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We wokeup early the next day. There was a box of trail mix bars in the pantry, and I grabbed a few of them, shoving them in my pockets. I found a pad of paper and a pen, and left the owner a note, apologizing for needing to borrow their home. I even made sure to shut everything off before we left. But after that, we had to keep walking. I knew Project Night Moon was more likely to find us in that cabin than anywhere else.
It was about midday, and I was starting to consider finding a place to rest when Bella pointed at something. I squinted through the trees, realizing after a moment that she was pointing at a small grove in the forest. A moment after that, I realized I’d seen it before.
This is where Eli and I…that was the night of Fiona Silverstreak’s birthday party! We must be near Remus’ house!
Adrenaline and hope flooded through me as I picked Bella back up, holding her a little closer to me. “Just hang on a little longer,” I told her, hurrying in the direction I was almost certain Remus’ ranch home was in. “I think our friends are nearby.”
12
ELI
Remus’ Ranch House
Travis County, Texas
Eight days.
Eight days.
I was pretty sure I was losing my goddamn mind. That was the only way I could explain being convinced to come to Remus’ house instead of staying in my own home. The same four walls that used to offer me comfort and security had started making me feel trapped. I’d probably paced a thousand laps around my house before my half-brother finally decided it was time for a change of scenery.
And I agreed.
That was how I knew it was bad. I didn’t feel like eating and I could barely sleep, but it was agreeing to the suggestion that finally tipped me off.
Even here, I didn’t feel any better. Slightly less trapped, maybe, but more out of place. It was a balanced trade off, which only added to my mounting frustration.
We’re letting Iris down.
Even with the information Mav was able to share with us, we hadn’t been able to find her. Remus had been trying to go through all the paperwork to determine where in Austin this facility could be, but we hadn’t found any undercover military operation within the city yet. My father had taken over the business and finance portion, leaving me to deal with what Iris had been working on: following up on who was found later and who wasn’t. Where they came from. If they were related to anyone else.
There was justso much.
Even worse, I wasn’t sure what the end goal would be. If we did discover where this military base was, what would we do? How much of the government was involved? How could we get Iris out without endangering every shifter within the Silverstreak territory?
I was flicking irritably through the pages when my phone rang. Seeing Maverick’s number flash on my screen, I silently excused myself, stepping out onto Remus’ back deck to pick up the call.
“Hello?”
“Hey. So they got back to me ‘regarding my application.’” I could almost hear Mav rolling his eyes.
I snorted. “And?”
“I’m in. But I have to start from the bottom up. I’m just some random recruit, remember? Some washed-out soldier.” He grunted. “I’m no closer to the facility, unfortunately.”
I sighed and shook my head. “You’ve already done a lot, Mav. You don’t need to join this mercenary band, too.”
He ignored me. “Something does seem wrong, though. Within the group. The Raven Brothers. The energy two days ago was weird, and it hasn’t been dispersed yet. I think either someone higher up has been eliminated, or something happened at the facility that’s put them at odds with whoever hired them.”
I bit back a groan. “Mav, seriously. Be careful,” I growled. “Don’t go poking around too much. You’re the new guy. Don’t give them a reason to be suspicious.”
Ryan’s blank skyward stare flashed across my mind’s eye. We’d sent him in to gather information, and look what happened. I knew Mav had significantly more training than Ryan, but the group he was getting into was no joke. They weren’t amateurs, and I didn’t want someone else’s blood on my hands. Especially Maverick’s.
“Yeah, yeah.” I knew he was shrugging me off. “I gotta go. I’ll update you again later.”
“Okay,” I sighed, but the line was already dead.
I shoved my phone in my pocket as the glass door slid open, revealing Luna. She stepped onto the back porch with a few plates in her hands, setting them down before sitting at the table on the deck. “Eli,” she said, wagging a finger at me. “Come eat.”
