Page 13 of Ensnaring Their Rabbit

I smiled, relieved he recognized me. Obviously we looked the same, but with the way he collapsed, all kinds of worst case scenarios had been going through my head, and I didn’t know what to expect.

“Yeah, man. It’s me. Are you okay? You scared the fucking crap out of me.”

Moaning, Reeve forced himself up to a sitting position, careful to stay hunched so he didn’t hit his head on the bunk and make shit worse. He flinched, squinting up at the fluorescent lighting in the cell. I frowned. Did he have a headache?

“Water?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

I jumped up and filled the plastic cup from the small sink then brought it back to him. He smiled slightly in thanks before downing the lukewarm water in one gulp. I knelt back down by the bed and waited, concerned.

Finally he seemed with it enough and looked at me. “What happened? Brynn?”

I gritted my teeth, shame filling me. I failed as a fucking alpha. I lost control, and they took Brynn from us. “I don’t know. They tranqed me. When I woke up, we were here and he was gone. Reeve, I can’t sense him at all.”

“Fuck.” He scrubbed his face. “It doesn't mean anything. We didn’t complete the bond. He could be fine.” Could be. But not definitely.

“What do we do? We need to find him.”

Reeve squeezed my shoulder. “I know. We will.”

“How?”

Reeve’s eyes hardened, which was answer enough. He had no fucking clue.

I jumped to my feet, tearing at my hair. This was my fucking fault. I couldn’t handle being on my own. Reeve wouldn’t have lost his shit if it was reversed. He would’ve found a way to keep Brynn with us, or at least found out where he was taking him. Now he might be gone forever, and it would be on my head.

Reeve was up and in my face. I hadn’t realized I had started pacing again until he stopped me, his blunt nails digging into my biceps, his forehead touching mine. “Stay calm, brother. We’ll find him.” Reeve sounded so confident, I almost believed him, but how?

I deflated in his touch. “I shouldn’t have lost it like that, then maybe...”

Reeve squeezed the scruff of my neck in reprimand. “None of that. None of this was your fault. I was the one who passed out.”

I tilted my head. “What happened with that?”

He shrugged, deflating a little. “I don’t fucking know. My wolf…” He trailed off, eyes flashing to the hallway where there were cameras. I could put together the pieces though. His wolf must’ve been getting stronger too.

He huffed a breath. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m feeling better, and let’s be honest, that would’ve likely happened anyway.”

He was probably right, but still. “Then what do we do?”

“Stay rational. Think. Don’t get angry even if Markel tries to fuck with us. He’ll be looking for any excuse to put us in solitary. Don’t give it to him. We’ll never find Brynn if we’re locked up.”

Ugh. Reeve was saying all facts, but it would be hard not to want to rip Markel’s smug little head off his shoulders every time I saw him.

“Fang is right, Howl.” My head snapped to see Reaper standing on the other side of the bars, his usual calm and neutral expression on his face.

No one even knew what Reaper was in for or for how long he was here. But he was already one of the old heads by the time we got locked up, and because of his calm nature and gift at getting any information you could need, he’d become something of a leader here. He was a neutral party, even with all the gangs and different shifter groups, they all respected him and didn’t give him shit. He was also the one who gave us our nicknames. They sort of sucked, but no one fucking complained when Reaper gave you a name. You just accepted it.

I wrenched out of my brother’s hold and stalked to the bars. “Do you know something?” I snapped.

Reaper just raised an eyebrow, letting me know I was stepping out of line, but it was hard to reign it in if he knew where they were keeping Brynn.

Reeve squeezed the back of my neck again, this time a lot harder. “Easy, Riv. Reaper’s not the enemy.”

I huffed a breath through my nose. I was having a hard time remembering that. “Sorry,” I mumbled, sounding like a fucking child.

Reaper dipped his head in acknowledgement. “So the rumors are true then?”

Reeve’s eyes narrowed. “What rumors?”

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