Chapter 2
Kael came back just after dawn.
I was already awake when I heard the lock turn, but I kept my eyes closed. His footsteps stopped beside the bed, and the mattress dipped under his weight. A hand settled against my forehead.
"Still hurting?"
I opened my eyes slowly.
He had changed out of last night's coat and wore only a black shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His hair was still slightly damp. His face looked exactly the same as it always did.
"A little better,"
I said.
My voice was steadier than I expected.
Kael watched me for a few seconds.
"Did you sleep well?"
The voices from downstairs came back at once.
What if she doesn't make it through tonight?
She has to.
My fingers curled beneath the blanket.
"Very well."
It was the first time I had looked him in the eyes and lied.
Some of the tension left his shoulders. He picked up the glass on the nightstand and found it empty.
"You got up last night?"
My breath caught for half a second.
"I was thirsty."
"Why didn't you call me?"
"You weren't here."
Kael didn't ask anything else. He got up, refilled the glass, then took two white pills from the table and placed them in my palm.
I stared at them.
"What are these?"
"Painkillers."
"Did I take them yesterday too?"
"Yes."
I put the pills in my mouth and accepted the water. Kael watched until I swallowed. Only when I lowered the glass did I notice the dampness in my palm.
"When is Seraphine coming?"
"This afternoon."
He took the glass from me.
"Your last treatment will be tonight."
"What time?"
His eyes lifted to mine.
"Why do you suddenly want to know?"
I settled deeper against the pillows.
"I want to know how much longer I have to wait."
Kael reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"Not too late."
His fingers brushed my cheek.
"Get through today, and it'll be over."
I looked at him.
"And then?"
"Then you rest."
"For how long?"
A small smile touched his mouth.
"Since when are you this impatient?"
I smiled back.
"I've been in bed too long."
"When you're stronger, I'll take you out."
"Where?"
"Anywhere you want."
His voice was soft.
The rain had stopped outside. Morning light slipped through a gap in the curtains and fell across the back of his hand.
I used to love hearing him say things like that.
Kael's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
"I need to go to the meeting room."
"How long?"
"I'll be back before noon."
He bent down and kissed my forehead.
"Don't wander around."
The door closed behind him.
I listened to his footsteps fade down the hall. Only when I couldn't hear them anymore did I throw back the blanket.
The moment my feet touched the floor, my knees buckled.
I caught the bedpost and waited for the dizziness to pass before taking a step, then another. By the time I reached the window, I was already breathing hard.
I pressed my palm against the glass.
Two guards stood in the courtyard below.
There were more near the iron gate.
I closed my eyes and reached into the familiar darkness for my wolf.
Nothing.
I clenched my teeth and called again.
Silence.
When I opened my eyes, my pale reflection stared back at me from the window.
I made my way to the bed and pulled an old communicator from the bottom drawer of the nightstand. I used to keep it for the rare times the Pack's internal network went down.
The screen lit up.
No signal.
I restarted it. One bar appeared, flickered, then vanished. I switched channels.
Nothing.
My fingers stopped over the screen.
I picked up my phone and dialed a number.
There was no ringing tone. Only a short, flat busy signal.
The second number did the same.
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
I shoved the communicator back into the drawer and pulled the blanket over myself.
The door didn't open.
The footsteps passed.
I waited, then got out of bed again and went to the desk.
An old map of Pack territory lay in one of the drawers. I unfolded it across the desk.
Three paths led from the rear of the main house toward the forest. The eastern path passed the training grounds. The northern one ran close to the patrol route.
The western path cut behind the old storage building.
Few people used it.
I traced it with one finger.
Bedroom. West staircase. Storage room. Back door of the old warehouse.
Then the forest.
I folded the map and returned it to the drawer.
A car rolled into the courtyard outside.
I looked up.
Seraphine's car stopped in front of the house.
She stepped out carrying a black case.
The same one she had brought yesterday.
I stood behind the curtain and watched her disappear through the front door.
The digital clock beside the bed read 9:17 a.m.
Kael had said the final treatment would be tonight.
I silenced my phone and opened the notes app.
[21:00.]
I didn't know exactly when they planned to do it.
Nine o'clock was already too late.
I couldn't still be here then.
I placed the phone facedown on the desk.
Before the screen went dark, the time changed to 9:18.
Less than twelve hours remained.