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Tess shakes her head. “She went alone. It’s time you realize something about my sister, Paxton. She does things alone because she doesn’t want to burden anyone else; it’s your job to make sure she doesn’t have to.”
Even though Tess is on the steps behind me, I can practically feel the heat of her stare on the back of my head. She blames me for this, and I can’t even be mad because I’m blaming myself too. If anything happens to Tasha…
“Stop slumping your shoulders and feeling sorry for yourself. Aren’t you the one who showed off what a badass fighter you are? Don’t you dare fall apart while my sister’s safety is on the line.” Tess jams her finger between my shoulder blades as she chastises me.
I wait until we reach the first floor landing before I whirl on her. “Stop fucking talking to me. I don’t want to speak another damn word to you until I have eyes on my woman.”
Her lips thin, but she wisely shuts up. Dimitri spares a backward glance as we both fall silent, but he doesn’t chime in either. The tension is so thick between the three of us that by the time we finally make it outside, I feel like I’m gasping to get enough air. This whole situation is my worst nightmare. I can barely think straight. I almost feel numb as I struggle to make sense of how this could have happened.
What changed in the library to send her running off to face our greatest danger alone?
“Hey, where are you all going?” Callie’s voice calls out uncertainly the moment Dimitri, Tess, and I reach Dominic by a waiting SUV.
When Tess hesitates, I growl out, “Go.” We don’t have time to stand around briefing everyone on the situation.
“Paxton?” The mix of uncertainty and fear in Callie’s quivering voice makes me feel like an asshole.
“Tasha left. We’re following.” I sound like a caveman. Callie’s eyebrows scrunch with confusion as her mouth falls open. I can tell she wants to ask more questions, but everyone else is already in the car. When the engine starts, I know I have about fifteen seconds before Tess probably convinces her mate to leave without me.
“Someone will explain later,” I grumble, not even sure she hears me as I jerk the back door open and slide into the seat just as Dominic shifts the SUV into drive. Tess turns in the passenger seat to pin me with a hard look.
“Relax, Tess. He didn’t know she would sneak off like this.” Dominic reaches out and puts his hand on her leg to try to soothe her. It takes a second, but slowly she turns around to face the front again without saying anything to me.
Beside me in the backseat, Dimitri chuckles under his breath. I struggle to find humor in any part of this.
The whole car descends into terse silence as Dominic hits the gas hard enough to cause the SUV to lurch. He drives fast as hell, which I appreciate, but the erratic driving does nothing to soothe my agitated nerves. If I thought I could compete with the speed, I would jump out of the car and shift. My wolf feels like he’s rattling inside a cage in my chest, desperate to get out and seek out our mate.
We’re speeding down the highway before anyone speaks again.
“One of your sisters brought something to Tasha’s attention this morning,” Dimitri says. He leans forward and retrieves something from between the two front seats. It’s the old, blue book that Tasha seems obsessed with.War and Warriors.
“I can’t read it,” I tell him gruffly when he tries to hand it to me.
“You don’t need to.” He shakes his head. “Open to the page that’s marked.”
There’s a slip of paper stuck more than halfway through the book. I flip it open and stare down at a black and white photo that sends a sharp pang through my chest. I recognize Tasha’s parents instantly since I tracked down a photo of them for Tasha when I was doing my best to court her while she was still with the Sovereign Pack. The other people don’t look familiar. I squint at the small line of text under the photo.
“Carlisle Langston. He’s related to this guy who’s been bothering us?” The guy is dressed in a suit and flashing a smug smile. He looks like the kind of person I would distrust on sight.
“His father, we believe.” Dimitri nods.
Dominic and Tess are silent in the front seat, but I notice Tess spares a wide-eyed glance at him like she’s surprised by something. They must be talking through their mind link, purposely leaving us out. I don’t question it because I’m not sure anything they might contribute right now will make me feel any better about this tenuous situation.
I turn my attention back to the photo. “Who’s the other woman? Shannon French Henry.”
Tess spares me a glance over her shoulder. “We’re not completely sure. We believe she might be related to someone Dominic and I had run-ins with a couple months ago. Maren French Henry.”
“What kind of run-ins?” I’m not sure why the hell any of this matters, but it’s not like I can do anything but gather information as long as we’re trapped in this car. It’s better than stewing in all the negative feelings that are boiling low in my gut.
“It’s been a mixed bag.” Tess’ voice lowers. “I’m honestly not sure if she’s a friend or foe. I…” She trails off.
“What? You what?” I’m tired of the fucking secrecy that seems to exist around these people.
“My parents kidnapped a young shifter when we were kids.” She sounds ashamed, but I don’t react. Tasha already told me about this. Tess continues, “I’m starting to suspect Maren French Henry might be that shifter.”
“You’re joking.” My voice is flat. Why can’t we survive one damn day without some new revelation? “Does Tasha know?”
“I’m not sure. When my parents took the girl, they mostly kept her hidden away. I didn’t mention much about her to Tasha because I didn’t want to freak her out, so I’m not sure if she’s come face-to-face with Maren herself. And Maren hasn’t come back around since the Anchorage Lake Pack was forced to fight my old pack.”
