CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Bastion's POV

"Damn it. Why isn't she answering me?" I cursed, kicking up Nevada dirt.

We managed to find a place for the night in between territories. It was cold as hell outside, but when in wolf form, it didn't matter. Everyone besides Brett and me had already transformed and were huddling together for warmth and safety.

Brett lent me a spare set of shorts, but his shirts were too small, and I didn't want to trouble my army for clothing I didn't really need. At least I didn't have my dick hanging out anymore.

I fell back into the cracked sand with a thud, watching the small plumes of dust hover above me in the night sky. I didn't have the vampires' phone numbers, my dad didn't have a cell, and no matter how much I called the resort and asked to speak to the owner, I could never get through.

My last-ditch effort of contacting Aria through mind-link was also proving unsuccessful, which meant that she was either asleep or ignoring me. It was only eight, so it would be odd for her to be asleep.

Dread hit me like a train. What if something happened to her? What if she was sick or hurt? Would I feel it through the bond?

"Hey Bas, you good?" I glanced up at Brett with anxious eyes.

"Would I know if Aria was hurt or something?"

He plopped onto the ground beside me, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yea, you should be able to feel it. Why?"

"She's been asleep for hours now, and I'm worried about her. I'm not sure what to do."

He sighed, picking at his nails. "Maybe she's just really tired. Did she get any sleep last night?"

I smiled, remembering the way she tossed and turned, her hair tickling my chest and her light snore invading my dreams. "Yea, man. She slept in my arms all night. She woke up late and everything. What if something is wrong with our connection? What if she really is hurt and I can't feel it?"

"Have you thought about howling? We are still a few miles out, and I'm sure Vegas is pretty loud, but maybe she would pick it up with her vamp hearing. It's worth a shot."

I took a peek at my men and women, and they stared back at me, eyes blinking with curiosity. "They might not hear me, but if we all howl, maybe they would pick it up."

Brett's eyes widened in excitement. "Hell yea! Let's do it!"

It wasn't very smart to give away our position like that, but I needed to know she was safe, and I was stuck with our soldiers in the desert. So, as loud as I could, I threw my head back and let out a calling howl that would hopefully alert my Queen, my baby, of our presence.

Each and every other wolf in our group joined in, making the sand swirl and jump around us because of the sheer volume of the cry. If she didn't hear that, then I wouldn't know what else to do besides maybe pray to the Goddess to bring her to me.

I waited and waited until the moon was high in the sky, and even Brett was asleep with the pack. No word from my Queen or King Rory.

I stripped myself of my shorts and shifted into my wolf. I didn't join the pack but stayed a good hundred feet away. It didn't feel right sleeping next to anyone besides her.

I hope you're safe, baby.

Rory's POV

It had been almost a full day, and King Bastion still hadn't returned. I wrung out the white washcloth, full of cool water, to replace the warmed one atop Aria's forehead. She was burning up with her heat, and it killed me that I could do nothing about it. Honestly, what a stupid system.

According to James, she-wolves didn't typically go into heat until their early thirties. I guess it was the Moon Goddess' way of ensuring heirs for each home, regardless of personal preference for children. They became hyper-fertile, even to the point of ignoring birth control. When we lost the ability to turn humans, our gods had to get creative in making sure that our species didn't die out. It made sense, but it also pissed me off that I couldn't satisfy the needs of her heat.

If I were being honest, I was becoming a little bitter over the fact that Bastion ran off when Aria needed him most. He had better have had a good excuse for it. Aria, sweat-clad and trembling, tossed again, this time reaching towards the left side of the bed and groaning when her search came up empty. I took out the thermometer for an updated read, placing it in her mouth. Son of a bitch! 104.1. She would die if it kept climbing like that.

Why was she even in heat, anyway? Did the Moon Goddess really want her to have pups or something? That's when it hit me. We hadn't been using any sort of birth control when we had sex. I was so caught up in finding my royal that I hadn't considered the prospect of Aria getting pregnant. Fuck. What if she got pregnant during our prophesied wars? And if she were carrying a child, would it be pup or spawn? We had both spilled into her. I hoped to both gods that she had gotten a shot or something. I would definitely have to bring it up once she regained consciousness.

I stared nervously at my panting hybrid. I had to find him and bring his ass back here. For Aria. An answer to my woes came when I heard the distinct call of werewolves through the city noise. There had to have been at least a hundred of them, not far from the city either.

"Bastion." Aria's quiet call confirmed my suspicions. It was him. But why was he howling? Why wasn't he here? I rang down to Kim's suite.

"Hello?"

"Kim, did you hear that?"

"Hear what, darling?"

Fuck. I rubbed my temple. "Send my dad in here to watch Aria, please. Bastion howled and I need your nose to help find him."

"I'll be right there." She clicked off, and I took one last look at my love. "I'll bring him back here, love. I promise. Hang in there."

I kissed the tip of her nose, and she moaned, "I love you." Well, at least I thought that's what she said. Her voice was thick with sleep and delirium. I smiled, kissing her hand and leaving the room. I needed to move quickly, and I knew just the car for the job.