Page 91 of Emerald Flame
Chapter Twelve
Three days had passed since Kiara’s departure. Warren sat on a stool beside the map table in his war room, staring at nothing.
His life had become a fog, a thick pea soup of not hearing what was said to him and of not seeing anyone distinctly. He felt veiled by a profound grief that was an echo of what he’d known when he’d learned of his wife’s disorder and had placed her in the Revel asylum.
He’d been putting off going to see Tonya, but the time had come. He needed to talk to her about what she’d said to Kiara. But he’d been dreading the moment. Even after eight years it was still hard to be with her in her current condition.
“Alpha Warren.”
The sharp tone had Warren lifting his head off the palm of his hand. He squinted, and the face finally took focus. “Fergus? What are you doing here?” He rubbed his fingers over the last remnants of the scars above his newly opened eye. He looked different now, more normal, though some scarring remained. He could see perfectly well from both eyes and he was grateful. But even his restored vision reminded him of what he’d lost.
“Your people have been calling me all evening.”
“Why would they do that? Is everything all right over at Julio’s compound?”
“Everything’s in order. We have three candidates for alpha and there will be a dominance battle tomorrow night at the Sand Pit. Representatives from each of the twelve packs will be there.”
“Good. That’s good.” He rose from his stool. He didn’t want to talk to Fergus right now. The man was happily bonded to his alpha-mate. “I have to go see my wife.”
“What are you talking about? Your wife?”
Right. He’d forgotten. No one knew about Tonya. Only Kiara. He waved a hand. “Got things on my mind.”
Fergus glanced around. “So, where’s Kiara?”
He shifted to look at Fergus, frowning. “I don’t know. She had to leave, so she left.”
He was going to move past Fergus, but Fergus caught his arm. “Warren, look at me.”
Warren was an inch taller than Fergus, enough to look down at him. He met his gaze, but he wasn’t really seeing him.
In a low voice, Fergus said, “Tell me about your wife.”
“I don’t know why I said that. I don’t have a wife.” In some respects, he didn’t.
“You said you did and something tells me you weren’t lying. Talk to me.”
Warren couldn’t think of a reason not to tell him. He returned to his stool and slumped back down on it. “She’s in an asylum in Revel Territory.” He told Fergus the rest as well as the fact Kiara knew about her.
Fergus kept saying ‘Christ’. Sometimes he said ‘Jesus’. More than once he whispered a string of invective. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“What was the point? She’s dying. Or she has been for the past year. Her nurses have no idea why she’s still alive. It’s been a nightmare.”
“Is that why Kiara left? You told her about Tonya?”
The fog was still there, flowing in and out of Warren’s mind. He had to think hard with each question Fergus asked. He shook his head. “No. She was here, she was with me, the night after Julio’s death. I was going to ask Kiara to become my alpha-mate. That’s when she told me Tonya had visited her, in the form of an apparition—”
“Wait, what? How could she do that if she’s not dead?”
“I don’t know. She’s come to me as well, usually not with good news, either. She’s living a half-life. The asylum doctors say it happens, not with every case, but with some.”
Fergus moved to a stool adjacent to Warren and sat down as well. “I can’t believe this, but it sure as hell explains what’s going on with you. Your pack is worried. They say you run for hours during the day on your private track. They’ve heard you howling.”
Right. His apartment was soundproof, but not his track.
“You’ve got to pull yourself together. Your pack needs you. So, what can I do to help?”
“I don’t know. I miss her. I didn’t think I’d ever feel this way, but I don’t want to live without her, even though she’s a witch.”
