Page 27

Henrik’s arms tightened around me, and I felt safe. I thought I had lost him. The darkness had engulfed him, and I was so scared that he was going to die. We saw what it could do, and I didn’t want to lose him. I couldn’t lose him.

But it wasn’t darkness this time. It was a bright light, almost like a tail light blaring at us. I winced at it, trying to cover my eyes.

And suddenly, there was a man in front of us on his knees. I could feel anger and hatred seeping out of him. A smaller body was lying in front of him, around the size of a child. The man’s shoulders shook like he was crying, and I couldn’t see much of whoever was standing in front of him.

I tightened my hold on Henrik, wondering if he was seeing what I was seeing. It was almost like we were watching someone's memory playing out. The bright light remained, but it was dimmed.

I tilted my head, watching the man hardly move now. The emotion that came off him almost made me sick. It was so strong. It was like someone had punched me in the gut with these emotions.

“Who are you?” I asked, wanting to know who he was. Was he the man who was doing all of this? And if so, what had happened to make him feel this emotion? Who was he kneeling in front of? How long ago had all of this happened?

I pulled at Henrik’s arms, but his hold on me only tightened. “I’m not letting go,” he said softly.

I looked at him, and his eyes were trained on me. Did he not see the man? Did he not feel the emotions?

I looked back at the figure, trying to put it all together. But I didn’t know much. I didn’t know anything about the man besides that he was clearly angry. My guess was it had something to do with the child in front of him.

My stomach dipped. Was the child dead? I hadn’t seen any movement from the child.

“Henrik,” I glanced at him, placing my hand on my stomach. A swarm of emotions filled me. I hoped to never feel whatever this man was feeling.

Henrik held me tighter, and I looked back at the man. I watched him bend down, placing his head on the child's chest. My heart twisted up violently as I saw red.

As quickly as the light hit us, it disappeared just as quickly. One moment, I was staring at the man, trying to piece it together, and the next, I was staring at our house. I took a soft breath in and looked at Henrik. He was looking at the house as well before his eyes came back to me.

“You…saw?” I asked softly. Please tell me he saw everything as well.

He nodded his head, his arms around tightened. “Yeah. I saw.”

So, we both saw this figure. It wasn’t just me.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“No idea. I don’t recall anything like that.”

“Oh my god!” Sam ran up, wrapping her arms around Henrik and me.

“You guys are alive! Are either of you hurt?” Sam leaned back, grabbed my face, and looked me over.

She then moved over to Henrik, doing the same thing.

“Are you guys sure you're okay? Are either of you having a hard time breathing? Do you need anything?”

Henrik nodded at Sam. “We’re okay. We’re both fine.”

Sam took a breath before she punched Henrik in the shoulder. Anger filled her face. “You asshole! Do you have any idea how worried I was! I thought I had lost you! When you are told to stay inside, you stay inside!”

Everything had happened so quickly. I discovered the injured guys in the lab. Calling Sam in a panic and telling her how the line with Henrik just ended. The pit bottomed out in my gut when it happened. I knew something had happened. I could feel it.

I drove like a madwoman across town trying to get to him. I was so scared I had lost him, and I couldn’t. I had so much I still wanted to tell him and the baby. We still had so much life together to live.

I had arrived at the house and found that the darkness had surrounded Henrik and most of his vehicle. Sam and Jay arrived soon after me. He walked over, reaching an arm up, and gripped his shoulder.

“Don’t scare me like that ever again,” Jay said, shaking his head. “I don’t think I have ever seen your sister so terrified in her life, and I don’t want to again.”

Henrik gave him a smile in return.

Police cars were blocking most of the street, and there was an ambulance to check Henrik over and make sure he was okay. The Council quickly demanded everyone's attention, wanting all the alphas to come to them to discuss the matter. We ended up having to head over to the Council’s building.

I stood next to Henrik, my fingers tightly wrapped around his as we stood with the rest of the Alphas, including Sam, sitting in a chair, looking exhausted.

“We need you to think about this,” Ralph said, shaking his head. “It’s fresh in your mind. What happened at the lab?”

My mind felt like it was a mess and no matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn’t get through it all.

Everything happened so fast that I wasn’t even sure what fully happened.

One minute I was walking into the lab, and the next I was frantically trying to find someone.

I found a couple of guys unconscious. I was making phone calls and everything was blurry.

I called Henrik, crying and panicking and the line ended with him. I called Sam, and she answered all the other calls for me while I drove over to the house. I found him and the car surrounded by darkness. I knew Henrik was in it because I could see the outline of him.

“I arrived at the lab, and it was already out of its container. It must have left the room because I found some of the guys unconscious.”

Questions loomed in my head now. I had left so quickly afterward that I wasn’t even aware if they were all doing okay.

“They are doing just fine,” Jennisa said, giving me a soft expression. Maybe she could see that I was worried about them.

I was a little relieved to find that. I had gotten to know them all so well, and every one of the guys who worked in the basement had been nice to me. I would have felt utterly terrible if something had happened to them.

“All packs need to be on high alert, not that Katie’s lab has lost its ability to test it.”

“Not that I don’t think this is an urgent matter, but my wife needs rest,” Jay waved a hand towards Sam, who looked seconds away from falling asleep. I was sure she probably used a lot of energy using her magic earlier.

“We need to discuss this matter while it’s fresh,” Ralph said, straightening his back.

“It will still be fresh in the morning,” Aaron said with his arms crossed. “We are all able to stay in town and talk about this in the morning.”

All the Alphas seemed to agree on this. I looked at Henrik, who looked just as tired as I felt.

Somehow, the Council agreed, and we all started to head out. But Frank spoke loudly in the hallway. “Hold you four. We aren’t done talking.”

Jay, Sam, Henrik, and I all paused. We turned, and the other four had their arms crossed and looked irritated. “While we agree that being reprimanded right now isn’t a good idea, do you want to share with us why none of us knew that you had some part of this darkness underground?”

I chewed on my cheek and Henrik frowned. “I just learned about it a few weeks ago.”

“Doesn’t make that better,” Aaron grumbled, his eyes narrowing. “I thought we were all friends here, and don’t friends share information like that? Important information that other packs should be aware of? And when you found out, why didn’t you share it with us?”

“Do we really want to get into it right now?” Jay asked, holding Sam up at this point.

“Don’t get me started on you, Jay,” Frank growled. “You guys have been keeping information that should have been known through the group. How do you think we all felt hearing that Katie had some outbreak in her labs and it was attacking Henrik? All news to us. But yet you knew what was going on!”

I knew that the guys were all close, mostly because I thought they were forced to be given their statues, but looking at them, I could see they were genuine. They were all worried about Henrik and angry that we didn’t tell them what was going on.

“I’m sorry,” I offered. “Everything happened so quickly. I called Sam because she was the only person I knew that I could turn to.”

Frank crossed his arms. “While you may not know us that well, you are married to Henrik, which means you need to turn to us.”

“Really? You couldn’t have said that in a nicer tone?” Sam snapped instantly, grumbling at Frank. “She did what she thought was important. You can’t get mad that she didn’t make five other phone calls in an emergency.”

Aaron waved his hands. “Our point is, you guys didn’t include us in any of this. You kept secrets, and we didn’t hear about this from you guys like we should have. We heard about it from the Council.”

We all fell quiet. I knitted my fingers together, unsure of what to say.

“Do you have any idea how worried we were?” Frank asked. “I know we were all forced into these positions, but I’d like to think we’ve grown to be friends who trust each other.”

“I got a speeding ticket,” Maddox added. “Because we were told you might be dead. That’s what we were told. Dead, Henrik. Not hurt. Dead.”

I could see they were all frustrated, but it came from a soft heart. Even as they yelled, I could see the love in their eyes.

“We’re sorry,” Henrik said. “And I mean it.”

All four of the guys seemed to relax a little at his words.

Jay sighed. “Not that I don’t love the connection that’s going on here, but I need to get my wife home.” Jay turned to Sam, hoisting her up. “I’ll see you all in the morning. You can yell at us more than.”

The other four walked closer, and Frank placed a hand on my head. “You call us all next time.” His words came out grumpy, but his hand was soft on my head before he pulled it back, and they all walked by.

Henrik smirked. “I think they like you.”

I elbowed him. “That’s not funny. They don’t like me.”

“I was being serious.” He pulled me closer to him, kissing me on the forehead. “And they do. They get like that when they are scared.”

We headed out to the car and drove home. It was dark out, and I was tired. I hadn’t realized I was working off the last of my energy at this point.

Henrik pulled into the house, and we headed inside. But Henrik hooked my arm, pulling me to him as soon as we were inside. He reached up, cupping my face, and just stared at me. I could see the worry in his eyes, the utter fear from before.

I placed my hands on his chest, feeling so much bubbling to the surface.

“I love you,” he said, breaking the silence. “And I have loved you for a while. I don’t want to keep acting like this isn’t real because it is. Everything about this is real.”

My eyes widened.

“I don’t ever want to lose you and I was so scared I was going to. I was terrified that I would never get to watch you grow old and watch our child grow up.”

I felt tears bloom. “I love you too.”

He seemed relieved and his expression seemed to melt. “You do?”

I nodded. “But I thought you were going to leave me because you got what you needed. You needed a child, and I’m pregnant. I saw you with Ashley and…”

He shook his head. “She means nothing to me, Katie. Nothing. You are my everything. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

I looked past him toward the kitchen, where I spotted a huge bouquet of flowers and a fancy feast. I tilted my head, breaking his hold on my face, and stepped towards the kitchen. The closer I got, the more I noticed.

There was soft music playing and chocolate candy laid out. The lights were dimmed, giving the space a romantic feel. My eyes dropped on a little box that sat near the flowers.

“I was going to have this conversation over dinner, but it’s all ruined.”

My eyes were glued to the box, and he noticed. He reached for it and popped the lid open. My eyes widened at a ring.

“I have a ring,” I said, confused.

He nodded. “You do, but I wanted to switch it out. That ring was forced while I’m asking you this time. Do you want to stay with me?”

Tears broke free as I stared at the teardrop diamond. It was stunning and beautiful. Not that the ring that was on my finger wasn’t, but it was just a ring. I had been told to wear it while this… this was something I wanted. I was picking Henrik this time.

I nodded, and he took my hand, took the ring off, and replaced it with the other. I stared at it, unable to control the giggle that broke free. He wanted me.

He walked into my space and reached up, cupping my face. “I love you so much.” He kissed me softly, and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer.

I didn’t think this would ever be possible. Finding someone who made me feel safe and wanted me like this. I thought it only existed in fantasy.

Henrik hoisted me up and set me onto the counter. I tightened my hold on his chest, and he held me so close. I inhaled his scent, letting it wrap around me.

He leaned back. “Do you remember Sam’s baby shower party?”

I scowled. “Why do you have to ruin a nice moment?”

He smirked and shook his head. “I’m not trying to ruin it. Do you remember that day?”

I nodded. “Oh, I remember that day. You rejected me. You could have been nicer about it.”

His eyes looked at me with so much pain. “Do you think I wanted to?”

I suddenly didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”

He sighed softly. “Katie, I had a crush on you long before that day. But I had no choice but to reject you. I couldn’t stand the idea of being with you, and months later, you haven’t paired me up with another person.”

I thought back to that day. I had been so hurt and angry that I hadn’t even thought of that. I just thought he didn't like me.

“But…why didn’t you just say that? Why would you act like I was the worst person possible, and you hated me?”

He shrugged. “Because I feared you would have been okay with that. That you would have said you could have stepped aside when you needed to, but I never wanted that. I never wanted you to be hurt. I don’t date people knowing there is no serious future with them.”

He pressed his forehead against mine. “So believe me when I say you are the only person that I want and the only person I will ever want. And I am so glad your computer spit our names out together.”

I couldn’t help but blush. “Well, you're welcome.”

He chuckled. “Now, let’s go to bed. It’s like two in the morning, and we have a meeting with the Council at eight.”

I wanted to groan at that, but I didn’t. I instead hopped off the counter and went with Henrik to his room. We curled up closely under the sheets like we had so many times before, but tonight my heart felt different. It felt whole.