I let myself fall to the back and allow my wolf to rise up. I know the two of them get along well. Maybe my wolf can do something to get him to relent.
Once my wolf is in charge, he approaches Cam’s by walking to the side and coming up along his flank, paying no mind to the blood on the floor. But as my wolf, the scent from the blood becomes amplified. I really need to get out of this room. My wolf ducks his head down and tilts it to the side, exposing his neck. I let him do his thing while I try to talk to Camden, even if he can’t respond to me.
“Cam,” I say in his mind. “I know you’re in there and you can hear me.” His wolf’s eyes focus on Sawyer as he takes a step toward the cell. Cam’s wolf growls low. My wolf gives a quick bark to get his focus back on us. “Ignore Sawyer. I need you back so we can talk. Those males, they need us. I want to try and help them. I want to see if I can use my magic to open the cell. But I can’t do that if you’re guarding them like you are. Come on, Camden, help me out here.”
My wolf lifts his head and looks Cam’s in the eyes. It’s not the smartest thing to do but Cam isn’t an alpha, and while my wolf may relent to him, I don’t have to heed any command or direction of his. The wolf’s eyes change briefly to the color I’m familiar with of Cam’s. Good. That’s what I want. He heard me.
“I really hate standing in this blood, even as my wolf, Cam. You have to understand how not fun this is for me. I may be a paranormal, but I’ve never been a fan of blood. It’s everywhere in here. The metallic scent of it is burning my sinuses. You have to help me out. I need to get these males free and get the hell out of here.”
A panic attack begins to settle over me. It’s something I’ve experienced before. I have panic attacks occasionally. Usually when they’re very unwanted and have the worst timing. My wolf’s breaths starts coming in faster pants. I feel like I’m about to come out of my skin. Or my wolf’s, for that matter. He’s trying to work through it while I’m clawing to break free.
“Cam, please,” my voice shakes with the plea.
The wolf in front of me is gone and in his place is a very bloodied Camden Raines. My wolf peers up at him. Cam brushes his fingers over my wolf’s coat. My wolf leans in to the touch, preening under the attention Cam is giving him, even in the midst of the nightmare we’re surrounded by.
My wolf easily slips to the back and lets me shift back. When I’m standing in front of Cam, his eyes on me, I offer him a shaky smile. “Are you okay?” I ask him with my mind.
He nods. “I am now.”
“Were you hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Are you completely healed?”
“Physically.”
“Enough said. Can I get to the males now and try to set them free?” I have to focus on something else or I’ll want to run my hands over Cam’s body to make sure he is in fact healed.
Cam’s eyes widen and he turns toward them. “I’m so sorry.” He looks at each one of us, his gaze bouncing from one to the other. “My wolf, he didn’t want to leave them. When we were healed it was like he dubbed himself their personal guard.” He focuses on Aries. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Aries steps forward. “You shifted when I asked you to. You protected those who needed it most. You have nothing to apologize for. You did your job, Camden. I’m grateful.”
Cam nods and swallows as he averts his gaze to mine. “Do you think you can free them?”
“I’m going to try,” I tell him. “You said someone else tried, too?”
“Another member of the fae but he wasn’t able to get them out and had to get Echo back to the pack.”
“When we’re done here, I’m going to need someone to give me a breakdown of what happened because right now I’m so confused my head is spinning.”
“I can do that,” Cam speaks up. “That is, if no one else wants to.”
Aries offers a small smile. “No, it’s fine. You can.”