Chapter 132

Grace

I awoke to an apartment bathed in the soft glow of morning light, and for a moment, I lay there alone, cocooned beneath the warm weight of the duvet. I shifted a little, feeling my muscles pull and tense a bit, but there was no one else in bed with me.

I heard Cecil's laughter, then Charles' low rumble, and Kelly's voice outside. It seemed like I was the last to wake up. The night before flashed through my mind. I couldn't say what I had been thinking. I couldn't say if I had remained conscious through it all, but I felt safe, and my whole body was thrumming with satisfaction.

How had Charles known what I needed even as I didn't? After that kiss, I felt a mess. I wanted him, but it wasn't him exactly that I was after assurance, safety, a chance to escape reality, maybe.

My lips twitched. I'd run from the surge of panic and fear that was threatening to crash down on me, that might still crash down on me, but Charles had let me run.

He'd let me run right into his arms, and he'd taken it all from me. The tight ball of guilt, doubt, and outright terror had lessened. My mind felt clearer than it had been in a long time.

How often had he done something like that before? For who? Some other woman? His mate?

I winced, pulling back from that thought. Letting myself get distracted by everything but what I needed to focus on was part of how we ended up here in the first place.

I sighed as the scent of pancakes filled the air. My stomach grumbled, and as much as the warmth of the bed lulled me into more rest, I couldn't put off starting the day any longer. I sat up and looked at my arm. The challenge mark from Alpha Shadow was still light and half-formed, but the other was dark as ever. I cast a glance at my arm, studying the challenge marks etched into my skin. I pushed the covers aside and swung my legs out of bed, my thoughts circling about the challenge.

Charles and Amira had seemed certain that I hadn't just made a fool of myself, but I wasn't. I got out of bed and shuffled into the shower. The hot water helped relieve some of the tension in my muscles. As I got dressed and joined everyone in the dining room for breakfast, I tried to smile.

Charles was carrying another platter of pancakes and Cecil was dipping hers in a small puddle of what looked like peanut butter.

He looked up with a grin. "Morning. Hungry?"

"Starving."

I settled at the table as Kelly grinned at me. "So, I caught a glimpse of your speech... I bet everyone's going to be looking at you in a new light."

I grimaced. "For better or worse, I guess."

Charles made me a plate, some of his fancy coffee the way I liked, and settled in beside me. Charles and Cecil chatted a bit as we ate, but I didn't join in. I didn't feel wholly settled. By the time breakfast was done, I felt a little more together and Kelly was asking what the plan was for the day.

"If you need me to stay with the kids, I can," she said. "Classes are canceled for the rest of the month."

I winced. Charles took my head. "Thanks, Kelly."

I looked over at him. "Do you think...?"

"I called this morning," he said. "They say you can come, but he's not awake, yet."

I shuddered and nodded. "That's okay. I just... I just want to see him."

Charles cleared the dishes and I went to get shoes and whatever else I thought I might need.

"Mommy?" Cecil asked. "Where's Uncle Eason?"

I hesitated and crouched down. "Well, Cecil, he's... He's not feeling too great."

"It's because he ate all those popsicles, huh? He has a tummy ache?"

I laughed. "Not quite. Some bad people had him, but he's safe now."

Her eyes glazed over. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah," I whispered, wrapping my arms around her in a warm hug. "He'll be just fine. We're going to see him now. Be good for Kelly while we're gone, okay?"

She nodded but whatever brightness had been there earlier was gone. Cecil pouted. "When he's better, can I bring him a present, Mommy?"

I chuckled softly. "Of course, Cecil. You can pick something special to give him. I'm sure he'll love it."

I kissed her head as Charles told Kelly something I didn't catch. Then, we were heading out and getting into an escort car to go to the Lycan Enforcer base. I hadn't ever been out of the States so I was kind of excited. Charles pulled me close, warming me with his body heat.

"Do they know anything?" I asked.

"I didn't ask for details," he said. "Mostly so I didn't have to figure out how to soften the blow."

I winced. "Right."

The ride to the Enforcer base felt tense and filled with anticipation. I couldn't shake the nervous energy coursing through me. I tried to convince myself that everything would be fine, that he would wake up, but the nagging doubt persisted, especially since he was still asleep.

"Is everything underground taken care of?"

"Seraphina is leading it. I think they'll have the rift closed by the end of the day," he sighed. "I'm having the sewers swept again for bombs."

"I'll need to increase the security measures," I said. "And audit the police force for Blood Moon sympathizers..."

He kissed my head. "Tell me what else is on your agenda. We have a bit of a drive ahead."

By the time we arrived, I had most of a plan of how to deal with the aftermath of the attack and how to increase the safety of Mooncrest, but I felt no better. The sinking feeling in my stomach only grew heavier as he led me inside, signed me in, and escorted me further into the little hospital that smelled of lavender and some other herb I couldn't name. We stopped at the end of a hallway where two enforcers were standing guard.

They nodded at us and opened the door. George was seated in the chair to Eason's left, typing on his laptop. To Eason's right, half slumped over the bed, and holding Eason's hand was Ethan. His ankle was handcuffed to the chair, but he didn't look like he cared.

Eason was lying unnervingly still in the bed, but he didn't look as bad as I had expected him to. He had a black eye, and there were bandages around his head and neck. One of his legs was elevated in a sling and cast as was one of his arms, but I had expected it to be much worse.

George looked up, but Ethan didn't even turn around.

"George, step out with me for a second."

George nodded and I rounded the bed to take his seat as he stepped out with Charles. I wanted to be angry, but the look on Ethan's face stopped me cold.

He looked terrible, like he was seconds away from death, pale and dark-eyed with black veins creeping up his neck, but his expression was full of grief. His eyes were red-rimmed. As I looked at him and the way he was holding Eason's hand like a lifeline, I didn't know what to think so I sat down, took Eason's other hand, and said nothing. We sat in silence until I felt like it was buzzing in my ears.

I couldn't help but break the silence

"At least he isn't on life support," I offered, my voice laced with exhaustion.

Ethan didn't look up. His voice was soft and quivering. None of the anger that had been there before was there.

"Magical life support. No tubes."

My gut clenched, I looked around for some sign that was true or what it meant.

"He's magically exhausted... The healer doesn't think he'll wake up anytime soon..."

My heart sank, and I couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes.

"Did they give a time?"

He nodded.

"How long?"

Ethan's own eyes filled with tears, and his voice trembled as he replied, "Too long."

The guilt felt fresh and raw, ripping through me. He sniffled again and lowered his head. His shoulders shook as soft sobs escaped him. I glanced toward the door only to see George and Charles still talking.

"It was like getting struck by lightning when we met at Northfall," he sobbed. "I tried so hard to get his attention, and he was... so focused. I felt like I won the world when he agreed to go on a date with me."

He sniffled. "If I'd known then us being together would land him in this situation, I wouldn't have started T.A.ing for his class."

He lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Eason's hand.

"Did you know?"

"No," he said, with a wry misty smile. "He was just a cute sophomore."

I frowned. "Sophomore? I thought you met when he was at Northfall?"

"He was in a six-year program," he sniffled. "He was taking a sophomore-level class when we met, and I was coming back after a couple years of a gap. I had no idea that even then I wasn't free, or I would have never even asked for his number."

He sniffled again. His voice tense. "If he... if he doesn't wake up before I..." He paused. "Just don't tell him. Let him think I went to jail or something. Let him remember me the way he wants to. It's the least I can do."

I had no idea what that would mean for Eason, but I wanted to agree. Getting mixed up with Ethan, even if it wasn't his fault, had led to this. Before I could answer, Eason's hand fluttered in mine. I gasped, holding my breath as his eyelashes fluttered and slowly began to open.

What the hell?

His eyes were an icy gray almost white where they hadn't been before.

"Eason?"