Page 54 of From the Ashes

Istare around my bedroom at all the things I left behind the day I ran.

The suitcases I haphazardly packed while Chloe was packing the things I needed are still in the closet, full of my things. There are boxes in the corner that I started packing that day but never got around to finishing. And then there’s all the things I was leaving behind.

I don’t think I ever considered living anywhere else when I was growing up. We split our time here and at our apartment in the city, but I always figured whoever I married would move in here, and this is where we would start our family.

But if I’m really honest with myself, it doesn’t feel like home anymore.

I sigh and reach for the hem of my dress, quickly pulling it over my head and disposing of it in the hamper. There’s no way I can pack this whole room up tonight, so I’ll just get a few things ready, and when the threat passes, I’ll have the guys come help me pack up the rest. I have no intention of getting rid of the house anyway, it’s been in my family for generations, and I wouldn’t want to see any of the staff out of work.

I wrap my long, fluffy robe around myself, dragging some comfort in through the familiar feel of the material. Leaving Bishop and Crew at the Scarlet Lounge felt wrong, but it was for the best. One more night to myself before who knows how many with them.

A swirl of dread in my stomach almost knocks me off my feet. How long can this thing between us really last?

A relationship between five people is bound to fail, right? There’s a reason traditional relationships are only between two people, isn’t there?

Leighton, Wyatt, and Elias flick into my head. They’re so happy. The way she looks at them and how they look at her in return even has butterflies fluttering in my stomach, so maybe society is wrong about this. Maybe a relationship with more than two people can work.

I’m so distracted by my own thoughts I almost miss the sound of a door slamming downstairs, making me pause as I listen for any further sound.

I sent Chloe for a few nights at a spa I saw her eyeing last Christmas because I didn’t want her to get caught in the crossfire while I’m here, so I know it’s not her.

Maybe it’s Kovu?

He’s been here every other night, so it stands to reason that he’d be here tonight too.

But then, would he make a mistake like slamming the door while he sneaks in or out? He’s been so silent every night that I wouldn’t know he was here at all if it weren’t for his scent lingering in the spare room and the feeling of being watched when I’m trying to sleep at night.

I drag my bottom lip between my teeth and reach for my bag that I discarded in the middle of the bed, quickly digging my phone out and sending a text to Kovu.

Camilla: Did you just get to the estate?

I nibble at my lip for a few seconds, the flesh still swollen from the rough treatment Bishop and Crew inflicted. Just the thought of what they did to me has my heart stuttering in my chest and a fresh wave of need settling in my belly.

After the way I came, I’m shocked I didn’t pass out. I don’t know how on earth my body thinks I could take more of that.

I drop my phone into the pocket of the robe and reach into my nightstand, pulling out the gun I’ve kept there since I first learned to shoot. This is the first time I’ve ever needed to get it out for anything other than to clean it, but at this point, I’m not willing to take any chances.

I slip out of my bedroom, not bothering to flick any lights on as I sneak down the hallway. My eyes adjust to the dark night, but as far as I can see, there’s no one lurking in the darkness.

As I approach the staircase, I position the gun in front of me. It’s crazy to me how quickly I’ve gone from only holding a gun in controlled environments like at the range or when my father brought me someone to kill to now having multiple circumstances that have had me holding it in the field.

I shake myself off. Focus. I need to focus.

I reach the landing and peer over the edge of the railing, but there’s no one in the entryway either. Maybe I was just hearing things. I’ve always had an overactive imagination, and after everything that’s happened in the last few weeks, it stands to reason I might be hearing things that aren’t really there.

Quietly, I take a few steps down, keeping the gun trained in front of me as I check over my shoulder to ensure I’m not going to be blindsided.

Each step I take down the steps makes me more confident that I’m being ridiculous, but I’d still rather be safe than sorry, so I’m happy to be wrong and look stupid if that’s the alternative to being killed in my own home.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pause to check it, making sure to keep an eye on my surroundings as I read the message.

Kovu: Panic room. Right now!

Fear rolls over me in a wave that takes my breath away, but I don’t hesitate. Hesitation is an opportunity for someone to get the jump on me, and I refuse to go down because I wasn’t quick enough.

I jog down the last few steps, my gaze darting around the darkness as my bare feet quietly slap against the floor. My heart beats wildly in my chest, and my stomach is churning uncomfortably as panic threatens at the edge of my consciousness. I have no idea where Kovu is. If he’s here or if he’s just being overly cautious because I obviously heard someone in the house, but I don’t give myself time to think about it.

My father’s office has never felt quite so far away as it does tonight, but as I round the corner into the kitchen, I pause when I notice movement in the backyard.

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