Amalgamate

Chapter 62

Rowan's duffel was about as full as it could get. She could never decide what to pack when she traveled. She was a bit of a pack rat in that regard. Her mind was racing, and she wanted a few extra minutes to think about what was happening so she walked downstairs.

She was putting a lot of faith in Deisha, and that was stirrin' up a plethora of angst. If she stayed she knew Ian would find her, but if she allowed Deisha to take her off realm she had no idea how to get back...absolutely none.

Suddenly, that little voice crept up inside her and the words ricocheted around in her head. 'Do you think it's wise to trust someone you don't know? You haven't been able to trust anyone thus far, and now you're going to place all your trust in her and her crew? Ian didn't even care when you disappeared...never even called.' Rowan stopped dead in her tracks, her chest tightening with overwhelming anxiety. Panic attack.

She couldn't go. She wouldn't walk through the portal. She knew that. Would they force her? She needed to speak with Maitland in private. Kester needed someone to stay behind just in case Deisha wasn't the trusty sorceress everyone had banked on. Rowan headed out towards the front where she found Maitland standing with the other male wolves- talking.

"Maitland? Can I talk to you for a minute?" She waved him over.

Maitland knew something was wrong because she didn't have that confident swagger about her. She looked anxious...nervous...like a caged animal getting ready to make a run for it. He nodded at the guys and hustled over.

"Never seen him jump for anyone before...you guys?" Branigan watched in amazement as Maitland, the most vicious and ruthless of them all, ran to her.

"Nope." Sawney looked on hoping to glean something from the picture.

Maitland approached her quickly placing his arm around her shoulders, "You don't look so good. What's wrong?"

"Not here." She pulled him around to the side of the house. "We can't get back Maitland, none of us knows how it works. I mean seriously? You're all trusting Deisha, but I'm sorry, I can't do it. I won't do it Maitland. I won't walk through her portal." Her heartbeat was picking up speed.

He observed her closely. Her heart raced like the pounding of horses' hooves around the track at the Kentucky Derby. She was anxious, but it was more than that. She was worried. "Makes sense to me. What do you want to do then?"

"I want to be honest with Kester, but I'm afraid someone will just push me through...force me to go. My chest tightens up at the thought of walking through it, but you heard what he said...'Everyone goes through.'."

"I heard him." Maitland thought about what she was saying, and he didn't know how to respond. If she was feeling this way there were reasons for it. He trusted her gut instinct, just like he'd always trusted his own.

"You got your phone on you?" Her eyes scanned the perimeter. Something was coming. Her skin prickled at the sensation. It was something dark.

"Yep." He reached into his interior coat pocket and retrieved the small satellite phone. "Let me talk to Kester. You stay out of sight. I'll call you." He pointed a finger at her, "Don't go anywhere- just stay hidden for a few minutes."

"Okay." She was patting herself down and straightening her clothes out of sheer nervousness. "Hurry though. I'm jumpy- something's coming."

Maitland found Kester rounding up the stragglers. They were almost ready. He could see Deisha at the head of the group. She was readying herself to open the portal. It was going to have to be a pretty damn big one.

"Kester, got a sec?" Maitland gave him the look.

Kester knew that look, trouble. "Where is she?"