172 Days Novels & Stories

When Zion pulled back, his colour had already started to return. He slumped against the couch, his breathing easier now. "Thanks," he whispered. "That helped." I sat back on my heels, dizzy with relief. But the calm only lasted a second. "I can't stay," Zion said. "Not for long." Jaxon looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "How long do we have?" Zion's gaze flicked to me, then back to Jaxon. "Fourteen days." I nodded, and so did Jaxon.

The fire was nearly out. I crossed the room and put my hand between his shoulder blades. He exhaled. Not the controlled exhale of the council chamber. This was something else. Something that belonged only to this room, only to me. "Seventeen days," I said softly. "Fourteen now," he said. "By the time the courier reaches Holt's Crossing and the word gets back to Claus, he will know what we are doing. That buys us less than two weeks of undisturbed preparation."

“I know.” Outside, the lake was dark. Inside, the fire was high. 347 days left. No contract. No countdown. Just a throne. Just a war. Just us.

"Five and seventeen." I corrected him. "What?" He seemed confused. "Not six months, chief. I have been gone for five months and seventeen days, chief." I answered. "How far you get to correct me!" He was furious. "Maybe if you have been locked up for that long, hoping that your pack would rescue you from the shackles of the enemy and you were disappointed time and time again, maybe you won't be so mad that I corrected you!" I matched his rage with my rage. When he heard that, he calmed down.

Just like we'd gotten through everything else. ........ But I wasn't more wrong because... Day seven. Seven fucking days. I stared at the calendar on my phone and felt a mix of concern and exhaustion settle in my chest. Athena's heat was supposed to last three to five days, maybe six at most. But here we were on day seven and she showed no signs of it ending. I glanced over at her sleeping form beside me. She looked peaceful now, her face relaxed and her breathing even. But I knew that the moment she woke up, she'd want me again.

I sat patiently on the couch in the living room playing SIM city on my phone as I waited for my mini fridge to be delivered; no one was inside the house, which gave me the liberty to sit down so casually and relax in the living room. I followed Aiden's instructions and asked for a mini fridge about a week ago, and I was promised it'll be available today, which is why I am sitting here today. I haven't had dinner with them since my second day at the institution.

I waved her off with a smile and returned it. "I am so glad that you are finally awake. It's been days and I had nothing to do with myself" "How many days was it?" I asked curiously. "Four days" my shock from what I had heard, it usually lasted for about two to three days. How come it was four?

Waiting for me to save them. “I have to do something. Can’t just sit here while she has them.” “Then we gather information. We investigate. We verify everything before we move.” He pulled me close. “We have seventy-nine days. That’s time to plan. To prepare.” “Or time for something to go wrong. Every day we wait is a day they suffer. A day closer to losing them forever.” “And every day we rush is a day closer to losing you.” His hands framed my face. “We do this smart or we don’t do it at all.”

"Buffy, on Day 83 we need to get him a new mattress." "Nice," Buffy agreed. Day 83? Oh...fuck. My internship lasted 84 days; 3 times 28. For some now less arcane reason, Havenstone used a 28 day cycle for all their business. Two things usually kept to a 28 day calendar - the Moon and menstrual cycles.

Not 177 days. 24 hours until two hundred enhanced children were activated simultaneously. 24 hours until the world changed forever. 24 hours to save them all. Or lose everything.