Resistance

Chapter 23

I couldn't lie around anymore. It'd been hours since Eren left the sanctuary and no one had heard anything from him. The only person who could have any useful information about what was happening out there was the spy, the person who'd set us up on our last mission out. So instead of lying in bed for another minute, waiting to hear news that would put me at ease, I planned on going down to the chambers to have a talk with Erwin. If he was the one responsible for us walking into an ambush, I would find out. I would force him to tell me everything he knew. No matter what it took.

I'd just managed to put on some clothes when someone knocked on the front door several times. It either had to be Mike or Isabel. They were probably dropping by to check up on me. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not unless they knew something about Eren's current situation. Yet it would be impossible to ignore them. For me to leave the apartment, I would have to get by them somehow.

With a sigh of irritation, I went and answered the door. Both Mike and Isabel greeted me with forced smiles that were meant to hide the worry in their eyes. Mike held a tray full of food, while Isabel had an armful of medical supplies. I looked at them for a long moment before I said, "There's no need for all of that. I'm heading down to the chambers to talk to Erwin. Move aside."

"You can't go anywhere in your condition," Mike said with wide eyes, setting the tray down on the entry table before blocking the doorway.

"I'm done waiting here. Erwin knows something, and if he doesn't, one of the other two prisoners does."

"Levi, your heat isn't over just yet," Isabel tried to reason with me in a gentle tone. "If you go out now, you'll be putting yourself at risk. The best thing to do right now is rest up. You need it. This is the first time you've mated during one of your heats. Your body has been put through a lot."

I gritted my teeth. "Do you think I can rest when Eren is out there? I feel useless lying in bed. I need to do something."

"I know you're feeling anxious about your mate, but he wouldn't want you to roam around the sanctuary when you smell so strongly of pheromones."

"I can take care of myself," I muttered.

"Can you?" Mike questioned as he stepped in front of me.

I tried to push passed him, done with these little games that were a waste of time, but my body wouldn't cooperate with me long enough to do much of anything. I was drained of strength to the point where I couldn't move without shaking. The heat had zapped me of energy. In this state, Mike had the upper hand. I cursed under my breath when he held me in place without much effort.

"We're doing this for your own good." He guided me back into the bedroom. "You need to eat, and then rest. Eren will be back before you know it."

I wanted to believe that was true, but it had been too long since he'd left. What could be holding him up? Had something gone wrong?

While I stood there thinking the worst had happened, Isabel put her hands on my shoulders and eased me down onto the bed. Eren's scent cocooned me at once. I closed my eyes and let it comfort me. Soon enough, though, the sense of comfort was replaced with panic. What would I do if Eren didn't come back? If he'd been captured? Would they wait to inject him with the serum that would take him away from me for good? Or would they inject him on the spot?

You know they wouldn't wait. They wouldn't take the chance of him escaping.

"What if something happened to him?" I asked in a whisper.

"Your alpha is strong. You should have more faith in him," Mike said. He set the tray of food down on my lap. "He'll be back. Right now you need to focus on recovering. Like Isabel said, your body has been through a lot. If you don't rest, your health could start to decline."