Zara's POV

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It takes a few attempts to get up from my chair after Muse cuts the binds from my wrists and ankles. With the lack of fluid intake and the lack of movement for several hours, it hurts to move and find the strength to stand on my own two feet.

My wrists ache. The bandages from the cuts on my wrists from being bound before at Kairo's camp have been ripped and soiled.

Muse curses when he sees them, but says nothing about it, other than, "Derrick will have to take a look at it."

"What happened before you got here?" I ask as I stretch out the kinks in my back.

"By the time Father realized you guys were no longer behind us, our driver pulled out a gun, but Father anticipated it and managed to get it from him and shoot him. He ordered Anton to drive Jamal and Malkom to one of the safe zones while he and I turned around and ran here."

He shakes his head. "By the time we entered the territory and got wind of Ben being killed, the howl sounding the alarms of war sounded. We managed to stay ahead of the warriors coming in from the north and got here just in time to catch Ryan trying to strangle your mate to death."

I can't help but gasp at that. "Is Evan alright? How did you know he's my mate?"

He smirks and taps his nose. "Our wolves could smell you on him, and him on you when we first got you. It's not hard to figure out. And he'll be fine. Derrick will check him out. Ryan's in far worse shape."

His expression darkens. "And if what you said is true, he deserves far worse than he got."

Relief floods over me. Evan's okay. He'll be okay. "Where's Evan now?"

We step out of the room and I lean against the wall for support as we walk through the dark hallway to the stairs.

"In one of the isolation cells in the basement. Father has claimed him and ordered no one to touch him. He'll be safe."

A series of howls ring out, causing me to freeze in place. Muse stops and listens for a moment.

"He's calling everyone back to the house."

I stare at him as he walks away to the stairs and takes one step down before I call after him.

"Wait. What does that mean? Is he calling off the war?"

He stops and looks over his shoulder at me before shrugging. "Maybe. Probably. This is Ryan's war, not ours. We just make it happen."

He turns and trots down the stairs.

Huh?

"Wait, what?"

I pick up my feet and hurry after him, relieved that my legs feel a bit stronger now. I still don't catch up to him until I reach the living room.

The living room is empty, but movement in the kitchen catches my attention.

Pausing, I glance from the kitchen to the door leading to the basement where the cells are.

Evan's down there.

My heart skips a beat. I don't even care if I get caught, I need to see him.

As I reach for the doorknob, Muse calls out behind me and I stiffen.

"Hey. He's in no condition to run and soon the house will be surrounded. So don't even think about trying to escape."

I swallow and glance over my shoulder to catch his eye as he leans casually against the frame of the entryway to the kitchen.

"Wasn't gonna."

He nods, but doesn't smile.

When I turn back and pull the door open, a heart-wrenching howl slices through the air making the hairs on my arms stand on end.

Turning, Muse curses under his breath. "Ben."

I hurry through the door and down the stairs before he can stop me.

The basement has a workout space complete with universal machine, ab machine, peck deck, bench press, and a set of free weights. There's a bathroom in the corner with a toilet, sink, and small shower.

Beyond that is a wall separating the holding cells from the workout space.

We've never used them, so I've never been back there. I don't even know what it looks like, or what to expect.

The door is unlocked, and when I walk through, I see a short hallway with three doors—two on the right and one on the left. The back one on the right is open and I see a shadow of a person bent over.

"Just some bruising. I'll getcha a cold compress."

The shadow straightens up before a man walks out. He closes the door behind him and stops when his eyes catch mine as I stand there a few feet away.

I fight the urge to lower my gaze.

He's a big black man, but his skin is a lighter shade of caramel. His guarded eyes are a unique hazel color, but I see no malice behind them. He takes me in for a moment before I lower my gaze to the first aid kit in his left hand.

"You Derrick?" I ask.

"Yeah."

I lift my wrists up to him. "Muse said you could help me."

He must have connected the dots because when I look up, I see him lower his gaze in submission.

"Of course. Anything for Alpha's pups."

He lifts the plastic case up to crack it open, but I put my hand out to stop him.

"Is there a white guy in there with gold eyes and brown hair?" I ask in a whisper.

He nods.

My heart swells as tears prickle my eyes. Biting them back, I take a deep breath.

"Go get my mate a cold compress first. Give us a few minutes before you come back. Then you can help me with my wrists."

He stands there dumbly for a second before he blinks and a small smile tugs on the corner of his lips.

"Sure thing."

I watch him walk away. Once he disappears from sight out the door separating the workout room from the holding cells, I turn my attention to the door before me.

There's a simple wooden deadbolt across the middle of the door with two metal ones at the top and bottom of the door. I had stopped him before he could even slide the wooden one across, never mind the other two.

Bracing myself for a gruesome-looking Evan and the emotions that will be triggered at the mere sight of him, I take a deep breath before pulling the door open.

There's just a pot to piss in and some blankets underneath a huddled form in the corner. His legs are drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped securely around them with his face buried in his knees.

I can't help the whimper that seeps out of my throat and the sting behind my eyes as I slowly approach him.

"Evan?"

He stiffens before his blotchy blood-shot eyes slowly raise to mine.

He stares back at me with wide eyes as I take another step toward him, as if he can't believe what he's seeing.

I want to just wrap him up in my arms, but I hesitate and hold myself back.

He looks okay, but I don't know the extent of his injuries. What if I hurt him? What if he's in shock and any sudden movements startle him?

Go slow, I tell myself.

It's like the first time I ever laid eyes on him in the forest. Afraid to get close. Afraid to startle him. Afraid of what will happen next when I touch him.

Crouching before him, I reach out and brush my fingers against his cheek.

I don't want to pull away and I can't tear my eyes from his.

He looks so broken.

My Evan...

"Zara?" he croaks out.

Reaching out, he touches my hair. Pinches it between his fingers.

I nod before he tugs on a dreadlock, urging me to come closer as his knees drop from his chest.

Shifting his weight to his knees, he pushes himself up from the ground and wraps me in his arms. Buries his face in the crook of my neck as I mirror his actions.

He shudders as he smooths the back of my head with his hand. Moisture gathers on my shoulder as his breath blows heavily on it.

Biting back my tears as best as I can, a few manage to break through and slip down my cheeks and onto his skin.

He's completely naked and I don't give a flying frack. He's here and he's alive and not beaten within an inch of his life.

"I thought I'd never see you again," I manage to say into his shoulder.

"I thought you were dead," he garbles against me, still shaking as he holds me tighter to him. "There was blood on your trail, I thought..."

I shake my head. "It wasn't mine. It was Ben's. I had to carry him into the house after Burk shot him."

He stiffens as his breath catches in his throat. Slowly, he pulls away and holds my gaze with his.

"Burk? What was he doing here before the attack? No one from the Silver Stars..."

He trails off as I shake my head.

I'm relieved that he doesn't ask me how I know who Burk is because now is not the time to tell him the details.

"He betrayed the Silver Stars and joined the rogues. He was probably going to act as a spy to get on Ryan's good side, but clearly that backfired on him."

I break eye-contact then, lowering my gaze as my thoughts flit back to Ben.

He was just a kid...

"Zara," Evan asks, a hint of caution in his voice. "Who's Ben?"

The gun. The grunt. The shot. The blood. The look on his face. The look on Eyrica's face.

It hits me again. Hard.

Evan tips my chin up with a fingertip.

I meet his confused and worried eyes with my own pained ones.

He asks again, softer this time. "Who's Ben?"

Swallowing, I pull him to me and bury my face in the crook of his neck again. Inhaling his scent, I relax a little.

"He was my little brother."