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Elijah lies with his head in my lap, taking shallow breaths. I run my fingers through his hair to ease his pain. There are only two other people in the car with us: Reyes driving, and a woman named Suyin, who works as the pack’s medic. The other three wolves sit in the bed of the crew-cab truck: the female, Arden, a redhead named Grant, and a black man named Will. Everyone is dressed now, thank God, though I guess I should just get used to people being naked if they’re always turning into wolves.
This isn’t how I saw my life going when I left Dallas.
And I have about a million questions as I struggle to adjust.
“So you said you have my grandparents?” I ask.
Reyes glances in the rearview, keeping his hands on the steering wheel.
“We just carried out a raid on the Heavenly Host prison in Waco, along with help from some ‘borgs in the city encampment,” he says. “They were in the prison—unharmed, thank God. Told us you would come find us, or that you might land in the city. We’ve been scouring the area between here and Dallas ever since, lookin’ for you.”
“And they’re…they’re safe?” I ask.
“Safe and sound,” he says. “I don’t think they’ll stay at the den once they’ve got you, but you’re welcome to stick around.”
His voice is tight, his shoulders tense. I’m sure there’s something more going on here, but I don’t even know where to start.
“Why didn’t they ever tell me about you?” I ask quietly. “About…about myself?”
I thought Elijah was asleep, but his hand reaches up to squeeze the arm I have lying across his chest. His eyes flutter open, and I stare into them as an anchor.
I feel so lost.
“It might be best if we discuss this when I’m not driving,” Reyes murmurs.
“But I need to know.”
He exchanges a look with the medic, Suyin. She turns to look over the back of her seat, from me to Elijah. Elijah winces when her eyes settle on his ankle—on a tattoo I didn’t notice before.
“It’s going to be a lot,” she says, her tone clinical. “But I want you to be prepared for the fact that the two of you are going to be separated when we get to the den. You’re already cleared, but your friend here will need to be contained.”
I frown, a rush of possessive rage coursing through me. “Why?”
“It’s okay, Charlotte,” Elijah says weakly.
“He can’t even do anything,” I say. “He’s hurt.”
“Which is why we’re going to take him to the clinic,” Suyin says. Her eyes go to his ankle again, to the tattoo. It’s in the shape of a medieval-looking cross—nothing too unusual, but I’m surprised I didn’t notice it before. Until now, he was wearing jeans and boots most of the time, I guess. And Suyin clearly gets more out of it than I do. “It’ll be okay. But you need to meet with your family.”
My eyes go back to Reyes’, who’s staring at me in the rearview. “Is it not just you and my grandparents?” I ask, my eyes wide.
“Also my little brother,” Reyes says. “Your uncle Mateo.”
I chew on my lip, frowning.
“Okay,” I say. I look down at Elijah. “But you’re not allowed to go anywhere without me, alright?”
He smiles weakly. “Understood,” he says. “And same goes for you, Sunshine.”
The truck slows down, and as it grinds to a halt, the three wolves in the back hop out. They make their way around the back doors, the female lycan getting to Elijah’s side first. She swings the door open and I grasp at him protectively, her glare hard.
“Give me the Crusader,” she says harshly, her eyes narrow.
I shake my head. “What? Don’t touch him.”
The redhead—Grant—grips her by the shoulder and she spins toward him with a growl, then stalks away. Grant gives me an apologetic smile. “We’re just gonna take him to the clinic,” he says. “No worries.”
“I’ll be fine,” Elijah says to me. “Go meet with your family.”
