Page 12 of Sasha's Wounded Wolf

At a soft knock, I glanced back over my shoulder but knew it was my brother before I even turned.

“They’re all waiting on you, Sasha,” he whispered.

I glanced down at Raine, once more.

“What if he wakes again?” I murmured.

“We’ll be down the hall,” Nico assured me, coming over to brush his fingers along Raine’s still chubby baby cheeks. “He’ll be okay.”

He slid his hand to my elbow and urged me up. I knew I was merely delaying a conversation that should have taken place three and a half years ago. Not to mention giving my tear-ravaged face a chance to calm. I hadn’t cried like that since Raine had been born. My son needed my strength not my tears. Though my brother was fond of reminding me Raine needed both.

“Sasha.”

“I’m coming,” I muttered, forcing myself to rise, to cross the room, and pull the door shut behind me.

“Careful what you wish for,” Nico said with a soft smile.

“What?”

“Just a little bit ago, you asked me to arrange a meeting between you and Raina. Looks like she had the same idea.”

“If that was how things worked, Rowan would be at my side,” I told him. “I’ve wished him back a million times.”

Nico’s smile dropped, and part of me felt guilty for it. Everything he did was for me and Raine. He’d been the one to pick me up and hold me together when I’d lost my mate. I owed him more than I’d ever be able to repay. I glanced up at him, and Nico pulled me against his chest, wrapping me tight in his arms. Just holding me. He’d probably been doing it since we’d shared a womb.

“I love you,” I whispered. I didn’t say it enough.

“Back at you.”

Nico gave me another hard squeeze then turned and stood, letting me take the lead as we returned to the front room. Hannibal must have left with his mate or gone into one of the other bedrooms as neither of them were in the room. Raina stood when I entered, but I waved her back, taking a seat on the floor with my back toward the wall. I faced the room as if I were facing a firing squad instead of Rowan’s sister and her pack. Raina’s face showed she’d been crying also. I hated that but understood it. We’d both loved and lost Rowan Byrd, and neither of our lives would ever be the same.

“I have a daughter,” Raina offered, bringing up my head with a jerk. “She’s almost nine months, now. Her name’s Rowan.”

I swallowed down my tears. I’d shed enough today.

“He’d love that,” I said instead.

“I didn’t know about you,” she finally said when I remained quiet. “How did I not know about you?”

“He was calling you back here.”

I pushed to my feet, too restless to sit.

“To meet me. He wanted you there when he introduced me to the pack.”

“How did we not know?” she demanded, anger flushing her face. Not at me. I was sure not at Rowan, either. Most likely, at the fates that had robbed her of knowing my son sooner.

“Only a few people knew he and I were together,” I admitted. “Two of them died with him. Two of them left afterward. One of them told him not to take me as his mate. That the pack wouldn’t accept a woman who had nothing to offer them.”

“What?”

That incredulous outburst came from Bastion James.

“That’s ridiculous,” he snapped. “A mate is an alpha’s greatest asset. They don’t need to bring anything but themselves.”

“Rowan felt the same.”

It made me smile to know Bastion was similar in thought to my mate.

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