Page 12 of Bound By the Moon

“No, it’s not Gwyn I need to talk to about this. Iwill be needing to speak to my sister, Layla.” Serena said amidstanother round of crackling static.

“Wait, the sister who Natalia and Evan worked within Romania?”

“The very one.” Serena confirmed

“Serena, did you do what I said to make certain youweren’t followed?” Avery asked.

“Evan was already on top of all that business beforeI could even suggest it.” I could hear the humor in her voice then.“I have not felt the presence of a dark one for some time already,but we will continue to be vigilant as we travel the rest of ourroute, I promise.”

“So, you’re taking Evan and Natalia to see yoursister, Gwyn; and you have another sister, Layla who knows aboutthe portals and where to find them?” My mother was trying toconfirm.

“That is correct, Eileen.”

“You certainly have a busy family, Serena.” Leave itto my mother to bring up the fact that Serena’s sisters seem to beinvolved in all the mishaps that surrounded the local packs.

“Well, there were seven us altogether. I supposewhen you have that many witches from a family hanging about for somany years, they’re bound to make ripples here and there.”

“I do wish they had directed their rippleselsewhere,” I mumbled.

“As do I, child.” Serena offered.

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, but I didn’t needto look to see that it was Mikael standing behind me. I noticedwhen he, Sierra, and her son came in. One look around the table,and Sierra took the babies upstairs to my old room, so theywouldn’t make a fuss in the middle of our impromptu meeting. Thesqueeze from Mikael’s hand on my shoulder brought my attention backto focus on the room around me. One thing in particular drew myattention, and that was the fact that Gabriel was still staring atme like I was the greatest thing since sliced bread, or maybe likeI was lunch. It was odd, and as much as I didn’t like it, Mikael’svice-like grip on my shoulder proved I wasn’t the only one tonotice.

“Can I help you?” He asked the hunter, but Gabrieljust smiled before turning away. “There’s something off about him.”Mikael tucked me further into his arms as he spoke softly. “I don’twant you around him alone, you hear me?”

“You’ll get no arguments from me on that one.”

“Good.”

The front door opened then, and Asi walked inlooking a little worse for the wear. It appeared he had news toshare too, as he found my father and tipped his head toward theoffice. Jameson and Avery both followed Asi in, but I was tootired. If they meant for me to hear the news they would bring itback out to the room the rest of us were in, or they would call meback. Until one of those things happened, I was just going to sitstill, and hope that some good news actually made it down thepipeline at some point today. I was growing tired of the constantintrigue, worry, and hope that another devastating kidnapping,maiming, or worse would happen again.

I realized, a little late, that Avery had hung upthe phone, so Serena was absent from the conversation now.Actually, I was okay with that, because it was one less person tohave to worry about upsetting when I closed my eyesmomentarily.

When the men finally emerged from the kitchen againmy father was white as a sheet. He nodded to Mikael, and even thatslight gesture caught everyone’s attention. “Dad, can you just spitit out, here?”

“Jess, I really didn’t want to add to what youalready have to worry about with all this…” he indicated everyonesitting around the living room.

“Listen, I know there’s a point when things pile upand it becomes too much, but I promise, I’m not there yet. So, letme have it. What else happened? Is it another girl? Did the patrolsfind something?”

It wasn’t my dad who spoke up. Instead Asi cameforward, “the patrols found something all right. It seems thatthose who were confined in the Locks may have had help getting outrecently.”

“How in the hell is that even possible?” Iquestioned.

“Freedman’s pack. Well, what’s left of them, aidedin the breech. We have men there now investigating things, but Ithink Mikael and I should be on site as soon as possible to helptrack down any of the escapees. We’re not even sure how many theremay be yet.” Asi answered.

“When do you leave?”

“We should be gone at first light. We have a lot ofground to cover, but we don’t want to start running off on wildgoose chases all night. Our men are searching the locks and therest of the area, trying to get an accurate body count.”

“Fantastic.” I turned back to Mikael then, andpulled on him to get him to walk outside with me. “Is it selfish ofme to say I don’t want you to go?” I asked once we were out on theporch by ourselves.

He gave me an admonishing look then. “I would stayif I could, baby, but I have selfish reasons for wanting togo.”

“What? So you can be the hero?”

“Kind of, but not for the reasons you’re thinking. Ihaven’t forgotten who we locked away in that place. If either ofthose women get out, you know they’ll be hell bent on revenge for aslew of reasons, and maybe they found a way to make friends downthere who could help them. I’m not willing to risk that. I’m notwilling to risk you being a target for yet another person. It’skilling me that I can’t take you somewhere and lock you and Willowaway with me a safe little bubble somewhere. I just need to knowyou’ll be okay, and part of that, is going to look for theescapees.”

“I get it.” I whispered, voice too full of emotionto get much more out. “I love you for it, even though I don’t’ wantyou gone.”

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