Ember—not for any other reason than I wanted to be with her. I had scented her in the corridor, but had fought my need to stop and pull her into my arms. This plan had to work, or in two weeks she might die—hell, she might still die in the fight rings before I could save her, but I could at least try.
I rubbed my face, not sure how to deal with the need she had ignited in my soul, especially after last night. Letting her return to her cell in Drake’s wing had made me want to rip his throat out, but if I wanted her to trust me, I needed to show my trust in her and give her some independence. I was very aware the more people who saw us together, the bigger target I would paint on her back, and having Drake on her side made me worry less. I’d talk to him later about releasing Ember from his pack. Not that I’d accept no for an answer.
Kawan waited until the guards were at the other end of the suspended walkway and shot out, heading back towards Ember.
I watched him go. Knowing he’d be closer to Ember than me in the next few minutes just made me want to follow him. Grumbling, I shoved the cart into a position that would hide the light from the laptop screen and powered it up. I wasn’t a techno whizz by any stretch of the imagination but I knew someone who was. I only hoped Drake was as clever as I needed him to be.
Drake looked like a kid in a sweet shop. His eyes were alight and his southern drawl more pronounced than ever.
“This thing is amazin’, man.” Leaning forward, he studied the outside case of the computer which was still in my lap.
I quirked a brow. “I’ll take your word for it. Can you get into it?”
Drake shot me a dry look. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t ask me that.”
He took the computer from me and sat on the floor, his back up against the wall. I watched him press keys and peer at the screen. His face tightened and his gaze flicked to me, irritation in his eyes. “I’ll give you an update later, Prime. Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
I chuckled, and let myself be dismissed. Drake wouldn’t bring anyone else in on this unless he asked my permission. And I believed he would update me as soon as he had something to say.
The guard above walked across the platform towards our position. I waited for him to reach the walkway above our heads then twisted out of our hiding place, matching his strides and staying a little way behind him where I could watch him until I slipped out of the laundry room unseen.
The corridors of the west wing were fairly quiet as I made my way to the gym. No one made eye contact with me and no one was stupid enough to challenge their Prime. It didn’t mean I wasn’t listening for a possible attack from behind. As soon as I walked into the training hall, eyes flicked my way, heads dipped forward, and a whole mix of emotions ripened the air making it fetid enough to burn my nostrils. Used to that kind of reaction, I ignored it and leaned against the wall.
Ember was fighting the lion with Reed and Kawan shouting encouragement from the ringside. I grinned as my Firecracker leaped, wrapped her legs around Lionel’s neck and flung herself down onto the mat with enough momentum to take the big male down with her. I held in a growl at seeing her thighs wrapped around another male’s neck. My wolf surged forward. There was nothing sexual about this fight, but that didn’t matter to me. Ember’s pussy was far too close to the male’s face and my possessive instincts roared to life, a wave of energy escaping me. My whole body tensed, ready to fight, but I fisted my hands and forced myself to remain where I was.
I heard a loud thud as Lionel landed heavily. Even from as far away as I was, I saw his slack jaw and the whites of his eyes. Kawan and Reed gaped. I chuckled. Apparently none of them had taught her that move. I puffed my chest out, proud my Firecracker could take down one of the strongest males outside of my brothers that I’d met in years.