Chapter 299 I Don't Know
The heavy Blackwood SUV ate up the miles as they navigated the winding mountain roads back toward the packhouse. The atmosphere inside the plush cabin was vastly different from the ride down; the immediate, suffocating panic had passed, but in its wake was a heavy, lingering exhaustion.
In the back seat, the steady, rhythmic hum of the tires on the asphalt had already lulled Iggy into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Leela turned her head away from the window, her elemental eyes shifting to the woman sitting on the other side of the baby carrier. Ginny was staring blankly at the passing tree line, her pale face completely drained of color. A single, silent tear slipped down her cheek, catching the afternoon light.
"You're quiet," Leela observed gently, her voice barely rising above the low hum of the engine.
Ginny blinked, startled, and quickly reached up to wipe the tear away with the back of her hand. She forced a small, unconvincing smile.
Up in the driver’s seat, Jax’s broad shoulders immediately tensed. His golden eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, instantly zeroing in on his mate's tear-streaked face. A muscle feathered in his tight jaw, his protective instincts surging, but he kept his massive hands steady on the steering wheel, waiting for her to speak.
"I'm okay," Ginny whispered, her voice trembling slightly. She looked down at Iggy, lightly resting her hand against the edge of his car seat. "I really am. I'm just so glad that Iggy is okay so far. But..."
She swallowed hard, the fragile dam finally breaking as fresh tears welled in her eyes.
"I'm just so scared that he won't be okay down the line," Ginny confessed, her voice cracking as the sheer weight of Damon's twisted science pressed down on her chest. "I'm scared that I won't be okay. I'm scared of what else Damon might have done. I just... I don't know."
Jax's chest rumbled with a low, aching sound. He couldn't reach back to hold her, but he caught her gaze in the mirror, pouring every ounce of his steady, unwavering strength into that reflection.
Leela immediately reached across the middle seat, carefully avoiding the sleeping newborn to firmly grasp Ginny's trembling hand.
"Ginny, listen to me," Leela said softly, her tone thick with fierce, sisterly devotion. "It is completely okay to just not be okay right now. You don't have to be strong every single second."
Ginny let out a wet, shuddering breath, gripping Leela's hand like a lifeline.
"Let the rest of us shoulder the weight for you for a while," Leela insisted, her elemental eyes shining with deep empathy. "We have all been through a hell of a lot this past week, but I know it's different for you. You're human, dealing with things that shouldn't even exist in the mortal world. But it used to be different for me, too. Remember? I know exactly how terrifying it is to be the fragile one in a world full of monsters."
Leela gave her friend's hand a tight, anchoring squeeze. "You aren't doing this alone. Jax has you. I have you. The whole pack has you. I love you, my dear friend."
Ginny closed her eyes, letting the tears fall freely now. They weren't tears of terror anymore, but tears of pure, overwhelming relief and release. She leaned her head back against the plush leather seat.
"I love you, too, Leela," Ginny whispered, a genuine, tired smile finally touching her lips. She let out a long, shuddering exhale, feeling the dark shadows of the hospital visit finally begin to lift. "I guess I am just completely, totally emotionally drained."
"Then sleep," Jax rumbled from the front seat, his deep voice wrapping around her like a warm, protective blanket. "Close your eyes, Gin. I'll have us home soon."
The heavy Blackwood SUV finally crunched to a halt on the wide gravel driveway in front of the massive packhouse. Before the engine had even fully settled, Jax was out of the driver’s seat. He moved with a swift, protective urgency, pulling open the rear passenger door and offering his large, scarred hand to help Ginny carefully step down.
Once she was steady on her feet, Jax leaned back into the cavernous vehicle, effortlessly lifting the heavy car seat that held a still-sleeping Iggy.
Ginny swayed slightly on her feet, the adrenaline completely gone, leaving only the hollow, aching weight of sheer exhaustion. She looked incredibly pale and fragile standing in the shadow of the great house.
Leela stepped around the back of the SUV, her elemental eyes immediately locking onto her best friend’s drained face. Without missing a beat, the Luna reached out and placed her hands firmly on the handle of the car seat.
"Take her upstairs to sleep, Jax," Leela instructed softly, her tone leaving absolutely no room for argument. She looked up at the towering Beta, her expression thick with deep, shared worry for the human woman leaning against his side. "I'll watch Iggy. Just get her into bed."
Jax looked at Leela, a profound wave of gratitude flashing through his glowing golden eyes. He gave his Luna a sharp, respectful nod and carefully transferred the heavy carrier into her waiting arms. Turning his full attention back to his mate, Jax simply scooped Ginny up into his arms, carrying her over the threshold and up the grand staircase so she wouldn't have to take another exhausting step.
Meanwhile, Sarah had slipped through the front doors right behind them. The moment the eighteen-year-old stepped over the threshold, her fiercely stoic, lethal bodyguard persona completely melted away. Her shoulders dropped, and she let out a quiet sigh, her sharp Lycan senses immediately stretching out through the quiet hum of the packhouse to track her mate's familiar scent.
She followed the trail down the long hallway, heading straight for the bright, airy sunroom at the back of the house.
Sarah pushed the glass-paneled door open and completely froze, a sudden, blindingly soft smile breaking across her face.
The afternoon sunlight was pouring through the large windows, heating the hardwood floor. Sprawled out right in the middle of a sunbeam was Toby. The heavily scarred, deeply lethal Blackwood warrior was completely fast asleep on his back, softly snoring. Tucked securely against his massive sides, using his thick arms as makeshift pillows, were Caspian and Briar. The royal twins were completely passed out, their little chests rising and falling in perfect rhythm with the sleeping guard.
Sitting in a plush armchair near the glass, keeping a quiet, watchful eye over the peaceful chaos, was Elana. She was looking out the window at the distant tree line, but at the soft sound of the door opening, she turned her head.
Seeing Sarah standing in the doorway, Elana’s face lit up with a warm, grandmotherly smile. She pointed a finger at the snoring pile of heavily armed warrior and royal toddlers on the floor.
"Aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen?" Elana whispered softly, her eyes crinkling with absolute adoration.