Awakening (2 book series)
Awakening – Following Fate Chapter 118

"Colton wanted us to stay put. Near the entrance until they get here." Radar warns but Sierra shakes her head.

"If Juan really is hiding in here like some deranged coward then we might put a stop to this if we drag him out and throw him to Varro ourselves. Isn't that why he's here? Look around, does this seem like the set up a sane Juan would have?" She splays one palm wide to gesture our surroundings and Radar only dodges her and shrugs. That stubborn in him only adhering to orders.

We all stand quiet for a moment, even Carmen pauses her typing as we throw one another looks. All human now as we stand in this small open doorway and narrow hall and the witch who has been pensive breaks the silence.

"From a magical perspective. The air is strange, and it does seem that living energy is faint and few. If he's here, he doesn't have many men left with him and he's certainly not down here." It's almost like she's agreeing with Sierra and Radar seems to hesitate. His aura getting bristly because he doesn't like being questioned.

"Less than half a dozen, on the upper floors. Changes nothing." He grits his teeth and then looks away, a strange expression on his face. One of his gifts is replaceing bodies at distance, even through walls and I guess from the second we got in here he pinpointed where all the dangers lurked. I know he's being cautious and wants to protect us as Colton ordered and I understand this is how he is.

"There's more of us than them. We can do this. You know where they are." Sierra turns to him with a pleading expression and like always he lowers his head to avoid her gaze. His face flushing with some color because he doesn't want to argue with his Rema and he definitely will never disobey her son.

"With due respect Rema, the Alpha told us to say by the entrance and to disable the audio tone. We are not going further in." He turns his head away, stiff and pointed in tone and I know how much he must be hating saying No to her. Sierra digs her heels in though and that flash of fierce shows face as she tries to bring her small frame nearer to his tall height, her eyes ambering out.

"I trump the alpha's commands when he isn't around, and the only one who can say no right now is my Luna.... Whom I doubt will do so." She smiles with a wicked and almost smug expression and throws me a raised brow as though challenging me to deny her. I swallow hard, eyes flickering from Radar's bowed head to the witch and then Sierra as I feel cornered about how to answer. My throat instantly dry with the pressure to say something.

"Sierra, I don't..." I make a feeble start to reason with her, not sure about what we should do but she isn't backing down.

"I'm going to look, so either come with or don't. I'm not afraid of that man anymore and I'm not without my own talents. Besides, Leyanne will come, right?" she nods to the witch, makes a move to step around him and Radar explodes. He catches her by the shoulder and pushes her back enough to make her step back inside again.

"Over my dead body!! You stay with the Guards and you stay by my side! I'm not even joking with this bullshit. He's up there, whether sane or not, armed or not.... you stay put and do what the alpha told you to do! There's no arguing with this, or me.... Do as you're told!" His voice booms crazily loud, his tone enough to make even me tremble and all of us flinch. I think it's the first time I have ever seen Radar lose his temper in such an explosive way, with a ripping growling tone that puts the fear of god into all of us. Sierra turns her face away refusing to engage with the death glare he throws her way and I blanche at the irony of this. The first time his direct look at his Rema is in anger while she sulkily looks elsewhere.

"We should look around even a little. To secure the ground floor at least." I try weakly to diffuse the sudden tension with a soothing hushed voice, dampening the sparking air around us and Radar softens slightly. Instant submission as he regrets his outburst, and I can almost taste his apology in the air. He nods and then bows my way, returning to respectful sentinel. Knowing that he shouldn't disregard my request.

"I'll take three and do a sweep while you all stay here hemmed in with the rest to stay safe, Luna. You go nowhere but right here while we scope the floor." Radar commands and I nod, even though I'm the one who should be issuing orders. I'm already tired and uptight and I know Colton will explode if I disobey what he told me to do. "You three...come." Radar clicks his fingers at the wolves standing furthest out from the door and motions them to follow. Fast to do something because I think he needs some breathing space to calm down. The others split apart to let him leave and they disappear without a backwards glance into the darkness, transforming to wolf like giant dark silhouettes in the hallway as they go silently.

As soon as they are far enough away to not hear us anymore, Sierra turns to me with a defiant gleam in her eye, determination ebbing my way. Her posture strong and upright and her eyes are glowing with orange fire. "Let's go. Radar means well but he can't stop us from doing this. Juan needs to be found and thrown to the enemy as soon as possible." Sierra pushes past me, marching towards the door and despite coming face to face with a wolf blocking her path she faces them down with ferocity. Carmen freezes and turns her head to stare, while Leyanne smirks and shrugs at the sudden show of psycho Sierra. I exhale loudly my head beginning to ache and wonder how I ended up with a mother-in-law who has a sudden death wish. "Move or suffer." She snaps at the nearest wolf and I know Radar made a wrong choice in picking his three men. He left behind those who won't stand up to a Rema or Luna and I know I better pick a side. One word from me and they won't argue. They know better. I falter, seeing the anger growing in Sierra but the witch pushes me forward and I know I'm at a loss. Sierra is right and my confidence is knocked from what happened in the forest. I'm hesitating because of the babies in my belly and knowing I cannot turn. "Come on...with me you're safe. Maybe we can end this quickly." Leyanne's voice seems to entwine inside of me like a warm hug and I am calmed with her warm touch on my arm.

I'm pushed forward to Sierra's side, no more thought required, and with a click of fingers the wolves move, although I know they are immediately linking Radar to report this, so we better run.