“Well…I never… he isn’t…,” Delilah sputtered as she searched for a comeback, and I had an immature moment of triumph. “I won’t believe it Zee. I can’t. And you can’t see him anymore. He’s obviously a messed-up guy.” Her eyes pleaded with me to agree. I wished I could. It hurt to see her upset.
“I’m sorry, Delilah,” I tried to speak calmly, “I can’t do that. He’s not a bad guy and neither are his friends. He’s too important to me.” I turned away from her, so I didn’t have to see the tears shining in her eyes. We had always had each other’s backs but in this situation, I didn’t need my little sister’s protection. I had made my choice, and I hoped Delilah would learn to accept it.
Chapter Eighteen
Alex
Running would have been faster than trying to make it home in the clunker Zee called a car. I couldn’t shift until I was healed completely though. It wouldn’t take long. My skin was itching and I could breathe without pain. By morning I would be well enough to shift.
For now, my only priority was getting home quickly. I didn’t like being away from the pack after an attack. If I hadn’t needed to get away from the bar quickly, I would have waited with them. A bloody burned but fully conscious man would have raised way too many questions. I passed into our territory and a flash of grey in the trees had me pulling over and climbing out of the car.
“Anything?” I asked, searching the dark shadows for threats. I didn’t smell anything but Ryker scent on the air. He stepped from the woods in human form, and I could feel his nervous energy. His eyes took in all the bandages before he answered.
“No, nothing at all,” he gave a slight shrug, but his eyes searched the night like mine. It was almost too calm. “Wyatt is at the house. Jarren and Aaron are running perimeters, too. Neither one has found anything yet.”
“Okay, shift back, and tell them all to get back to the cabin,” I went to get back in the car, “I don’t think anything will happen tonight, and we need a plan to protect the pack.” I drove as quickly as I thought I could push the car, with Ryker racing ahead of me looking like a ghost flitting through the trees. As I parked the car a dark grey and lighter grey wolf joined Ryker before they all shifted.
“Nothing to report at the borders,” Jarren’s military training was making a full show tonight. I was never happier to have a former Marine in the pack. His unique way of assessing situations would be invaluable while we searched for the threat.
“Good, did you get to look at the truck at all?” I knew the answer before asking. There was no way the cops were letting anyone near it.
“No, sir,” Jarren answered, “I won’t be able to access the truck as a human. I am waiting for them to impound it, then I will go in as a wolf.” I gave him a slight nod before I limped up the stairs. The hole in my gut was kicking my ass. I walked into a room full of tension, and I immediately wished I were back with Zee, with her soft hands on me, soothing me.
The pack was skittish. Wyatt was pacing the room with his eyes darting around constantly. He looked ready to climb out of his skin. Delaney looked furious, which wasn’t that new, from her seat on the couch by Tegan. Her leg was bouncing, and her fists were clenched tight. Cody sat silently beside Mackenzie who had her arm around him in a death grip.
Tegan was the calmest of them all. She had been watching the door, and when I walked through her eyes immediately met mine. Then they instantly searched me for wounds, an easy task since I didn’t have a shirt anymore. I must have been looking better because she let out a relieved sigh. Wyatt stopped pacing when he heard her and looked me over as well. The tension in his shoulders eased a little before he started pacing again.
“Calm down,” I tried to keep my voice low and soothing. I could almost feel all the nervous and worried energy rushing over me. “I’m doing fine. Delilah patched me up, and I’m already healing.”
“I can’t believe you went to Zee’s place after that,” Delaney yelled, “She obviously told someone about us. How else do you explain the Hunters finding us? She probably is one, and you’re just handing her the pack because she’ll spread her legs for you. Doesn’t this pack mean anything to you?” Delaney was on her feet, her green eyes furious as she ranted at me. I wanted to tear her apart for being so disrespectful, but I pushed the instinct aside. She was scared. They all were.
“Sit down Delaney,” Jarren spoke before I had a chance, and oddly enough Delaney listened. “Zee is not a Hunter. I’ve been to her home. She is all human, as is her sister. I did not smell even a trace of the Hunter gene in them. Besides, this scent started before Zee knew the truth about the pack.” Delaney’s anger slid from her face and I noticed the shine of tears as she ducked her head.
“We need to talk about the explosion and the man that was standing there,” I turned to Jarren, knowing he would have some insight. “So, you agree this is a Hunter?”
“I do,” he nodded, “It has always been a possibility but that first scent wasn’t fresh when I got here. Then there are the games,
