202: Hard Truths (Luckys POV)

202: Hard Truths (Luckys POV)

The bliss and contentment surrounding Wyatt and me couldn’t last long, given the issues surrounding us. After another round or two, we’d both taken a small nap before waking to face the rest of the day. Food was brought up to the room while we bathed together and dressed, doing our best to make the time last as long as we could.

As we sat to eat, Wyatt kissed me slowly. Our lips worked together, making the usual heat form in the pit of my stomach. He pulled away and took his seat. Rather than donning the suit he’d had on previously, Wyatt had slipped into jeans and a black t-shirt, leaving his hair wet and tousled. There was a boyish smirk on his face as he popped a strawberry in his mouth.

I took a bite of my steak, watching as he devoured half of his sandwich in what felt like one bite. My voice was soft, “Should we talk about a plan for the rest of the day?”

He shot me a look. “Not sure a plan would be helpful. Seems every time we come up with one, we tempt the universe to throw another curveball.”

“We still need one.” My voice was firm, my eyes never wavering from his. “Our people need to see us as a united front. We need to make sure we’re on the same page.”

Wyatt took a few more bites, sitting in quiet contemplation. Then he nodded slowly, “I think that you should address the pack. Let them know the things that have happened.” There was a popping sound as he flicked another strawberry in his mouth. “They have to know about Kelley and Shasta now that we have Nadine and Cillian here.”

“Why me and not you?” I arched an eyebrow. “Aren’t the people more accustomed to being addressed by you?”

“That’s why it should be you,” he sighed. “They need stability right now. Up there, I might freeze if someone asks me the wrong thing.”

“You don’t think I will?”

“I know you won’t,” Wyatt stared at his plate, resting his hands in his lap. “I’m obviously dealing with some things, Wren. I’ll still make decisions, but something’s got to give for me. Answering questions is it, right now.”

I nodded slowly, swallowing. “Okay. We can go see Finn and talk about what to do and what to address there,” I sucked in a long, slow breath, “And then I’ll call everyone together. What all do you want them to know?”

“Everything,” he answered quickly, “Including the call I made with Nadine.”

“No,” I responded immediately, shaking my head, “They can know everything about that situation but that.”

“Wrenlee-”

“Do not argue with me on this one.”

“Why not?”

“They need to have confidence in you and your decisions.” My voice wavered slightly. “It will already seem out of character to have you standing beside me while I address them. That one decision could make everything fall apart.”

Wyatt met my gaze, setting his jaw. He rolled his shoulders back. His nostrils flared. “You’re still mad at me.”

I bit my bottom lip, squeezing my eyes shut. “I’m not mad at you, Wyatt,” I sighed, dropping my fork onto my plate. “I’m being realistic. Some things will do us more harm than good. Telling the people supporting us that you can see reapers and that you made a deal with them?” I scoffed, “Come on, Wyatt. We’d lose them.”

Silence. Then, he picked his sandwich back up. “Fine, but what are you going to say when someone asks why Kelley left?”

“The truth.” I shoved my plate toward the center of the table, causing him to look up at me again. “Kelley is a traitor.” My words were laced with venom. “His betrayal cost his mate and their unborn pup their lives. We may meet him in battle, and we need to be prepared to take him down.”

Wyatt had gone completely still after the word ‘traitor.’ I knew this was hard for him to hear, but the two of us needed to be on the same page. Kelley had left. He had chosen the other side. Wyatt’s former Beta had thrown away a lifelong friendship on a whim. He’d betrayed the sanctity of the matebond in the process. His betrayal would continue to cost us. It had ripped a hole somewhere in my mate’s soul, considering there were times I was certain Wyatt was more unsure of my loyalty than of Kelley’s.

My mate set his sandwich down, shoving his plate to the center of the table just as I had done with mine. The smell of burning maple singed my nostrils. Unexpected tears pricked my eyes. Down our bond, sadness radiated. Reika whimpered in my mind. I fought the urge to reach for him.

He sniffled but nodded slowly, “Well, now that we’re sure we both know where everything stands, we should probably head out to Cillian and Aksel.”