Page 167 of The Lands Defying
I gather Katy in a hug with little Oscar, rubbing my cheek to theirs as Josh and the others do the same.
“Alpha,” Leah cries and I bend down and gather her in a hug.
“I missed you,” I whisper in her hair, looking up to her mother whose tears gather in her eyes.
We spend time hugging and relishing in the fact that we are back together again. That we survived our ordeal. I notice the Elites stand back, not wanting to encroach on this moment.
Darius had already told me that they know things have changed between us, and they have been informed about what has happened since they’ve been away.
When I get to Sybill last, I grab her and haul her to me. “It is so good to see you.”
“It is, Alpha,” she says, her cheek against mine. “I thought we were all dead.” The terror in her voice makes me hold her tighter.
I remember a time when brief hugs were all that I wanted, but now, I hold on to them all for as long and as tight as possible.
I pull back, holding her hands between us. “Are you alright?”
She shrugs. “As much as we can be,” she replies, and the others nod. “We are just so thankful you came that day…they…they were planning to give us over to those beasts.”
I shiver at the thought. “You are safe now, thank the Gods.” I look around the group. “Where is Sam?” Sybill’s eyes turn sad at that.
“I asked if she was coming to wait for you with us after Belldame told us you were coming, but she just shook her head.” My brows furrow. “She hasn’t spoken since we have returned.”
My heart squeezes at that, and I automatically look for Kade, knowing how close they are.
When I don’t see him with us, I turn and see Darius, nodding his head to the right. I look and see Kade’s retreating back and go to follow him, but the shake of Darius’s head makes me halt.
“Let him go, child,” Belldame says, coming to stand next to us. “He is also where he is supposed to be. Now come everyone, let’s go back to the house where you can all catch up.”
My pack turns and they start to follow Belldame, all talking amongst themselves. Seb starts flirting straight away while Taylor watches over them. Hudson and Colten take up the rear, their shoulders brushing as Colten holds Leah’s little hand.
I stand back with the Elites and watch my pack for a moment, noting Jerrod walking alongside Katy and Oscar, whose little hands are reaching for him. I’m not too surprised when Katy hands Oscar over to him, smiling gently as Oscar plays with his long, red braid.
“Little wolf?” Darius asks as he comes to my side.
“I’m okay,” I whisper as Anna comes over to me.
“Come on,” she says, “Grandmother will have our hide if we make her wait too long.”
I laugh as she pulls me along by the hand before dropping it, glancing in the direction Kade went one last time.
He’s not a kid anymore Rhea.
We walk through the made paths, looking at the icy rivers that flow all around and in between the homes on stilts. Children still play out in the cold weather, and they eye the Elites with fear and curiosity as we pass by.
“Have you been here before?” I ask Darius.
“I haven’t,” he says as he moves to walk next to me. “I wasn’t exactly welcomed here.”
“Not surprising.” I tell him, and he raises a brow. “You don’t exactly have a great record of doing good by the people, and only being the Highers hounds.”
“That is not what the Elites stand for, not what we set out to be anyway.”
“You can change the people’s feelings toward you, it will just take time,” I reassure him.
“Time I’m not sure we have,” he sighs.
“You will show them the good you can do; I have no doubt.”
