CHAPTER 42

VENUS

"Well, that was fucked." Zan threw himself onto the oversized couch in the pack house living room when the rest of them got back in the early hours of the morning.

He had returned with me earlier and since then, Sage had done her best to try to keep him under her watch to monitor for any changes to his wolf-free state. But when he'd heard the others enter the pack house, her efforts to keep him put were futile. The Beta hated sitting still and hated not being included even more.

Nothing about his statement was wrong though.

There were so many more wolves than we expected, and so much we had learned … and just so fuckingmuch. Not to mention Zander got injured … again.

Everything that Amelia had told us at the carnival … it was fucked.

My mother had also arrived at the pack house for a debriefing and had taken a seat on an armchair as she raked her eyes over everyone, checking for any other injuries. Thank God Celeste was okay. We'd forever be in debt to River for saving her life.

This was all just a lot.

Griffin dropped down on the couch next to me, throwing his arm over my shoulder and planting a kiss to my forehead in greeting. I smiled at him but then let out a dramatic sigh as I addressed the room. "What do we do now?"

"Well … we could go to Carrington? Pay a little visit to Aconite Hall," Griff offered up casually.

I stared at the captain beside me in disbelief. He wanted us to go to the UK?

"Come again?" I asked, not sure if I heard him right.

Griff glanced at me and then looked at Carter. "Aren't they known for their alchemy work and Healers? They have the most experienced and up to date technology, not to mention the Glass House, right, Car?"

Carter pushed back his blonde hair and removed the unlit cigarette from his lips before he answered, "That they do, my friend." He stood, walking to the sliding door that led to the deck so he could actually light his comfort vice without one of the wolves yelling at him. Half standing inside but keeping the smoke out, he took a drag before he added, "They'd probably be able to provide valuable insights on why the Restorers are not working."

Griffin looked contemplative. "I mean, I know a phone call could work just as well to warn them, but I don't want to let those bastards get away with this without seeing it through myself. There's obviously a reason the rogues are targeting the headquarters and I want to know why. I say a small unit heads to England. We visit Carrington, perfect the formula, ambush the rogue army and learn everything we can about what their motives are. Not to mention Theo probably has some knowledge about the rogues that we could use to our advantage. We need to figure out what it is that they want." He looked at me, gauging my reaction. "Two birds with one stone,"he added with a shrug, like it was no big deal he was suggesting we travel halfway across the world.

Kitana picked at something on her nail as she spoke. "If Amelia was right, the rogues aren't planning on wasting as many resources, if any, on Saint Claire anymore. Not that we should rely on that, but it does mean that we can afford fewer Knights and wolves on patrol here. So, if going to Aconite Hall will help in any way, I say we do it."

This all sounded crazy. And I had no idea what the right move was, but Griffin had a point and there was clearly more to the story that we were missing. Maybe Carrington could provide answers that were vital to this investigation.

My mother was quiet this whole time, but I could see her cogs spinning, analysing everything that was being said. Both my sister and I clearly inherited that from her, although Celeste's form of overthinking seemed more like mum's in terms of being intelligent and critical.

Eventually, mum spoke up. "Griffin is right. It might be beneficial. We'll have to run it past Thea and I'm sure they'll have to inform General Theo. He's not the easiest man to convince, but if you sell it more so as needing their aid with the Restorers, he'd probably be more likely to accept your visit. He's aware of what's going on down here." Mum's gaze landed on Griffin, softening from the serious, straight-faced expression of a colonel to one that was more motherly. "I'm sure he'd also want to see how his grandson turned out."

Griffin rolled his eyes. "I'm not exactly jumping for joy with the thought of seeing him. But if that will help get us there, I'll play along … at least until we're at the premises."

"I'm beat," Zander yawned, throwing his large arm over his face to cover the light. No concern for the fact that he was changing the subject.

"Well, you did almost die," Celeste countered, like she was just stating a fact. Which she was.

Zan lifted his arm, rising halfway up to glare at my sister across the room. "Like you can talk, Little Stone."

Celeste looked like she was going to argue but thought better of it and shut her mouth. Though her face was anything but happy as she crossed her arms.

"Thought so," Zander added with a satisfied grin before he lay back down.

Sage walked up to him then with a steaming cup of some sort of herbal tea, the array of beads and necklaces she wore jingling with the movement.

"Zan, you need to drink this so the remaining traces of the Deviator can leave your system."

When he didn't get up to take it, she nudged the arm that he refused to move. Despite how tonight turned out and the larger number of people she'd had to help, the grounded blonde wolf stayed consistently calm.

"I'm asleep," he groaned.

"Drink." River's command made the Beta huff out an unhappy grunt, but he got up and snatched the tea from Sage's hand. She gave him a pleased smile while he chugged down the contents.

"Tastes like absolute shit," he grumbled, wiping it off his mouth and then forcefully placing the mug on the coffee table.

"Serves you right for not calling for backup," Riv chided with an unhappy look.

"Everyone was busy," Zander shrugged and then reclaimed his lazing position.

River shook his head in annoyance, but Axel tried to soothe his Alpha's frustration. "It's alright, Riv. Everyone is safe, the humans that did get hurt are healing, thanks to Sage, and the Knight's Omitters saved our asses. We're all okay. This is just a scratch for Zan. And a minor inconvenience."

I cringed at the mention of the ‘inconvenience' of losing touch with his wolf. It was awful that any of our pack had to experience that. It was never meant to be used on them and I couldn't imagine how horrible and foreign it must have felt for him. It was better than death though. And I was just glad that he'd recently mentioned his wolf was starting to stir again.

The Beta nodded enthusiastically with his eyes still closed. "Mm-hmm. What he said. We're all good, Alpha."

River blew out air, attempting to let go of the tension he was holding. His eyes scanned Celeste, making sure she was in fact uninjured. She returned his look of concern with a placating smile. Then he looked at me.

I mouthed a "thank you" and he gave me a reassuring nod.

"A lot of their shifters that are doing the spy work seem to be female," Zander acknowledged sleepily. For someone who claimed to be so exhausted, he had plenty of energy to talk.

Bleu was the one to respond to his observation. "Perfectly chosen if they want to target human males to fill their army ranks. The horny bastards will follow their supernatural lure anywhere and get themselves killed in the process."

Carter chimed in with an appreciative, "Genius". When we all looked at him like he was crazy, he expanded. "You have to admit, it's a smart plan. It's clearly working well for them."

Billie cleared her throat from where she sat next to Santi, changing the subject once again. "So, we have a month. How do we do this?"

Griff sat up, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked at everyone dispersed across the lounge room. There were so many of us in here with everyone in one place after what felt like so long, that it was hard for us to fit, even given the size of the space. It somehow made the pack house look small, but it felt full in the best way.

"Mama Stone and I will sort out the details with Thea," he tipped his chin towards my mother who nodded her agreement. "But I'd say we aim to get to Aconite Hall around a week beforehand. Should give us enough time to get what we need done there, while preparing to defend against the ambush. Whoever we decide will come with us will head to the city a few days prior to the flight, so I can make sure everything is organised and ready back at the compound. We'll fly out from there. In the meantime, we'll tie up any loose ends here and work on some hand-to-hand combat for the wolves so they're better equipped to handle whatever is thrown their way."

Zander gave a lazy thumbs up and I didn't miss the displeased glare Griffin levelled his way—not that the Beta could see it with his eyes closed.

Completely unrelated, the commanding tone Griffin used when making these sorts of plans always made my body giddy for him and now I couldn't wait to get back home. I was done with this day.

Relieved, but so done.

Tiredly, River voiced his thanks and then added, "We should put together a detailed strategy of what those of us remaining will do—patrols, scouting, pack networking. We need a working schedule that ensures we're covered across all fronts, here and where you lot will be."

"I'm already planning it out in my head," Griffin bragged with a cocky smirk that he knew would irritate the Alpha.

Surprisingly, River just shook his head with a half-hearted, exhausted chuckle and said, "Of course you are."

Griff winked at him.

Ignoring him but standing up to head to bed, River stretched, rolling his neck. "Alright, I think we're all pooped and could use a decent day of rest, considering that it is well and truly day now." He gestured to the bright light that was spilling through the open floor-to-ceiling windows. "Let's get some sleep and reconvene in the evening so we can start on these combat lessons."

"Sounds like a plan," I said encouragingly as I rose and pulled Griffin from the couch with me. Given that I was hardly involved in the battle today, and more mentally exhausted than physically, I still had some ideas of how I could further tire myself out. I was just hoping that the sexy captain would be up to it.

Before we left, Griff headed to the bathroom and I found myself surrounded by Axel, Dalton, Koda and a sleepy Zander, who'd all walked outside with me.

"Your boy's good at this you know," Koda said with a cheeky smile, poking me in the arm. I blushed. I hadn't exactly addressed that I'd picked Griffin to the rest of the pack but obviously they knew.

Zander leaned his mass of bodyweight onto my shoulder. Luckily, these days I was strong enough to carry his weight without being flattened like a pancake.

"Yeah, we get why you like him," he added. "He's a dreamboat." He batted his lashes mockingly at me, using humour like he usually did.

Even so, I gaped at him, not knowing what to say or how to react and feeling extremely awkward.

"I uh …" I stuttered, trying to think of how to tell them I was sorry that things didn't work out with their Alpha.

"Relax, Vee. We're your friends. We're happy for you," Dalton said, giving me a little bop on the nose which relieved some of the tension I felt. I swatted his hand away playfully.

Axel pushed Zander off me, pulling me under his own shoulder and offering a little comforting squeeze. "I know we've never outright said it to you, but we like him. And we're happy whenever you're happy."

I looked up at them all, eyes glittering with emotion as I let out a nervous breath.

"Thanks, guys," I said wholeheartedly. "That means a lot to me."

Before they could say anything more, Griff came through the door and nonchalantly strolled down the path towards us and the car, casually tossing his keys in the air and catching them.

"Ready?"

He gave the boys a suspicious once-over, probably wondering why they were gathered around me and now staring at him.

"Yep, good to go," I replied.

"See ya, pups. Be ready for me to kick your ass later," he directed at the boys as we walked in the direction of the Jeep.

"Bye, Vee. Bye, Mr Perfect," Zander taunted with a wave.

Griffin gave him a devilish smile. "Aww Zan, I'm flattered, really. But I'm taken."

The Beta blew him a kiss anyway.

My heart swelled with warmth at the weird-as-fuck relationship they all had. But I loved it.

I loved that they liked him and didn't hold any resentment towards us.

When we got home, Griffin made good on his promise that I'd ‘get more later'.