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I slip silently out of the bed and move cautiously. There must still be lights on in the hall because I see the shadow of a figure lurking outside the door. The little hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up and an odd sensation hits me.
Wolf. There’s a wolf right outside the bedroom.
My hands start to glow. “What the—“ I slam my mouth closed. The words were barely a whisper, but I can see the shadow outside the door stop moving. If the wolf didn’t know there were people in here before, it does now.
I try desperately to do something—anything—with the glow that’s unfurling from my hands, brightening the space in front of me like a nightlight. It feels like I should have some kind of control over it, but there’s nothing. No matter how intensely I try to manipulate the light, it frustratingly seems to have a life of its own.
With an impulsivity that’s not like me at all, I jerk the door open and come face-to-face with our intruding wolf.
It isn’t a shifter I recognize. As my body floods with fear, the power radiating off of me reacts on my behalf. But just as it starts to lash out toward the wolf, an arm wraps around my waist and jerks me back. Instinctively, I touch that arm to try to push it away, but the big body behind me jolts, and my eyes widen with nervousness and a touch of embarrassment as I realize what I’ve done.
“Shit. Fuck.” Paxton grunts like he’s in pain, and the light mercifully vanishes, thrusting us back into darkness. “What the fuck are you doing, Callie? No wolves in the fucking house.”
He keeps me plastered to his chest as he shifts to flick the light switch on the wall. I blink against the harsh, sudden light to find there’s no longer a wolf staring at me. The curly haired shifter smiles sheepishly at me from human form.
“I, uh, guess we had the same idea about a safe house.” She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. “I freaked out when I saw a Jeep I didn’t recognize sitting out front. Leah never has guests. And then I smelled someone unfamiliar, and I figured my wolf had a better chance of keeping me safe.”
She barely finishes speaking before she bursts into tears.
I pull away from Paxton thinking, since he obviously knows this girl, that he’ll comfort her, but he stands there looking dumbstruck. When he starts to reach out, it’s only to try pulling me back to him.
Jerk.
Since apparently he’s not going to, I step forward and wrap this stranger in my arms, rubbing comforting circles across her back. “Hey, it’s okay. Anyone might have made the same mistake; I’m glad you thought to do what made you feel safe. No harm done.”
She shudders in my arms, and for some reason, I get the sinking suspicion there’s more to her upset than what just happened. It makes my spine stiffen defensively, my protective instincts creeping out.
“Are you in danger?” I pull away just enough to look her in the eyes.
“My—“ She can’t seem to get the words out but the anguish on her face gives it away. I know that kind of pain.
“Did something happen to your pack?” I can’t bring myself to ask if something happened to her mate. It hits too close to home. It hurts too bad.
Paxton finally seems compelled to act, his footsteps falling with heavy thuds on the hardwood floor as he moves to wrap his arms around Callie. And since I’m already holding her, he simply wraps his arms around us both. I hate that for a split second I can’t help but think how safe it makes me feel to be cocooned by him like this.
“She doesn’t have a pack,” he explains. To her he asks, “Where’s your crew? Where’s Baylor?”
She buries her head in the crease of my neck. “It was all a trap.” Her words are barely more than a whisper, and they don’t make any sense to me. Paxton goes rigid against us, though, so I know it means something to him.
“Did anyone follow you?” he demands, his voice suddenly harsh even though he doesn’t let go of her.
“No,” She whimpers. “They were all headed for that place in the woods you used to stay. I’m sorry.”
“Dammit, Callie.” Now he does release her, taking me along with him.
What the hell is going on?
He pulls me hard into his chest and wraps his arms so tightly around me I have to gasp for air before he loosens them to something closer to reasonable.Callie hangs with a group of rogues that were talking about linking up with some other rogues. Instead, it sounds like they trapped her into trying to give us away. The only reason they would come looking for me was if they were really looking for you. Someone must know I have you or assume I know how to get to you. I wasn’t exactly secretive about you being my mate while I was with Callie and her crew.
I’m still having a hard time following. Why would anyone assume I’m with Paxton instead of safely with the Sovereign Pack where I’m supposed to be? Just how many people has he involved in this whole charade?
I shake off my bitterness and try to focus on present concerns. I still don’t understand why Paxton seems so upset with this woman. It isn’t her fault someone would target her to get to him.So she sent them in the wrong direction and came to warn you?I suggest, waiting for him to fill in the blanks.
No.We both turn our heads, glancing at the emotional shifter standing in the doorway with her head buried in her hands as she sobs loudly. I can’t believe Leah hasn’t come to see what’s going on.Callie would never have guessed I would come here. I’ve always respected Leah’s choice to be alone. She sent them to a cabin I use as a safehouse thinking we would really be there.
Now I’m the one who goes rigid.I don’t understand. Why would she do that? And who is she?
My sister.He grinds his teeth so hard I’m worried he’ll chip one.
