Page 68 of Faith and Fury

“Where is she?”

My head snaps up to the sound of Micah’s voice. I murmur a quick order to the guard stationed outside our suspect’s door before seeking him out.

“Hey,” I say, intercepting Micah in the hall, “hey, it’s alright. She’s safe.”

“You said she was hurt,” he reminds me. “On the phone, you said—”

“Come on.” I guide him over to a couple chairs in the waiting room. Thankfully it’s pretty quiet—we’re on a private ward, after all, and visiting hours are well and truly over. “Take a seat, big guy. Catch your breath.”

He inhales sharply, gripping the armrests. “Sorry. I just … need to see her.”

“You and me both,” I sigh. He scowls.

“You haven’t checked on her yet?”

“Tried. Apparently Caleb is all the overbearing alpha they could handle.”

Micah sits back in his seat. “Oh. Well … I’m glad he’s with her.”

I open my mouth to respond, or even grunt in affirmation, but the sound doesn’t come.

Caleb won’t let anything happen to Faith—I know that. But all this shit with Maverick, who—as far as I can tell—took a bullet for her, has forced me to take stock.

Faith isn’t just a rogue we took under Wilder’s wing. She’s so much more. Fire and force. Searing blue light.

Spiced lavender.

That Caleb can’t acknowledge this part of her, these feelings we all have for her, isn’t just a disrespect to Faith.

It’s a disrespect to his packmates.

“Jaxon?”

I blink. “Huh?”

“I asked if you were okay.”

“Oh. Yeah. Fine.”

He gives me a meaningful look—the kind that makes me feel like I could be one of his patients. I rub the back of my head, sighing.

“Guess I’m a little drained. My inner alpha has been screaming at me for hours.” I consider. “Still screaming at me, actually.”

Micah cocks his head. “What’s he saying?”

“What d’you think?” I scoff. “Find omega. Take her to the den. Help her make a nest—and by the way, why hasn’t she built a nest yet? Maybe I should get her a bigger bed. No—” I gesture down the hall, “—first, I should kill the alpha in that guarded room for laying a finger on her.”

“I thought she—?”

“Fell. I know.” I jab a finger into my chest. “He doesn’t give a shit.”

Micah smiles faintly. “He needs an outlet. That’s all. Maybe Caleb will go a couple rounds with you once Faith is home.”

“Yeah, or Maverick.”

He quirks a brow. “Maverick?”

I go quiet for a moment, realizing I need to choose my words carefully. “Sure. Y’know, if he’s not being a dick.”