Page 22 of The Russos
Anton wrapped his free arm around me, and Hannah wrapped her arms around both of us, hugging me to both of them.
“Thank you,” Anton whispers. Hannah just nods, agreeing, “What he said.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply. Hoping against hope that the tea works. Luca hurries back to us and starts speaking as soon as he’s close.
“Annie says she knows what all these are and where to get them. She’s kicking herself for not thinking of it. Kyle and Lottie are going to bring them to us. They’ll meet us tomorrow at the house we’ll be staying at in Kariba. And Jett was with her; he’s dying to talk to both Hannah and Cassie,” Luca rolls his eyes with that last comment.
“I warned you, didn’t I,” Anton grins, looking happier than he did a minute ago. “Let’s get loaded up and on the way. Baby girl, front or back?”
“I’ll get in the back with Miah. Cassie, do you mind if your dad rides with us?” Hannah asks shyly.
I’d noticed that ever since we’d arrived, she’d gravitated towards Dad if Anton, Luca, or Miah weren’t around. It made sense she felt safe with them and something in her knew that Dad would protect her no matter what. Not that either Drake or Sam would hurt her, but until she had her tiger back, she’d not feel safe as she couldn’t shift to protect herself.
“You’re welcome to him,” I grinned at her, “And I’m sure Luca will be happy about it too.”
Hannah laughed but called out to Dad, “Gus, you’re riding with us.”
Dad waved and smiled at her, “I’ll be there soon, darling girl.”
This further cemented the knowledge that Anton was a good man and that he had firm control over his animal. Not many would be able to handle so many unmated men around their mate when they weren’t fully mated yet. He knew who made Hannah feel safe, and he was happy to surround her with them, even if it was hard for him. To be fair to Hannah, she knew this and was never far from his side, and I’m sure this helped both of them.
It didn’t take long for us all to load up after that and get on the road for another long trip.
Nightfall was approaching when we got to where we were staying. I’d never been so glad to see the back of a vehicle in my life and wanted to cry when I thought that we’d have to do the same journey back in the next few days.
“Are you doing okay, baby?” Luca asked, opening my door.
“I’m exhausted; you must be too after driving that road.”
Luca grimaced, “Yeah, they aren’t the best. Come on, let’s get you inside. You can have a shower and then get into bed. I’ll bring you something to eat. Anton’s just settling Hannah.”
Looking over to the other vehicle, I watched as Anton takes a sleeping Hannah from the back of the car and carries her into the house we’ve rented for the week.
Luca helps me down and I groan as I stretch, trying to shake out all the muscles that had been protesting for a while at being cramped while we were travelling.
Following Anton and Hannah inside, I take the bedroom next to theirs, happy to see it has an ensuite bathroom. Thirty minutes later, I’ve showered and pulled on a T-shirt of Luca’s, and I’m snuggled up in bed. That’s the last thing I remember until I’m woken up by the sun and strange voices the next morning.
CHAPTER 15
HANNAH
For the first time since I’d been rescued, I was feeling hope. How we’d all forgotten that, as shifters, we processed chemicals differently from humans, I’d never know. For centuries, we’d used herbs, but as we didn’t get sick very often and healed quickly, I guess our teachings had fallen by the wayside. Well, no more. Once I was back at full strength, I’d have Cassie teach me because I never wanted another being to feel the way I’ve been feeling, and I never wanted another mate to go through what Anton’s been going through.
It was killing me that he had to fight every night to exhaust himself so that he could rest. The downside to him being exhausted was that he didn’t wake me from the nightmares when they took me, and I couldn’t pull myself out of them. Not that I’d tell him how many I still had. He was suffering enough, and I’d not pile onto the guilt he’d feel if he knew.
I’d asked Gus to ride with us more so for both his and Luca’s sake than anything. If the others thought it was because I was more comfortable with Gus and Miah, then I’d let them continue thinking that. But I knew that Gus was finding it hard to let go of Cassie after having raised her by himself. Not only had his daughter found her mate, but she was also already pregnant, andhe was in an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar shifters, and it had to be tough on someone who’d always been the one in control.
It was one of the reasons Luca and Anton were content to let him pretend to be in charge even if they were both alphas in their own right. His own team was used to him being the one in control, so it was no different to them.
I’d forever be grateful that my mate was who he was. He didn’t feel the need to take over and constantly be the one in charge, even though he was more than capable. There were so many things I loved about him, but his strength of character was one of them. Fate couldn’t have picked me a better mate than if I’d done a checklist for her. I loved him down to the depths of my soul, and I knew when we finally mated that it would be wondrous.
The journey to our next destination was long and tiring. I’d been sleeping on and off for most of it, exhausted from being kept awake by dreams the night before.
I’d woken disorientated during the night in a strange bedroom, wondering where the hell I was. I’d felt an imminent panic attack when, still half-asleep, I’d thought I was back in that cage. It was Anton’s deep voice in my ear that brought me out of it. Once I was breathing again, I threw myself at him with a sob, “I’m sorry,” I wailed softly against his chest, now wet with my tears.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” he whispered, slowly running his fingers through my hair. “It’s okay.” Wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace, he rocked us. It didn’t take long for me to go back to sleep, and the next time I woke, it was to an empty bed, sun shining through the slats on the window and voices coming from down the passage.
Stretching out, I searched just like I always did for any trace of my tiger. I’d been hopeful after I’d changed that she wouldcome back fully and while she seemed to peek out every now and then, she hadn’t made a full appearance again. It seemed that our nighttime journey a few weeks ago was more than she could handle. Hoping that the new voices I was hearing were Lottie and Kyle, I got up and went to the bathroom to have a quick shower. Twenty minutes later, I was dressed in another lightweight linen outfit, this time in a forest green. Slipping comfortable sandals onto my feet and pulling my hair back, I tied it up in a high ponytail to keep it off my neck, knowing it was going to be another warm day if yesterday was any indication of the weather.