Bronc closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and exhaled like a bull before the charge. “Goddamn it. Lock it all down. Nobody in or out, not even for groceries. I want the entire compound on alert. Understood?”
“Understood,” Arsenal replied. “What about Juliet?”
A muscle in Bronc’s face twitched. He let the silence linger a beat too long. “She’s your Luna. She’s safe, right?”
“Sir, we’re protecting our Luna. There are no threats. Wrecker’s with her, and they’re in the bunker.”
Bronc’s nod was slow, deliberate. “Tell Juliet I’ll be in touch in a while. And keep a gun on Karen Day.”
“She’s on lockdown. District’s already given her the boot for thebreach.”
“Not enough. She’sourproblem, and we’ll make damn sure she’s not anyone’s solution, either. Got it?”
“Copy. I’ll call you if anything else moves.”
The line clicked off. Bronc let the phone drop to his thigh, and for a long second, he just stood there, outlined by the suite’s blue-white exterior lights, back rigid as rebar. Then, with a deliberation I hadn’t seen since the desert, he turned and walked to the mini-fridge. Pulled a bottle of water, twisted off the cap, and emptied half of it in a single, shaking swallow.
I didn’t say a word. It wasn’t my place as far as the security of pack territory goes. And besides, I could feel the same rage bubbling in me, just aimed at a different target. I wanted to blame Arsenal, but the reality was this: if you put your trust in anyone, you risk them failing you. It wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. Still, Arsenal was a Force Recon man, hard as coffin nails and twice as reliable. If he got taken out of play by a school administrator, it was because she’d set the trap with help.
Bronc pressed his knuckles to the countertop until they blanched white. “Look, I know you want to light it all on fire,” he murmured, voice low.
“I do,” I said.
“Your restraint is admirable.” He looked over, found my face, and the set of his jaw softened. “Didn’t think I’d be the one losing my cool.”
“You’re not losing your cool,” I said. “You’re pissed because you care. If you ever stop, that’s when I worry. And I’m hangin’ on by a thread here.”
He snorted, the closest he’d come to a laugh since the call. “Well, let’s keep each other in check. We lose it, this whole thing goes straight to hell.” He straightened and rolled his shoulders, the energy in him shifting from fury to calculation in a heartbeat. He dialed Juliet.
She picked up after one ring. I couldn’t hear her side of the conversation, but I didn’t need to. Her voice alwaysmanaged to cut through even the worst storm. Bronc’s whole posture changed. He paced again, but his footfalls were slower, less violent. He kept his words clipped, businesslike, but every now and then, a softness crept in. “No, it’s not your fault,” he said. “She’ll be okay. We’re going to get her back.”
Pause.
“Juliet, I said we will get her back. The Council won’t know what hit them. Yeah. I love you, too.” His hand trembled for a second on the phone, then he forced it still. “Just promise me you’ll stay put. Wrecker’s got the house locked up tight.” Another pause, then, with a low growl: “Juliet, please.”
The call ended, and for a moment, Bronc stood looking at the dark reflection in the TV screen. His voice was softer, but I heard the edge in it. “She’s flying to Chicago tonight. She’ll be there for the Council hearing.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Thought you told her to stay in Dairyville.”
“Have you ever known her to listen?” he asked. “At least I’m aware of it this time.”
“Must be why you love her.” It came out more gentle than I expected. “She’s the only person on earth who can tell you to eat shit and make you want to buy her flowers after.”
He smiled when he looked at me. “Well, it looks to me like you’re well on your way, brother. You’re basically about to face a firing squad for your mate.”
I just nodded.
The silence stretched, comfortable for the first time since the news hit. I reached for the bottle of scotch in the minibar, poured two fingers into a glass, and slid it over. “Take it,” I said. “You need it as much as me.”
Bronc stared at the amber for a second, then downed it in one gulp. “You think our pack’s falling apart?”
I shook my head. “Fuck no. We have more wolves than we know what to do with, and most of them would rather die thanbetray their Alpha. If anything, we’re overdue for someone to challenge the balance of power. It’s what happens when you’re at the top. Your father faced it from time to time. Just your turn.”
He grunted. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just getting old.”
“You’re forty-three, an infant by our standards. I mean, you look like shit, but you’ve always looked like shit.” My attempt at humor landed; he laughed, just a flash, but it made the air feel less like a funeral.
His eyes found mine. “You ready for Chicago?”
