“When is the challenge?” Mom asked with a sigh.
“Tonight.”
I could have delayed it for a few days under the guise of giving us both time to prepare, but I wanted this over and behind me. I needed our pack all ready to do their part so I set up the challenge for tonight at sundown.
Mom nodded, her eyes moving again to Dad before turning back to me. “Any word on other survivors?”
I shook my head slowly. “No. They’ve found a few more bodies, but it’s a mess.” I scrubbed a hand over my face, unable to stop the memories of seeing body parts and dead eyes when I closed my eyes.
“How’s Dante?”
“Not great. Luke’s dead and Tate’s missing. At least Ryder is on his way here, so that’s something.” I felt for my friend. He was going through hell.
“You think Tate is with Skye?” she inquired softly.
I nodded. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. But Mom,” I swallowed hard, “Skye’s uncle wasn’t found either. If she’s with him …”
“You can’t think like that,” she told me fiercely, her dark eyes flashing. “You’ll go crazy wondering what if, sweetheart. Focus on what you can control here and now. You said Damien made it out before the explosion?”
“Yeah.”
“And Linden is aligned with Norwood?” she pressed.
I nodded once more.
“Then there’s a chance Skye is with Norwood, or that they know where she is,” Mom mused thoughtfully. “Damien is an asshole, but he isn’t an idiot. He knows what she means to you, to us. She’s too valuable for him to hurt.”
A sick feeling slithered into my gut. “What if he asks for something I can’t give?”
Mom’s gaze sharpened, her chin lifted a notch. “Skye is one of us. Remember you have an entire pack behind you, Remy, and so does she. There isn’t a person in our pack that won’t follow you into hell to bring her back.”
“Guess it helps that Dante agreed to join us,” I said, trying to move past the sudden lump of emotion strangling me.
“He’s giving up his pack?” Mom blinked in surprise.
“The best thing for us is to join forces. We’re going to approach other packs about joining us, too. If Damien Valois is building an army, then we are, too.”
Mom released a long breath. “I always knew one day this feud between our packs would turn into a war. So did your father. But we never expected it to fall on your shoulders, honey.”
A small smile crossed my lips. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I have an entire pack behind me, isn’t it?”
Our dining room had turned into a war room by the time I came home.
Katy and Larkin were huddled over a map of the pack lands, sharpies in hand as they circled and crossed off spots.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I stepped into the room.
Larkin looked up. “We’re planning where to put the new pack members.”
“How’s Mom?” Katy grilled me as soon as she realized I was back.
“She’s good. Addie’s with her now.”
I had run into Skye’s mom on my way out of the medical center. Since dad had been brought in, she had been by Mom’s side in support. I was glad they were relying on each other, and I was happy Addie wasn’t pacing the floors alone in her apartment, waiting for news about Skye.
“Where are the twins?” I asked, settling my hands on the back of a chair as I glanced down at the map.
“Making dinner to take to Mom,” Katy replied with a nervous frown. Her eyes darted towards the kitchen. “They wanted to help.”
“It’s spaghetti,” Larkin said quickly. “They’re making noodles and heating up some of the sauce my mom had saved from the last time she made it. It’s fairly idiot proof.”
Clearly Larkin didn’t know that my brothers had inherited my dad’s cooking gene. They could burn water.
I made a mental note to check in on them so they wouldn’t set the house on fire before we had to leave to meet Ryder at the airport in a bit.
I glanced at my watch. “Where’s Dante and Rhodes? We need to get going to the airstrip.”
“Outside with Michael,” Katy answered, jerking her head towards the rear of the house.
I heard the back door to the deck open and close. A second later the three of them were walking into the room.
Watching Rhodes cross the room to Larkin and pull her into his arms was like being sucker punched in the balls. I had to look away and noticed Dante did the same.
I was happy that my best friend had his mate, but I was barely controlling the jealous fury that ripped through my chest. I took a couple of deep breaths, pointedly ignoring the way my wolf was ready to take control and run across the country until we found our girl.
Once I could look at my friends without wanting to put a hole in the wall, I caught Katy giving me a supportive, sad smile.
“How are we looking?” Rhodes asked her, kissing the side of Larkin’s neck. He leaned around her to look at the map.
She smiled softly at him, probably not even noticing the way her body completely relaxed when he touched her. “Good. We have enough places to put people. Also, I gave up your house.”
Rhodes frowned, clearly confused by the eviction notice. “You did what?”
Larkin rolled her eyes and pulled away from him, patting his chest. “You’re moving in with me. That frees up your house for a family who needs it until we finish building them a permanent house.”
“Did I agree to this?” Rhodes asked, his head tilted to the side.
Katy shrugged, turning back to the map. “Fine. Stay in your house by yourself. Larkin’s parents offered to host a family.” With a wicked smile she looked over her shoulder. “Dante, was it Brett who wanted to date Larkin last year? We can put him and his parents with them.”
“Yup,” he agreed easily, latching onto the idea of giving Rhodes shit. “Wanted to take her to the Spring formal, I think.”
“Excuse me?” Rhodes’ expression darkened, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Brett was a year younger than us and had made the mistake of asking for my permission to date Larkin last year. Unfortunately for him, Rhodes had been with me at the time and even though he still had his head in his ass where Larkin was concerned then, he had still managed to scare Brett into never speaking to Larkin again.
“Brett wanted to date me?” Larkin narrowed her eyes at Katy before turning her suspicious gaze on her mate.
Katy grinned. “Oh, yeah. He asked Remy if he could date you last spring, but Rhodes had a hissy fit.”
Larkin glared at Rhodes, hands on her hips as her tiny nose wrinkled in annoyance. She looked like a pissed off puppy. “Is that why Brett stopped talking to me?”
Rhodes gave her a hard look, not giving an inch. “You’re mine. Then, now, and in another fifty years, baby girl. Get used to it.”
Even Dante couldn’t hide his smirk.
Rhodes might have taken his time claiming Larkin, but he was making up for it in spades now.
“He still won’t even say hi to me!” Larkin snapped, throwing her hands in the air.