Chapter 128

[ 827 words ]

If you need me

128: 128.

If you need me Ronan

For the next hour, I answer questions without giving anything away.

It’s a balancing act.

Give enough information to maintain trust while holding back enough to protect what matters.

By the time the meeting finally ends, my head is pounding, and my wolf is pissy because all he wants to do is act.

Goodbyes are exchanged, and the males return to their respective duties.

“If you need me, I’ll be down in the forge,” Elliot says.

“Don’t slow Ransom down,” I joke.

“I can’t help that I’m irresistible. Really, do you expect him to do the impossible?” he laughs as he heads out.

I shake my head at the male and stand to go check on Barric in the infirmary recovery room.

He was responding well to the treatment, which took a lot of tension off our band.

I move through the halls quickly, trying my best to avoid being stopped.

It works somewhat.

I’m stopped twice by two pack members, but otherwise it is a straight shot to the room.

The recovery wing is considerably quieter when I enter.

The scent of antiseptic fills the air as I walk past the beds, on which several patients are resting.

Barric is sitting upright in bed, reading a book.

He turns his head, and the moment he sees me, he snorts.

“Well, look who finally remembered I exist”

I laugh, taking the seat next to his bed.

“It’s been ten hours, and Kade was with you this morning.

I didn’t know you were so needy.”

“I’m losing my mind lying here with nothing to do.

Let me complain a little.”

“Aww, do you want me to hold you to?” I taunt.

“Fuck off,” he tosses his book at me, and I catch it.

Then he looks down at my hands.

“You brought paperwork.”

“Just some notes we’ll go through later.”

He sits up.

“I’m good enough to do it now.”

I give him a chastising look.

“How are you feeling?”

Barric rolls his eyes with a huff.

“Much better.”

I look over at him closely.

I can see it.

The color has returned to his face.

His eyes are clearer, and he carries himself with a strong posture.

“Good.

It doesn’t feel the same without you.

Too much space in the bed and the lack of snoring is starting to get to me.”

“Glad to know I’m missed.” His smirk settles something in my chest.

“So what’s happening out there?”

I lean back.

“It’s a mess.”

“Descriptive.”

“I try.”

He rolls his eyes.

“How’s Rick? Aria still taking to him?”

A grin spreads across my face.

“Yes.

Even Liam is warming up to him.

But the man is crazier than a bag of spiders.

You never know what he’ll say next.”

“Excellent.

We could use some laughs around here.”

“He is also improving Aria’s training by miles.”

His eyebrows rise.

“Already?”

“It makes sense that another sypher could guide her the way no one else did.”

Barric pauses in introspection.

“Do you think it’s possible there are more?”

“I can’t say.

Rick says he hasn’t met another in thirty years.

But there is always a possibility that more are hiding.”

“I can’t imagine the life he’s lived,” Barric says, all amusement faded from his voice.

“All those years hiding.”

I nod slowly.

Neither can I.

Rick spent years surviving in shadows, always looking over his shoulder and never trusting anyone enough to get too close.

“The pups love him,” I say.

“ He gets a kick out of them as well.

He’s kind of become the oddball old grandpa of the mountain.”

Barric grins, “I can see that.

You know, I’ve been thinking that maybe we’re looking at this wrong.”

“How so?”

“Everyone keeps focusing on the Assembly and the hunters and what they may or may not have been doing.

But clearly, this attempt to poison us was a desperate move to weaken our numbers before facing off with us.

And now we don’t just have one Sypher, we have two.

A fact they may or may not know yet.”

“What are you getting at?”

“We should focus on weeding out the traitor and strengthening our forces.

I also think we should ask to see if there are more Syphers in hiding.”

I freeze.

The possibility is a long shot.

But then we have already seen the impossible with the arrival of Rick.

How convenient it would have been for the other Syphers to save themselves and their family by assisting with the rumor that they were all dead.

“I’m guessing you have some ideas on how to flush out the traitor,” I say, knowing how Barric’s mind works.

“I may have an idea or two.”

Those words rarely lead anywhere good.

“Should I be concerned?”

“Probably.”

“Let’s hear it then.”

Barric ignores me.

“What if we spread information about our battle plans or an ambush we’re setting up?”

I blink.

“A red herring?”

Barric grins maniacally.

“We’ll organize different teams to carry out each of the plans, but only reveal those plans to each of the pack separately.”

All the pieces slot into place in my mind.

“Then we can see who sent the information based on which team is confronted.” I look at Barric.” That is quite a risk.”

“No more than allowing a snake to dwell inside the mountain for another week.”

I have to agree.

“Consider it done. I’ll get our teams organized with Liam tonight, and we’ll all meet back here at nightfall to solidify the stories.”

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.