“I’m not sure you want to know.” Could I lie to my father, my Alpha, right to his face? This was different than promising a lady in a bar that I’d call her. I wasn’t sure I was a good enough liar to sell it to Malcolm.
I wasn’t sure anyone was that good a liar.
“I know you’ve been keeping secrets, Adam, and I’d like to know why.”
“You’re one to talk.” The shadows were lengthening outside. “It’s not important right now. The Pack will be here soon, and we need to warn everyone about the jaguars.”
“I shared my secrets.” Malcolm leaned against the table. “Trust me with yours.”
His words sat squarely on my shoulders like a fifty-pound weight. “I can’t.” I met his eyes. “I’m sorry but… I can’t.”
He straightened to his full height, commanding my obedience on an instinctual level. I could feel his gaze boring into me. I clenched my fists and met his eyes. “You don’t want to know this. Let it go.”
A crease marred his brow. “What could be worse than Nero still being in existence and sending operatives into our city?”
My hands were sweating and the wolf inside me ached to please our Alpha. I wouldn’t last much longer. I started for the door, but he caught my arm. “Please Adam.”
I sighed. Maybe I could just tell him the good news. “I found my mate.”
Malcolm’s eyes widened and then he smiled. I’d never seen a grin like that on my father’s face before. He looked happy, proud, and relieved all in one expression. “This was your big secret? Adam, this is wonderful news. Who is she? Why haven’t I met her yet?”
And here came the bad news. “She’s a jaguar.”
His smile vanished as soon as the words left my lips. His eyes narrowed, and he shook his head, walking away from me. “That’s impossible. You’re making a mistake, Adam.”
I shook my head, staring at his back. “She’s lots of things, but not a mistake.”
He turned toward me again, scrutinizing my face. I was pretty sure he was hoping he’d see any sign of uncertainty, but loving Lana and knowing she was my mate for life was one of the few things I was sure of.
“It can’t be,” he whispered.
“I struggled with accepting it, too, but I’ve never felt like this before. It happened exactly like you said. I looked into her eyes, and the moment I touched her skin, I felt something inside of me click. I knew. She’s my other half.”
“She’s also the enemy.”
I groaned. “I knew you would never give her a chance. I knew it.” I went to the door and stopped. “I’m leaving in the morning.”
“What?”
I repeated myself a little louder. “I’m leaving in the morning with Lana. Nero has been hunting for her, and I knew the Pack wouldn’t accept her, so we’re leaving town. This is my last full moon with the Pack.”
“You can’t mean this, Adam.” He took a step in my direction. “You’re my successor. You will be the Alpha.”
I opened the door and shot a glare over my shoulder. “Aren will be a much better Alpha than I ever would anyway.”
“You’re wrong.” Another step closer. “Your brother is a great fighter and a thinker, but you’re my first born son. The mantle has always been yours. You can’t expect your brother to shoulder it because you’re running away.”
“If you can’t accept my mate, then how can you possibly expect me to stay?” I fought to keep from shouting as I circled my father. “Has Mom been gone so long that you forgot what it feels like to love someone so much you would give up everything just to see them smile? You’d lay down your life and die for them?”
His green eyes shone, and somewhere deep beneath my rage, the boy inside of me wanted to hug my father. I knew he’d never gotten over the pain of losing his mate.
He took a deep breath. “I would die for any member of this Pack.”
“Because it’s your duty.” I let my voice drop a little. “I’d give up my life for Lana because I couldn’t live without her.”
That verbal blow actually knocked Malcolm back a step and he growled, “Enough of this. We will
“Then you won’t have me either.” I turned to go out the door, but Malcolm’s voice froze me where I stood.
“Answer me this: how do you know she didn’t have anything to do with Gabe’s murder? If Nero is looking for her then she means something to them. How can you be sure where her loyalties lie?”
“Because she could have killed me a hundred different times.” I met my Alpha’s stare and added, “She also saved Aren’s life. That bullet that went through his ankle was meant for his head.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond. I stormed out into the late afternoon sun and slammed the door behind me. Jason and his twin, Jared, were getting out of his truck as I made my way to the barn. Jared pulled himself up straighter and squared his shoulders when he saw me coming. The wind made a mess of Jason’s hair, but Jared had his tied back and his fiery hazel eyes flashed with bitterness. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was daring me to attack. It was obvious Jason must’ve told him about our confrontation earlier.
As twins, Jason and Jared couldn’t have been more opposite. Jason was a doctor. He fought battles with his mind, but Jared was a carpenter and worked out regularly. His fights were with his body and his spirit. He was tough. But I was so pissed at Malcolm right now, that seeing Jared giving me his I-dare-you-asshole glare made me want to beat him senseless.
Before I could say anything, Jason maneuvered himself between us, clasping my forearms in greeting. “Did you tell Malcolm about the jaguars?”
I nodded and rolled my shoulders back, releasing a little of my aggression. It wasn’t completely Jared’s fault. We all got punchy with the full moon so close.
Jason and Jared shared a look and then focused on me again. “So do we have a plan for tonight?”
“Ask Malcolm. He’s the Alpha.”
I walked past them toward the barn when Logan came barreling down the road to the barn. He slammed on his brakes, sending up a tidal wave of dust so thick we couldn’t see him getting out of his car. When he emerged from the dust cloud he looked confused.
“Adam? What are you doing here?”
The corner of my mouth quirked up. “Last time I checked, I live here.”
“Yeah, but your Jeep isn’t here.” He frowned. “I thought something happened to you.”
“Why?” I could feel my muscles tense. Lana had my Jeep.
“I saw the Jeep with two flats on the edge of the highway. I pulled over to see if you were okay, but there was a laptop on the passenger seat and nobody there.” He held out two metal cylinders. “Then I found bullet casings.”
I took off running and called to Jason. “I need to borrow your truck.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Sasha drove me back to the airport and parked on the rooftop of the parking structure. The power windows engaged all at once, dropping the glass around me. The sun bathed me in orange light while she got out and leaned against the front of the car.
My wrists were starting to ache. The metal of the cuffs was biting into my skin, and no matter how I shifted around in the backseat, I couldn’t seem to relieve the pressure. I blinked rapidly, not allowing myself to cry. I wouldn’t be able to think if I got upset. My only hope was to keep a clear head. If I could get to my cell phone, I could call 911, but it was safely in my front pocket and my hands were trapped behind my back. I was screwed.
I leaned forward, keeping an eye on Sasha. She was on her phone again, so I peered around the front
