Annihilate (Hive Trilogy #3)(20)

A sound at the doorway drew my attention. Jayden, in all his Gucci glory.

I smiled. “Hey.”

He came and sat at the edge of the bed. “Hey.”

We were silent a moment and it felt weird. Things were happening fast and even though it would be for the better in the end, it was shitty now.

Jayden put a hand on mine and turned to me. “I’m going to stay back at the cabin with Becca. She’s going to need my bubbly personality to keep her company.”

I smiled. What he hadn’t said was that although Jayden could channel badass, like in the culling, he really wasn’t suited for camping and killing. Plus, he made a good point, Becca would need the company.

“I’ll keep an eye on Oliver,” I said, and all of a sudden Jayden’s eyes were leaking. He turned quickly and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

“I love you, Charlie Bennett. You’re the best thing that happened to me.”

Now my damn eyes were leaking! I didn’t like that he was saying goodbye; it was like we were back in the culling all over again. “Jayden, there are no words for what you mean to me.”

He pulled away then and wiped his eyes.

“Now for some good news,” he told me, and I raised one eyebrow.

My BAFF was bubbling over with excitement now and it had to be something good to change his mood so quickly.

He squealed. “Oliver just asked me to marry him, so after all this shit goes down … will you be my best man?”

My jaw dropped and laughter erupted out of me, along with pure joy. My eyes were filling again. “Of course I will!” We hugged for the second time and the moment was perfect. It gave us all something to look forward to, a happy event on the horizon. I would make a damn good best man.



The rest of the day passed rather quickly. The boys were planning every detail of how to get us to California and get word into the Hive to draw this guy’s brother out. Sam and Becca were taking runs of equipment up to the secluded cabin. She was relieved that Lupita’s family promised to keep an eye on the main lab, although she made them promise to lay low and avoid all strangers. She was going to be hard at work on the cure; we all decided that we’d bring her vamp test subjects back with us from the California Hive. Should give her enough time to have something to test.

I was sitting in the kitchen watching Jayden. He was busy cooking banana nut muffins to see us off with.

When the true darkness of night washed away the twilight it was time to say goodbye to Jayden and Becca. They were heading to the secluded cabin now; the sexy six and I would sleep one more night here and then take the chopper to Canada at the break of day tomorrow. Or whatever sprinkle of low light was masquerading as daybreak in this part of the world. Alaska was not only freezing, it was perpetually dark. Jayden was all packed up, his bags taking up the majority of the space in their snowmobile.

I was really just grateful that they would be safe there and that Becca would have the company of my best friend.

Jared, Markus, and Kyle said goodbye and then set out to patrol with the night vision goggles – scout around to make sure Becca and Jayden weren’t followed. Sam, Ryder, and I helped with their final bags, and Oliver and Jayden shared a sweet kiss in the corner of the outbuilding, saying goodbye.

Becca entered the room then, dragging a cooler behind her, and Sam met my eyes. Kiss her, you fucking idiot! I wanted to shout at him. But he just pursed his lips and then stalked over to take the cooler off her hands, barely making eye contact with her. Ryder was fiddling with his walkie-talkie as I crossed the large area and stood next to him.

“What’s Sam’s deal?” I whispered.

Ryder glanced over his shoulder at Sam, who was strapping down the water cooler, Becca watching him with sad eyes.

Ryder looked back at me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “He was a prisoner of war. They tortured him within an inch of his life, trying to ferret out secrets. Sam’s always been good at keeping secrets. He never broke, not even once.”

Oh fuck. I knew Sam had issues but I didn’t know it was that bad. Jesus.

Ryder looked proud of his friend. “He held out through the worst torture you can imagine. They were just about to kill him when the war ended and he was rescued. But it was already too late. He was a changed man and soon after turned ash. Now, even more so, he keeps secrets and is afraid to care too deeply. He would die if someone took Becca or targeted her just because of their relationship. The thing with Lupita’s family was a huge reminder of that.”

Shit. Knowing how loyal and honorable Sam was, he was never going to act on his feelings for Becca. He would protect her forever, when it was clear all she really wanted was his love.

Jayden was strapping himself into the driver’s seat of the snowmobile, so we walked over to say final goodbyes.

Sam awkwardly held up his hand in a fist bump. “Later, Becks.”

Becca’s whole face lit up at the nickname. “Bye, Samuel.”

They had hundreds of inside jokes after a lifetime of memories together. I suddenly felt it was my moral duty to crash their two heads together and force them to recognize the blazing love and adoration they had for each other, because we all saw it. Ah, but as always, the timing wasn’t right. So I walked over and gave Jayden a long hug. “I love you, bitch,” I told him.

Becca’s mouth quirked a little, but I could see she was getting immune to our cussing.