“I volunteer,” Chase declared cheerily, holding up his hand.
“No way inhellI’m okay with that,” I shot back, glowering at him.
“Unfortunately, sweetheart, Chase and Spencer are the only ones whocanfollow you to class. I’m a bit too… noticeable,” Bear said regretfully.
“True. Youarethe best-looking,” I muttered, making sure to lock eyes with Spencer as I spoke.
“That didn’t sound mocking,” Bear admitted slowly, and I flicked my stare to him.
“Because I’m not kidding,” I replied. “The salt-and-pepper hair, the rugged look—all of it. You’re far more manly than the two pretty boys over there.”
I didn’t know where my bravery had come from. Probably from my anger toward Spencer and Chase. But the terror of being nearly kidnapped had taken a sudden back seat to the rage, and in all honesty, I was okay with that. This felt better, easier, and I wasn’t going to break down into sobs again.
So, anger it was.
“I don’t care what you say, Bear can take me. You want to ‘watch’ me, ‘keep me safe,’ then Bear’s doing it. You jerks can get lost.”
The room fell silent, but all I did was smile, because damn, that felt good.
Chapter 21
Spencer
Ididn’t want to leave, but she was safe with my pack mates. Chase probably wasn’t safe with her, given the way she’d been glaring at him—like she wanted to murder him slowly and painfully. But if she did, he deserved it.
Bear would keep her safe. Of that, I was confident.
After silently closing the door to my car, I looked up at the decrepit building Flora had been living in until today. If I had anything to say about it, she would never set foot back in this apartment—but I had a feeling our girl was stubborn and would insist.
Though she would have several bodyguards with her.
My body stilled when I reached her door, noticing the handle was turned down, and the door stood open a crack.
I hadn’t checked the cameras before coming because I’d only been using them to watch Flora—and she was safely in our apartment.
Using my phone, I gave the cameras a quick, cursory check, grimacing when I realized the apartment was in bad shape. Icouldn’t see everything clearly on the small screen, but enough to tell there was no one inside.
Still, I pulled my gun from its holster and pushed the door open.
The only way I could describe the apartment was ransacked. Every surface had been wiped clean, and various knick-knacks were shattered across the floor. The sharp chemical tang of bleach hung heavily in the air.
I moved slowly through the apartment, using the tip of my boot to nudge items aside, checking whether they were truly destroyed.
Whoever had done this hadn’t missed a thing. All of her clothing was shredded. Her nest was destroyed—feathers everywhere—along with what looked like bleach stains and possibly something worse.
Flora was going to bedistraughtwhen she found out.
Once I was sure the apartment was empty, I pulled out my phone and called Chase.
“Hey, do you need a hand grabbing things?” he asked.
“No. Check the cameras at Flora’s,” I said. “But only do it if you’re alone.” I didn’t want her to find out that way.
He went quiet for a moment before a low curse slipped out. “Fuck. That’s a lot of damage.”
“I know. I don’t think there’s anything salvageable. Her nest has been completely destroyed, but I’m bagging some items, anyway—there might be DNA left behind.”
“I’m going to kill this fucker,” Chase snarled.
