A New Dawn of Hope (Chapter 5)

Fallon

I loved Tommy, I honestly did, even if he was a little shit.

Groaning at his antics, I watched as he paraded through the store, a Rager's head balancing precariously on the tip of his sword. Yes, a sword.

The asshole needed to know how to defend himself, and at least with a sword, he couldn't accidentally shoot me. Stab me, yes, but l learned to maintain my distance from him when he had it out.

"It's getting late," I said stiffly, exchanging a glance with Declan. His hair had grown out, scruff covering the lower half of his face. Dark bags settled beneath his eyes, only heightening his sickly pale skin. The man looked as if he was inches away from death. The strain ate at him in a way I tried to suppress.

Tried, being the important term.

"Grab your bag, and let's go," I instructed, and Tommy's face fell with disappointment.

"But…"

"And leave the damn head."

This time, there was a definite pout on Tommy's face. Damn sociopath.

Like us, the last few months had changed Tommy, and not entirely in a good way. While his baby fat had all but diminished, his eyes had a haunted look that hadn't been there previously. Sure, there was no denying that the little guy was fucked in the head, more so than even us, but the shadows had steadily receded with the light that was Adelaide. Now that she was gone? They came back with a vengeance.

My throat closed up, emotion clogging my airway.

Don't think. Don't think. Don't think.

I repeated that in my head until her face all but disappeared, swept beneath the metaphorical rug. Oh, I would for sure think of her. Later. In the safety of my own bedroom behind lock and key. There, I would allow myself to feel her absence as intensely as a blade stabbing through my chest. The only saving grace was the fact that she was alive and with the others.

They would look after her, protect my love with their own lives. It was moments like this when I was immensely grateful she had six other people who loved her. Six strong, passionate men who would move heaven and hell for her.

But they were wrong about one thing. They wanted - hell, half of them had even promised - to move mountains for her, but she didn't need that. Not really. Adelaide had the strength to move her own mountains as long as enough people believed in her.

The thought of my love made my heart thump wildly in my chest. The last few months had been a literal hell. No matter where I went, what I did, everything reminded me of her. I couldn't even look at a damn cat anymore without wanting to burst into tears.

Normally, I would've been scared at what others might have perceived as the loss of my masculinity, but I knew better. I was more of a man with her in my life than I was without it. The second I found her, and Iwouldfind her, I would fuck the shit out of her. Love her completely. Worship my queen.

The thought had my cock twitching in my pants.

Yes, I would show her what it was like to be loved by me.

If only some asshole hadn't scribbled over the coordinates…

She was here, somewhere, and I would search for her for the rest of my life. I knew Declan felt the same. He woke up every morning exactly at five and began his futile search. Scouring neighborhoods, inquiring with other travelers, marking walls with a code only the others would understand.

We slung our bags over our shoulders, each containing an assortment of cans and clothes, and headed for our van. Dusk had fallen, painting everything in a light gray and a raspberry red. The town we had looted was silent, still. Dead bodies littered the sidewalk and street.

The ride back was silent except for Tommy's constant chatter as he discussed a few comic books he had found in the grocery store. He knew Nik would love them.

We were fortunate enough that Tonya and Davis, good people, were willing to watch Nikolai during our trip. Normally, I would be hesitant about entrusting Nikolai in the hands of strangers, but I trusted them with my life. We had found them when we were at our lowest, and they, along with Tonya's brother, Jared, had taken us in and given us food and shelter.

We chose to stay in a house next door to them in an abandoned neighborhood. Not our preferred choice of home, but it was safe and cozy, albeit empty.

An hour turned into two and that turned into four. By the time we pulled up into our tiny, nondescript picket-fenced house, everything was plunged in darkness. Crickets chirped in the distance, and moonlight painted everything in a pale white.

Tommy snored in the backseat, and Declan absently stared out the window. Suddenly, his brows furrowed, the skin between them creasing. He patted my arm to get my attention.

I moved to turn on the interior light so I could sign to him, but he shook his head vehemently, pointing at something in the distance. No, not something. A car. Idling a few blocks over.

"Shit," I cursed, scrambling out of our own car. I hastily grabbed my gun out of its holster and checked to make sure the safety was off.

"What's going on?" Tommy asked groggily, voice laden with sleep.

"Stay in the fucking car," I hissed, though I doubted he would listen. Tommy seemed to have the mentality of breaking all my rules and then asking for forgiveness later. Sort of reminded me of Adelaide. It was no wonder the two got along like peas in a pod.

Declan appeared at my side, his own gun raised. Silently, I pointed towards the wall beside the door, and Declan immediately pressed himself against it. Moonlight illuminating my face, I began to count backwards from three silently. When I got to zero, I kicked down the door, and Declan ran inside, gun raised.

I followed after him, painfully aware that Tommy was behind me carrying his sword, the little shit.

There was the sound of startled gasps, a cry, and then I ran face first into Declan's broad back.

"What the fuck?" I roared, despite knowing he wouldn't hear me. I finally glanced over his shoulder, my gun held firmly in my hands.

The first thing I saw was Tonya, Davis, and Jared all tied up to our dining room chairs, gags in their mouths and expressions positively livid.

And then I saw…

My mouth opened, closed, and then opened once more.

Asher and Tam stood behind them, each holding a gun and pointing it at their heads. Ronan and Ryder sat on the couch opposite them, their eyes comically wide as they stared at us.

Lastly, my eyes rested on the most beautiful person in the world. My light. My love. My fucking queen.

Her gaze was bouncing from me to Declan and then to Tommy, unsure of who to focus on. Those beautiful blue orbs of hers were bright with unshed tears. The knife she was holding clattered to the floor.

Time slowed and then stood still.

Only one word left my lips, a desperate plea. I almost pinched myself in fear that I was dreaming. It would not be my first Adelaide dream.

"Addie?"

* * *

Addie

There was a feeling you get when you knew your life was going to change astronomically.

Where you were standing in a darkened room, unaware of your surroundings, and suddenly a light was flipped on. The change was instantaneous. The darkness receded to be replaced by...well...everything. Everything you didn't know you were missing.

As my gaze volleyed back and forth from Fallon's piercing eyes to Declan's wide ones to even Tommy's haunted ones, I knew this was my moment. My change. The moment when everything was flipped sideways, upside down, through a damn twister.

I didn't know who moved first, but suddenly Fallon's arms were around me. His face buried in my hair as he inhaled deeply, body shaking.

I had seen the big man pissed before, scared even, but never anything like this. Never as if the entire world had shifted, and he was hanging onto the edge by only the tips of his fingers.

He was whispering into my hair, and I could've sworn I heard the words "my queen" repeated like a mantra.

Suddenly, I was ripped away from Fallon and turned to face Declan. Ducky. Tears fell from his eyes, softening his features. He pulled me to him, holding me close, as if any second I would slip through his fingers like fine grains of sand.

He rocked me back and forth in his arms, not releasing me even as Fallon rejoined us, his hard body resting against my back. His lips moved to my neck, light kisses creating a decadent pathway.

Soon, we would be putting on a nice show for our prisoners.

And I wanted it. I wantedthem. The need was nearly more forceful than anything else, a train with no brakes barreling towards a cement wall.

But…

I wrenched myself reluctantly from Fallon and Declan's arms, stepping backwards to orient myself. Phantom tingles raced up and down my arms as my skin remembered the feel of theirs pressed against mine.

"Tommy?" I whispered hoarsely, brokenly, glancing towards where I had last seen him. My heart froze when I saw he was no longer there.

Until he walked through the front door, his hand clasped with a younger boy with light brown hair and large headphones around his neck.

"He was staying next door with the neighbors. The neighbors you, by the way, tied up and assaulted," Tommy said dryly, but there were tears of relief in his eyes and a wide smile on his face.

Nikolai glanced up at me, eyes widening slightly, almost imperceptibly, before he ventured one step forward.

Now, I couldn't keep in the desperate sobs that escaped me. My brother. My little brother.

Standing in front of me.

Alive.

Unharmed.

Safe.

I knew he hated physical contact, but I couldn't stop myself from lunging at him, arms encircling his thin waist. He stiffened immediately before hesitantly holding me back. That stunned the hell out of me, but I was too lost in my own emotions to focus on that novelty.

"Nik," I sobbed into his hair. His arms left my waist, but he didn't pull away as I clung to him, crying.

I cried until my eyes were red and raw. I cried when Fallon and Declan both crowded me, as if they couldn't bear to be separated from me even for a moment longer.

I even cried when Tamson and Asher sheepishly released our prisoners.

Somehow, those tears turned into a drowsiness, dark curtains being drawn closed. I was aware of someone holding me to them, my body being lifted like a bride entering her new home.

And then, I was aware of nothing.