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“You’re no longer needed,” Kyle said abruptly, addressing the other man accompanying them. “Get back to your post.”
The man acquiesced with a grunt, and Loren felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as he retreated.
Was history about to repeat itself?
As they rounded a bend in the road, a massive wooden fence came into view, distracting her from her fear. Now she saw why Bill had been so worried about drawing Lukka into the open. This barrier was formidable, almost as tall as the nearby trees. Like some winding part of the landscape, it wove into the forest, blending in seamlessly with the shadows.
Just as daunting, was the metal gate presumably serving as the entrance to the territory beyond. Nailed to its front was a faded sign, barely visible through the dark, that read,“Black Mountain National Reserve.”
That façade might have been easy to believe—especially to the average passerby—but two men stood on either side of the road, broadcasting alertness well beyond that of a typical park ranger. Tall, they cast long, lean shadows over the earth, bright eyes glowing.
“What’s going on?” one of them demanded. “Where is Lukka?”
“Open the gate,” Kyle commanded, avoiding the question. “Then go watch the border. Anyone approaches who isn’t one of us, you attack. No questions asked.”
Loren wondered if that were usual procedure before a challenge, though she tried not to let any doubt dissuade her.
“Yes, sir.” The man and his partner rushed to open the gate, grunting with the effort it took to move the heavy sheets of metal. Once finished, they cleared the road, allowing unfettered access to the land beyond.
“Welcome to Black Mountain,” Kyle said dryly.
As she peered over his shoulder, Loren was surprised to find only a gravel road stretching onward through a seemingly endless swath of trees. Already rushing to meet them, though, was a familiar figure whose appearance made her sigh in relief.
“Loren!” Sonia ran to them, panting with the effort. Her dark hair streamed behind her, her chest heaving as if she ran all this way for who knew how long. “What are you doing here?”
“Being rescued,” Kyle snapped. “What a lucky coincidence that you show up for the welcome party. I’m taking her to the main house. This doesn’t concern you, Carlisle—”
“Where is Bill? Is he—” Sonia seemed to stop herself from voicing the worst-case scenario. Her eyes couldn’t disguise her fear, however, and they darted nervously to the yawning landscape beyond the still open gate. “Where is Lukka? What’s going on?”
“You’re impeding official business,” Kyle replied. “Though I’m sure you and McGoven planned this down to the last detail. Ignorance doesn’t suit you. Now move.”
“No.” Sonia placed a hand protectively on Loren’s shoulder before Kyle could reach for her first. Thin and lithe, she easily slipped between them, a surprising match for the larger man’s bulk. “No matter what’s going on, there is no need to rile the entire pack and create a ruckus by parading a newcomer through the heart of the territory during supper. She can stay with me until Lukka can come for her himself. If he has a problem with it, he can tell me so in person.”
Kyle raised a reddish eyebrow, and Loren was sure he’d refuse. Instead, he nodded, displaying his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Fine. Have it your way. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll keep watch to make sure no one enters or leaves your cabin. Sleep tight. Tomorrow, we will make sure she’s protected during the challenge.”
“Challenge?” Sonia’s eyes widened, and she swayed as if struck. “You mean… Bill?”
Kyle laughed, pushing past her. “I suggest you stay in tonight, Sonia. Because if you or your guest leave, I’ll be watching. No need to cast doubt on tomorrow’s proceedings, right?”
Without addressing him, Sonia took Loren by the arm. Behind them, the doors to the gate rattled as the two men rushed to close them again.
“Come on. There’s no use worrying out here,” Sonia whispered above the clamor. “We should head to my cabin. There, we can talk, and you can tell me exactly what the hell is going on.”
Loren relented with a nod, allowing the older woman to guide her down the gravel road. The two men remained on the other side of the gate, and no one else was in view. Even so, she could sense countless pairs of eyes watching their every step.
If she’d been overly optimistic before, this moment reinforced that now was not the time to celebrate—and seeing this plan through would be nowhere near an easy feat to pull off.
She could only hope that Bill had evaded any tricks Lukka threw his way.
They would need all of his strength, and then some.
35
Letting her go was pure hell. Bill dug his heels into the earth to keep from following—right away, at least. Fear wasn’t what held him back—not even respect for the old laws that supposedly dictated Lukka couldn’t hurt her. It was respect for Loren alone that tempered him. After all, this washerplan.
He was merely along for the ride.
Though while he owed her his trust, he didn’t dare underestimate Kyle or Lukka one damn bit. They wouldn’t take this challenge lying down. As far as allies went, though, he didn’t have many options—which was where phase two of Loren’s plan came into play.
