Rise of the Dark Alpha

Chapter 313 Question Me

~ SASHA ~

Nick hovered as Sasha continued to cough and heave, until her body rebelled and she was forced to push to her feet, stumbling to the kitchen to vomit into the trash can there.

"Somebody explain to me exactly what's happening," Nick muttered as he wet a towel and brought it to Sasha to wipe her face and mouth. "Now."

"Wh—" Sasha was about to ask him what he meant, when he straightened, gesturing as he spoke and she realized he had something in his ear. He was speaking to someone else.

"No, no! That's bullshit. Her vitals spiked, but as soon as I showed up she's on the floor like she's having a heart attack. What are you reading? Where is he? Is he here? Is he doing this? Or…"

Nick stopped, listening to whoever was in his ear as he rinsed the towel Sasha handed him and returned it again.

She pressed her face into the cool dampness of it, swallowing, unwilling to move away from the trash can until she was certain she wasn't going to lose the contents of her stomach again.

"He's not here," Sasha rasped, her throat on fire.

Nick cut her a dark look, but then his attention obviously went back to the other conversation. "Are we triggering this? This is a risk we can't take right now!"

"It's not you," Sasha croaked. "He must have come back into this world, because the bond reconnected. When he left again, it gets torn away and it's… super painful. It's getting worse each time."

Nick finally seemed to focus on her, his eyes lasered on hers. "You lose the bond across the gateway?"

She nodded. What harm was there in telling the truth? They'd obviously figured out how to monitor the bond on her somehow. They were going to know when he came back.

She prayed she'd get back there before he did, since she was certain they'd set a trap for him, if they hadn't already.

"This isn't good for them. For either of them," Nick barked into whatever device was in his ear. "We risk losing everything. Pick another plan. Somebody get Nathan up. I'm on my way in five."

He tapped his ear, then focused on her again, offering her a hand to help her to her feet.

Sasha took it, holding onto it until she was sure she had her balance, then letting him go as if he burned.

"We need to tell Nathan," Nick said calmly.

"Tell him what?"

"About this bond, and this effect it has when you two are separated."

She watched Nick warily. "You think that will help?"

"Get you back to Thana? Yes. I have zero doubt."

"Okay then," she said, suddenly close to tears. "I'm in."

Nick patted her shoulder, then started for the door. "You might as well stay in your pajamas, he'll be in his. Just throw a robe on or something, there should be one on the back of your door."

"I… wait, you meant now?" Sasha gaped, still a touch wobbly on her feet.

"Yes, now," Nick growled. "Catching people when they aren't prepared ahead of time gives you a better chance of getting them with their guard down."

Sasha insisted on brushing her teeth first, and grabbing that robe, but then she followed Nick down the hall to the next apartment door on the opposite side of the hall. As they walk, he muttered instructions.

"You need to volunteer that Zev came into this world—then left. They'll think you two are playing a game if he has to work it out of you."

"That's a risk," Sasha said slowly. "I don't want them getting too comfortable, thinking I'm ratting Zev out."

"You aren't. We already know. This is about delivery. You tell him what just happened. Tie it back with your need to get to Thana—and make sure you tell him that the effect is getting worse. Put the fear of God into him. Make it sound like death's door."

"I…" Well, it wouldn't be a lie. It felt like that when it happened, Sasha reminded herself.

Nick rapped his knuckles on the door and Nathan opened it a moment later looking very disgruntled, his hair sticking up in three different directions at the back. He had a silk robe wrapped around his body and tied tightly at his waist, but he didn't look surprised to see them, just pulled the door open and walked deeper into the apartment, expecting them to follow.

Sasha hadn't realized how closely he was staying. It made her feel dirty knowing he was sleeping so close to where she was.

"What the hell just happened?" he growled, settling himself on the thick, plush couch as Nick and Sasha followed him into the living area.

Nick pulled that device out of his pocket at the same time he looked at Sasha who swallowed, but told him the truth. Mostly.

She'd been asleep when she became aware of the bond and it woke her. She'd been laying there, enjoying feeling Zev close again when suddenly Nick was pounding on her door and she was rushing out.

Then just as suddenly as it appeared again, the bond was torn from her. And the pain was so bad this time it felt like her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe for quite a while, then she threw up.

Nick had been tapping on the device while she spoke. When she finished and closed her mouth like she was guarding anything else getting out, Nick handed Nathan the screen.

"See what happened to her vitals? That's no good. Too much stress, you understand?"

Nathan scanned it, then tapped a couple of times and read some more, frowning thoughtfully.

Without a word, he got to his feet and walked into the next room, closing the door behind him.

Sasha wanted to scream. What was with this guy just walking away when you were expecting information from him?

She glared at Nick, but he was watching that door, his eyes alight with anticipation.

A couple minutes later it opened again and Nathan stalked back towards them, talking as if the conversation had never been interrupted.

"We'll let her return on two conditions," he said flatly. "The first is that at least two humans go with her and stay there, in the Thana, safely. The second is that if she isn't pregnant within six months they bring everyone in."