EIGHT
NATTY
My sons smiledas they ate, a rosy glow filling their cheeks. I tried to take those expressions and the way they laughed as a form of hope. I willed the feeling to replace the fear and panic curling in my lungs and filling my stomach. My fingers trembled as I sipped my water, and I felt Laura’s gaze linger on my back.
Callie was watching too, even if her expression was more pity than anger. Killian and Wes glanced my way from time to time as well, and I knew they all wanted to know where my husband was. I wanted to know more than even they did. But Silas always had a reason for what he did, and while it had been years since he’d had to deal with club politics, or challenges, I clung to what I knew of my husband and his character.
He was ensuring our safety. It was a good thing if he wasn’t here. It meant he felt like we were safe, but it didn’t change how uncomfortable it made me to have my friends question him, and me by extension.
“Mom, will you help us decorate the tree?” Ryle asked, while Rook swung his gaze over to the tree then back to his brother.
“I’ll help.”
Ryle was holding a tiny metal motorcycle toy, but I had no idea where he found it.
I stood up and held my hand out to both my boys. “Let’s go start unpacking the decorations.”
We moved toward the open space where the couches formed a square around the large mantle place. The large television mounted above it was playing an older Christmas movie about Frosty the Snowman. There was a fire burning in the hearth, making a warm glow. The crackle from the logs had me releasing a shuddery sigh.
This was nice. My sons were safe; they were smiling.
Ryle opened the box and gently pulled out a bundle of large bulbed Christmas lights.
“They’re all tangled.” Rook pulled another pile out, and the two started separating the wires. I was about to get down to help when suddenly a loud banging came from outside. My gaze moved to the windows a few stories up; dusk spread across the sky with just the smallest bit of light. Enough to show the snow that was falling sideways against the glass in thick waves of white.
Someone burst in through the door at the back, which had me spinning around.
Yeti and Mercer walked in, both of them brushing their bushy beards free of the snow covering them from head to toe.
Right before they explained what we all already knew, a loud alarm went off on my phone, then like a chain reaction, everyone’s phones blared with a similar sound.
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Rook asked, crowding over my shoulder.
I found Penelope’s gaze from across the room, and then moved to Callie and Laura’s.
“It’s an alert, Buddy.”
Ryle moved to my lap and tried to see my phone. “An alert for what?”
I glanced back up at the windows above us and tried to keep my tears at bay as I answered him.
“A blizzard.”