “Your heart is beating too fast; you can’t overwork yourself right now. Please, rest.”
She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. “I can’t just sit here and wait for it to be over.”
“You have to, it’s your father’s orders, and you are in no shape to do anything. The guards will be here soon. I have to g–”
“No,” she wept. “Please don’t leave me.” Tears streamed down her face.
Brendan scanned her face sympathetically and sighed, “Oh, love.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “I’m still a Rogue; if I’m caught with you, it’ll cause more trouble than there already is. People will jump to conclusions.”
Suki crossed her arms and huffed, “Rey said all of this to you down the bond, didn’t he?”
A nod. “I didn’t want to listen, but he’s right. I’ll hide in the shadows until the guards are here; you won’t be fully alone, not even for a second.”
“I’m scared…” she shuddered, gripping his shirt. “I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.”
Brendan looked towards the window and sighed, “I promised him that I would do as he said. But I can do this…” He took hold of her wrist and wrapped both hands around it.
“What are you doing?”
He said nothing. He only closed his eyes and focused for a moment, then he released his grip on her and presented a shadowed stain on her wrist.
She looked at the dark swirls around her wrist, confused. “What is this?”
“A small essence of my shadow magic,” he said cautiously. “In rare cases, some mates can share their powers. Since powers are pretty rare in general in most packs, it’s hard to know how easy it is to do…” He shook his head, getting ahead of himself. “We might be able to share our powers through our bond, but since you’re not able to access the bond, I’m hoping this will work.”
Suki traced her fingers over the magic embedded in her skin. “Will it work?”
“I think so, but it’s not a lot. I don’t want to overwhelm your body while you’re healing. It’s probably enough for one use of shadow magic.” He held her chin and made her look at him. “You won’t need it, but I hope it makes you feel safer.”
“Thank you,” she said, smiling weakly. “It does.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and exhaled, “You should go, I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Brendan agreed, pulling her close and planting a soft kiss on her lips. “Keep your phone with you. Reynard and I are a phone call away if you need us.”
She nodded. “Be safe,” she whispered.
“You too,” he whispered. “Rest now, love.”
✧ ✧ ✧
A boom of shouting startled Suki awake. Jolting her to sit upright, delirious and confused. She hadn’t even realised she’d fallen asleep, which only reminded her of how weak and tired she was after everything.
Slowly, she pulled herself out of bed and dragged herself over to the window just in time to see the group of guards around her home running towards the depths of the forest – all seeming to be running after something. Or someone.
One guard remained in his place. Relief settled in when she realised she wasn’t left alone. She watched the guard pace back and forth for a little while. He looked uncomfortable in his uniform as he tried to adjust it.
She leaned against the window, trying not to drift off back to sleep as she watched the quiet forest.
Until a figure emerged from the depths of the forest slowly, followed by two other figures behind them. Hoods and the darkness of the night cast shadows across their faces. Suki squinted her eyes, wishing her enhanced vision would kick in, but no luck.
As the people approached the guard, he didn’t hold his ground as he was meant to. Instead, he tore off parts of his armour that were irritating him and walked away from the door he was guarding.
Nausea bubbled in Suki’s stomach as the figures approached the door and broke it down with great force.
Her mind was awake and seriously alert, but her body was struggling for the fight to come.