Page 62 of Blades of Ice

“Me too. Love you.”

“Love you more.”

Lydia handed the phone to her mate. “Boyd is still in Sterling. Heather, or whoever, has visited twice, and Delaney has spoken to her father a couple of times,” she relayed even though everyone had shifter hearing.

Beck nodded and took the phone, punching in the number. He leaned against Lydia with his arm around her waist. Stubborn Bear wouldn’t sit down. Lydia used her Goyle’s hearing to eavesdrop.

“Sawyer, is that you?” Delaney answered after several rings.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Oh, thank the goddess. Have you heard from Chloe?”

Beck sighed, then told his sister everything that happened as succinctly as possible. “We don’t know if Boyd is—”

“He had nothing to do with any of it.” Delaney told him to hold on as she answered the company phone. After hanging up, she griped, “All the information is on the website. Can’t these people fucking read? Anyway, the day you stormed into the office and found me puking my guts up, Dad had come to see me.”

“So you lied to me? Why am I not surprised?”

“Shut up and listen. I know how you feel about my father. That’s why I didn’t tell you the truth, but Beck, he’s the one who warned me about Orson.”

“Then why the fuck didn’t you share that with me then? It would have saved a lot of time and me from being fucking stabbed! If it weren’t for my mate, I’d be dead, Delaney, or don’t you care either?”

“What?”

“Your sister is responsible. She and Orson fucking Murray colluded to take over the pack.”

“What do you mean your mate? You don’t have a mate.”

“Not the damn point. Since Amara is still in the wind, what do you want me to do with Chloe and Orson?”

“Do you have proof of what you’re saying? This is grounds for death, Sawyer, and I can’t… I can’t kill my sister.”

“Yeah, well, she wouldn’t have a problem taking you out. Her exact words were, ‘With Amara out of the way, Delaney is next in line, but seeing as how she got knocked up, she can’t fight, now can she?’ But hey, it’s your call if you want to let the traitor run loose until Amara comes back and makes the hard decision.”

“Oh, goddess. I… She… Did she really say that?” Delaney whispered.

“Among other things. I’ll make it easy for you. I have somewhere I can hold them until Amara returns.”

“Yeah, okay. That’s good. With you having one of the seaplanes, and Chloe taking the helo, I’m down to one plane. Can you get back with the plane today? That way I can get you on the sch—”

“I’m not fucking coming back. I was stabbed with a dagger that was laced with poison, Delaney. I can barely walk. But even if I could, I already told you I was done. I’m going to do what needs doing here, namely getting out of the fucking Chugach mountains. Then I’m going to take time to recover.ThenI’m going to search for Amara. If you need the plane that bad, send Caleb for it. He knows where it is. Fuck you, Delaney.” Beck stabbed the end button, then drew his arm back and threw the phone. It sailed through the air until it landed against the side of the mountain, smashing into pieces.

Beck fisted his hands and closed his eyes. Lydia gripped one of his fists, bringing it to her mouth. She pressed her lips to his fingers. “Let it go, My Bear. You already knew how she felt, or didn’t. But you have me now. You have Carleigh and Jon. You have my parents and brother who can’t wait to meet you.”

“And you have Kennedy and me,” Dooley added.

Beck leaned his forehead against Lydia’s. “We need a plan.”

Jon placed his hand on Beck’s shoulder and squeezed. “While you were both on the phone, Dooley and I were talking. The sun will be down soon. Y’all should set up camp so Beck can rest and get some food in him. I’ll fly back to get the helo, then we’ll take the idiots as you called them one at a time to the warehouse. You and Beck can head back to the rental house while I return for the other idiot along with Dooley and Kennedy.”

“That’s a good plan except we don’t have any way of securing said idiots once we reach the warehouse.”

Jon gazed toward the base of the mountain where Beck had chucked the phone. “Do you have another sat phone?”

“Yes, the one Dakota sent me.” Lydia released her mate and dug the device out of her pack.

“Good. Call Carleigh and have her place an order at the hardware store in Valdez. Here’s what we’ll need.” Jon rattled off a list of items. “Have them delivered to the warehouse. Pay extra to get them there today.”

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