Chapter 18 - Jet

The red warmth of sunlight coming in through a crack in the drapes made me squint. It was morning, and I stretched against the bed, enjoying that blissful strain of waking up my muscles. Last night had been…it had been perfection, and I was ready to repeat that exquisite connection again. Rolling over, I slid my hands across the mattress a few inches, seeking out Senna's sleeping form.

I had to reach further, and when I'd crossed the length of the bed, I started upright, looking down to see her side of the bed empty.

"Senna?"

When I called out into the room, there was no response, but what made the shiver running down my spine worse was my innate sense of Senna's distance. She was nowhere in the room, but somewhere distant, and I could feel how cold the bed was. She'd been gone for a while.

Flinging the covers off me, I scrambled to get on a pair of pajama pants.

"Senna!"

I ran to the door, throwing it open and hurrying down the stairs of the house. Keeping the yell sealed behind my lips as I dashed through the kitchen and foyer was a feat of strength I didn't know how long I could maintain. But I didn't want to wake the other wolves. Not yet.

Only if I truly couldn't find Senna. Which I fucking would.

Coming to a halt in the long hallway centrally located in my home, I sucked in a deep breath, scenting the air for any indication of her direction. There was nothing near the front or back doors.

"Okaaay," I dragged out the word, "that's good, but where are you? Dammit, Senna."

Rushing back toward the kitchen, more of her scent pinged. I zeroed in on the smell of my mate, that rose and almond aroma drawing me to her. There was another stairwell at the far corner of the home. It went down into the basement.

"What?" My heart surged as I spun and glanced down in that direction. "Fuck, are we keeping anyone down there right now? Shit!"

I took off running, flying down the stone steps with my feet pounding against the cold floor. Reason had long abandoned me at his point, and the fire in my blood to find Senna was all-consuming and destructive. Anything in my path to get to her would be torn to shreds—friend or foe. And I didn"t have the strength to remind myself that was problematic at best.

Damp, cool air filled my nose, and I hurried past the storage chamber and the empty prison, barely letting myself feel glad about that on my mad search for my mate. Your pregnant, wolfless mate, at that.

Gods, I'd never felt a possessive fury like the one coursing through my veins, and the fear that gripped me—worrying over the possibility of Senna being injured—made my guts swirl like a boat in a hurricane.

Lungs burning from the strain of sprinting with everything I had, my wolf chomped at the bit to be freed. We can't. What if I need fingers? What if she needs first aid?

He stilled. Slightly.

"Senna! Gods damn it, where—"

Skidding to a stop at the entrance to my library, I saw her. Senna was sprawled across the table in the center of the room, lying across a pile of books. Dashing over, I didn't notice any signs of a struggle or blood. The was no horrible, pungent stench of copper.

And then I saw her back rise and fall as she breathed.

Everything slowed down, the terrible need to find her sated. My pulse returned to normal, and the near heart attack was pushed back to the fringes of possibility. Still, I couldn't understand why she'd come down here in the middle of the night.

I stood there for a moment, watching the peaceful way Senna slept, passed out on an open book. Gods, she had no idea what she'd done to me by not returning to the room—our room. Actually, I was pretty damn shocked by it as well.

I've never…I was…terrified.

My chest pinched, still having trouble letting go of the tension that clung there. What if Senna had been hurt? I didn't know what I'd do if someone had attacked her or whisked her away. No, that was wrong. I knew exactly what I would have done.

And it wasn't pretty.

She stirred, some part of her realizing she wasn't alone, and I walked forward, crouching by her chair and smoothing my hand over hers.

"Senna. Sweetness, you're in the basement."

With a strong jerk, she flew up, nearly cracking me in the nose with the back of her head, and I had to flinch back.

"What?!" She looked around, the wideness of her eyes diminishing as they made contact with me. "Oh, Jet. Hi. What am I…oh, I must've fallen asleep."

I couldn't help rolling my eyes with an exhausted chuckle. "Yeah."

Turning her head this way and that before licking her lips and furrowing her brow at me, Senna scratched at her neck.

"What time is it?"

"It's morning, sweetness. You didn't come back to bed. I was…"

The words drifted away, but I stared into her eyes, leveling Senna with an intense stare that likely said more than my words ever could.

"Oh." Her entire face changed, morphing into guilt and embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I had…well, I had a nightmare, and…"

I pulled her up out of the chair, pulling her close. She'd slipped on a thin nightgown, and the stiff peaks of her nipples pressed against the fabric from the chilly basement temperature.

"What, love?"

Senna shook her head. "Sorry. I just couldn't get back to sleep. I didn't mean to, well, upset you. Worry you."

Obviously, she was telling the truth. It hadn't been her intention to wake me up this morning with a coronary. I shook my head, nuzzling into her neck.

"It's all right, dearest. Let's just get you changed. You're freezing. You really shouldn't sleep down here." I took her hand, pulling myself back from her reluctantly to lead the way upstairs. "And I'm sure you're starving."

As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, and Senna let out a tiny laugh. "Food sounds great. Thank you."

"Not before we get you changed. I'm not about to let anyone but me enjoy how good you look in the morning." Rubbing my hands down her full ass, Senna ducked her head down with a smile.

"Fine. Fine. Dressed first."

She followed after me, and I eased further, having her at my side. "The second beta trial is today. I have to help the pack prepare, but…" I looked back over my shoulder at her, raising my brows. "I want you there. Not having you in bed…don't do that to me again. I thought you'd been kidnapped or something."

Senna hung her head low, pausing. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought I hit a nerve. But what would she have to be upset about regarding kidnapping? Terrance had freely given her up. He had no idea she was my mate or that I intended to keep her with me.

"What is it?" She just chewed on her lip, and I turned toward her, taking her face between my hands. "Senna, I can tell something is up. It smells burnt, and the bond is ringing with nervous energy. Talk to me."

"Jet, I just don't want—"

Shaking my head, I stepped even closer, pulling her against my chest and wrapping my arms around her with a good squeeze.

"None of that. I'm here to help you. I'll always help you. Why are you upset?"

Silence stretched on for a minute, and then Senna leaned back to stare up into my eyes.

"Okay. Well, I guess I have something to tell you, and…I don't think you're going to like it."