I woke up with a loud gasp and sat up, my heart stopped before it started to pound hard in my chest with a fast thump,thump, thump.

Blearily I looked around with a hazy gaze, noticing that I was in the room that I had been in since I got here with my mate by my side.

Cameron shifted beside me with a small groan while he woke up. "Jaz?" he asked, his voice cracking and filled with sleep while he focused his gaze on me. "Are you ok?"

I grimaced and rubbed my eyes before I slowly nodded. "I am," I confirmed before I rubbed my eyes some more and blink back sleep. "It was just a nightmare."

My mate sat up behind me with a small groan of pain. He placed his hand on my shoulder, and I put my hand on his.

I closed my eyes when he placed a kiss on my cheek, and my heart grew warm and filled with this feeling called love. "How are you feeling?" I asked, ignoring the silent nagging in the back of my mind.

I was still supposed to be mated to another...

My heart ached and yearned to get my pack to safety, especially Kate and my brother.

However, I knew that I couldn't; I wasn't strong enough...

"Jaz?" Cameron asked, concerned, and squeezed my shoulder. He put his other arm around me and pulled me closer to him, and I put my arms around him and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Hmm?" I asked and closed my eyes.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes," I replied and nodded before I cleared my throat and furrowed my brows. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you didn't respond when I said that I was doing better but still a little sore," he said. "Are you sure that you are ok?"

I sighed before I shrugged and pulled away from him so that I could look at him. "I miss my pack," I admitted before I cleared my throat. "I am worried about what is happening to them and if they'll forgive me for leaving them behind."

"They'll forgive you for leaving," Cameron said softly while he dipped his head closer to his chest. He pulled me back into a hug and cleared his throat. "If you didn't then it would be a hell of a lot worse."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and didn't say a word. My heart ached, and I couldn't help but pray that what he said was true, that it would have been a hell of a lot worse if I hadn't left.

"Do you miss Blake?" Cameron asked randomly after a few minutes of silence while he rubbed my back.

There was no animosity in his voice, no accusing. It was merely a question out of curiosity.

But it still made me stiffen...

"Jaz?" Cameron asked softly while he raised an eyebrow.

I bit back a sigh but slowly nodded.

I felt ashamed that I still missed him, but I couldn't help it.

Unlike my mother and father before me, I knew that I was to be mated to him. I knew what it meant for the pack, both of ours.

My mate didn't let me go when I silently told him that I missed Blake. He kept me in his arms and held me tight, not letting me pull away from him again.

"I'm sorry," I said and closed my eyes.

Cameron shook his head. "Don't," he said, and there still was no animosity, no nothing but this calmness that I didn't understand. "Don't apologize, Jaz. You had been set up with him under the guise of mateship for both packs."

I slowly nodded and stayed silent.

My mate sighed and released me before he moved away just a bit. He moved a hand through my hair and clasped my cheek afterward.

I leaned against his hand and closed my eyes while I placed my hand on his.

"I have a question for you," he said hesitantly before he cleared his throat. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

I opened one eye and looked at him while I raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" I asked. "What is your question?"

Cameron licked his lips and hesitated before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "If you could go back... would you change it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Change what?" I asked, trying but failing not to stiffen and narrow my eyes.

Cameron hesitated and rubbed my cheek some more. "Would you change leaving with me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Would you have chosen him over me..?

I didn't respond right off the bat and leaned closer to his hand, pondering his question. My whole body was relaxed, and my breathing was even while I thought about it before finally, I sighed and shook my head. "I wouldn't," I said, choosing my words carefully.

My mate didn't say a word but slowly relaxed. He cleared his throat and squeezed me. "But?" he inquired and raised an eyebrow while he looked at me. "I know that there is a but there, Jaz. I can feel it."

I held back an eye roll and cleared my throat while I pressed my lips into a thin line. "But I would have taken care of my pack differently."

"You wouldn't have left them?" Cameron asked.

I hesitated but shook my head no. "I wouldn't have left them like that," I said. "I would have found a way to get them to safety so that they wouldn't have to face the shit that they are going through now."

My mate slowly nodded and cleared his throat. "You know that you can go get them now, right?" He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head while he studied me. "They would allow you to do that."

I took a deep breath before I slowly let it out. "I know," I replied before I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "However I can't."

Cameron stayed silent and waited patiently for me to tell him why I couldn't get them.

I moved a hand through my hair and shook my head before I cleared my throat. "I have this weird feeling that something bad will happen if I try to get them now," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I am not strong enough to do it, nor do I have the help that I am going to need to make sure that everyone comes in and leaves safely."

I don't even think having Samuel with me invisible would make a difference, I thought, pursing my lips. I don't want to try it out, not until I know that it would be safe.

My mate slowly nodded and pressed his lips into his thin line. "Do you want to collect the other sword before we go get them?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow.

"We?" I asked and raised an eyebrow, and he nodded. "Why we?"

"Because I won't let you go there alone," he replied and shook his head. "I don't know what will happen or not, but I'll be damned if you go there by yourself." He set his jaw, and a look of stubbornness flashed through his eyes, leaving me impressed.

"I wouldn't be alone," I reminded him. "I am sure that Adele would make sure that I wasn't."

"Hmph," Cameron said and slowly nodded. "You aren't going to leave without me. It's why I wanted to follow what they say so that I can go with you to collect the next sword."

I pursed my lips and slowly nodded, feeling time to start to run out again. "Are you ready for that?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "I think we need to find everyone and get started."

Cameron nodded in confirmation. "I'm ready as ever," he replied before he sighed and cleared his throat. "First, I need to make sure with the healers that I am healed enough to go."

I nodded. "Then I will go find the group and get them ready to go," I replied.

"Will you wait for me until I am done?" Cameron asked. He stood and held out his hand, and I looked at it before I looked at him.

I bit back a sigh before I slowly nodded. "As much as I hate saying this," I said and put my hand in his, "but yes. I'll wait for you to get done."

Cameron's eyes filled with relief when he pulled me up to a standing position. "And then we will leave," he said.

"Yes," I hummed. "And then we will leave, get the rest of the swords before rescuing my pack."

Cameron placed a kiss on my lips before he pulled away and smiled. "One day, I hope you'll say that it is our pack and not just yours," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I will not push that issue until it's time, and they are rescued."

He kissed me one last time before he walked away to go check with the healers to make sure that he was fine, and I looked at him.

One day, I silently promised while I touched my lips, but that day wouldn't be today.

And with that, I walked to the cafeteria place, praying that was where they would be to get them ready to leave.

But I promise, that day will come...