Chapter 139 – Sick with Worry

Gavin rushed over to grab Natalie as he stayed back with the pack to keep them safe in case of a delayed ambush against the pack. He was worried about putting her in the middle of this situation, but he needed peace of mind that she was safe within the boundaries of the pack borders.

Natalie rushed out of the house when she saw Gavin coming out of the forest.

“Any news on Cassidy?” was the first thing that came out of her mouth as she went rushing toward him to be in his arms.

Gavin sniffed and visually checked that she was alright before pulling her into his arms and kissing her. His heart was racing as he only had a short amount of time to grab her before heading back to the property. “Jacob is on his way now to Adrian’s pack to rescue her,” he informed her. “Come on, grab your bag; I’m taking you back to the pack house where I know you will be safe,” he pulled her inside to grab some things before heading back.

Natalie pulled away and took a step back.

“I want to be there when he rescues her,” she announced.

He stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to look at her with shock. “I can’t let you do that, beautiful. It’s too risky; something might happen to you, and I can’t take that risk with you,” he admitted.

Natalie’s heart pitter-pattered hearing how worried he was for her safety, but it didn’t stop the worry that she was experiencing for Cassidy’s safety.

“Gavin, I have to know that she’s alright. I just have this bad feeling that something is wrong, and it won’t go away,” she explained.

Gavin sighed as he stared at the sadness in his girl’s green eyes. He ran his fingers through his trim beard as he weighed his options. As much as he wanted to give in and make his girl happy, he needed to stand his ground and stick to the promises he’s already made to his pack. “Nat, I’m supposed to be holding down the fort back at the pack house in case an ambush is planned against us. You’re asking me to be in two places at once, and I can’t do that. I’m sorry.”

Natalie pressed her lips into a thin line as the tears ran down her cheeks. She wasn’t trying to give him an ultimatum between her and the pack. She just needed to hear that her friend was safe. “I’m sorry; I never meant to make you choose between one or the other. I’m just worried,” she explained as she walked up the stairs and stood next to him, but her head was lowered to the ground.

Gavin’s heart was heavy, knowing that his sexy redhead was unhappy, but at that moment, there was nothing he could do. He didn’t want to give her any false hope and let her in on the fact that he made Jacob swear he would mind-link Gavin with any news the moment he had Cassidy safe in his arms.

Gavin placed the crook of his finger under her chin and lifted her head so he could see those beautiful green eyes. “I promise, the second I hear anything, I will let you know.”

Natalie nodded her head and moved past him to gather some things to get ready to head over to the pack house. She stepped into the room she had been staying in since the first time they had stayed at the property. She went over to one of the dressers and started pulling out the necessities she would need while staying over at his place with the pack. Her heart continued to palpitate as her stomach knotted with anxiety. She had never felt like this before and had a feeling it had something to do with Cassidy.

Natalie’s heart ached for her friend. These last few months had been the craziest for Cass, and she was somewhat amazed at how well her friend had handled everything. Of course, there were a few bumpy roads and some twists and turns along the way, but Natalie was proud of how far Cass had come from that first car ride to the charming home in the forest.

Natalie pulled a bag out of the closet and placed her belongings inside, along with her bathroom toiletries. She took one more look around the room and prayed it wouldn’t be the last time she would see this room.

While Natalie was packing, Gavin waited anxiously at the door for her to come down when he got a message:

Jacob: Gavin, I need you to bring Natalie over to Adrian’s pack right away.

Gavin’s brows furrowed.

Gavin: What’s going on? Is the fight over?

Jacob: Yes, Adrian’s pack is down, but we have another big problem on our hands.

Gavin: Oh no, please tell me that Cassidy is alright. I won’t be able to stomach the pain if I have to tell Nat that something happened to Cassidy.

Jacob: No, she’s alright in a sense. But I need Nat here to help me get her out of here.

Gavin: What do you mean help you?

Jacob: Cassidy doesn’t know who I am.