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“Shut up,” he grunts, trying hard not to smile, determinedly returning to ignoring me.
I groan and throw my hands up in the air. Drifting to the front window, I stare at the house across the road. Carla’s in there, I know it. I haven’t picked up her scent outside, but if she has been kept indoors since she arrived, it would have completely faded by now. Scanning the dark trees stretching skywards behind the property, I try to work out how far of a run it would be from the decrepit house back to Grey Ridge.
If I could help her escape, would Marcus’s brother be willing to help her, too?
“Don’t even think about it.” Dave doesn’t look up but he knows where my mind has drifted. “Leon will kill you both if you even think of going over there. She’s okay, for now.”
“For now” isn’t good enough.
“What does he want with her?” I’m speaking to myself as much as Dave and he pins me with a glare.
“Don’t ask questions if you don’t want the answers.” Dave stands angrily and moves to the bar, placing his mug on the counter. “Worry more about yourself. Do you really think he’s going to let you walk out of here?”
He’s trying to scare me, but it won’t work. I have no doubt that Leon won’t let me go willingly. He’s happy to use me to get rid of Lucia, but then I’m a liability. He won’t want any loose ends.
“Hmm. You know that already, don’t you?” Dave stares at me, trying to work me out while I steadfastly refuse to yield to the weight of his glare.
“I’m going to lie down for a while. And no, you can’t join me,” I say, holding a finger up to shush him when his eyes light up.
Back in my dingy bedroom, I’m restless. I came here to find out what’s going on, and I’ve gotten all but nowhere. Eyeing the window and the drop to the porch overhang below, I’m contemplating whether it could take my weight when there’s a gentle rap on the door.
Pulling it open, I’m surprised to see Billy. He’s tense, and his eyes dart side to side as he motions for me to follow him down the narrow hallway.
Tip-toeing into what must be Billy’s room, I close the door softly behind me. My wolf isn’t happy being in such a small space with another man, let alone a bear who could easily overpower us, but he’s the only person I can trust.
“Here.” Billy removes a solid brick of a phone from the inside pocket of his leather jacket and gestures for me to take it from his hand.
My heart pounds as I resist the urge to snatch it. Raising an eyebrow at my lack of enthusiasm, he shrugs off his jacket and sits on the end of the bed to take off his boots. “You don’t want it?”
“Of course, I want it.” Keeping my hands at my sides, I watch him closely. “Why?”
Billy drags his hands back through his dark hair and sighs, resting his elbows wearily on his knees.
“Because it’s about time I stood up to him. I won’t let him do to that wolf what he did to the first one.” He gets a faraway look in his eyes, shuddering and shaking his head. “And because if I want a life away from this place, it might be a good idea not to let the one person Marcus told me to keep safe be taken, tortured and murdered by Leon.”
“It might be a bit late for that,” I comment. With a wry smile, Billy stands and pulls his t-shirt off, revealing a broad expanse of chest, bulging with muscles.
“You can’t keep it; he’ll definitely search you again before you leave for the conference. You have ten minutes; Ethan’s new number is already in there.” Stepping back, he holds out his t-shirt to me and I frown. “Put it on. My scent will give you a reason for being in here if anyone stops by.”
Spinning to face the wall, I clutch the phone and hold it to my chest like it’s a lifeline - while Billy shucks his trousers. My gut clenches when I think of how coldly Ethan acted in the bar, but then I remember that glimmer of heat when he saw me wearing his chain. Clinging to the knowledge that he’s a good guy, and that he’s smart, while he might be hurt, he should understand why I’m here.
While there has to be hope left for us, the most important thing is to keep everyone safe.
When I hear the bathroom door shut, and Billy turning on the shower, I sit slowly, fingers shaking as I start a text message to my mate. What the hell am I going to say?
44
ETHAN
Back in my room, I drop the brown bag of homemade beers onto the table and flop into an armchair.
Escorted to my room by Trent and George, I still haven’t had the opportunity to deliver the doctor's note to Alpha Anderson, and I’m more and more anxious by the minute knowing it’s likely something urgent.
When I open my door, George glares at me from his position casually leaning against the far wall. Pretending not to be annoyed by the fact that I’m practically a prisoner here, I smile at George.
“Could you tell Joseph I need to see him?”
George grunts, but finally his eyes glaze over as he mindlinks the beta. Nodding in thanks, I duck back inside and pace the room. I can’t settle. I’m missing something massive here. Lucia is planning an attack and will make it look like it was all Leon’s doing. Maybe there’ll be some rogue members of her pack involved, but nothing that can be linked directly back to her.
