Chapter Sixty-Eight

KEYARA

Key was startled awake before the sun was up by the sound of the front door downstairs opening and closing, followed by many pairs of heavy feet shuffling against the rough wooden floors of her mother’s cabin.

Her muscles tensed, and she shot up in bed, fearing they had been discovered by the castle guards, before she sensed Mateo’s familiar scent.

She was alone in the loft, but she could sense her mate’s presence downstairs. Relaxing, she ran her hand through her hair before rolling out of bed.

Yawning widely, she dressed quickly in the dark, trying to shake off the sleep that still weighed down her muscles.

She had finally begun to feel the early effects of her pregnancy, mostly a persistent but dull feeling of nausea and the sense of constant underlying fatigue.

She quickly braided her hair back, securing it tightly, before climbing down the ladder from the loft into the main area of the cabin.

Pack members filled every available space, their larger-than-normal stature giving the illusion that the ceiling had lowered overnight.

Ash weaved his way through the men, joining her as her feet stepped from the last rung and onto the floor.

Wrapping an arm possessively around her waist, he kissed the top of her head, pausing to breathe in the scent of her hair.

“Morning, my love,” he murmured softly into her locks, before smiling down at her.

She returned his smile before scanning the faces in the cabin.

“Where are the others?” she asked, realizing that though not another person could fit inside, they were missing a good portion of their reinforcements.

“Scattered through the woods in wolf form, laying low and keeping their ears open,” Ash replied, pulling her by the hand to the small table displaying their maps.

Mateo was seated in one of the chairs, his large frame overflowing the small wooden seat he occupied.

Biting back a smile at the comical proportions, she lowered herself into the chair that Ash had pulled out and offered her.

“It’s not ideal to have so many wolves in the woods,” he continued, “but we couldn’t all wait in here, clearly.

“I’ve had our best strategists come to the cabin, and the others will swap out working to clear the tunnel between patrols.”

“We have the day to come up with the best plan of attack,” Mateo told her, shifting in the chair and wincing as it squeaked in protest.

The door swung open once more, and every head in the room turned to face it, the atmosphere crackling with tension.

Jenna stood in the doorway, her slight figure framed against the darkness. She gasped quietly, her eyes widening in fear at the crowd inside.

Key watched as her adopted sister steeled herself with courage. Stepping inside and closing the door behind her, she raised her chin and spoke, her voice even despite the attention.

“I’m here to speak to my sister,” she stated, her voice ringing confidently in the air, even though Keyara could hear the racing of her heart.

Keyara pushed her chair back and stood, ducking between two large men to approach Jenna.

“I’m here,” Key assured her, reaching out to take her hand and pull her through the crowd.

Holding hands tightly, they weaved through the warriors crowded in the living room until they came to Anne’s sleeping quarters.

There they could at least have a semblance of privacy, despite every ear in the room still being able to pick up their conversation without even trying.

Jenna wouldn’t realize that, however, and Key wished to make her as comfortable as possible.

They perched on the edge of the small bed, facing each other. Jenna bit her lip nervously, and Key smiled at her, urging her to say what she’d come to tell her.

“Ma told me your plan—to use the tunnels,” Jenna began tentatively.

“I hope that’s all right,” she continued, rushing the words. “She just wanted me to know so I could stay out of the way tonight.”

“Of course it is,” Key assured her. “I trust you with my life. I would have told you myself if I had had the chance.”

Jenna nodded, staring down at her clasped hands before continuing.

“These past months since I’ve moved into the castle, I’ve been courted by one of Pershing’s guards. Robb is his name.”

Key watched as Jenna raised her gaze to meet her own, her eyes wide and begging for acceptance.

“Ma doesn’t know about him. You and she always shared the same opinion of the guards, and I’ve been too nervous to tell her.”

Key had never forgiven Pershing’s men for the part they played in the death of her parents, and Jenna knew well of her disdain for them.

“He’s a good man, Key,” Jenna told her. “Not like some of the others. In truth, most of them are these days. The older ones who took part in the attack are slowly being replaced with younger men who had nothing to do with it.”

Keyara nodded, reaching over to squeeze her sister’s hand in reassurance. “I trust you, Jenna, and I just want you to be happy.

“You know I never let myself get to know any of the guards, and Ma would never have let me even if I wanted to for fear of being recognized. I’m sure he’s a fine match for you.”

Jenna let out a relieved breath, smiling at Key.

“Is that all you had to tell me?” Key asked her, a little puzzled. “Are you asking us to keep him out of harm’s way?”

“No, sorry,” Jenna responded with a slight shake of her head, as if she had forgotten the true reason for her visit. “I think I can help you with the attack. It could be even easier than you thought.”