Page 57 of Broken Moon

“How are you?”

“I’m a thousand times better.I’ve slept the day away.”

“Eating?”

“Oh yes. Lucy sees to that.”

“Good.” He hesitated.“Kaitlyn.”

“Shit,” I muttered. “Is it thedemon?” I didn’t think I could deal with the demon. Not right now. Once my wolfwas free, though, I would rip that bastard apart. I turned my stare to thedemon blade lying on my nightstand, and unable to resist, I grabbed it and heldit to me while I waited for him to tell me why he’d called.

“Beth is in the hospital. Shetried to kill herself today.”

“Oh my God, Rick. I’m sosorry.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“You knew,” he said. “I shouldhave listened to you.” He blew out a long breath and I could almost see himrunning his hand over his head. “She’s had problems since childhood. She’smedicated. She’s in therapy. But nothing ever fucking helps her. Not even me.”His laugh was bitter. “Especially not me.”

“All you can ever do is bethere for her, Rick. You can’t change her brain.”

“No,” he said. “I can’t. But I haven’tbeen there for her. My work, my excuses…” He sighed. “I wanted to let youknow.”

“Can she have visitors or phonecalls?”

“No. Not for a couple of weeks.”

We sat in silence for a fewseconds. “I’m sorry,” I said again. “When you can talk to her, would you tellher…” I trailed off, unsure. Tell her I’m sorry I didn’t make time to havelunch with her? Tell her we’ll get together when she’s released? Nothingsounded right.

“I’ll tell her you said hello,”he said.

“Thanks,” I murmured, but hewas already gone.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

I’d firmly refused to letmyself really believe my life was about to change, that my wolf was coming,that I would finally be free. Ibelievedit, but I didn’t believe it somuch that I would be jumping out of my skin with impatience and fear and worry.

I knew that if it didn’t work,if something went wrong or the alpha couldn’t actually break the chains thathobbled me, I would be more than broken. I’d be shattered. So I’d forced myselfto put that hope in a nice, safe compartment in my mind, and I’d remained calm.

Until now.

“God, please let it work,” Iwhispered. “Let me shift.”

I paced my bedroom floor, myphone in my hand, my demon blade in its sheath at my hip, waiting. It waseleven o’clock and honestly, I didn’t expect Jared to call until aftermidnight, maybe even two or three in the morning. He would have pack businessto settle before he could come for me. I considered calling him to say I’d cometo him. I could wait in the woods for however long it took him to get there.

But even now, before he’d eventaken control of my wolf and accepted me as his, my brain wanted me to wait forhim because he’d said I should.

“I will come to you.”

“Hurry, Alpha,” I murmured.Despite my best attempts, I was jumping out of my skin. My stomach hurt, myheart pounded, and I was using up precious energy, energy I would need whenJared ripped my wolf from my body. I wasn’t completely recovered from my battlewith the exsoloup and I needed to fuckingrelax.

I forced myself to stand stilland deep breathe, angry with my lack of control. My anxiety was growing withevery second that ticked by, and Ihadto get a grip.

My ringtone sounded, and Ijerked, dropping the phone.

“Shit,” I cried, scrambling topick it up, then stared at the screen, dismayed. It wasn’t Jared. It was mymother. “Son of a bitch,” I muttered, and then I answered, impatient, sweating,sick to my stomach. “Mom?”

And a voice I hadn’t heard fortwelve years slid into my ear. “It’s not Susan,” Adam Thorne said. “It’s youralpha. We need to talk, Kaitlyn. Come to your mother’s house. I’ll be waiting.”He was silent for a few seconds as my breath froze in my lungs and I struggledto remember how to speak. “Come alone. I would like things to remain calm andfor no one to get hurt. You’d like that as well, yes? If you bring weapons, Iwill take them from you, so save yourself that humiliation.”

I was squeezing my phone sohard I was afraid I might shatter the screen, and by the time I was able tomove again, he’d ended the call. His unspoken threat was obvious, and my motherwas in danger.