Land of Wolves

Chapter 59

I tap my fingers against my thigh as I follow Dan into the elevator.

It seems HPAW decided I'm well enough to no longer need my wheelchair, but Dan wordlessly keeps a slow pace so I don't struggle.

Behind me are the footfalls of the guards, and they chat loudly to themselves as they return to their posts. I take a second to eavesdrop and see if they're discussing anything worth knowing, but when I realize they're only talking about some sports game, I zone them out.

They disperse as the elevator doors close, sealing me inside with Dan. He reaches forward and scans his ID card before hitting the button for the first above-ground floor. My mouth goes dry. The only things on that floor are the cafeteria, public gym, and housing units.

Am I being moved into a room?

It's not what I expected, and until this morning, I would've been grateful. Getting away from Adam seemed our best option for escape, but now that I need him to communicate with Caleb, we need to stick together.

I don't understand the secret code, and even if I did, there's nobody else I can use to trigger the mate bond pain. At least, not anybody that would let me send a message. Any guard would expect sex, and they'd notice if I tapped them in odd, repetitive motions.

Fuck.

"I had to pull some strings to get you removed from the cell for meals," Dan says, breaking the silence.

I cock my head to the side, repeating his words in my mind, before clearing my throat and spinning around. Dan leans against the wall, his feet kicked out and crossed at the ankles. He's typing something on his phone, and he locks and shoves the device in his pocket before meeting my gaze.

"We're going to eat?" I ask.

He purses his lips before giving a curt nod.

Oh. I glance at the ground before frowning and licking my lips, hoping to look disappointed.

"I thought maybe I was being moved into a housing unit," I say.

I'm so fucking relieved I'm not, but the Evelyn who hates the wolves would be eager to get away from Adam. She'd hate being stuck in a cell with a wolf, forced to share a space and bed with him.

Dan looks mildly guilty as he shakes his head. "Even I don't have the power to change your living arrangements right now," he admits.

I know he doesn't.

This order came directly from leadership, and nobody would listen to Dan even if he demanded a room to be cleared for me. They'd immediately call Jonathan, and after a lengthy conversation about why Dan is going against direct orders, he'd probably be fired.

He'd never risk his job, especially for me.

The elevator doors open, and I follow Dan to the cafeteria. I never thought I'd see this room again, and my palms grow sweaty as I peer around. A few people are lingering around, most sitting at tables with coffee and laptops.

I turn toward the giant clock that hangs above the buffet table. It's 10:30 AM.

Just knowing the time feels like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and I watch the second-hand tick as my lips curl into a tiny smile.

I do my best to hide it, but it's hard.

Heads turn in my direction, and I'm sure if I look hard enough, I'll find a few people whispering about me. It's probably not a secret I've been returned to the facility, and I can only imagine the rumors that have spread about me these past few days.

Or even these past few months. I'm sure there's been numerous.

I ignore the staring as I make my way to the buffet table. Dan probably intentionally brought me here when the breakfast rush was over, but there's still a decent spread of food here.