Rise

by Heather MacKinnon

   I finally let out the laugh I’d been holding in and she joined me.

  Man, she was scary.

   “So, Austin Anderson came to see me today.”

   “Oh, yeah. What’d he want?”

   “He and a couple of his buddies wanna join your enforcers.”

   She raised a furry brow. “Is that right?”

   I did my best to shrug. “That’s what he says.”

   She looked away and nodded slowly. “Well, he’s got the build for it. I don’t see why we can’t add him to some of these drills.” When she looked back at me, her brow was raised again. “Who else wants to join?”

   “He said Marco and Brad were interested too.”

   She eyed me seriously for a moment before shrugging a shoulder. “Sure. Why not? I’ll get them on the schedule and have them start running patrols with the other guys.”

   “I think he’ll be happy to hear that.”

   “Yeah, well, we can use all the help we can get.”

   I frowned. “Abraham just sent over five guys today, didn’t he?”

   “Yeah, but that still puts us at a disadvantage. And like Abey said, we can’t expect every pack to send us that many enforcers. That would cripple most packs.”

   I didn’t comment on the fact that Abraham said that to me on a phone conversation that was supposed to be private. I knew they’d been able to hear us, I just hadn’t known she’d been listening. I suppose it made sense that she’d tuned into that part of the conversation since it technically involved her too.

  And after a quick rundown of the rest of what we said, I thankfully realized there’d been no part of that conversation that would have been awkward for her to overhear. That time, at least.

  There was something still bothering me though.

  “How many enforcers do we have?”

  She sighed and looked away. “After we lost Calvin, that dropped our numbers to nine. Now that we have Austin, Marco, and Brad joining us, we’re up to twelve, plus the Boone enforcers bring us to seventeen.”

  My stomach sank as I did the math.

   “That means we’re still outnumbered by the Charlotte pack about two-to-one.”

   Beatrice nodded slowly. “And don’t forget, he may be finding allies of his own. He’s been the alpha of that pack for almost fifteen years. He’s made a lot of enemies in that time, but I’m sure he’s also made at least a couple friends. We need to prepare for that possibility.”

   Abraham’s mission to find us more enforcers seemed more important than ever. According to Peyton, it wasn’t if they attacked us, it was a matter of when. If he were to move on us today, we’d more than likely lose that fight.

   I promised myself then and there that I would throw myself into the drills and practices too. The pack needed all the help it could get to defend what we had, and I wasn’t going to sit aside and let everyone else defend us. This was my pack, and those were my people. I’d defend them as long as I was able to.

  In the meantime, I had to hope Abraham could work that charm of his to get us the help we needed. It was more apparent than ever how important his trip was. As much as I couldn’t wait until he got home, I also had to hope he’d be returning with some good news.

  Chapter 36

   “Ellie, I think I should get somebody.”

   I was hunched over the glittery trash bin in my office, my body heaving while I tried to get myself under control. All week I’d been feeling worse and worse, and now that we’d made it to Wednesday, I couldn’t hold the nausea back any longer.

   “I’m… fine…” I gasped as another wave hit me and I retched some more.

   I heard Wyatt sigh and vaguely registered the click of the office door, but I was too busy vomiting to really care. I didn’t know why my separation from Abraham was manifesting in that way this time, but now I had another reason to wish he’d get home faster.

   My throat was burning, and my stomach was sore from expelling what little food I’d had in me so violently. For a split second, I wondered if I should go to the hospital, but I quickly threw that thought out. What would I say, anyway? My werewolf mate was out of town and I couldn’t keep anything in my system for longer than thirty minutes? Yeah, that would go over well.

   The door clicked again, and a soft voice reached me beyond my misery.

   “Ellie?”

   I glanced up to find Callie walking across the room with a concerned look in her pale blue eyes.

   I opened my mouth to speak, but felt the bile rising and instead tucked my head back into the trash bin.

   A soothing hand rubbed between my shoulder blades as my body dry heaved. There was nothing left in me to throw up at that point.

   “Wyatt, go grab her a glass of water and a wet rag from the bathroom.”

   I didn’t hear him answer, but the door clicked again, and I assumed he’d gone to do her bidding.

   “I’ve never… heard you speak… so civilly to him… before,” I gasped between retching.

   Callie’s hand on my back paused for a second before she was back to rubbing in circles. “I speak to him civilly.”

   I lifted my head far enough to shoot her an incredulous look. Unfortunately, it was probably not as effective as I’d have liked, because in the next instant, another dry heave wracked my body and I shoved my head back in the trash.

   She sighed and smoothed the hair off my sticky forehead. “Still think he’s not your fated mate?” she asked softly.

   If I could have spoken, I’d probably have told her to shut up, but lucky for her, I was still gagging. A few minutes later, the door opened again, and a cool cloth was pressed against my forehead. I sighed in relief as my stomach seemed to stop gurgling for a moment.

   I leaned back in my chair while Callie rubbed the wet paper towel around my face. I wanted to feel embarrassed at being taken care of like a sick toddler, but I couldn’t find any shame in me. I was sick as hell and I could use all the help I could get.

   My eyes were still closed when the rim of a glass was pressed against my mouth. I opened my lips and let whoever it was tip some water down my throat. It felt good and helped to settle my stomach even more.

   When I felt a little more like a human–or a werewolf–I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Callie was still next to me, running the cloth over my face, and Wyatt was across the room, his gaze completely transfixed on Callie.

   I wondered for the hundredth time what was up with those two. They acted like they couldn’t stand each other, but I knew better. Intense feelings like that usually came from somewhere. Since, to the best of my knowledge, Wyatt had never actually done anything to Callie, there had to be more to the story. Some deeper secret they were both keeping.

   My cell phone rang out in the quiet room and I turned to look at the lit screen. Sexiest Man Alive was scrawled across the top and a small smile tugged at my lips.

   True to his word, Abraham had called me incessantly since he’d been gone. I probably talked to him more now than I ever had when he was home. It was nice, but it made me miss him even more.

   I moved to sit up and grab my phone when another wave of nausea whipped through my body and I instead grabbed the trash.

   “I’ll get it,” Callie said softly before picking up my phone. “Hey, Abey… yeah, she’s right here… she’s not feeling well, so I answered for her.”

   My mouth filled with saliva and I knew I was about to be sick again. I tugged the bin closer to my face and heaved into it, but all that came up was bile.

   Callie’s hand was back between my shoulders as I retched.

   “Let me get her settled and I’ll have her call you back when she’s feeling better.”

   I didn’t bother listening to what he had to say on the other end, and soon, there was the soft beep of the call ending.

   This bout of nausea passed quicker than the last, and that time, it felt l
ike it might really be over. I set the trash on the floor and sat back in my chair with my eyes closed.

   “I think you should eat or drink something to calm your stomach,” Callie said.

   I shook my head. “Whatever I eat just comes right back up.”

   “What about some ginger ale? Ginger is supposed to be good for upset stomachs.”

   I shrugged. At that point, she could have probably poured arsenic down my throat and I wouldn’t have cared.

   “I’ll go run to the deli.” Wyatt’s deep voice sounded from across the room.

   Neither Callie nor I responded, and moments later, I heard the click of my office door again. Now we were alone, and I felt like I might be able to make it through a whole conversation without throwing up, I wanted some answers.

   I opened my eyes and turned to her. “Callie, what’s going on with you and Wyatt?”

   She averted her gaze, but soon, it flickered toward the office door.

   “It’s nothing.”

   I pursed my lips and raised my brow. “Nothing? You practically had steam coming out of your ears when you found out he’d be coming to work with me every day.”

   She bit her lip and looked away again, but this time there was color creeping across her cheeks, and I knew I’d struck a nerve.

   “I can keep a secret, Callie. I just want to know what’s going on with you. Clearly, it’s something big, or you wouldn’t be reacting like this.”

   Her pale blue eyes flickered to me. “Promise you’ll keep this between us?”

   I nodded as I held her eyes. “I won’t say a word to anyone. Not even Abraham.”

   She blew out a deep breath and looked away again. “It’s a long story, and one I don’t want to get into when he could be back any minute.”

   “Just give me the gist.”

   She sighed and tipped her head up to the ceiling. “He wants more than I’m willing to give.”

   I gasped, which almost brought on another round of sickness. “He likes you, doesn’t he?”

   She rolled her eyes. “We’re not in middle school, Ellie.”

   I shook my head. “But he does, doesn’t he? He likes you.”

   She shrugged a single shoulder but wouldn’t meet my eyes again. “I guess you could say that.”

   “So, what’s the problem? You don’t like him back?”

   She shot me an exasperated look. “Do you think we could talk about this like adults and not pre-teens?”

   “Just answer the question.”

   She bit her lip again. “I don’t know, Ellie. And I’m not willing to find out.”

   I frowned. “Why the heck not? Wyatt’s a great guy.”

   “I never said he wasn’t.”

   “Then what’s holding you back?”

   “It’s complicated.”

   “I’m sure I can keep up.”

   She opened her mouth to speak again, and I just knew I was about to get some real information from her, when the sound of heavy footsteps stomping down the hall reached us. We both knew it was Wyatt and that meant our little sharing session was over.

   I wouldn’t forget it though.

   There was something between them and Callie was holding back for some reason. I wanted to get to the bottom of it and hopefully help my friend.

   Since things became serious with Abraham, I realized I’d been an idiot for pushing him away for so long. When someone was that devoted to you, when someone made you feel as much as Abraham made me feel, there was no reason to push back. No reason to fight what your heart knows is true. If I could help Callie see that, I’d do it.

   The door opened, and Callie straightened her spine. I watched carefully, but her face was a mask of indifference and I knew I wouldn’t get anything out of her. Stifling a sigh, I turned to the enforcer tasked with guarding me once again.

   “Hey, Wyatt. Thanks for running to the store for me.”

   He shrugged and pulled a bottle of ginger ale out of a brown paper bag. He handed it to me, and I took a tentative sip, ready for the liquid to make a reappearance any second. When it seemed the soda agreed with my stomach, I took a bigger sip before setting it aside.

   Now that I wasn’t throwing up anymore, I felt ridiculous that so many people had to drop what they were doing to take care of me. Granted, Wyatt’s only job was to watch over me, but that didn’t mean nursing me, that just meant protecting me.

   “Thanks, guys. I think I’ll be all right for a while at least.”

   Callie eyed me seriously for a prolonged moment. “You sure? I can stay if you need me.”

   Even though she’d offered, I could see how uncomfortable she was in Wyatt’s presence. I didn’t know exactly what happened between the two of them, but it was clear she wanted to be anywhere but there.

   I waved her off and took another sip of ginger ale. “I’m fine. I’m just going to get some research done while my stomach is behaving.”

   She picked up my cell and handed it to me. “Don’t forget to call Abey back. You know he’ll worry if you don’t.”

   I took my phone and promised I’d call him. The problem was, I knew he was going to worry no matter what I did. I’d been trying to hide how sick I’d been, but I wasn’t fooling him. He seemed to be under the weather, too, but nothing compared to me.

   I wondered again why being away from him was hitting me so hard this time. What changed? Was it just because I lived with him and we were together more often?

   I didn’t plan to spend much time away from him in the future, but it had to be inevitable at some point, right? Would I only continue to get worse? Would it get so bad that I couldn’t even leave my bed?

   And speaking of beds, I hadn’t had mine to myself since Abraham left. All the McCoy sisters had shared the king-sized mattress with me the first night, but every day since then, one of them had showed up. First, of course, was Evey, then Del and Bea, and finally last night was Callie’s turn. I don’t know how they chose that order or who’d be sharing the bed with me that night, but I couldn’t deny I was grateful for their company.

   It was funny, because up until a few months ago, I’d spent every night alone. Now it was almost unfathomable.

   Callie left my office, and I watched Wyatt the whole time. His eyes would dart from her to anything but her over and over. I knew how that felt. To want to watch someone, but not be caught doing it. It was clear that he wanted more with her and I wondered why she was holding back from him.

   Now that my head was clearing, something else Callie said was ringing through it.

   Still think he’s not your fated mate?

   I’d been so convinced he wasn’t. That because I couldn’t explain it and because there was no record of this ever happening before that it had to be impossible. Somehow, I’d let myself forget how awful I always felt without him.

   Well, there was no denying it this time.

   Abraham was gone, and I’d never been sicker.

   I guess I’d been foolish to think we weren’t fated. Even though it didn’t make any sense. Even though it should have been impossible. Having spent half my morning with my head in a trash can, it was hard to deny that fact now.

   So, if we were fated, there really was no reason to prolong our ceremony, was there?

   Even as the thought crossed my mind, my stomach clenched, and my palms began to sweat.

   Okay, I could admit we were fated, but that still didn’t mean we needed to rush into a ceremony. I was perfectly happy with the way things were and it seemed Abraham was okay with waiting, too. I’d give it another couple of months and see how I felt about it then. If we really were fated, neither of us was going anywhere, so there was no reason to jump into it.

   I spent the rest of the day nibbling on crackers Callie brought me and sipping the ginger ale Wyatt kept me stocked with. It wasn’t my most productive day, but I was just thankful I
’d managed to get something done.

   Matt continued to be a nuisance, though, and I had a feeling I’d have to deal with him soon.

   “Hey, Ellie! Are you doing anything after work today?” he’d asked as I packed my things that evening.

   I could hear Wyatt’s soft growl from across the room and I shot him a look. He was there to protect me against werewolves, not overeager coworkers. His shoulders were still stiff, but he gave me a small nod and I knew he’d let me handle this.

   “I’m not feeling well, Matt. I think I’m just going to head home.”

   He leaned against my desk and crossed his arms. It looked like he was making himself comfortable and I just barely held back a sigh. “Where’s home for you?”

   I shot a look at Wyatt who was resolutely looking the other way. Apparently, I was getting what I’d asked for and he was letting me handle it.

   “Well, I was in Raleigh for years, but I moved out here to Asheville about a month ago.”

   A smile spread across his face. “So, you’re new here! I bet you could use a tour guide! I know a lot of hidden gems around the city that I’d love to show you sometime.”

   I took a deep breath and pasted a smile on my face. “That’s a nice offer, but I’m really pretty busy.”

   I shouldered my purse, and he straightened up, his arms falling to his sides. “What about this weekend?”

   “I’m busy this weekend.”

   “What about next weekend?”

   I shot him an exasperated look. “Matt, listen. I’m engaged. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to spend time together outside of work.”

   His smile fell. “So, he doesn’t let you have friends? That doesn’t sound healthy.”

   Another growl sounded from the other side of the room and I knew I needed to wrap this up.

   “My relationship with Abraham isn’t a concern of yours. We’re doing great, and we’re getting married soon, and none of that has anything to do with you.” I pushed past him and opened my office door. “I’m heading home for the night. I’ll see you tomorrow, Matt.”

   His face fell even further, but there was a firm set to his mouth that made me think he wasn’t going to drop this.