Avenger(58)

“But—”

“No,” I shook my head. “You need to focus on healing. Whatever you know, you’re still going to know it when you feel better.”

She nodded, lying on her side with her hands curled beneath her head. She looked so small and fragile—two things that didn’t normally come to my mind when you thought of Sophie.

“We’re never going to see him, are we?” She cried softly.

I swallowed thickly. “Don’t think like that, Sophie.”

“I didn’t even get to hold him…or see him. I don’t even know what he looks like.” She began to sob and the sounds of her cries broke my heart. I hated seeing Sophie like this, and knowing there was nothing I could do to make her feel better. Nothing I said could make this better. I had never felt so…useless in all my life. We were mates, and we were always able to handle things together, but right now I had never felt so far removed from her. How do you comfort your wife over the loss of your child—a loss you’re not even sure you need to grieve?

I took a deep breath, thinking through what I was about to say. “We’re going to see him, Soph. He’s out there and we’re going to find him. You have nothing to worry about.”

God, what a lie. We had everything to worry about.

I smoothed my finger over her cheek and she let out a small sigh as her eyes closed. I knew she had to be exhausted after everything she went through. She’d been with Travis for nearly three months and if it had felt like an eternity to me, it was ten times worse than that for her.

“Go to sleep, baby,” I whispered in her ear. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I don’t want to sleep,” she croaked, trying to crack her eyes open. “When I close my eyes all I see is…is him.”

My breath came out shaky. She’d been traumatized by what happened to Logan, but this was something I wasn’t sure time would ever heal. She might always be a little bit broken. But I’d love those broken pieces with every fiber of my being, and hopefully my love would heal her—maybe not the whole way, but enough that she’d be okay.

“I love you so much,” I brushed my lips over hers.

Her eyes opened and her lashes fanned her cheeks as she blinked. “I know.”

“And don’t you ever forget it,” I added.

“That would be impossible…” Her eyes closed once more and her breathing evened out so I knew she’d been unable to resist the lure of sleep.

I reached out and took her hand in mine. She was so bony and thin—but she’d gotten like that before Travis took her. I sent up a silent prayer that I’d felt her, and gotten here in time. I’d really almost lost her and I couldn’t imagine my life without Sophie in it. It sure would be a lonely existence.

But now, we didn’t have our son, and that left behind a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t begin to describe. I’d do everything I could to find him—just like I had with Sophie. But I had to be smarter about it this time. I couldn’t go off the deep-end and not listen to anyone. I might be Alpha but we’re a pack, which means we’re supposed to work together, and I needed them to find Beau…and Travis, so I could destroy him once and for all.

This ended now.

And the elders were going down with him. I wasn’t playing games anymore. I was standing up and fighting for what was right.

“Here.”

I startled at the voice. I’d been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized Bentley had returned. Some shifter I was.

He tossed the clothes at me and I quickly pulled on the jeans and shirt. I glanced down at Sophie’s sleeping form. I hated to disturb her, but I didn’t want to be here a second longer.

I shook her gently and her eyes opened slowly, blinking at me blearily.

“Whaaa?”

“Come on, baby, I need to get you dressed so we can get out of here.”

“Oh,” she shook her head.

“We’ll be out in a minute.” I told Bentley.

“I’ll be outside if you need me.”

I helped Sophie into a sitting position and removed the nasty blood and sweat soaked clothes from her body. She weakly raised her arms above her head and I pulled the sweatshirt over her, shielding her body. Bentley had also grabbed a pair of sweatpants that I was sure had belonged to my mom. They were too small to be mine. Thank God he’d been smart enough to pick something warm. I hadn’t thought to tell him. Sophie held onto my shoulders as I helped her step into the pants.

I didn’t bother to ask her if she could walk. I grabbed her up in my arms and cradled her against my chest. I hadn’t even made it to the car before she was asleep again. Bentley helped me get her into the back of the Jeep so that I didn’t hurt her.