Trifecta: Stone [Completed]

Chapter 8: Swallowed Whole

We arrived at the shelter and a man I vaguely recognized carried me inside and downstairs and put me in my habitual chair, wrapped in a blanket. Macy brought my jacket and shoes and helped me get into them, miniature caregiver that she was.

I could probably have managed to force myself to move, but it was faster and easier not to try. I could usually summon the willpower to fight the curse when Serge was nearby, but when he was gone it was so much harder.

It was always hard, but now that my feelings had managed to fight through the restrictions of the curse, it was that much worse. I had the curse nagging me about his well-being with prickling shivers of fear, but I really worried about him underneath as well.

The curse was terrible when it worked alone, but when reality was as bad as its misgivings there was little I could manage to do to fight it.

I had barely been able to control my own fears even before the curse.

Still, there was one small improvement. At least I was getting familiar with the shelter in Serge's territory. It's plain walls and dozens of occupants were not quite so unfamiliar as they had been the first time I had come here. It was a cold comfort, but it was a small one.

I supposed this really was my pack, now. Once I married Serge, though the position would give me no formal title, I would well and truly be linked to these people for as long as Serge remained the leader.

Fear flashed through me for his wellbeing. I hoped the fight would go well for our forces, that they would all come home safely. Whether they be Serge's, my father's or Austin's, they were all my people and I wanted to see them safe and free, just as I wanted the same for myself.

I huddled in my chair and tried to control my uneven breathing. I wondered who was in danger. Obviously Serge, although the fact the ice of the curse continued running through me was testament to the fact he was still alive.

But I did not know about the others. Dan was certainly fighting and I found myself worrying for him and his family. Then there were the warriors from my father's pack. The leaders did not always join into the defense for the other territories unless they were on call, but it was completely possible that either Sean or Matthias or the other members were right now rushing towards danger, or worse, already engaged in battle.

I spent a very long time huddled in my corner. It felt longer than other times. I gradually became aware that my sat phone was still in my jacket pocket from when we went for supper. I reached carefully into the pocket and pulled it out, the skin on my trembling hand screaming at the contact.

I held it tightly, glad for the protective casing or I would not have dared to even try. I brought the screen to life and it told me it was about quarter after nine. I punched in my passcode and went into my messages and found my dad's number.

Me: [Do you know what's happening?]

I grasped the phone tightly in my hand while I waited, feeling the burn of the smooth casing against my palm.

It felt like it took a long time for him to respond.

Dad: [Reinforcements are on their way.]

Me: [Who's coming?]

There was another long wait, which made me wonder how bad it really was. He was safe at home or more likely in the pack offices, but that did not account for my brother or Matthias or anyone else I was concerned about.

Dad: [Sean was off tonight, but he volunteered to lead the second wave Derrick is leading the first]

I wondered if I would be happier not knowing, but I pressed him for more information.