Page 16 of Sasha's Wounded Wolf

I stared at all of them. These were my packmates. My from breath to death. Easton and Lincoln. My soul brothers. Damien and his brother, Cody. Scott. Uriel. Albee. West. Riggs. All of them had sacrificed everything for me. It humbled me, even as it empowered me. What none of them wanted to accept was, I would die for any of them, as well. I wouldn’t be me, otherwise. I wouldn’t be alpha.

The ride to James’ house was shorter than I’d wanted. My thoughts were still unsettled as we headed inside. Nico had to be here.

I kept my head down, letting the rest of the group swallow me as we headed into a large front room with plenty of couches and chairs. I already knew the main players in this pack. I’d made a point of knowing who they were. James was already there with Raina and all the wolves I’d anticipated being at this meeting. I picked them out as I peeked from under my hood. Cyan Richards stood with his feet apart, arms crossed over his chest. I’d known James’ beta would be with him. Also present were Simon, James’ personal guard and a man far deadlier than most wolves realized, alongside Hannibal, Gabe, and Taylor. Anthony and Donovan stood together, along with another packmate, Michael Sandler. It looked as if all of the inner guard of the James Pack were in attendance.

Raina caught my eye as she walked up to Easton. Her palm collided with his face before he could even open his mouth. When he merely shook his head at her, she slapped him again.

“Raina,” Bastion called, and I almost laughed at his attempt to control my sister.

She surprised me, though, as she lowered her hand to her side, squeezing it into a fist while so many emotions crossed her face.

“You left me,” she accused Easton then glanced over to include Lincoln. “I lost my brother. This pack lost their alpha, and you left. You fucking walked away and left when we needed you most.”

E flinched, and I almost took a step forward. I would have if Damien hadn’t adjusted his stance, so he blocked me.

“I—”

“No,” she cut off E. “You don’t get to justify to me. Not to me.”

She stepped into him, wrapping her arms around him and clinging while she cried. For a brief moment, E stood there before hugging her back.

“God, Rai. I’m so sorry. I would have been here if I could have.”

Meaning if I had actually died in that fire. I’d arrogantly thought I knew what it had cost them to leave with me, but this showed me I hadn’t even been close. Raina reached out and gripped Lincoln by the front of his shirt and jerked him to them. He pulled her away from E and hugged her off her feet.

“Got a slap for me, too,” he asked, offering his cheek.

“Maybe. Probably. Mostly, I’m happy to see you.” She let her gaze scan over the rest of the group. “All of you.”

I almost stepped forward then, Damien blocking me or not, but Bastion spoke before I could.

“You said you have information on what happened with Rowan’s accident,” he reminded us. “Tell me what brought you back here, over three years after your alpha died.”

My sister gave a tiny whimper, and more tears dripped down her cheeks. What had I done to her by staying away? I wanted to be the one holding her, comforting her. God, in this moment, she reminded me so much of the little girl she’d been, with pigtails and skinned knees, who’d come to me to soothe away her hurts. That was another man’s job now, and as much as I liked Bastion, claws clenched into my heart as he called to her.

“Raina.” He held his hand out to her, and his jaw tightened when he took in her tear-ravaged face. Then he raked a glower over our group. I understood it made him uncomfortable to have so many unfamiliar wolves so close to his mate. It didn’t matter that she knew them or that they were members of her former pack. James didn’t, and that was all that counted when it came to his mate’s safety.

Raina gave both E and Lincoln another squeeze before moving to her mate and standing in front of him. I waited for him to move her behind him or at least, to his side. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her and tugged her against his chest. Then I took note of the positioning of every member of his inner guard. Every one of them would stand between him and any who came at him. They’d die, not just for Bastion, but for my sister. I’d counted on this when I’d first planned to introduce them. I was glad I’d told my father to make the introduction.

“You were there when his truck flipped,” Raina stated, once she was in her mate’s embrace. “What happened?”

“We—”

Easton broke off immediately when Nico slipped into the room.

“Nico,” E breathed out while I watched behind Nico, searching for the woman I knew Nico wouldn’t leave far behind.

He walked over, embracing E and giving him a hard clap on the back before pulling back and resting his forehead against E’s while they clasped forearms.

“It’s good to see you,” Nico whispered. “Rowan…”

He shook his head.

“You went to hunt down the truth behind Rowan’s accident.”

A statement. Nico wasn’t questioning where they’d been.

“It was weeks before we found out about Sasha,” Lincoln admitted, not sharing the fact it had taken so long because they’d been wrapped up in getting me medical help. Those first few weeks had been touch and go before the doctors had decided I might make it.

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