33. NEPHELINE

33

NEPHELINE

Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.

In my case, I spend most of my time in my head, in that open field, trying to coax my brother’s wolf back to me. Shifting into my wolf is easier in my mind, none of the pregnancy issues getting in the way. However, Locke hasn’t so much as budged from the shadows, even though those golden eyes track my wolf wherever it goes.

It’s been weeks and nothing I’ve tried has worked. While my mates are tirelessly preparing to attack the pack of the Forbidden at their new heart, I stay locked in my head, trying to bring my brother out of the darkness.

And then it clicks.

I’ve been working so damn hard to drag him into the light that I never once thought to step into the darkness he sees.

It’s a reckless move. I don’t even know how this mindlink thing works where we’re in some alternate dimension in my head but I try anyway.

Locke?

I slowly move forward, my snout bowed low in respect. My brother isn’t just an older Alpha but the rightful heir to the Redstone pack. He is owed my respect. Locke doesn’t move from where he’s sitting a few paces away.

So, I continue approaching. Those expressive gold eyes follow me, tracking my steps, a snarl forming on his lips. I can’t tell what it means because he won’t fucking talk to me or even respond to me but I try.

Locke, I need you back. Goddess, they took everything from me but they won’t take you.

Each step brings me closer to the darkness until the shadows nip at my fur, my ankles, my feet. It’s suffocating but I press forward. Locke means more to me than anything at this moment. When I’m within reach of him, I lower myself to the ground, the ultimate submission to another Alpha.

Locke, you told me that you would always be there for me. Now, it’s my turn. I’m here. Come back to me.

My voice turns into a plea, tears glazing my eyes as I wait for Locke to do something. Anything. And then he moves, just enough, his gaze falling on my wolf. A low whine permeates the air, his tail swishing through the darkness.

Nepheline?

I could fucking cry right now but I don’t. I can’t. He’s still in the shadows. I need him out here. I don’t even know why it’s so important but it feels like my magic can’t touch him here.

Yes! Locke, it’s me. You saved me months ago but they kept you alive and away from me. It’s time to come home.

I… can’t.

His golden eyes glow as he snarls again and I realize the gesture isn’t directed to me. He’s having a hard time accepting back his humanity.

What did they do to you? I saw you die in my arms.

His nostrils flare as he dips his head, running his nuzzle against the top of my head—just the way he used to do when I was a kid. An almost fatherly gesture.

A serum, I think. It’s keeping my wolf alive.

My heart breaks at his words because that means my brother truly is dead. That without the serum, I’ll lose him all over again. A cry tears from my throat but even if that’s the case, I need him back.

What does that mean?

He doesn’t answer me, just continues to pet the top of my head.

Come home with me, Locke. Come back home.

Again, there is no answer but I stand, hoping he’ll follow. A few steps into the light, I wait for his presence to show up behind me and when it does, I feel like I’ve conquered the entire world. For the first time in weeks, I finally see my brother. He’s here, in the packlands of my mind, back in the light where my magic can reach him.

But just as I go to nuzzle against his neck, he disappears and I’m thrown back into reality.

I grumble under my breath as I shift in the nest, trying to find a position that doesn’t make my back scream or my hips ache. I swear the moment I stop moving, I feel like I’m turning into one giant, very round boulder. Being in my head, I can almost forget that I’m pregnant.

“This is bullshit,” I mutter, flopping dramatically onto my side, only for Mateo’s warm, steady hand to press against my back and ease me back into a comfortable position. “I get Locke to come out into the clearing and then this.” I point angrily at my belly but I’m not truly pissed off with it. The backaches are just annoying.

He’s crouched beside me, watching me like I’m made of glass—which, at this point, I might as well be. “You’re doing plenty, Nepheline,” he says firmly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “Don’t start.”

“Doing plenty ?” I scoff, narrowing my eyes at him. “I’m literally just sitting here. I can’t even get up without someone carrying me like a helpless potato.”

Mateo’s lips twitch as if he’s holding back a laugh. “You’re growing life inside of you. You’re literally bringing our child into the world. You’ve already done more than any of us could ever hope to accomplish.”

Before I can argue, he presses his hand gently against my belly, his eyes softening as he feels the small movement beneath his palm. “And you’re bringing your brother back to us. I can feel it through you, Neph. The bond is getting stronger, so much stronger today than it was last week or even yesterday. Don’t underestimate what that means.”

I let out a breath, my frustration dimming slightly as I meet his gaze. “But it’s not enough. I can feel the veil weakening. I know the First Alpha is pushing against it. He’s out there holding onto my brother, taunting us, Mateo. And I’m just…” I trail off, waving a hand weakly over myself. “Here. Stuck.”

“You’re not stuck,” Mateo counters, his voice firm but gentle. “You’re the magic that’s holding us together. That’s protecting us. You’re making all of us stronger, even if you don’t realize it.”

I open my mouth to argue again, but before I can, Remi chimes in from the corner of the room where he’s been folding laundry, his usual sunshine-like energy lighting up the space. “He’s right, sunshine,” he says, turning toward me with a bright grin. “You are the magic. The heart and soul of this pack. You don’t have to fight to be important. You just… are.”

I glare at him half-heartedly, but the warmth in his voice melts through my defenses like it always does. Damn him. “Yeah, well,” I mutter, shifting again as Darius comes strolling into the room with a tray. “Tell that to my swollen ankles.”

Darius gives me a look that’s equal parts exasperated and adoring as he sets the tray down and kneels beside me. He’s been like this for weeks—attached to me like a shadow, hovering over me at the slightest hint of discomfort. It’s sweet. Maddening, but sweet.

“Lavender tea,” he says, holding the cup out to me like it’s the answer to all my problems. “And after you drink it, I’ll rub your feet. You’ve been grumbling about them for hours.”

“I have not ,” I protest weakly, even as I take the cup from him and let the warm, floral scent soothe my frazzled nerves.

Mateo smirks. “You have.”

Darius just shrugs, unbothered. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve got you, Bambi.”

He says it so easily, so confidently, like it’s just a fact of life—like taking care of me is as natural as breathing. And, honestly? It makes my chest ache in the best way.

I sip the tea slowly, letting the warmth spread through me as Darius starts massaging my feet with gentle, practiced hands. I want to tell him to stop—that I don’t need it—but the truth is, I do . And he knows it. They all do.

I glance toward Asani, who’s sprawled on the loveseat across the room, flipping through some paperwork he brought back from the clinic. His eyes flick up to meet mine, sharp and knowing, before he smirks. “You’re pouting again, Neph.”

I just groan and turn over onto my side, grumbling as that position is way less comfortable than I was.

The banter and happiness doesn’t last long, my magic telling me that tonight is it. “There’s no more time,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. I haven’t moved much all day, still trying to coax Locke to speak with me, to explain what’s going on. My mates tell me I’m pushing myself too hard but there’s nothing else I can do.

Especially now that the veil feels so weak it’s about to fall apart. If Mateo and the pack don’t move tonight, we might be blindsided by whatever the First Alpha is planning.

Mateo tilts my chin up and crashes his lips against mine, stealing my breath away. His kiss is bruising, raw and consuming, like he’s pouring every promise he’s ever made into it. I kiss him back with just as much desperation, my fingers tangling in his hair as the world narrows to just him—his touch, his warmth, his love.

When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, his breath ragged. “We’ve got this, princess. We’ve been preparing for this. And we’ll come back to you. All of us. Do you hear me?”

I nod, my heart splintering at the unspoken if hanging in the air.

One by one, my mates come to me.

River is next, his stoic expression softening as he cups my jaw with surprising tenderness. “Don’t worry about us,” he murmurs, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead. “We’ve got this, Luna.”

I nod again, though my throat feels like it’s closing.

Remi is the most reluctant to leave me, his sunshine-like energy dimmed by the weight of the moment. He crouches in front of me, pressing a kiss to my knuckles before pulling me into a warm, fierce hug. “I’ll be back to make you breakfast, sunshine,” he whispers against my ear, his voice cracking slightly. “So don’t go sneaking into the kitchen without me.”

That makes me laugh, even if it’s shaky. “I promise.”

Asani pulls me close next, his hands lingering on my waist as he rests his forehead against mine. “You’re stronger than you know, Neph,” he murmurs, his voice steady and unwavering. “Trust in us. We’ll fight like hell to come back to you.”

I close my eyes as his lips brush over mine, brief but full of meaning.

And then there’s Darius.

He lingers longer than the others, his hands warm as they cup my face. “I don’t like leaving you,” he admits quietly, his dark eyes searching mine.

I swallow hard, my hands fisting in his shirt as I fight the tears threatening to spill. “Then don’t.”

His lips curve faintly into a sad smile. “You know I have to.”

I nod because I do know. But it doesn’t mean I like it.

Darius tilts my head up and kisses me—softly at first, then deeper, like he’s trying to commit every inch of me to memory. When he finally pulls back, his voice is low but steady. “I’ll come back to you. I promise.”

“ You better. ”

I watch as he steps away, my chest hollowing out as they exit the living room and the front door closes behind them. My Alphas and my Beta are gone, each one of them stepping into the darkness, and for a moment, I feel untethered. Lost.

Only Maverick stays behind.

He moves quietly to sit by my side, his gaze softening as he takes me in. I’m sitting there in the middle of the room, arms wrapped tightly around myself, like I can hold myself together with sheer willpower.

“Why aren’t you with them?” I ask softly, curling into his side as he wraps an arm around me.

Maverick’s lips twitch faintly. “Because you need someone to stay. And because we don’t all need to fight tonight.” His voice is calm, steady in a way that makes me feel like I can breathe again, if only a little.

I look up at him, blinking back the tears blurring my vision. “What if they don’t come back?”

Maverick’s dark eyes meet mine, unflinching. “They will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do,” he counters, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “Do you know why?”

I shake my head, sniffling.

“Because you’re waiting for us,” he says softly, his voice filled with quiet conviction. “Because every single one of us has something to come home to. You. You’re our everything, Neph. There’s not a damn force in this world—magic, darkness, or the First Alpha himself—that can keep us from you.”

His words cut through the fear clawing at my chest, grounding me when I feel like I’m about to shatter.

“You really believe that?” I whisper.

He leans down, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to my forehead. “With every ounce of my being.”

I close my eyes, letting his words settle into me like a balm. I can feel the magic rippling at the edges of the veil, feel the darkness creeping closer, but Maverick’s presence keeps it at bay—for now.

“Rest,” he murmurs, brushing his fingers gently through my hair as I curl into him. “They’ll be back in the morning. All of them.”

I don’t believe him completely. I don’t know if I can believe him. But his voice is steady, his touch warm, and I let myself cling to that.

Because right now, it’s all I have.

As I drift toward an uneasy sleep, wrapped in Maverick’s arms, I whisper a silent promise into the darkness.

I’ll be here. Waiting for you.