“It doesn’t feel like enough.” I walk into his open arms and interlock mine around his lower back. Resting my head against his chest, I listen to his heartbeat. I find comfort in the sound. It soothes me, and I feel my wolf relax inside me. “I won’t let anyone else die.”
Ryker doesn’t say anything back. Instead, he rests his head on top of mine, and we enjoy the moment of calmness together. It feels like ages ago that we spent the night together in the house he bought for us. I would give anything to have the contented happiness I felt in those moments back. The sense of uncertainty and fear has replaced those happy feelings is all-consuming, and I’m afraid they’ll never go away.
There are only a few options for how this is going to end, and I’m not optimistic about it ending in my favor. I know the only way I make it out of this is if Nicolai dies. And I wouldn’t mind being the one to end him.
The sound of the front door opening and then hitting the wall behind it with a bang has us jumping back from each other. We both rush around the corner and find a very weak and bloody looking Avery.
My body fills with dread when I take in her battered state. Blood drips from a long slash mark across her face, and her arms are marred with defensive marks. I halt in my steps and watch Ryker catch her in his arms before her body crashes to the floor. Her legs are unable to hold her up anymore, and Ryker scoops her up.
Wait!
“Avery, where is Remi?” I question, my voice full of panic. Avery doesn’t answer me. Instead, she stares up at Ryker with wild-looking eyes. “Avery!” I shout, trying to get her attention.
“They came out of nowhere,” she slurs.
“Who did?” Ryker asks, his voice softer than mine. “Where is Remington?”
“Nicolai’s men.” Avery’s head bobs back when she answers him. “We didn’t hear them approaching, they came out of nowhere,” she repeats.
Losing patience, I march over and grab her chin with my hand and jerk her head to look at me. “You’re not answering us. Where is Remington?”
I barely notice her warm blood trickle down my fingers. Her amber eyes stare at me, and I can see they’re regaining some of their focus. “They have her—they took her.”
“Oh, God!” I cry before I break into a sprint down the hallway toward the office everyone is still sitting in. I try not to let my mind stray to what Nicolai could be doing to Remi or what he’s going to do, and still, the image of Remi’s body being strung up in a tree like Halle’s fills my head. I crash through the oak doors at full speed, and everyone’s head spins around to look at me.
“Pruitt, what’s happening?” Elias asks, standing up from his seat behind the desk.
“Nicolai has Remington.”
No one is making any sense because they’re all speaking and yelling over each other. The noise at this point just sounds like a constant buzzing in my head. People keep pushing and bumping into me too. Elias had called a lot of enforces and pack members back to the house, and they have all crammed into the living room. I stand in the middle, glaring down at my feet as I process what’s happening. My body is humming with anger, and I can feel my wolf pacing back and forth in my head.
I can’t believe Nicolai has Remi. I want to yell at Elias and Ryker for believing the patrol groups would keep everyone safe. I want to yell at myself for knowing everyone wasn’t safe but not doing anything about it. I want to scream at Nicolai for killing Hallie and taking Remington.
But mainly, right now, I want to yell at everyone to be quiet and be still for one minute so we can all catch our breaths. So that’s what I do.
I climb onto the coffee table so everyone can see and hear me when I address them. “Everyone shut up!” I feel the rush of power escape me when I yell. I watch as one by one the people in the room stop talking and moving before turning to look at me. All except one, a middle-aged man in a collared shirt still complains to his friend. “Hey! Yes, you in the green polo, shut up!”
“Pru, what are you—“ Ranger starts to ask, but the glare I give him promptly shuts him up.
“I know you’re all scared and worried for Remington, but yelling and talking over each other isn’t going to get us anywhere. So enough of that—I’m begging you to stop.” I’ve always hated public speaking. Talking to all these people makes my palms sweat, but I push forward. “The plan we have in place right now isn’t working. We all knew that when Hallie was killed and now Remington has been taken too. So we are—I am—changing the plan. You’re my pack, and it’s my birthright to lead and protect you. So that’s what I’m going to do.” I feel Ryker’s and Elias’ gazes on me, but I don’t look at them. “I was reminded tonight that we’re pack animals, and we’re stronger together. Here’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to get through this together in this house. Everyone is going to come here, and we’ll fortify this house.”
Sorry, I just offered up your home Margot…
“There are sixty-some members of the pack, and you expect us all to stay here?” a woman calls out.
“Yes, I do. It’s a really big house.” I’ve lost track of how many bathrooms are in this place. “So go. Collect your families and your things. No one travels alone, especially women and children. Watch each other’s backs. Enforcers, how many of you are there?”
“Eight.” Logan steps forward with two other muscular men at his side. I recognize one
