Waindale

fifty-five. and forever may they lurk

Once I make it back home and dress behind the house, I come to the front and find him leaving through the front door. "Adam!" I call and hurry towards him. "Where are you going?"

He takes a breath. "Good, you're back. Stay inside—my mother is on her way. She'll stay with you here."

"But where are you going? Don't tell me you're going with them into the mountains."

"No. I'm going to the north border to meet the group when they arrive back. I made some calls and sent Ben to the town hall."

"I—okay. When will you be back?" I ask, tired of being apart. It feels like every time we are reunited, something is wedged between us, keeping us from each other. I miss the days when our biggest worry was whether or not my mom would be woken by him sneaking through my bedroom window. I miss the times when we had hours and hours to spend laying in bed together, or eating dinner together, or even just being in the house at the same time.

Adam's lips part, but he has no definite answer. "It depends on what the group sees out there. If the rogues have disbanded, then I'll be back soon."

"And if not?"

He brings me against him, his hand rubbing up and down my back.

"Just don't go up there if they're still together."

Adam continues to console me as if he's already died. I push away and look up at his face. "I mean it," I press. "Please."

"If the rogues are still unified, we will devise a plan. There won't be any rash decisions, okay?"

"But those plans involve you, right? I-I don't understand. Don't you have people that can fend them off? Why are you being put at risk? You're the Alpha."

"Exactly," he says, bringing his hands to my shoulders. "I'm the Alpha. There's no better person for the job. It's what we do."

"Fight?"

"Protect," Adam tells me, looking into my eyes.

I take in a sharp breath, knowing there is nothing I can say to convince him to stay here with me. He leans down to kiss me goodbye, but I turn my head, not wanting to say goodbye. He never belonged to me. He was never made for me. He was made for them—the pack.

"W-What do I do if you don't come back? What happens to all of this? To me and your family and the pack?"

Adam can't help but let an amuse chuckle escape him. Confused and taken-back, I swiftly look to him. "I'm going to come back," he says.

"How do you know? You don't know what could happen. It's not like you'd go up there to talk it out. It's dangerous."

"It would be dangerous, but I'm not going to die. I don't die, Wrenley. Not by some rogues, anyway."

I cross my arms. "If it's just some rogues, then let me come with you."

"No."

"I'm like you now, I can—"

Adam says, "Don't try to convince me. You're staying here, alright?"

"Well, I suppose it was worth a shot."

He comes close again but I hold my hand out, placing my palm against his chest as his unshaven face is inches from mine. "I have to go," he says.

"I-I know, but—but after all of this, fighting or not," I swallow, "will it be over?"

"It was over the second she sent him back; the moment she changed you."

"What if he comes back? I mean, there had to be a way for him to come here without links. The first time he came to earth, he had none."