Page 95 of Wolf It Down, Knot Me Up

Grayson glances back with a smirk as the guard turns the engine on again, which grunts and sputters, then dies.

He sits there for a moment, just staring at it, and we’re silent as fuck in the back seats. I’m rather pleased with myself.

“Fuck!” He climbs out of the driver’s seat and slams the door shut, then opens the hood.

“Whatever you two did,” Wolf whispers, “I fucking love you for it.”

Pride swirls in my chest, but this is just the start. We need to reach our Omega next.

After a long pause, the guard reappears from under the hood, chest rising and falling with each hurried breath, his neck muscles tense and throbbing. He’s on the phone, pacing away from the van, one hand animated. Once he hangs up, he walks over to our side and yanks open the door.

“Change of plans, fellas. The van’s dead, and it’s going to take two hours to get a tow truck and roadside assistance. Plus, it’s getting late, so for tonight, we’re going to stay in town.”

“Okay,” Wolf states. “Then why not return to the lodge? Plenty of space for all of us.”

He’s shaking his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I’ve been given instructions. We’re staying at the local motel we just passed a few blocks back. So grab your bags and let’s move,” he orders. “This town’s not done with you three yet, apparently.”

“I’m sure we’ll cope somehow,” Grayson adds sarcastically. We climb out with our duffel bags, and the late afternoon feels brighter as hope flares through my thoughts that we’ll see Lucy soon.

By the time we reach the motel, which has a line out the door, and get checked into our room, it’s two hours later. The first thing Wolf does is jump on the phone in the room and dial Lucy, but it keeps going to voicemail. We’re hoping she’s in the shower or fell asleep after the exhausting day, but we’ll keep trying.

The guard had to return to the van for the tow truck, and now we’re in the bar next door to the motel, enjoying a meal and drinks.

“So what the fuck are we going to do?” Grayson asks before taking a meaty bite of his burger.

I’m grazing on my fries as I devour my burger in seconds. Around us, the bar is dim and packed. Roman gulps down his beer, then digs into his meal. We’re starving, seeing as none of us have eaten since this morning.

“I don’t know,” I answer. “We’re in town, so we need a plan in case she doesn’t answer the phone.” I picture her being devastated, crying all alone, and I grind my back teeth at the image of her distraught.

“That’s easy,” Wolf states, smacking his lips. “Once the guard’s back and we settle in our room, we jump out those damn windows and catch a cab to the lodge. Hell, I’ll hike on foot if that’s what it takes.”

“Or we tell the guard,” I say, to which Wolf groans, rolling his eyes. Grayson just listens. “Hear me out. If we take off and get busted, then we’re back in prison and none of us will be seeing her for months. But if we plead our case to him, then⁠—”

“Nope, your scenario has already screwed us,” Wolf snaps. “You think that guy gives a shit about us or our situation? You heard him. He just wants to do his job, end of story.”

“Wolf’s got a point,” Grayson murmurs, and I fucking hate that they’re right.

“Fine, then what?” I pick at my fries as they both go back to eating their burgers, offering no solutions.

“Or, one of us heads over to her alone while the other two cover him. We return before the guard is clued in,” I suggest.

“And let me guess,” Wolf says. “That’s you?”

“It would make sense to send me. I am her marked Alpha.”

“Nah, shit plan.” Wolf scoffs, while Grayson laughs at his theatrics.

“I mean, the plan has merit. The priority is her safety, not our dicks,” Grayson says, glaring at both of us, and Wolf just shrugs.

I lift my gaze to the room to track down our server for another round of beer, when my attention catches on someone I recognize in the crowd. I squint for a better look, and there he is—fucking Ethan, alone at a table in the corner, drunk out of his mind. His table has half a dozen empty glasses, while he’s swaying on his stool.

“That fucking son of a bitch,” I growl. “I knew I’d seen him earlier at the grocery store.”

“Who?” Grayson asks, twisting toward my line of sight, Wolf doing the same. “Wait, is that Ethan?”

“He’s back in town?” Wolf asks.

“You know what? I’m starting to suspect that he never left.”