Chapter 37 - Oh Crap.

“Kerri, wake up.” Someone shook her shoulder. “Kerri.” It was Arik.

Kerri stirred. “Five more minutes,” she mumbled.

“Kerri, love,” Drake’s voice appeared suddenly. “You’re going to have to wake up.”

Kerri sighed and sat up reluctantly, rubbing her eyes. “What is it, and what the hell are you doing in here?”

“Kerri, there’s something we need to…talk to you about.” Beside her, Arik looked concerned and worried.

“But it’s like three in the morning! Are you sure this can’t wait?”

“Pretty sure.”

She yawned. “Okay. Hit me.”

“The people from the C.E. are coming. To take you.”

Her eyes snapped open. “What?”

“Well, not people. Person. He’s very powerful.”

“Why him?”

“Because he’s one of the best fighters in the C.E. and he’s one of the werewolves that were actually trained.”

“You mean he’s one of the ones you trained before he left for the C.E.?”

“Yes.”

“Who…who’s he?”

Arik waved away her question impatiently. “His name’s Woodland. But it doesn’t matter. That’s not important. The important thing is that he’s coming for you.”

Kerri paled. “What…what did you say his name was?”

“Woodland. Why?”

Kerri opened her mouth to tell him who exactly Woodland was when she remembered her promise to Joshua. “Oh, nobody. I just…I couldn’t hear it the first time round. Uh, how do you know he’s that powerful?”

Arik’s jaw hardened. “He…he took Sitara away from the Sterling.”

Kerri made sure that her thoughts were shielded from Arik before mentally freaking out. No wonder Joshua didn’t want her to tell Arik Ty’s full name. shoot. Ty was coming for her? Was that a good thing or a bad thing? A bad thing, she told herself. A very, very bad thing. Very bad.

She sat up even more. “Oh. So…what are we going to do?”

“We…don’t actually know yet.”

“Wait. How do you even know he’s coming for me? I mean, was that guy so stupid that he told you he was coming?”

“He told us he was coming not because he was stupid, but because he was good enough,” Arik said grimly. “He’s a bit of a show-off, but I guess he’s allowed to be, because he really is one of the best fighters in werewolf history.”

Eep. She’d been living with a werewolf warrior kind of thing.

Kerri swore. “So uh, does everyone know about this? Or is it something we keep strictly to ourselves?”

“Definitely something we keep strictly to ourselves,” they said simultaneously.

“Oh great. Did he say when he was coming?”

“He’s not that good. Yet.”

Something suddenly occurred to Kerri, and her eyes widened. “What day is it today?” she asked them.

Drake frowned. “Why would you—”

“Just tell me what the damn day is, Drake,” she snapped.

“Friday.”

“shoot. shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot. It’s Friday today.”

Arik raised an eyebrow. “Yes, we know.”

Kerri hit him on the arm. “Tomorrow night, he’s coming tomorrow night!”

“What?” They all turned to look at her. “Why?”

Kerri shot them a look. “Guys really are dumber, aren’t they? Tomorrow night’s a full moon.”

All three men exchanged a look and jumped into action, yelling out what they were supposed to do next.

“SHUT UP!” Kerri yelled. “You’re giving me a headache.”

They all stopped to look at her.

“We need a plan. Like a good one. Which we’re not going to think of at three in the flipping morning. How about tonight?” she asked them.

Arik held up a finger. “We have that dinner tonight.”

Kerri frowned. “What dinner?”

Arik licked his lips. “Uh, the boss has arranged an important dinner after the attack to discuss…tactics, and to introduce you to everyone formally.”

“And we all have to go?”

“Well, yes. And you definitely have to.”

“Dammit. Why did I not know about this until now?”

Arik shrugged. “I guess I…kind of forgot to tell you about it.”

“You forgot? You forgot?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not that good at this…commitment thing. Besides, don’t girls love surprises?”

“Yeah, pleasant surprises.”

“Okay, okay, you two, cut it out.” Drake waved his arms in front of them. “We’re wasting time.”

Kerri sat with her back resting on Arik’s chest and his arms slid around her.

“How powerful exactly is Ty—I mean, this werewolf guy?” she asked Drake.

“Very. He’s highly trained. He managed to last longer than the others before betraying us. Rumours are that he was a spy for the C.E. and came here to train so that he’d be a better fighter and he’d be able to familiarise himself with our company and where everything was.”

“Arik, didn’t you use to be good friends with the guy?” Carter suddenly asked.

Kerri turned to look at Arik, whose face was so emotionless it could’ve been a plank of wood.

“We used to be close friends,” Arik said finally. “And then he betrayed us for the C.E. Then he took Sitara. And now he’s trying to take you.”

“How exactly did he tell you that he was coming for me?” Kerri asked him. “Did he leave a note? Write a letter? Text you? Phone you?”

Arik bit his lip. “Telepathic bond.”

Kerri raised an eyebrow.

“Close friends have telepathic bonds. Once he betrayed us, I cut off my bond to him so that I’d never be able to find him, but unfortunately, he never cut his bond to me, which means he can talk to me, and I’d be able to reply. It’s just that I can’t start a conversation first.” Arik sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

Kerri tried to comfort him mentally, soothing his nerves. It worked. After a while, he relaxed a little, and his arms around her tightened momentarily as if to thank her.

“So he told you he was coming for me,” Kerri said. “And we’re pretty sure that he’s coming tomorrow night. Arik, are you sure he didn’t give any hints about when he was coming or where he was coming to?”

Arik shook his head. “The only hint he gave me was…was that I’d never be able to see or talk to you ever again.”

Something in Kerri’s stomach dropped. That’s not going to happen. It’s not.

Are you reassuring me, or yourself?

You. Me. Both.

His arms tightened around her and he dropped a kiss on the side of her neck. We’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of that. I promise.

Never make promises you can’t keep. Kerri gently pried off his arms around her and stood up. “I’m going to go wash my face. That ought to wake me up properly.”

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