Instead of sitting on the grass behind them, I leave them in case Andrei goes off, but leave Derrick to help him. I missed my mates. Seeing this, seeing Andrei destroyed like this, made my heart hurt every time I thought of them. Longing fills me, even though it has only been a day without them. I feel for Kat and am surprised she is awake. The mindlink connects. I expect her to be angry.
“You ok?” she asks, and I can hear it in her voice that she knew of Angie already, her emotions finally rushing into me, and her devastation.
“Yes, I am safe, we found Andrei,” I assure her before feeling for Mateo and adding him into the link.
“How is Andrei?” Mateo asks.
“Alive, but I think he would rather be dead by the look of him.”
“How are things back home?” I ask, worried Mateo wouldn’t be handling everything.
“Kat and I have calmed them down. We have allocated them around the packhouse and empty houses. Kat has also spoken with the other Pack Alphas, they are willing to fight with us. They said to let them know when and they will be here,” Mateo adds.
“When did you speak with them? Were they all happy to step in?” I ask, wondering how Mateo had time.
“No, Kat did. She is about to go over and talk to Angie’s family, and Jasmine picked her up.”
“I’m just getting in the car now,” Kat adds, still listening, but I could also tell she is distracted.
“Kat, you can’t.”
“I know, Ezra, I am just taking food over to them and offering to help with funeral arrangements. Besides, she has been dead for too long. I would risk killing myself to save her or you two. A risk I won’t take,” Kat assures me. I could feel her deep devastation that she couldn’t save her friend, couldn’t save her for her brother. “When will you be home?” Kat asks.
“Hopefully, in a few hours,” I reply.
“Okay, mindlink on your way back. I will make sure I am home when you get home. Is Andrei coming home too?”
“I am not sure, but I am assuming so.”
“Okay, well, I need to go, I’m being a bit rude. I can hear Jasmine talking but can’t understand her very well with the link, I love you, I will see you when you get home,” Kat tells me.
“Love you too, be safe, Kat.” I could practically feel her eyes roll, even though she said nothing, just cut the link.
“Is she ok?” I ask Mateo.
“Yes, I think so. She has been keeping busy, while I sorted out the groups, she had pack members bring clothes and food over for everyone. She spoke with the pack Alpha’s, even helped put beds together, she is actually rather calm on the outside,” Mateo observes, but we both knew she isn’t on the inside. We could feel how angry and upset she is. But there is something else, like the calm before the storm.
“She will be okay,” I’m trying to reassure myself too.
“Yes, you need to be home by tomorrow. Kat organized a meeting with one of the Alpha’s, I am not comfortable going with her, I am not an Alpha Ezra, they won’t take me seriously, you need to be home to go with her, though she promised she wouldn’t go without one of us. I will go if I have to, but I prefer not to.”
“I will be home, promise. What are we going to do about her being a Gemini? They all knew she was a lunar wolf. But a Gemini wolf? That will come with some issues, she is basically a walking, talking weapon, the other packs might become wary of us.”
“That’s what I am worried about, but Kat has a plan, and I am not sure what’s going on with her, but she is so calm it is scaring the shit out of me, she truly acted like a Luna tonight, this place was chaos before she came down.”
“I will be back as soon as possible, love you, and I will see you soon.”
“Love you too,” he adds, and I cut the link, focusing back on my surroundings. I could hear Andrei and Derrick talking softly while watching the flames eat away at the packhouse, he wasn’t crying anymore, but his aura is all over the place. He is broken, destroyed, but Jackson has now started a war, one bigger than he thought. This shit he thought would scare the other packs off has now only angered them. His life now has a time limit, one that is ticking away.
Katya
I am walking in the front door when hands wrap around my waist from behind and I’m pulled against a firm, warm body. So consumed in my own thoughts, I hadn’t even realized Ezra was behind me until I opened it. I jump as he presses himself against me. Burying his face in my hair, he inhales my scent.
“How was Angie’s family?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Not good, heartbroken,” I admit as Mateo walks down the steps, a look of relief on his face before he rushes over, and wraps his arms around us. I am squished between them as I breathe deeply, inhaling their comforting scents.
“Thank God you’re back,” Mateo whispers, kissing my cheek before doing the same to Ezra. I look up between them.
“Where is my brother?” I ask Ezra, unable to smell his scent anywhere.
“At your old house with your father,” Ezra explains, and I nod.
“You should go shower. How is everyone in the house?” I ask Mateo.
“Most are sleeping. Some are still out the back.”
“I will go shower. What time do we meet the Alphas tomorrow?” Ezra questions.
“9 AM,” I reply, and Mateo finally moves, allowing us to enter the house and close the door.
“Ok, you two go shower. I will be up soon,” I tell them before heading to the kitchen. I make a coffee before heading to Ezra’s office. Jasmine and I stopped off at my old house on the way to Angie’s parents. I managed to find an old map thanks to my father hoarding all the paperwork. He even had old payslips from his work from over ten years ago. The map was slightly outdated, but I could fill in the blanks of Jackson’s pack.
It was weird being in the house, I hadn’t been back there since before mom died, and everything was still the way I’d left it, untouched. We search the basement, digging through mountain loads of documents and family history.