Chapter 54

Megan

Plans to go and take back Dominic swirled around the room. It was clear that the men Sam had called in with him had experience in this sort of thing, although in my weeks as a wolf, I had not heard of the pack ever needing to take aggressive action. Wolf paced weakly inside me. She knew how desperately the pack needed its Alpha, but I was scared silly at the thought of Sam going back out there and fighting against the wolves who had kidnapped him, then ripped his leg into ribbons. My heart beat painfully against my ribs as I listened while they formulated plans. Sam's leg was healing but healing slowly. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but there were still deep holes. Jennifer wrapped it securely after cleaning it out and packing some sort of green goop into it that would help it heal and keep out infection.

By the time she was finished, the men and Mary had formed a plan. They were going to take part of the pack and scout their way back through the woods. Sam knew the general location of where he'd been, so half their numbers would circle around the back through the woods and head to the general location of the shack, scouting as they went. The strongest fighters would move forward, spread out like a net, and converge on the shack from the front, following Sam's blood trail.

It sounded sketchy to me, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew nothing of battle strategy, wolf fighting, or scouting blood trails in the middle of the night. I just knew I wanted Sam safe. With me. Terror and dread sat heavily in my stomach, weighting me down to the couch. I gripped Sam's hand like a lifeline. I couldn't accept anything other than that he would be back with me in a few hours.

"Cade, Meg, come with me for a minute," Sam said as he limped toward the stairs, testing his leg. It was better, but not great. His all call still wasn't fully functional. It was patchy, and he was growing more frustrated by the minute.

He led us upstairs to his room and shut the door behind us.

"Cade, I want you to stay with Megan."

"What? No way, you need me out there watching your back! No offense, Megan." He turned to me, indignation still flashing in his eyes. I agreed. I wanted Sam to have every asset possible with him.

I opened my mouth to say as much, but Sam spoke first. "You know there is no one else I'd rather have guarding my back. But there is also no one I trust more than you. I can't focus on getting Dad back if I'm worried that Megan is unprotected. She has something to do with this. Someone has tried to kill her twice. Will you stay here and be her protection detail?"

Cade's mouth thinned into a line. "You know I will."

The relief that washed over Sam was visible. "Thank you. I don't know how many Atwood has, so we need all available fighters. I don't like leaving the two of you alone."

"We'll be fine. At the first hint of anything amiss, we'll head to the vault." He referenced the room Mary had shown us. "It bolts from the inside and short of an atomic bomb, there's no getting in there."

Obviously, Cade had been down there before. I was a little disturbed that there was a potential need for such a room.

Sam nodded. "Okay. Go ahead and grab what you need. Meg and I will be down in a minute."

Cade's dark head nodded. His blue eyes were shadowy with concern. The door closed quietly behind him. There was the shuffle of people getting ready to leave below, but for the moment, only the two of us existed in his room. The two of us and my terror.

He took my hands gently as he stared into my eyes. My stomach clenched. His face was serious. His eyes were deep pools of steady water. He'd become more a man in the last few hours than in all his years prior.

"Megan," he started, then stopped. He shrugged. "I'm not sure what else to say."

I shook my head, unable to speak over the emotion clawing its way up my throat. I untangled my hands from his and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him tightly. Immediately his arms encased me.

"Please, please be careful. Come back to me." I'm petrified that you won't, my brain added.

"Always," he whispered before putting his lips on mine. He kissed me deeply. It was tinged with regret, and as he moved his lips against mine once before pulling away, I tasted the slightest hint of goodbye.

I stared at him, shook my head, and kissed him back. You have to come back.

He pulled away again, gently, but it still left me cold.

He nodded once and was out the door.

I love you, echoed in my brain.

Sam? I called back trying our link. Nothing. Nothing but the black void.