Chapter 52 — Rainn

When I arrive home late in the afternoon, the house feels slightly emptier than when I left it. Along with Rebecca, I’ve spent a few hours assuring a shy thirteen-year-old named Shea that being a wolf shifter is something to look forward to. I hope she believed me.

I find Derek in the kitchen eating a late lunch or early dinner while Marielle hovers, torn between going home for the day and her eagerness to force even more food on him.

“Hi, Marielle.”

“Rainn!” She beams at me. “Are you hungry? Come. Sit. I’m leaving soon, but I made a lot of food.”

I shake my head. “I’ll grab something later, but thanks.” Derek is watching me. “Where’s Bree?” I ask.

“She went out.” He stares hard at his plate, but there’s an edge of worry to his expression.

Alarm bells start ringing in my head. Be calm, I tell myself. She’s not in danger.

“Where?”

“The bookstore where she works.” He looks at me, his foot tapping under the table. “They wanted to talk to her boss.”

“They?”

He gives me a look like he’s tired of my barked questions. “Emily-Rose went with her.”

“And why didn’t you go with them?”

“They didn’t want me to, Rainn. Okay? And I like to respect people’s wishes.” He exhales. “Hugo is gone. They’re safe. I wouldn’t let…” he stops. “They’re safe,” he repeats.

I’m not even sure he believes it. And I don’t care. All I know is that after the events of the past week, I want Bree where I know she’s safe. All the time.

Without responding, I leave Derek in the kitchen, already on the phone with Caleb. I tell him to send someone to the bookstore, just to make sure there are no Sierra wolves or worse lurking around.

I head for my dad’s study, but the sound of a car approaching takes me back to the front door. At first, I hope it’s Bree returning, but from the sound of the engine, I can tell it’s not Emily-Rose’s car.

I open the front door just as the blank Camaro stops. Two doors open, and Zack steps out, followed by another wolf who’s almost as tall as him, with long blonde hair down to her waist and flinty gray eyes that quickly take in the entire terrain. A warrior. Always ready for a fight. We’ll need many of those.

“Rainn.” Zack grins and approaches me with long, loping steps. “I hope this is a good time.”

“It is,” I reply, taking his hand. Bree is fine. Bree is fine. She can take care of herself. I repeat the words in my head like a mantra. “Welcome, Zack.” I nod at his companion.

“Dex,” she says without expression, leaving me to assume it’s her name.

I lead them into the living room, and my dad joins us a moment later. I introduce Zack and Dex, doing the same when Derek joins us moments later.

“And your mate?” Zack asks with a grin. “I was hoping to see her again.”

“Why?” It’s hard not to bark the word. I resist the urge to snarl at him. And at my expression, he laughs and raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I just mean…I admire strong women. She faced down my father admirably yesterday. It’s a shame Hugo kept a wolf like her hidden all these years.”

A shame for who? I suppress a tinge of jealousy at the thought of other wolves courting Bree, wanting her. It wouldn’t have mattered, I tell myself. She was always meant to be my mate.

And yet, that inevitability is what she’s now finding hard to accept. I exhale and give Zack a tight smile. “Bree will be here soon,” I tell him. “Along with some members of my pack. We can talk when they arrive.”

Eli and Rebecca soon arrive, then Cherise. I tell myself that I’m not worried about Bree. I want to call her, but I know she’ll hate it if I hover, if I don’t trust her with her own safety.

I text Caleb. When are you coming, and have you sent someone to the bookstore?

His reply comes moments later. On my way to your place. I sent Fern to the bookstore.

I shouldn’t be worried. Bree can take care of herself, but the sliver of unease in my chest keeps growing.

My car keys are still in my pocket. I head for the door.

“Are you going somewhere, alpha?” Cherise asks.

Just then, my phone rings. It’s Caleb. Fern has just been at the bookstore. She said there’s no one there.

Where is Bree?

That’s when I hear cars coming up the drive. A lot of cars. And motorcycles too. Without a word, I push past Cherise and head for the front door, tearing it open just as Leonidas Gage steps out of a gleaming black suburban. He’s wearing a suit and shades, even though it’s almost sunset. He grins at me, then walks right up to the door.

There must be close to fifty wolves in all the cars and bikes, but only one follows him to the door.

“Well,” he says, when he’s standing right in front of me. “Aren’t you going to let me in?”

“Why should I?” I growl. “And what is the meaning of this? Why did you bring all these wolves to my home?”

“Oh, we’re just passing through,” he says dismissively. “I thought, on the way, I could come and give you a message.”

I can hear movement behind me as the others enter the foyer from the living room. Gage studies the faces behind me, settling on Zack. “It is true. You have been making accusations against me and gathering pups to your cause.”

Zack starts to reply but swallows his words and fixes Gage with a steely glare instead.

Gage chuckles. In my mind, I sense Caleb entering the house. I scramble through his thoughts, looking for anything about Bree.

“Say your message and leave,” I tell Gage.

His smile is predatory. “I ran into your mate earlier today,” he says. “Lovely girl. Don’t you want to know where she is?”