Page 56 of Israel

Chapter 21

Ashley felt like death warmed over the next morning. Even waking up in Israel’s arms didn’t take away the bone-deep ache in every muscle.

She’d almost shifted last night.

She didn’t understand it. The binding collar was supposed to keep that from happening. It was supposed to make it impossible for her animal to come out, whether Ashley wanted her to or not.

What the hell was going on here?

She sent another, panicked message to Aunt Genevieve. She’d sent one three days ago, after she’d finally admitted to Israel—and to herself—that she was in love with him.

If any woman had power in her family, it was Aunt Genevieve. If there was a way Ashley could be with Israel without getting both of them destroyed, Aunt Genevieve would know.

And she might know what to do about the binding. Because if the necklace was failing—if there was no way to keep her animal contained—then it was all over. The family would have her locked away before sunset.

Before she could even say goodbye to Israel.

He was planning a fancy date for them tonight. Ashley didn’t really feel like going out—she felt more like sleeping for a week—but she couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing him.

This last few days had been hard on him, in so many ways. His wolf needed physical affection, and he needed her love and trust. And he was getting nothing but silence, worry and heartache. He didn’t deserve that.

The least she could do was accept the love he was trying to show her by planning a nice evening. Like normal people.

And then take him back to the hotel and wrap herself around him and make love to him until they fell asleep from exhaustion.

Israel walked down the hotel hallway, checking things off his mental to-do list. Dinner reservations. Formal suit rented from the hotel. Chocolates for Ashley. He’d decided against flowers—even if none of them were purple, flowers were kind of a mood-killer at the moment.

He rounded the corner and approached Trevor Madison, who was standing guard outside Ashley’s door. “Everything okay?” he asked. “How’s Ashley doing?”

Trevor froze. “Isn’t she with you?” he asked.

Israel dropped the bag with the chocolates and shoved Trevor up against the wall before he could think. “What the hell did you do?”

“Nothing.” Trevor’s eyes flashed gold and he growled. He was wolf, too, and pissed. “She said she was going to meet you in the lobby. Nobody told me she wasn’t allowed to leave.”

Israel let him go and grabbed Ashley’s room key out of his pocket, swiping it and shoving the door in. The room was quiet—undisturbed.

He started rooting through her belongings, furious terror surging through him. Had the stalker lured her out of her room somehow, with a false message?

Or had she gone to meet her contact without him? Why had he ever agreed to that?

Oh, fuck, he knew why. He’d never planned to let her go alone. He’d planned to talk her into letting him go too, or at least following her, and risking her anger.

She’d taken her phone, and there were no suspicious emails on her computer. No physical notes he could find, nothing in the garbage to suggest where she’d gone.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Trevor had helped him search the room, and was now waiting for instructions.

“Find out if she took any of the tour rental cars,” he said. “Or a taxi.”

“On it,” Trevor said. “Do you think it’s him? Should I notify Harrison?”

Israel rubbed his hand over his hair. “Give me ten minutes,” he said. “Just run down the transport, okay?”

“Right away.” As Israel headed for the connecting door to his own room, Trevor added, “Sorry, man. I dropped the ball.”

“Not your fault,” Israel said. “Sorry about—you know. In the hall.” Trevor waved away his apology and got on the headset.