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Eli hummed quietly, reaching across the table to take my hand in his. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “Right now, you are doing a very good job making sure she doesn’t end up back at that place,” he said quietly, lowering his voice and nodding in Bella’s direction. “It might not be ideal, but she is safe, and she is healthy. And more than that, we’re doing our best to make sure she’s happy, too, and that’s more than some parents can claim.”
I sighed softly, nodding a little. “But this isn’t forever.” I really hoped it wasn’t, at least.
“Once we solve the immediate problem,” Eli murmured, glancing at Bella again. I knew he was trying to avoid saying too much. We must have both been the type of kid to listen in on our parents — or foster parents. “We’ll make sure either someone in her pack can take her in, and if there isn’t anyone in her pack, we’ll find her a shifter family. She won’t end up in foster care, I promise. But first, we have to deal with the facility, Iris. There’s no use getting ahead of ourselves.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. I knew he was right. Thinking about the what ifs never helped me solve a case before, so there was no use starting now. “Okay,” I agreed, nodding as if I could cement that fact into my brain. “Okay.”
Eli gave me another squeeze and another little smile. “Besides, you aren’t alone. I’m here to take equal blame for it,” he teased, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “And I guess we can always call my dad and Remus. We can figure it out.”
I finally smiled, grasping Eli’s hand in return. “Thank you,” I said, and it didn’t feel like nearly enough.
Thank you for everything.
26
ELI
Remus’ Safe House
Travis County, Texas
My father stopped by later in the afternoon to bring us some groceries and coordinate our next move. I hadn’t heard from Remus again, so I assumed there wasn’t much to report as far as what happened to Billy yet.
My father hadn’t been at the house for more than five minutes before his cell phone rang, and he excused himself out back while Iris and I unpacked the groceries.
“Is your dad okay?” she asked, peeking out the single window over the kitchen sink. “He’s going to pace a hole in the lawn at the rate he’s going.”
I scowled, putting some bread in a cupboard before joining her at the window.
“He keeps getting these ‘important calls,’” I said, gritting my teeth. “But every time I ask, he insists it’s ‘just business back home’ and won’t go into it any further.”
Iris frowned for a moment before she returned to putting things in the fridge. “I thought you two were in business together?”
“Technically, I work for him. He’s in charge of Longbow Investments and Archer Unlimited. But I’m the one who’s going to take over one day — and I’m the one running the US office. You’d think he wouldn’t give me that sort of responsibility if he didn’t think I was trustworthy.”
Iris said nothing for a moment, closing the fridge to look at me. She raised a brow. “Then ask him?” she said, as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I’ve tried!”
She rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth ticking upwards. “Has working on this job taught you nothing, Eli Archer? Just because someone doesn’t tell you the first time doesn’t mean they never will. You just need to find a different way to ask.”
“I…” I wanted to argue…but she had a point. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I know,” Iris chirped, winking. “I’m going to go check on Bella and see if she’s ready to get up from her nap. I think your dad’s off his call, so…” She shrugged and began to head out of the kitchen, giving me a kiss on the cheek before heading to the stairs.
I took a deep breath and nodded, taking a moment to collect my anger before heading outside to confront my father. Iris was right — sometimes you needed to take a different approach. Anger and demands hadn’t gotten me anywhere yet, so I had to keep my temper under control.
I stepped outside, finding my father still pacing even though he was no longer on the phone.
“Dad,” I said, scowling. “What is going on?”
“It’s nothing,” my father said, turning to face me. He brushed a hand through his graying hair. “You have enough on your plate already.”
I took another deep breath.Calm. Keep calm.“If it affects Longbow — the business or the pack — it affects me, too. It isn’t fair to keep me in the dark.”
He studied me for a moment before nodding, walking over to meet me. “You’re right,” he said, a bit quieter. “Your Uncle Gage and I have had some…issues the past few months. Now he’s decided the solution to those issues is to challenge me for the pack.”
“What?” Of all the things I pictured my father saying, that was one of the last things I could conceive of.
