Chapter Sixty-Five

Waverly.

Waverly shut the bathroom door and took a deep breath. The adrenaline from the day lingered over her like an umbrella of gloom. Now Drake was running the woods to find his brother.

She couldn’t even focus on it. Her mind was reeling. That had been scary, but easier than she thought it would be. Almost too easy.

Splashing cool water on her face she looked at herself in the mirror. There was something different, or maybe it was the half circles beneath her eyes that made her look different. Someone knocked a few moments later, breaking her focus.

Reid, the alpha, stood in the doorway with a worried look on his face. “Are you okay? Sarah mentioned your shoulder being out of place.”

Waverly cringed. She didn’t want to worry about it, but it was killing her. A definite first for her. “Yeah, I heard it pop.”

He nodded and stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door open, and motioned her toward the door jamb. She watched as he grabbed a small hand towel from the cabinet above the toilet and folded it.

He placed the towel on the door jamb and showed her how to bend her arm. “Put your elbow here.”

She winced as she placed her elbow on the center of the towel and bent her arm back by her head.

Reid gripped her back and eased her forward.

Stretching pain erupted in her back, and he eased off. “Take a break. Keep breathing,” he said. “I’m really sorry this happened to you. I was hoping no one would get to either of you girls."

Waverly chuckled. “It’s better than the alternative. How many did we lose?”

Reid’s brows pulled inward as he pressed her forward again in an attempt to pop her shoulder back into place. She winced and a single tear raced down her cheek.

“Not too many,” was his answer.

Waverly figured he didn’t want to recount the wolves and vampires they lost. She didn’t blame him. She already felt blamed knowing that she was part of the cause.

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked, as he pressed her one more time.

Her shoulder popped and pain radiated down her side making her squeal. He dropped his hands and met her gaze. “Better?”

She wiggled it around in circles, feeling soreness but not pain. “Yes,” she sighed in relief. “Wow, much better. Thank you."

Reid smiled. “I’ve had to pop many shoulders back into place. What about that question?”

She cleared her throat and shifted while rubbing her shoulder. “Don’t you think it was too easy?” Reid lifted an eyebrow at her. She chuckled. “Says the girl that didn’t fight, I know, but I was expecting more vampires or a bigger fight. Now Drake is looking for Roderick. I just...” She stopped and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Never mind.”

Reid shifted. “You’re not wrong to think that. Strangely, Goninan went so easy. I figured he would be harder to kill."

“I’m worried,” she admitted. “What if they have Drake looking for Roderick and trap him? Kill him … I know his father is dead, but not all of the royals are dead. Surely they didn’t all show up. Where are they? Waiting on him?"

Reid nodded. “You’re right. Come on, we’ll go talk to Beau and my father.”

Waverly followed Reid into the living space of the cabin where Sarah sat with her thumbnail tucked into her mouth.

“Better?” Sarah asked, standing up.

“Yes, he popped me back into place,” she said. “Where is Alistair and Barbie?”

Sarah pointed toward the door. “Outside. Barbie is a bit distraught because of Roderick and the death of her husband.”

Waverly frowned. “We’re going out to talk to them. Come with us.”

Sarah followed them with a faraway look on her face. Waverly reached over and intertwined her fingers with hers. She didn’t voice her opinion to Sarah, because she was dealing with enough. Waverly could tell by the way she squeezed her hand that her nerves hadn’t stopped.

She was worried about Roderick.

Barbie stood by the front steps with Alistair’s arm wrapped around her shoulders for support. Waverly saw her shoulders moving as if she were crying.

Reid stopped beside his father. “Where is Beau?”

“Checking the grounds to make sure they killed Goninan. He wants to make sure no vampire is hurt out in the woods.”

He patted Barbie’s shoulder before turning toward us. “She’s worried about the boys.”

“You too?’ Waverly asked.

Barbie looked over with worry written over her face. It was odd to see her sad without tears. “Something doesn’t feel right. Where is Roderick? Why do they have him? Who has him? What if he’s dead in the woods? Turned to ash and we never know?”

Waverly frowned and squeezed Sarah’s hand. She couldn't imagine Barbie's strife.

“I was thinking more along the lines of them holding Roderick somewhere so Drake will come get him.”

Barbie sighed deeply. “Something isn’t right. I feel it in my gut.”

Alistair touched Barbie’s face sweetly. “We’re going to follow Drake’s scent. They shouldn’t have let him go by himself.”

Reid gestured for Clint to come over. “Have two of the wolves go find Beau and tell him several of us are going to find Drake and Roderick.”

Clint shifted in the yard and rushed toward Beau’s scent. Reid turned to his father. “I’m going to go search for Drake and Roderick. You stay here in case it’s a trap.”

“A trap to what?” Sarah asked.

Reid didn’t answer. Waverly assumed he meant a trap to get the humans alone, but she didn’t speak it out loud.

“Mind link if you need me. Bring several wolves with you just in case.”

Reid took his father’s advice even though he was the current alpha. He shifted and met several wolves who all followed him out of the yard.

Alistair looked at the three of us. “Let’s get inside and wait for Clint to get back with Beau.”

Waverly was more than ready to go inside. She helped Sarah up and into the house. “I’m hungry,” she said half-heartedly. “Do you want a sandwich?”

Sarah shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

Waverly asked Alistair who shook his head. “I wouldn’t mind some water.”

Waverly walked into the kitchen, found sandwich meat, and began to make herself a sandwich. It was an excuse to get away from the group and breathe for a moment.

Not knowing if Drake was walking into a trap had her heart pounding. She placed her sandwich on a small plate and poured Alistair a cup of water.

She walked back into the room, put her plate down, and handed Alistair his glass.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, staring at her face.

She felt her body grow warm, and a thumping sound hit her chest. Stumbling back, she hit the wall as Barbie and Alistair reached for her.

“Something is wrong,” she whispered, rubbing her chest.

A tiny voice broke through the chaos in her head.

We’re alive. Send help.

Barbie placed both palms on her upper arms. “Wake up, Waverly. Are you okay?”

“It’s Drake,” she whispered. “He said to send help.”

Barbie’s eyes widened. “He spoke to you? How? What did he say? Where are they?”

She shrugged and swallowed the fear in her throat. How did he reach her mind that easily? How did he do it at all?

“I’m so confused,” she whispered. “I don’t—,”

“He sent you a mind link,” Alistair said. “I don’t know how he did that. It’s not common in vampires. Did he say anything else?”

“Roderick is alive,” she whispered.

Sarah braced her elbows on her knees and covered her face. “Thank God.”

Footsteps bounded up the front porch and Beau walked in with Clint behind him. “What’s going on?”

“Drake just reached Waverly through a mind link and said Roderick is alive and to send help.”

Beau looked stunned for a few moments.

“Reid and some wolves are on their way. They’re tracking Drake’s scent," Alistair said.

Beau nodded. “Let’s send a few more for good measure. The girls stay here.”

They both left the cabin in a gust of wind.

Waverly cradled her palm to her chest and closed her eyes.

Drake seemed distressed in the message. She could feel it. “Tell them to hurry,” she whispered to Alistair.