Girl Gone Rogue (The Shadow Hunters #2)

45. Babushka

"Mila?" I called out, unsure as to whether my eyes were betraying me or not.

The girl froze as she spotted me. She instantly backed away from the cottage door, avoiding my gaze. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, glancing back between her and McKenna's door.

"I wanted to ask the Healer something."

"Cool, come inside with me. I'm here to see her too."

"Uh no, I'm actually busy." She kept avoiding my gaze as she slowly backed away.

"I can get-"

"Alright, bye." She raised a limp hand as if unsure how to bid someone goodbye. I was amused by the cringe that crossed her features before she sprinted off, hiding her face behind her golden locks.

"I guess I'll just go in by myself." I shook my head, knocking on the door.

McKenna greeted me with a warm, perfect smile. "You've come to visit me again. Where is your mate?" She asked, scanning beyond my shoulder. It was like she was expecting Alexei to jump up from behind me.

"He's still in bed, resting before his shift starts on the Borders."

"Come in." Her grin didn't falter. She opened her door, "Jamison is still here too. He hasn't woken up yet. Not even a peep yesterday or the day before."

It had already been a total of three days since Jamison succumbed to a deep sleep. There were still no signs that he would be waking up soon. If there was, the Healer wasn't aware considering this was unprecedented. "I just came by with some soup for the both of you. I thought it would be good in case he woke up today. He'd be hungry. Alexei made it and planned to come by to drop it off, but I let him sleep in."

"Smells delicious. Your mate knows how to cook." She accepted the plastic bag, taking it to the kitchen. I spotted Jamison sleeping on an inflatable mattress. McKenna had covered him to the shoulders with a colourful quilt, decorated with buttons of all sorts of shades and sizes. The sight made a smile bloom across my lips.

"He really looks like he's just sleeping."

"Yeah, he does." McKenna took in the sleeping Enforcer. "That poor girl that's always checking up on him is getting anxious. I've tried to invite her inside a few times, but she keeps rejecting. Poor girl must be in tears every night. I don't know how I'd cope if my mate was in Jamison's state."

"Mate?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, the pretty girl with the blonde hair. She was just here before you arrived."

"Are you talking about Mila?"

"Mila? Is that her name? I'd have to remember that so I can invite her inside."

"Oh, I don't think-." I paused. I didn't know if they were mates or not. This was the first time I've ever heard Mila and Jamison being linked in any way.

Maybe Mila lingering around McKenna's place was not so much of a coincidence. The girl kept her cards close to her heart.

"-I don't know." I finished. I wasn't going to put my foot in my mouth with this situation.

McKenna beamed wide, "Well whatever the hell is going on with them, I hope it's beautiful. They both deserve something good."

***

I hesitated at the top of the stairs of Alexei's home.

There was a foreign vehicle parked in front.