Page 73 of Resisted

I awoke with a start,not knowing why or what woke me, only in the very pit of my stomach, I knew that something wasn’t right with the world and I needed to correct it. When the fog of sleep finally cleared, I realized Silas was gone. He’d been here a few hours ago. I knew it because his body heat had warmed me to the very core, and now? Now he was gone.

He must be in the kitchen. It was where they all seem to gather first thing in the morning to eat and drink coffee in complete, utter silence, which they all seem to be comfortable with. Me, I wanted the words. I wanted the voices. I wanted to hear Silas’ rough voice, listen to Boyce’s soft compliments, and feel amusement at Vincent’s witty remarks.

I brushed my teeth, pulled my hair back, and headed to the kitchen, where I found Vincent and Boyce at the table. Vincent’s eyes immediately latched on to me. His look heated as he eyed my sleep shorts, and damn if my body didn’t tighten and clench just thinking about all the delicious ways he’d worked my body yesterday. My muscles were still sore, and hell, I knew I was walking with a slight limp.

Boyce groaned before saying, “Good morning, sunshine.”

“Morning.” I looked around the kitchen. “Anyone see Silas?”

Vincent stood, heading to the coffeemaker. “He left early this morning, something about a lead he needed to check out.”

It didn’t feel right, though. “Does he usually go by himself?”

Vincent grabbed a ceramic mug and shrugged. “It’s not unheard of. We usually stick together, but this isn’t the first time he’s wondered off. He’s a big boy, he can handle himself.”

“It’s just…” I sighed because I knew Vincent was right—Silas knew how to handle himself. I just didn’t like that he was gone. “He mentioned telling me something this morning.”

“He should have told you last night,” Boyce said under his breath, and I felt a little defensive of Silas, since he wasn’t here to add his input.

“I wouldn’t let him.”

“Of course you wouldn’t let him,” Vincent commented while pouring in creamer.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” My hands were on my hip before I’d even realized what stance I was taking.

Vincent walked over, offering the mug in his hand before leaning toward me and kissing my nose. “Nothing, baby, it meant nothing.”

It meant more than he was letting on, but I let it slide. “How long has he been gone?”

“Two hours,” Boyce answered before taking a bite of his toast. Mouth full, he added, “Said he would be back later. Don’t worry, Bella.”

Easy for them to say. They didn’t have the undeniable feeling of doom settling in their core. “Does he have his cell on him?”

“Bella, unless this is a life-or-death situation, we don’t use our cells. Normally, they’re off. Imagine walking into a stealthy situation and having the cell ring. It could endanger his life,” Boyce explained.

But what if his life was already in danger and he just didn’t know it? Wasn’t it my job to warn him? I knew Boyce was right—I could put him in danger, and that was something I was not willing to do. But when Silas came home tonight, he would most definitely be hearing my thoughts on going off alone. I couldn’t have it. I couldn’t physically mange the emotional strain I was feeling right this second, as a common occurrence.

I plopped ungracefully down in the chair, ignoring the fact that coffee had sloshed over the edge of the mug and dribbled over my fingers. Without missing a beat, Boyce jumped up and grabbed a napkin to dab at the spilled coffee. I needed my mind off of this, whatever this was, that was distracting me.

“How did the capture go yesterday?”

Boyce looked a little sick at the thought. “It was definitely a win on our part. We rescued thirty-eight women and children, which is big. On the last leg of the rescue, right before we all attacked and tore them down one body at a time, we rescued a cage filled with the family of an alpha from a pack up north. Yeah. Roth isn’t so thrilled about that.”

“What? Why wouldn’t he? It’s saving lives.”

Vince put a plate of toast and bacon in front of me while Boyce got a mischievous grin. “Why wouldn’t he be thrilled? Well, the alpha has offered him his daughter.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad,” I contemplated.

“To marry.”

“Oh.” I blinked a few times before it registered. “Ohhh.”

“Yeah. Oh. I don’t think his subpack will be too fond of the idea,” Boyce added. “Hell, Roth isn’t even fond of the idea.”

Vincent sat next to me, and I didn’t miss the fact that he was close enough that his thigh and knee were practically touching my own. “Yeah, Gage has already mentioned that he would rather not.”

My lips tilted up at that because Gage had never had an issue letting his wants be known, just like Vincent. Which was probably why they made such friends. That and the fact that they both looked like they’d walked out of a tattoo artist’s dreams with the number of tatts that coated their skin.

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