Page 5 of The Renegade Mate

“Wally? What are you doing with Sofia’s phone?” I asked, my voice cracking with surprise.

“Sofia’s just in the shower. I’m so sorry about Jem, Mai,” Wally replied, his voice thick with emotion.

I nodded, knowing he couldn’t see me, but there was a lump in my throat stopping me from speaking.

“Girl, if I could take away your hurt, I would in an instant. I can’t tell you how glad Thomas and I are that you’re okay, glad you got away from Seth.”

“Is that Mai?” I heard Sofia’s voice in the background.

“Thank you, Wally. I appreciate it. I’m just glad you guys are okay.”

“We’ll give Jem one hell of a toast tonight, I promise. I intend to get us all so drunk that we'll still be seeing double and walking sideways tomorrow. Hold on, Sofia’s right here.”

A pause, and then Sofia’s voice, familiar and yet somehow distant, came through the line. “Mai? Are you okay? I’m sorry …” I heard her start to sob.

“Sofia,” I coaxed gently. “I needed to call and hear your voice. I had to know if you and Jase are alright.”

“We’re okay …” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Jase and I … I’m so sorry we didn’t stop Seth; didn’t stop you from being taken.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Nothing you could have done would have stopped him.”

“But if we had, maybe you would have still been here. Ryan wouldn’t have left. Maybe you could have stopped Hayley from … from—”

“You can’t think like that.” I knew I couldn’t. 'What ifs' would drive me crazy with regrets of things I had or hadn't done, and I didn't think I could cope with anything more right now.

She was silent for a moment, then growled, “If I could bring Seth back to life, I'd turn him into a chew toy for the neighborhood puppies, and then I'd drown him in a puddle.”

I smiled. I knew she was going to be okay. She would always be my ride-or-die best friend.

“I know, Sof.”

“So, what’s next?” she asked, determination replacing her grief. She wanted revenge, just like me.

In the background, I heard Wally call out, “Hell yes! Tell Mai whatever it is, I want in! Just point me in the right direction and I'll bring the sass and the ass-kicking.”

I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing. Their support lifted a bit of the cloud that was in my chest. “Hold off for now, both of you. Rest, recover. Sofia, can you and Jase call in sick to work? I want you to lie low until we know more about what Brock and Hayley are up to. Ryan and I will come up with a plan, and we’ll let you know.”

“Okay, Mai.” Sofia’s voice was resigned, and I knew she wanted action, not rest. Anything to feel like she was doing something. “We’ll wait for your word.”

“Take care, chickie.”

“You, too.”

I ended the call and sat for a moment, my hand still gripping the phone. The motel room felt colder, emptier, as if a part of me had been left on the other end of that call.

The motel room’s door creaked open as Derek and Shya strode in.

“We’ve got news,” Derek started, his voice steady and somber.

Ryan shot me a quick look before turning his attention to them. “What’s going on?”

“It’s my dad, Michael,” Shya said. “He wants to help.”

“Michael?” I stammered out, disbelief coloring my voice. The Alpha of the Bridgetown Pack. Extending a hand to us?

“Yeah.” Derek nodded, his gaze fixed on Shya, which I took to be a silent form of support. “Michael’s got Tristan’s rebellion under control. Tristan’s done a Houdini and is nowhere to be found. Michael’s offering us a safe haven.”

The room was silent as we all took this in.

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