Chapter 181
Training no longer feels like the challenge it used to be, but it’s enhancing the hell out of my body and my affinity. It’s put that helplessness in me into perspective. It’s really hard to be scared of danger when you’re out on the field, and someone you love is injured. It all comes down to what you’re most afraid of in that
moment.
“Hungry?” Ragnar asks, placing a tray topped with food between us. I reach for a wrap and look up at the sky. It’s clear where we are, but dark clouds are moving in, and by tonight, the rain is going to overwhelm our base. “We’re on night watch.”
“I know,” I say, taking a deep breath. I still love the way the air is crisp with the promise of rain. “I signed us up. It’s going to rain tonight.”
“Our last night here, and you want to spend it making sure the base is safe,” he smirks.
“You really want to sit inside doing nothing. It’s not like we’re going to sleep,” I laugh.
“There are other ways to fill in the time,” he says, subjectively. I roll my eyes and turn my attention to him.
“Are you excited to go home?”
“I am actually,” he grins. “I have something to tell you.”
“Is it good news?”
“My father has officially divorced Helena,” he says quietly. I look up at him, and I can’t help but understand why he’s so excited to go back.
Elder Baldr has been making big moves for Lycans. He’s been updating the older laws and moving to play a bigger role in the new order. We haven’t done anything since the whole ordeal with shadows. My grandmother took care of the rest of it once we left. She’s also been staying at the house Ragnar got just before we left.
“Have you spoken to Ivar?” I ask.
“Not since he sent Kaylee into reformation training,” he shakes his head.
“That was eight months ago,” I remind him.
I haven’t spoken to him in a lot longer than that. The last time we talked, Kaylee was really upset about it. She kept interrupting him, telling him that he was sick for being in love with his brother’s mate. Her possessiveness comes from his keeping Kennedy around. They don’t talk the way they used to, she mated now, but Kaylee finds any little thing to fight with him, and I don’t want to be one of the reasons why.
“He’s not himself,” he says quietly. “I don’t know how to help him from here.”
We finish our dinner and head up to the towers, where we have a high vantage point. It’s early still. The night shift is preparing for their tasks. I shut my eyes and reach through the moisture in the air. My body shivers when I hit warmth.
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Chapter 181
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-I have movement at the east wall. I inform Ragnar. I look over in his direction to see him motion me to go around.
I tuck my rifle back, climb onto the gate, and slowly make my way around. There is a team of tribe warriors from one of the local packs.
-You should take this one.- he says. If they see me, they’re going to run.-
We’ve gotten comfortable with me taking the lead on some things. Like this. It’s likely that we arrested someone who belongs to them. I drop right beside me and am instantly greeted with guns aimed at me. I feel his anger rush through me, but he stays put.
“You’re trespassing,” I inform them.
They all start shouting at me in Amharic. I put my hands up to show them I mean no harm. I repeat myself in what little I know from the two months I’ve been here. A woman steps forward. She’s angry. Angrier than the rest of them. She begins to speak to me. I can see the desperation in her eyes.
-She says her daughter has been missing for two weeks now. They’ve traced her here.-
-How do I ask her for the girl’s name and age?– I ask. I repeat what he says, and she holds out her hand for the others to put down their weapons. She starts to speak again.
-Her name is Abeba. She’s fourteen.-
-Have we detained a fourteen–year–old wolf?–
-More than one. Rogues, mostly. Ask her if her daughter has shifted yet.-
“Um, tek’eyiralechi?” I’m really hoping I didn’t screw that one up. The woman nods.
“Alpha,” she says proudly.
-There are eight of them here. Repeat after me.- he orders. I repeat what he says, and she looks back at her
team.
-What did I say?–
-You asked if she was willing to come with us to retrieve her.- It takes them a moment to decide. She looks at me, and I think she asks me if I’m a grunt.
-Show her your rank. Slowly reach for your flashlight.- He instructs.
I point at my flashlight, and she immediately puts her gun up. I slowly reach for it and turn it on to show her my patches. When her eyes meet mine again, she inhales as if the confirmation were all she needed. The woman drops her gun and comes up to me for a hug. I pat her back as she begins to cry. She pulls away and begins to talk faster than I can follow.
-She said she’s heard of you. That you’re a Queen of the people. She’ll willingly go with you.-
“Okay,” I nod, placing my hand on her shoulder. She smiles at me. I pick up the gun and offer it to one of the
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Chapter 181
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guys behind her. I point up, and Ragnar jumps down a few feet away from us. “Mate,” I explain, pulling at my collar to show them my mark. They all gasp and take a step away from him. “It’s okay,” I laugh. “Isu degi newi.”
He speaks to them, and they step away from the two of us. She lifts her arms and spreads her legs so I may search her. I pat her down and remove a couple of weapons from her pockets.
“You’re going to have to take her. I’ll wait here,” Ragnar motions for me to go.
“What if I need you to translate for me?”
“Try to repeat what she said back to me,” he shrugs. “If we leave them out here, we run the chance of them getting taken in.”
“Right,” I agree. The two of us go around. She doesn’t say a word, and I have no words that she may understand.
“Hey,” someone shouts when we get to the front. I wave my flashlight at the guard up front as a few others come out with their weapons. “That’s the Queen, you fucking idiots!”
“It’s okay. No harm done. They’re doing their jobs,” I say, putting my hands up. I bump the woman, and she does the same. “She’s with me.”
They hesitate for a second before the bow and allow me to walk forward. They search her and wave us in.
“Where are you headed?”
“Holding cells,” I answer. “She’s looking for her daughter.”
“Oh,” he says and prints out a visitor’s pass for her. I take it and place it on her jacket when she doesn’t reach for it. “Be careful, my lady. Tribe wolves are very dangerous.”
