Chapter : 789
Judy’s POV
The flight home was eerie.
Irene sat in the back of the plane with her earphones on, staring out the window and lost in thought. This was the first moment she hadn’t cried since yesterday, but I knew it wouldn’t last long. I knew she just didn’t want to cry in front of her father, but once she was alone, she would let it all out. Erik and Matt sat together. From the look on Erik’s face, it looked like he wanted to join Irene at the back of the plane, but he was stopping himself.
Matt had fallen asleep about an hour ago, as had Nan, resting her head against Chester’s shoulder. Eliza was reading a book, and Taylor was emailing and getting me work done.
Gavin had been on edge since the masquerade ball yesterday and kept his arm wrapped around me the entire time like he was afraid I would disappear at any moment. I could feel that his wolf was seriously on edge, and I wanted to take away some of that tension, but I knew I couldn’t. Not until we figured out what the hell was going on with me.
“We are going to the hospital when we land,” Gavin said, keeping his voice low and for my ears alone.
I peeked up at him with a frown.
“I told you that’s not necessary. Eliza said I was physically fine and so were the babies,” I reminded him. “I don’t want to waste more of her time with this.“1
“You passed out, Judy,” he said, leaving no room for arguments. “Again. I’m not risking you or our baby’s life.”
“But I’m awake now and okay,” I assured him, leaning against him. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”
“You have no idea how scary it was for me to see you lying on the ground like that,” Gavin said after a short pause; there was so much emotion in his voice that it tugged at my heart. “And then you wouldn’t wake up… I thought I lost you… Or was losing you.”
“You could never lose me.”
“You know what I mean,” he said sharply. “Your life is not something I’m going to play around with. I already lost one mate to death, I will not lose another. I will not lose you.”
I let out a breath.
“I love you,” I finally settled on, resting my head against his broad shoulder. “I love that you care about and continue to care for me. But I promise you, I’m okay.”
“Something kept you asleep,” he whispered. “Something made you pass out…”
I bit my lip, chewing on it.
He lifted his head from mine and stared at me with furrowed brows.
“What is it?” He asked.
I raised my own brows.
“What?”
“You have that look on your face. Like you’re hiding something.”
“I’m not exactly hiding anything,” I tell him.
“But you aren’t telling me something either,” he said, raising his brows. “What is it? Did you have that dream again?”
“Not exactly,” I say, hesitantly. “I was kind of in a void of darkness and in that void… nothing really mattered. I almost forgot who I was until I heard your voice. I wanted to go to you, but I couldn’t move, I couldn’t open my eyes… all I could say was ‘blood calls to blood.“”
“Is that what you were saying? You were murmuring something, but none of us could figure out what you were saying,” Gavin said, the look of worry crossing his face again.
I nodded.
“Gavin, something is wrong. But I don’t think it’s physical, and I don’t think it’s the baby. It’s me… or something inside of me. I don’t really know how to explain it. But I think the Blackwells have something to do with it.”
“Because of Madam Eloise?”
I nodded, nibbling on my lower lip again.
“She’s been in most of my dreams except for the one last night,” I told him. “And she wouldn’t stop staring at me when we were there. I also swear I heard her say ‘blood calls to blood‘, except her mouth wasn’t moving…I have no idea what’s happening, but I want to find out.” [1]
He was quiet for a moment, and his silence made me think that maybe he was the one who was hiding something. My heart lurched at the thought that he could potentially be life–changing for me.
“Gavin,” I say, putting my hand on his, drawing his attention to me. “Do you know something?”
He was still quiet, his eyes finding mine and searching for something on my face, but I wasn’t sure what he was searching for.
“If you know something about me that I don’t, you need to tell me,” I say, my frown deepening.
He let out a breath.
“I don’t know anything,” he said. “If I knew something for sure, of course I would tell you.”
“Then why do you look like you are hiding something?” I asked.
“I was just thinking about something,” he said, shaking his head as if that were enough to shake away the thoughts.
“Thinking about what?”
He sighed.
“You know how I went to see Levi in prison not too long ago?” He asked. When I nodded, he continued. “Well, he might have said something that stuck with me. I played it off like he was lying, but maybe he wasn’t.”
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.