Page 21 of Fear

Dash smirked, crossing his arms. "Nah. I'm your warden. And you better believe I'm running a tight ship."

Siena scoffed. "Good luck with that."

"Oh, I don't need luck," Dash said, leaning against the railing. "I just need you all to remember one thing—if you so much as think about sneaking out, I’ll tie every damn one of you and lock you in a closet."

Alaska smirked, "Kinky."

Sofia bit back a laugh as Dash rolled his eyes at his mate. "Look, ladies, I get it. You don’t like being left behind. You want to fight. But this isn’t about proving how tough you are. It’s about keeping you alive. So don’t make me be the asshole who has to stop you from getting killed."

There was a long silence before Dakota finally sighed, throwing her hands up. "Fine. But if anything goes down here, you better let us fight."

Dash’s lips twitched. "Deal. Now, go inside before you give me a damn heart attack." The silence that followed was deafening.

Sofia followed the others into the house, walking into the sitting room, she exhaled sharply, crossing her arms over her chest. “I hate this.”

Dakota huffed. “Welcome to being an ol’ lady.”

Dawn sank onto one of the couches, running a hand through her hair. “We should be used to this by now. But we never are.”

Mystique threw herself onto a chair. “Yeah, and every damn time, we have to sit here and pretend we’re fine, even though we’re ready to tear our hair out.”

Sofia turned to them, curious despite her anxiety. “How do you deal with it?”

Siena shrugged. “You don’t. You just… learn to live with the fact that your man walks a dangerous line every day. And if you love him, you love that part too.”

Dakota nodded. “It never gets easier. But you trust them. You believe they’ll do whatever it takes to come back. And if they don’t—” her voice caught, but she swallowed hard, pressing on, “then we make damn sure their deaths weren’t in vain.”

Sofia stared at them, something heavy settling in her chest. This wasn’t just a club, and these weren’t just bonded mates. These women were warriors in their own right, standing strong while their men fought battles they couldn’t.

Sofia understood. She wasn’t alone in this, she was one of them now.

But even as she laughed along with them, a shadow still lingered deep in her heart. The pain of losing her sister never truly left her, only buried beneath layers of new experiences, new bonds.

The laughter around her was warm, comforting, but it would never be the same as the sound of her sister’s voice. The weightof her loss pressed on her chest, the raw ache of knowing her sister had been stolen from her in the most brutal way possible.

Beneath the surface, there was something darker inside her. Hate, pure, undiluted hatred for the man who had killed her sister. She could still see his face in her nightmares—Grant, the Shadow Riders' VP. The image of him, the cold cruelty in his eyes, the way he had ended her sister’s life without hesitation—it fuelled something in her that she wasn’t sure she could ever let go of.

She clenched her hands into fists, the need for justice—or revenge—burning deep inside her. Would she ever get the chance to make him pay? Would she ever be able to look into his eyes and see fear instead of arrogance?

Sofia took a slow breath, shoving the pain back down where it belonged. For now, she had to focus on surviving. On adapting. But one day, she swore to herself—he would pay.

As the tension slowly eased, the women drifted closer together, finding comfort in their shared bond. They settled into the large open-concept living area, which had a rustic charm—high vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden beams, a massive stone fireplace crackling with warmth, and plush leather couches arranged in a semi-circle. The dining area blended into the space, a long wooden table stretching across one side, its surface already cluttered with coffee cups, weapons, and a deck of cards someone had left out.

"So," Siena said, plopping onto one of the couches, stretching her legs out. "How do we keep from losing our minds while they’re out there?"

Alaska leaned back, smirking. "Easy. We distract ourselves. We talk. We drink—if Dash doesn’t keep the booze locked up."

Sofia smiled, feeling the warmth of their companionship settle inside her. She had spent so much of her life keeping her distance from people, never fully trusting anyone. But here, these women—they had already taken her in.

Dakota shifted on the couch, absently rubbing a hand over her growing belly. "We could also start getting things ready. I still need to figure out a nursery back at the clubhouse. Haven’t even decided on a colour."

Siena’s eyes softened. "How are you feeling?"

Dakota sighed. "Honestly? I’m excited. Scared as hell, but excited. Hunter’s over the moon. The man’s ready to tear anyone apart if I so much as flinch the wrong way."

Alaska snorted. "Typical. You’re carrying a Wolverine MC heir. They’d burn the world down for that baby."

Sofia watched Dakota, noting the way her hands instinctively cradled her stomach. There was so much love there, so much strength. She envied that—that certainty in something bigger than fear.

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