“Given what just happened to the rest of the group, I think we’ll need you more than Paul will. Winifred believes Blake will leave the cubs alone now.”
“Why?”
“Because the new girl, Olivia, is feeding him information.”
Anger swelled inside me. My mom gave her life to keep the boys from the Urbat and Blake, and the new girl was giving him information? Was she the reason they’d found us?
“Calm down,” Jim said. “We don’t know whose side she’s really on. Until we do, we play it safe and we play it smart.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, frustrated.
“Be nice, but don’t trust.”
The supposed hour drive took twice that long because of the snow, road conditions, and other cars. Jim didn’t say much, and I spent the time thinking of Mom, Dad, and the upcoming holiday we’d always celebrated with the Cole family since as long as I could remember. All the laughter and family. It wouldn’t be the same ever again.
“Do you think there’s a chance they’ll let Dad go when they get what they want?” I asked.
Jim remained quiet for a moment, but I knew he’d heard.
“I think you want the truth from me, no matter how harsh. Am I right?”
“Yes.” I needed someone to say what I already knew so I could stop feeling guilty for thinking it.
“Since the Urbat want all werewolves dead, I don’t think they’ll be letting him go no matter what the outcome of this Judgement thing. That’s if they’re the ones who have him. There’s a possibility the humans have him, too. But, I don’t think that’ll change anything. I don’t think he’s coming back. And he knows that.”
My throat grew tight with grief, and anger formed a throbbing mass in my chest.
“I’ve been talking to him,” Jim went on to say. “Just sending, not receiving. Telling him you’re both okay. Sharing the little things he’s missing. Giving him something to think about. Something better than what they’re probably giving him.”
“Thank you. For talking to him and for telling me the truth. I figured as much.”
Neither of us spoke the rest of the way to the hotel. There wasn’t anything more to say. I focused on what Jim had shared and the future. Jim thought the girls would Judge in favor of the humans, but I wasn’t as sure. They all had werewolf Mates and neither Mom nor Gabby were too keen on their own kind. Whether they Judged in our favor or not, my plans wouldn’t change. Paul would be healed by then, hopefully, and we could start hunting for Dad. My chest tightened at the thought of having to wait, but I wasn’t some young cub who didn’t understand the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one.
Plus, I knew enough about links to understand that I’d need an Elder to locate Dad. I glanced at Jim. Once the Judgement was made and the cubs were safe, I knew he’d help. Every member of our race mattered to all the Elders. Especially Jim.
Jim pulled into the parking lot, cut the engine, and grabbed the bag from the back seat.
“They’re a few minutes out yet,” he said, giving me the bag. “Go get us checked in, and I’ll run to get some supplies.”
“All right.”
He jogged down the dusted sidewalks, and I strode toward the lobby doors. This place had nothing on the prior place. The tree that waited just inside seemed pathetic compared to the twenty-foot fresh pine in the resort’s lobby.
I went to the desk and gave the lawyer’s name and my ID. After answering a few questions and signing a form, the guy handed over several key cards.
Instead of picking a room and dumping the bag, I took a seat on one of the sofas and impatiently watched the door.
Getting pizzas,Jim sent me.Everything okay?
I almost snorted. When he said supplies, I was thinking bandages. I should have known better. Jim being an Elder still didn’t fully make sense to me.
Yep. Waiting in the lobby, watching for the rest.
Winifred said they’re only a few blocks away now. I’m just around the corner. You see anything odd, yell.
Will do.
I leaned forward, focused and yet wondering what this new girl who worked with Blake looked like. It wasn’t hard to spot the group when they pulled in. The missing side window of the SUV and shattered windshield of Uncle Thomas’s car gave them away.
