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I’ve never been so grateful to see a familiar face in my entire life.
The girl—Talia—twists her mouth into a sneer, but she does step aside. Ayden walks us into the building, but I don’t track him. I’m busy checking the narrow corridor we’re standing in, looking for threats. “Ignore her. She doesn’t like anyone, including me.” He pauses in front of me, a smile tugging at his lips, which earns him a growl from Jackson.
“Don’t test him,” I warn, but there’s no heat in my words. Ayden’s a kid, and I’m not interested in him that way, though my wolf enjoys Jackson’s possessiveness.
“I can’t help it. It’s so easy.” He starts to walk up the corridor. “Come with me.”
I tighten my grip on Jackson’s hand as we follow Ayden, who rambles on about the other guys at the door. I don’t listen, focusing on the massive hall we step into instead.
There are tables lining every available space, almost like a mess hall. At the back is a large kitchen area, and away from the tables is what looks like a fighting area. There are pairs grappling each other on mats, and the hum of power sits as heavily in the air as the drone of conversation.
The white-haired man may be building an army, but in this moment, it feels as if we have joined our own military force. Everything about this feels organized and well-prepared.
Ayden leads us over to the middle of the room, and I spot Callum sitting alone at one of the long tables. He glances up as we approach, eating something from the tray in front of him.
“Morning. I hope your accommodation was satisfactory.”
“I could have done with a few more pillows,” Sawyer quips, ignoring the look his brother shoots him.
Callum laughs, though. “I’ll be sure to send some over later.” He gestures in front of him. “Please, sit.”
No one moves, so I take the initiative, swinging my leg over the bench and dropping onto it. Jackson is with me instantly, my shadow as always. After a moment, the others do the same, and Callum offers Tessa a granola bar, still in the wrapping.
She hesitates before taking it, and when she does, she clutches it in her fingers, not opening it. Callum frowns.
“I understand the suspicion, but it’s not necessary. It’s just granola. Figured the kid might need some sustenance. The doc’ll see you in an hour or so. She was on a mission last night, or she’d have come then.”
“Thanks,” Tessa says, unwrapping the bar and taking a huge bite.
“It’s a hell of a setup you have here,” Cade notes.
“We’re fighting fire with fire. Going after an organization that has massive resources requires a certain level of discipline.”
That I can believe. For years, the Order has hunted our kind meticulously. Callum’s approach might seem overkill, but I understand it. When you’re facing a fight with a dragon, the best way to defeat it is to bring your own.
“How long did it take you to set all of this up?” Abel asks.
He has positioned himself behind Tessa, standing in case anyone attacks. His hands rest on her shoulders as his eyes scan the room.
“And how much money?” Sawyer whistles under his breath. “This must have cost a fortune. Do you have a sugar daddy? Won the lottery? Let me guess, you’re a trust-fund kid.”
Callum seems amused by Sawyer’s antics, which is a relief. The vargr wolf can be irritating. He never knows when to shut his mouth, and although he lost some of that spark when he and Roux were trying to find their way, Jackson assures me he is completely back to normal now.
I can’t imagine him being somber. In the time I have known Sawyer, he has always had this larger-than-life personality, and although it comes out at the wrong time, I do appreciate the way he diffuses a situation.
“Everyone here contributes.”
“So it is a cult,” Apryle whispers.
Callum stares at her as if she’s lost her mind. “No, we’re just a bunch of survivors trying to keep breathing.” He glances at Ayden, who shifts his shoulders.
“I can see the cult link. I mean, look around, Cal.” Callum scans the room before blowing an irritable breath.
“Don’t you start.”
Ayden grins, and when he speaks, he addresses Apryle. “I promise you no one is being sacrificed on the full moon.”
“And we’re not fanatics about anything other than living our lives without fear,” Callum adds with a glare at the teenager.
