Page 67 of His Arranged Plus-Size Mate

Chelsey pushed open the storage room, and I could see Hazel sitting cross-legged with the gem in her hands. She had her eyes closed, her eyebrows knitted together like she was trying hard to concentrate.

“Hazel?”

Her eyes snapped open, and I could see just how tired she was. Her eyes were red from lack of sleep. I wondered when the last time she’d slept decently and not a few hours to break her eyes away from reading. I’d hardly been home at night, so I had no idea if she was sleeping or working.

“How long have you guys been standing there?” she asked, her voice weak and shaky.

“I just got here. How long have you been in here?” I glanced at Chelsey, wondering why she hadn’t called me sooner.

“Only a couple of hours.”

Chesley frowned. “Hazel, you’ve been in here since last night, which is why I called Asher. You need to go home and sleep. You’re starting to get burnt out.”

She shook her head. “No, I need to focus. I am so close to figuring this out. I can feel it.”

Chelsey’s lips pressed together, and she looked worried. “I understand that, but if you try too hard, you’re going to pass out. And you’ll be no use to us like that. We are already extremely busy, and I don’t want you using up a bed if you don’t need to. Go home and rest.”

“I can’t rest, Chelsey. The entire pack is depending on me finding out the answer. And I can feel it. I’m close to knowing how to fix everything. I can’t stop now.”

I could hear her desperation. Chelsey looked at me, lowering her voice. “She needs sleep, Asher. I’m not saying she can’t figure this out. But she’s a walking zombie right now.”

Chelsey gave me a tight smile before turning away. I stepped into the room, and Hazel pulled herself up. She waved her hand at me. “Do not ask me to go home and sleep.”

I placed my hands up. “I’m not. Just….sit down.”

She sat back down, and I sat down next to her. I patted my lap, and she narrowed her eyes at me. I could see bags forming under her eyes.

“Just rest your eyes for fifteen minutes. That’s all I ask.”

“Asher, I don’t have time.”

“Please,” I asked softly. “Just for me. Just for fifteen minutes.”

She sighed, but lay down resting her head in my lap. I placed my hands under her head, rubbing my thumbs along her temple. Her eyes closed, and she sighed. I could see her entire body relax as I massaged her head.

“Do you know how proud of you I am?”

“I haven’t done anything.”

“Yet, but I have no doubt you will.” I kissed her forehead, pressing my forehead against hers. “You are working so hard because of how much you care.”

I ran my fingers through her hair, listening to her breath. I could feel her falling asleep. Her head grew heavier against mylap. I couldn’t help but smile. I let her sleep, watching her face relax.

I knew that she had been giving up sleep, but I didn’t realize how much. I’d even lost some sleep since all of this. I’d found her late in the middle of the night, deep in a book. I’ve watched her flip through these books over and over again early in the morning.

I could hear her on the phone with Nora and Jade, asking them what they knew. I was so fricken proud of how hard she was trying and how deep she was looking. She wanted an answer more than anyone else did.

I looked down at the gem, feeling a dark pull from it. I picked it up, turning it over in my hand. I wondered why the gem was chosen as the object. It was about the size of my hand, a deep ruby color. It was raw, unpolished.

I frowned, wishing we could get rid of it. I didn’t like how my hair stood up when I was around it.

I don’t know how long I sat there letting her sleep. I knew it was longer than fifteen minutes.

I could hear how busy they were in the front, but it was quiet back here. We were in our own little world.

Hazel’s face scrunched up, and I stiffened, worried I was pulling on her hair. Hazel jerked awake, her eyes snapping open. But she didn’t look at me. She looked like she had seen something, and her eyes were looking through me.

“Hazel?”