“I’ll call for a med unit,” Dravon said, moving to the communicator on the wall. I stared at him for a moment, surprised he was so swift to help. He’d been so angry just a minute ago.
“Help is coming,” I told Rager. “Wait. Where’s Bella?”
“She’s with you.”
I stilled. “She’s not with me. I took her to the suite to stay with you. I saw her go in.”
“What?” Rager’s voice changed then. I heard him stumbling about. “She never came in. I was in the shower and Thalia came in, came on to me. She was fucking naked, Evon.”
I looked to my father, Dravon returning to our side. “The med team is on the way, Rager. And we all know my sister has wanted you for a long time.”
“Yes, I know,” Rager growled. “And I made it clear years ago the interest was not reciprocated. I have a mate now. I want Bella. Only Bella.” His voice sounded weak, gravelly, as if he fought to remain conscious. I heard voices and sighed in relief as I heard a medical team enter the room.
My father spoke up, addressing the commotion. “This is Commander Tyrell. What is Rager’s condition?”
“We’ve got him, Commander.” A matter-of-fact voice came through the line, a female medical officer whose voice I recognized. “He’s been stunned, but the ReGen readings are non-critical. He’ll be back on his feet in a couple hours. Maybe less.”
“Keep me informed.”
“Yes, sir.”
The communication went dead and I spun on my heel, heading for the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” my father asked.
“I have to find Bella.” My mind was spinning, but the activity was welcome after the last hours of helpless waiting. I lifted my hand to the comm station in the wall. “Liam?”
In seconds, our system had tracked my friend. “Evon.” Liam’s voice sounded odd, restrained, as if we were strangers. Since we’d both had our cocks buried in our mate last night, and shared falling asleep in the same bed after, his cold demeanor startled me.
“What the fuck is going on, Liam? Where’s Bella?”
Long seconds ticked by as tension flooded my back and chest, wrapping me up like a fist squeezing my entire body. “Liam? Fuck. Talk to me. Thalia’s the traitor. I took Bella to our suite so I could meet with the commander, but Rager says he never saw her. Thalia offered herself to him in the shower, and when he refused her, she hit him with an ion pistol. She told him she was going to make sure they could be together forever. So, I’m going to ask you one more time, brother, where is our mate? Is she with you? Is she safe?”
Liam’s sigh spoke volumes. “No. I left her with Warden Vora.”
“What? Why was she at the testing center
?” Cold terror and pain washed through me, nearly making my knees buckle. I pressed my forehead to the wall as I waited for Liam’s answer.
“She requested a new match, Evon.”
No. No. No. No…I didn’t want to hear any more, but Liam continued, driving the stake deeper into my heart.
“She was convinced that you and Rager both betrayed us. She saw Rager with Thalia in the shower. After you refused to take her discovery to the panel immediately, she assumed you would do anything to protect Thalia, that you chose your sister over our family. She was hysterical.”
I slammed my hand against the wall. This was my fault. I should have been gentler. I should have explained. But I’d done what I always do, take command and expect everyone to trust me.
With my sweet Bella, I realized, I hadn’t yet earned that right. And now? Now, it might cost me everything.
I remained in place as my father called Warden Vora on his personal comm, but it was another who answered.
“Apologies, Commander, but Warden Vora is not here.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s been taken to medical. We are reviewing security footage now. He had a female in the processing center. A new bride. But she was taken hostage by the attacker.”
I was breathing hard, every molecule of air burning through me like acid.