"What the hell, Ray? I've lapped you twice now," Ronan practically shouted in Rayne's ear Monday morning during their usual run.

Rayne subconsciously pushed her legs harder at his observation, but she knew, like he knew, that her heart wasn't in it for the day. No matter how many times she willed herself to go faster, to push her legs harder against the grassy terrain and move her arms to push her body forward, her mind was too distracted to follow through with it.

It had been three days since her father brought Jarrah to their pack.

And according to the rumors, it was three days of failure. He refused to talk, refused to eat, and refused to heal. She hadn't been down to the dungeon room since the day they put him in, but according to Ronan, from what his father Declan had told him, he wasn't in the best shape with those iron clamps on his body.

So, it was no surprise that during their much-needed run, that was all she could think about. Which then slowed her down and inherently made Ronan notice her downfall. She deserved it for training while distracted.

"Sorry," Rayne breathed, slowing her feet to a walk. They hadn't been running for long—maybe an hour at best, but she usually lapped Ronan, not the other way around. "I'm just not feeling it today."

Ronan slowed down beside her, quirking a tawny-colored brow at her. "You always want to train. Hell, I'm the one who has to convince you that you need a day off."

"I know," she agreed, biting her lip. She wove her brown hands together over her stomach and tried not to overthink her thoughts, but she was too good at that. All she could picture was the King of Fae dying because of his conditions and she hated how much that bothered her. Rayne's kryptonite had always been caring for others. Sometimes too much.

Ronan's lips tugged up into a wry smirk that made Rayne want to punch him in his pretty face. "Could it have something to do with a certain fairy-in-shining armor?"

"Please, do us both a favor and don't call him that again."

"Well, does it?"

"I—no."

"Hmm," he said, unconvinced. He wrapped a hot arm around her shoulders and tucked him close to her. "Ray, I've known you since we were in diapers. Dads were best friends, remember? You really think you can lie to me?"

When you put it that way . . .

"Fine . . . yes," she mumbled.

Ronan's smile was wide and brilliant. "Knew it!"

"I just feel bad," she admitted, moving out from under his arm. "He's not eating, he's not healing, and he's still refusing to talk. I don't think my dad's very much help."

"And you think you could be?" He wasn't mocking her that time; he was genuinely curious.

"Maybe?" Her half-hearted answer wasn't convincing to even her own ears. "I don't know. Maybe he just needs someone to be nice to him."

"Be nice to him?" Ronan asked, puzzled. "That's your big plan? We took homeboy away from his people and shoved him in a dungeon with prison food. Not to mention our groups aren't exactly allies and can give two shits about each other."

"Then what's your big idea, genius?"

"Don't ask me! I'm not the one who's next in line to be alpha. You figure it out."

Rayne didn't resist slapping his arm that time. "This is for the good of the pack, if he's supposed to help us defeat Am—"

"Yeah, yeah," Ronan cut her off before she could finish the name. And he had a right to hate the name.

Ambrosius was older than time itself. Not only was he an ancient vampire, but he was known for decimating packs one by one. He loved the hunt; the torture of smaller packs knowing that he was coming for them next. Nothing killed the old bastard, and Alpha Vance's hope to kill him off was wearing thin with the continuous, climbing death toll among packs.

"The fairy man has lunch in thirty minutes, and I think it's Delta Jay's turn to feed him. If we get there now, I might be able to buy you a few minutes with him. He's easier to convince than dad to let you down there," Ronan said, reluctantly.

"A few minutes? I need more than that!"

He rolled his eyes. "Now would be the perfect time for you to be just as helpful, Ray."

She tilted her head thoughtfully, pursing her lips. "How about I hide on the side of the building and you go down with Delta Jay? Then when you guys come out, you distract Jay, and I'll sneak in from behind. Easy!"

Ronan's face contorted in disgust. "What? You seriously think I'm going to let you stay down there by yourself?"

"Ro, he's chained up with iron. Not to mention he's probably extremely weak right now without food or the forest. If you're that worried about it, then stay close by and time me. If I'm any longer than—I don't know, fifteen minutes—"

"Five," he argued.

"Five is too short. I need at least ten."

He groaned and rubbed a hand roughly down the side of his face. "Alpha Vance is gonna kill me."

"That's why we aren't going to tell him. Now, ten minutes. Take it or leave it."

He hesitated. "Fine. If you aren't out of there in ten minutes, then I'm going in there and pulling your ass out. All while I'm calling Alpha Vance to rip you a new one."

Rayne narrowed her eyes, but reluctantly agreed to his terms. "If you want to snitch, that's fine with me. Now let's get you down there before Jay starts his rounds."

Ronan grimaced and followed behind his future alpha like a faithful beta. He didn't have to go along with her ludicrous plan, but she knew he did it anyway because they loved each other like family. Whatever one wanted, the other would give it, bad idea or not. Amira was close with Rayne too and sometimes followed that protocol, but she wasn't as close to her as Ronan was.

And for times like then, Rayne was really fucking thankful she had a Ronan Brooks in her life.