Page 87 of Cryptic Dreams

I begin pacing again once Declan has taken up his post by the door, my pipe between my teeth, puffing like a chimney while my hands return to their vice-like position behind my back.

Despite treating it as such, I know this wasn’t some random attack, not some play made by my sire to show he still has the upper hand. I know Atticus isn’t dispatching his minions to my private home, or sending hitmen out to eliminate me or my mate. Whatever happened was nothing like when we were shopping in town, but my defenses are raised nonetheless. Which is exactly why Declan is still here. He is my most trusted ally after all, more so than Orion and Aries purely based on the number of years we share and even though I was ready to, I didn’t call in more of my soldiers to keep my sweet Zephyr safe.

Almost, but I managed to refrain.

Doing so would have created more of a stir than her blacking out in the first place, and it definitely would have been a red flag for Atticus if I suddenly pulled my personal security—my army—from their homes so close to dawn in order to keep watch at my private residence. Especially since I still don’t really know what they would bewatchingfor.

The sound of the knob turning on our bedroom door has me spinning on my heel.

“She’s sleeping peacefully, my lord,” the healer says as she exits, her head bowed briefly before she meets my eyes. “Conscious, but sleeping.”

My breath leaves me on a rough exhale. “Thank you.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for.” Lorna secures the door but stands in front of it with a puzzled look. Something that has my brow furrowing.

“Nothing to thank you for?”

“Not really, no.”

“So you found nothing? Nothing at all wrong with my mate?”

She shakes her head. “Zephyr is incredibly healthy, her heartbeat strong. She wasn’t necessarily unresponsive to my tests before, but it was clear that she was not in a state of lucidity.”

“What in the bloody hell does that mean?”

“Well… “ Lorna sighs as she closes her medical bag. “Her reflexes were fine, senses too from what I saw, she was just… out cold, I guess? No physical injuries at all, nothing evident that would lead me to believe she had more than a headache really, and about ten minutes ago I felt Zephyr’s mind shift from an unconscious state to one that was more aware. Just like she was in a restful, sort of light sleep.”

My eyes flick to the door, then back to the only healer in Lousiana I trust. “So… nothing is wrong with my mate? Zephyr is completely fine?”

Lorna shrugs. “From what I can tell, yes.”

“But how can that be? I felt her tension, felt the pain lance through her head. I saw Zephyr faint, felt her body go limp against mine and I sensed the interruption in our bond when it happened.”

“I’m just telling you what I found, my lord. Your mate is the perfect physical specimen of health, and quite honestly, I don’t know what exactly caused her to faint.”

My bloody fucking sire, that’s what.

But I bite my tongue and simply nod. “Thank you again for your services, Lorna. I appreciate how quickly you were able to make it here.”

“Anytime, my lord. I’m always at your disposal, and if Zephyr notices anything off or feels poorly when she wakes, don’t hesitate to call me.”

More perplexed than I was previously, I watch the healer as she heads down the stairs and exchanges a few words with Declan, who’s hand lands on the doorknob seconds before it’s practically thrown open in his face.

“Where is she? Zephyr! Wraith!” Orion starts barking as he mows over Lorna and plows through our shared muscle. “Zephyr!”

I roll my eyes as he begins taking the stairs two at a time, Aries behind him trying to fix the mess his mate made of my guests.

“Where is—”

“Keep your bloody voice down,” I grunt. “She’s sleeping in our room.”

“Sleeping?” He eyes the door skeptically. “Dec said she passed out.”

“She did.”

“And now she’s sleeping?”

“She is.”