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“No,” Eric finally said. He stepped forward, raising his voice to address whoever might be lurking behind him. “Wedon’t plan on waiting at all.”
Bill didn’t even have time to react as the second intruder made himself known. They took their time approaching, partially hidden behind the trees.
This is it,he thought grimly. So much for Loren’s plan—apparently, the Eislanders didn’t want to cooperate. Oh well. He wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Growling low in his throat, he crouched, intending to invoke the shift, while he observed his opponent from a distance. Their eyes were the first thing he saw clearly.
But theirhazelhue caught his attention.
Abruptly, he stood upright and lowered his head with the minimal amount of respect he could muster. “Loreck Eislander.”
Stepping into full view, the man didn’t return the gesture, and Bill feared that Lukka was the least of his problems. He was dressed in a similar ensemble as his beta, his dark hair unbound, his steps firm with unmistakable strength.
“So, you are William McGoven,” the Alpha said, his voice a guttural baritone. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”
It was a good thing, then, that Bill could think of several. Regardless, in the end, he decided to state just one.
“I am the mate of your heir. The daughter you abandoned.”
36
Sonia lived among a lonely stretch of trees, along what appeared to be the edge of the territory. Her small cabin looked peaceful, nestled in a pool of growing moonlight. For all intents and purposes, it resembled McGoven’s farm haven in New Walsh, isolated from any prominent structures.
“Let’s get inside,” Sonia suggested, unlocking the front door. “It looks like we have company.”
Loren looked over her shoulder. Kyle had kept his word, it seemed. Farther down the road, three men remained at a distance, just watching.
Waiting.
As she followed Sonia inside, she was surprised to find that the interior was much smaller than even Fred Connors’ house—though way more lived in, with delicate homey touches. With every new observation, it was harder to contain her surprise. Bill told her once that the pack territory was deceptively normal. He hadn’t been lying. All in all, the cabin contained the same amenities any house in New Walsh might have. The only noticeable difference was that everything was made of wood, from the furniture to the floor.
Sonia flitted about the small living room and made a show of closing every window and drawing the curtains closed. Only then did she face Loren with a heavy sigh.
“What are you doing here, really? Goodness, we’re just lucky I had the window open and caught your scent in time to intervene.” Her voice sounded hoarse. “Is Bill… Is he?”
“He’s okay,” Loren said tactfully. “He’s issued a challenge scheduled to take place tomorrow night. I am his…witness.”
The term still felt strange on her tongue, but Sonia reacted to it instantly.
“You? Tomorrow?” She exhaled and sank onto a couch with a wooden frame. “My God. He’s really going through with it.” Her tone was a restrained mixture of hope and fear—but Loren didn’t miss the way those blue eyes warily took her in. “I was praying he would go through with it. But still… Lukka won’t take this lying down. I’m surprised Bill even let you go. He must be furious.”
Loren bit her lip, unsure of how much to reveal. In the end, she settled on a vague explanation. “I ran from him. But he was worried about you. He was afraid Lukka might have hurt you.”
Sonia scoffed. “I’d like to see him try. Though he has had my every move watched. I’m sure if you look carefully, you’ll note a handful of his men lurking beyond the tree line.”
She approached the nearest window and withdrew a sliver of the curtain. The road was now clear, and nothing of substance stood out from the swaths of emerald forest. Not at first. As if on cue, however, a man appeared in a gap between two trees without bothering to hide.
“You see? Though, if you’re here… Bill is serious.” Sonia’s eyes widened, and she raked a trembling hand through her hair. “Well, then it looks like I can’t let you out of my sight. Come on. I’ll get you something clean to wear at least—” She darted down a hallway and reappeared with a pile of folded clothes. “Get dressed. Then I’ll fix you something to eat, and we can try to figure out how the hell to get out of this mess.”
“That’s the thing,” Loren said cautiously. “We already have a plan. Mine.”
“Oh?” Sonia raised an eyebrow, but it wasn’t obvious if she were skeptical or intrigued. “Well then, we definitely need to talk. The bathroom is down the hall. Take your time.”
Loren followed her directions and entered the modest room. With trembling fingers, she gripped the edge of the sink, and for a second—just one—she let the mounting doubts creep in.
She was too weak. Without Bill, what could she do?
Even as she indulged the fear, she remembered his strength. His heat. His body against hers…
