Leif locked gazes with Jasper, his eyes narrowing, and then he nodded. “Thank you.”
So it was settled. “We’ll go after them. We just need to open a rift. Can we do that?”
Jessie’s lip curled. “I dunno, but I’ll give it my fucking all.”
Poppy wiped her eyes and stood. “They need to pay for what they did to Danny.”
Leif put his hand on her shoulder. “Danny wouldn’t want you putting yourself in danger. If you do this, you go in stealth. You get the wolves out. You do not engage the enemy.”
Poppy’s chin jutted mulishly. “If they step into my path, then they’ll get obliterated.”
Leif opened his mouth to argue but something slammed into the main doors, fists pounding. My head whipped around to find Tor standing outside, palm pressed to the glass as he peered into the gloom.
Trenton rushed across the room and unlocked the door. My monolith of muscle mate strode in. Frost clung to his short dark hair and kissed his lashes, and smoke curled off his skin as the moisture from the air outside evaporated against the heat emanating off his body. He was in joggers, sneakers, and a long-sleeve navy V-neck sweater that showcased his biceps and powerful chest.
Rune padded in behind Tor, bringing the scent of the forest with him. His golden fur shimmered with flakes of ice and he shook his huge body, dispelling the moisture, before looking up at me with his huge hazel eyes dappled with liquid gold.
“No rifts,” Tor said. ‘The fuckers have gone.” His gaze raked over me, checking for injury, then he inhaled, his attention flicking from me to Leif. His jaw tightened.
Oh fuck. Could he smell Leif on me and vice versa?
I noted the muscle ticking in his jaw and the storm in his steely eyes. “Later,” he growled at Leif. “We need to post guards at all the regular rift sights. We can grab a varga as soon as one comes through, and—”
“The Elites are going in,” Leif said.
Tor’s gaze flew to me. “No.”
Typical Tor. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Tor.”
“You’re the fucking anchor. We can’t risk your life.”
“And it’s okay to leave those women to the varga’s mercy?”
His chest rumbled. “This is pack business.”
“And like it or not, I’m part of your pack, all your packs, and The Elites are a part of me. We’re a package deal. We can do this.” I fixed my attention on Jasper across the room. “We can do this with Jasper’s help.”
Tor focused on him for the first time, his mulish expression freezing and then morphing into a speculative one.
Jasper arched a brow and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You keep her safe,” Tor said.
Jasper’s smile was wry. “Let me get something straight. I don’t give a shit about your wolves, or the other Elites. I’m here to protect my investment.”
“Yeah, we get it,” Sloane said. “Do what you got to do, just counter their nulling effect if we get caught.”
I tried to catch Jasper’s eye, but he wouldn’t look at me. He hadn’t come when I’d called, but he was here now…How had he known I was about to go into danger, unless…Unless he’d been hanging around. Fuck, how long had he been watching and listening?
His gaze slid my way now and I caught the glint of anger, the accusation and the hurt.
He’d seen me with Leif, and although I didn’t regret what I’d done with my mate, my heart ached to soothe Jasper, and show him that he meant just as much to me, if not more.
But then his lip curled, and his gaze turned cold and cruel. “Well, we best get to work.”
Jessie pushed back her seat. “I need to get some supplies from the mansion.”
“I’ll drive you,” Sloane said.
“Meet us at the cabin,” Tor added.
“Fuck, Lauris has the keys to the car,” Jessie reminded Sloane.
Lauris chose that moment to bang on the door, peering in just like Tor had.
Sloane yanked open the door and ushered him in.
“What happened?” He looked about the room, taking in the scene and soaking in the tension. “What did I miss?”
“Like you care,” Poppy snapped.
“Poppy…” Sloane shook her head. “This isn’t his fault.”
“He could have done something.” Poppy glared at Lauris. “Like his fucking job.”
“It’s not his job to look out for the wolves,” Jessie reminded her gently. “Besides, we were all here; anyone could be blamed for not helping.”
Poppy’s lip trembled and she dashed more tears off her cheeks with angry swipes of her hand. “Fuck this. Let’s go. Let’s get this done.”
“Go home,” Sloane said to Lauris. She leaned in and lowered her voice, but I caught her next words regardless. “And if you can’t refrain from feeding on the job, then I’m gonna have to recommend you be reassigned.”
What did she mean?
I looked at Lauris properly, noting the dilated pupils and the silvery sheen to his skin as if he’d been lightly dipped in glitter. What was that?
Lauris tucked in his chin and nodded. He glanced at me, his expression almost wistful, then walked out of the bar.
I wanted to ask what Sloane meant, but she shook her head slightly, as if to say not now, before following Poppy and Jessie out into the icy night.
I have to go with Cora, Rune said.
Tor looked down at the golden wolf. “No, Rune. It’s too risky.”
“She’ll be safe with The Elites and Jasper,” Leif added.
If you had the option to go with her, would you stay behind? Rune asked.
The guys were silent.
“What’s going on?” I frowned at Rune. “I don’t understand. How can you come with us? Leif said dire wolves couldn’t pass through the rift.”
Rune blinked slowly. That’s right. But I’m not fully dire wolf any longer. Cora, I’m infected. I’m on the cusp of varga.
Chapter Thirty
I stared at Rune, uncomprehending. Had he just said he was on the cusp of becoming varga? No, that couldn’t be
