Page 128 of Awakened
Hoisting the window up, I quickly swung my legs over the sill. The front door opened, freezing me in place.
Matthew’s disgruntled voice carried through the house. “What a waste of time. I can’t believe that fucking beta had the nerve to tell me I didn’t understand diplomacy.”
“Son, you need to relax. You’re letting your anger toward his sister color your opinions. Beta Spencer is a fine leader and smart too. Taking the alpha’s sister as a mate? Very smart.”
“Father, she humiliated me. You told me she would be easy pickings, but she was difficult from the minute I met her. I was honestly excited when she put up a fight, but she took it too far. I just . . . want to crush her.”
“The time will come, but you need to let these nonbelievers make their peace with the new order. The more we let them think they have a say, the easier the next few months will be. Be patient. By the end of this summer, you will have Celeste Spencer to do with what you wish. Now go check on the Perkins girl.”
“My pleasure.” I could picture the sick grin on his face as his feet pounded up the stairs.
“Matthew! She’s been promised. Keep your hands to yourself.”
There was a heavy sigh, and his steps slowed on the stairs. “Yes, Father.”
The sound of his approach put my ass in gear. Leaping toward the tree, I easily wrapped around the giant branch. Hand over hand, bark scratching my palms, I hurried across.
As I reached the trunk, the Stewart men yelling about Chastity missing spilled from the house. Deciding I didn’t have enough time to get down safely, I dropped. I landed awkwardly on my ankle but didn’t let it keep me from sprinting to the van.
Hope swung open the back door, smiling and waving her arms in encouragement.
Matthew leaned out of the window and shouted, “Spencer? You’re dead!”
Jumping into the van, Zach started driving, the back door still wide open.
“Love you too, Matty!” I blew him a kiss and slammed the door closed.
All my bravado fell away when I glanced down at my ankle. It was already red and swelling.
“Zach, get to Brandon’s fast. I sprained my ankle.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
Chastity turned in the passenger seat, her eyes full of tears, her fingers pinching and twisting the pastel fabric of her skirt. “Thank you for saving me.”
“Don’t mention it. Sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner.”
She stared vacantly out the back window. “You couldn’t have reached me. I’ve been locked up for months.”
Despite having a million questions, the pain in my ankle kept my response brief. “When we get back to the house, can we have a quick talk?”
“Of course.”
I nodded, my head lolling back against the wall of the van. Every bump sent excruciating pain up my leg, and I had to swallow down the groans to keep from worrying Zach.
Hope grabbed my hand and squeezed.
Turning my head to the side, I met her gaze.
“Thank you for getting my sister out of there, Bet—” She caught herself and shook her head with a small smile. “Les. You don’t know how much all this means to me, to us.”
Squeezing her hand, I rolled my head back and shut my eyes. My ankle throbbed, and the pain made me queasy.
The physical pain, nausea, and deflating adrenaline were something I liked to call a “post-mission reality check.” PMRC and I had become constant companions over the past few months. During a mission, I was unstoppable and every bit the boss-ass bitch everyone thought. But after? After, I was physicallybroken, flooded with delayed fear, and usually ready to blow chunks.
While I battled to maintain composure, Zach hummed a little tune as he drove, content with the success of our mission. He had no idea this wasn’t my first rescue after The Gathering, that there was a secondary objective, or that we had another pair of eyes on us. Despite not knowing we had backup, he never questioned for a second that we would succeed.
To be that optimistic.
