Page 124 of The Dark Rising
“Gods,” Colten whispers to Hudson. “I knew it was coming but I didn’t realize how deep it ran.”
“It was easy to see, pup,” Hudson replies. “Now eat more, we have training later. Taylor is already out there waiting with Jerrod.” Colton mumbles something else, but does as Hudson says. I pretend I don’t notice. Those two need to just jump bones already.
I’m still smiling at them as a plate is put in front of me and I look down, the confusion plain to see on my face when I look up at Darius. He ignores me and goes about getting another plate and piling on food while I stare at him.
Darius sets his own plate down and finally looks at me. Something heady stays in his eyes as he looks between me and the plate, a silent command, telling me without words that this is how things will be from now on. That he will provide for me and he is showing others exactly what he sets out to do also.
This is more than the blood oath we gave, more than a tentative truce, more than our confessions. This is more than anything I have ever known. All from just receiving a plate of food.
I swallow and look at my plate and dig in to the large amounts of meat and fruit, ignoring Darius as he watches me intently. The table is silent, they’re also acknowledging what this means, what he’s declaring to everyone.
He will be the only one to give me food from now on.
“Did you get it?” Darius says, and my gaze follows his to Zaide who shakes his head. I pick up another slice of meat, the flavors exploding over my tongue and damn, I’ve never eaten such delicious meat before.
“I’ll try again soon,” Zaide replies and my mood sours a little that the memory crystal still hasn’t been found. I need to see it.
Darius nods. “We are awaiting news of some information that could lead us to those that were stolen and Rhea’s pack members,” Darius announces after a time, and heads shoot up, giving him their attention.
“Where did you get this information?” Leo asks, running a hand through his blond hair.
Darius turns to me. “Rhea’sfriend.“ He says the word ‘friend’ like he’s just eaten wolf shit, and I give him a warning look. Josh turns to me, asking an unvoiced question.
“Edward sent Ilium to me, left a note saying—“ The link goes dead and I let out an aggravating breath at Darius. “Will you stop doing that!” I seethe. “How do you even do it? You never tell me.”
“Why would I tell you, so you can stop it from happening?” He raises a brow and leans back in his chair. “I told you not to have private conversations around me.”
“Ugh, you’re so annoying.” I turn to Josh. “Yes, Edward. He said he will try and contact me again soon.” He nods and takes a hold of Sarah’s hand tightly, a look passing between them.
“We will leave when we receive word. In the meantime, Zaide and Damian will no doubt be summoned to Wolvorn by the Highers to be questioned about their time in Zakith. When that happens, we lay-low but be ready to send some Elites out on a hunt.”
“Then we go hunting them,” Damian says.
“They should have learned loyalty,” Zaide muses.
“They should have.” Darius taps his fingers on the table. “Make sure you get armor for everyone, Damian. We will keep training for now as we wait. We haven’t heard from Charles yet, but I don’t think it will be long before he asks about Maize.”
“I doubt we have much time,” Leo says. “And if we do receive news of the others whereabouts, they may not even be alive when we reach there.”
“Don’t fucking say that,” Hudson growls, looking at me out the corner of his eye while I slowly pick at my food, eyes on my plate.
“I’m speaking truthfully,” Leo defends himself. “We all know it’s possible.”
Swallowing roughly, I eat slowly. Three months ago I was in Eridian, working toward winter and trying to get through to Kade about letting Axis have more control than he should. Now I’m here, at the Elites’ keep, with not even half of my pack, eating a delicious meal given to me by the Alpha of Elites, and my pack is out there somewhere, maybe dead, and Kade is in the clutches of the Highers and our family.
What am I doing?
“We don’t know anything yet, so there is no need to speculate,” Hudson says.
I shouldn’t just sit around like this.
“And you all need to be realistic in what we may findifwe get a location,“ Leo barks back. “You need to prepare if they are all dead.”
I’m not even helping anyone right now.
“You will be dead if you don’t shut your mouth!” Josh shouts.
“Not before Rhea gets us killed when they find out that she killed Maize!”
