Thirty-Six

Ilan

With Gail and Nadia safe within the Winchester pack’s borders, I hurry across the living room of the house lent to Sara and me. The urge to hold Soren is overwhelming. I know what the desire stems from. Guilt. His twin is somewhere in the world without him, without me…without Sara.

Cursing, I grip the banister tighter and jog up the stairs. For now, there’s nothing I can do for Soren’s twin besides send a request to Ella to get into that closed file on him. No matter how she has to do it. The only other option is to go to Daegan’s pride leader and demand the information. Somehow I don’t think he’ll suddenly decide to share details with me he’s worked so hard to conceal. Undoing his work legally is my best bet.

In the meantime, other issues demand my attention. Not more important, but just as concerning. Gabriel’s retrieval is paramount for my pack’s survival. We’re nothing without our alpha, even if he’s not quite right anymore. He’s the center of us. I won’t give up on him.

Sara’s musical voice draws me down the hall. I don’t know the name of the lullaby she’s singing, but her tone is soothing. Had I not been so revved by the call I got from Uri with the details of Gabriel’s retrieval, I’d sit down and listen, letting Sara’s goodness work its magic on my dark soul. I can’t give in to that luxury today.

It’s time to act.

I soak up the image of Sara holding Soren. With her back to me, she’s swaying slowly, rocking Soren, maybe trying to get him to sleep. Any other time, I’d back away and let her comfort Soren. I won’t leave here today without kissing my true mate and looking into my nephew’s eyes.

“You’re the most beautiful woman on this planet, Sara.”

She stops singing and turns to face me. A shy smile enhances her delicate features and the aura of goodness she gives off. “Ilan, you’re home.”

“Yes.” I close the distance between us and press my lips to hers, a chaste kiss. It’s all we have time for. Then I glance into Soren’s face. Sleepy but aware eyes stare back at me. I brush my knuckles over his cheek, the most comfort I can give him right now too. “Not for long, though. There’s activity at the mine site. We’re thinking they’re going to move Gabriel tonight.”

Concern bleeds into her voice. “And you’re going with Shifter Affairs to free him.”

“Yes,” I answer, despite Sara phrasing her words as a statement, not a question.

“Our enemies are going to expect you to go along. It’ll be the perfect opportunity to attack you, and we don’t even know who’s coming for you.”

“You’re right. We don’t, but whoever it is had the perfect opportunity this morning and didn’t take it.” At Sara’s frown, I admit the risk I took. “You asked me to talk to the tattoo artist who was supposed to work on Daegan. I did. Alone.”

Sara’s eyes widen. “But I didn’t mean—”

“You asked me to consider the possibility Jarah might not have my best interest at heart. I wanted to test that theory.”

“By going out to see this woman alone?”

“By telling Jarah what I was planning and asking for directions to her place.” I let Sara see the truth. My trust in Jarah is solid. It was before my trip, and it still is. “He didn’t come after me. He stayed at the hospital with Daegan, exactly as he said he would.”

Sara opens her mouth, then closes it. “I had to consider the possibility.”

“It was a good suggestion. I learned quite a bit by going to see Nadia York.”

“About who attacked Daegan?”

I nod. “And that Soren has a brother or sister somewhere out there. That’s why Daegan was tortured. The Krisban shifters, the same pride of the males who came after you and Soren, think Daegan knows where Soren’s twin is hidden. He doesn’t. He would’ve told me.”

Sara inhales sharply. She glances at Soren. I do the same. He’s watching both of us with an intensity only a shifter baby can possess. He might not understand what we’re saying, but he’s learning. His wolves are helping him. And no doubt he hears our excitement. With our gazes directed at him, there’s a good chance he understands it involves him.

“We’re going to get your twin back, Soren,” Sara promises.

“Of course we will. I’m also going to bring Gabriel home today.”

“While I stay here with Soren.”

“Yes.” I draw Sara and Soren close and wrap my arms around them.

“With Ezra?” Sara looks at me, hope in her eyes. She’s formed a trust bond with the blind feline shifter. No doubt they’ll become good friends.

“And Eli.” The one male who I can say with one hundred percent certainty will not put anyone’s life or wants before Sara’s and Soren’s safety. My order to protect them with his life, if necessary, guarantees it. Well, Eli’s blood oath to me guarantees it. Either way, nothing would stop Eli from carrying out my order, not even his own insanity.

Sara exhales a shaky breath. “So this is it.”

I hold my true mate’s face between my hands. “I will return to you. We will soul-bond. And we’ll find Soren’s twin. I promise you, Sara.”

She holds my gaze for a long heartbeat, then nods. “I believe you, Ilan. And I trust you.”

I kiss Sara, showing her everything I can’t put into words, then I ease back and press my forehead to hers. Breathing slowly, I take in the scents of life—Sara’s and Soren’s. Strength fills me, the kind of power I hadn’t known was possible before innocence came into my life. “This will all be over soon, and then we can build our future together.”

“And it’ll be a happy one.”

“Of course.” I catch Sara’s gaze and grin, hoping to lighten this moment and chase back the anxiety I feel growing within her soul. “With me in your life, it’s the only kind to expect. I am the epitome of joy. I walk into a room and everyone smiles.”

Sara matches my grin. “Only because they know they’re looking death in the eyes and you’re not going to kill them today.”

A laugh shakes my chest, surprising me. “I love you, Sara. More than I thought possible.”

She slips her fingers through the short strands of my hair to the back of my head, then holds me, her gaze never straying from my eyes. “And I love you, Ilan. With everything I am. Everything I will be.”

I nod, then back away from Sara and Soren. The quicker Gabriel is retrieved, the sooner I’ll be able to make good on my promises to Sara.