“Yes, well… I don’t think my mate will properly grieve her sister’s death until the man responsible is dead. So if you’ll excuse me.” He shifts back to a wolf and chases after Taren through the trees.
“Taren blames herself for what happened,” I say after we’ve watched them go. “That has to be so hard.”
Evan’s reply is so quiet, I doubt he meant to say it at all. “I know how she feels.”
I snare his wrist. “Ev, don’t.”
He tries to pull away, so I tighten my hold. “Seriously. Don’t blame yourself for what I did.”
“How can I not!” he says. Those cold eyes send a dagger right through me. “I know the truth now, Jer. You left because you… or because I didn’t…” He shakes his head. “You left because of me!”
When he tugs away again, I let him go. Guilt washes over me. I don’t know what to do. How can Evan blame himself for what I did? It was my choice to walk away. Mine.
It was my choice to give myself to Foxx too. And if I’m not careful, that choice is going to cost Evan his life.
I clench my fists, nails digging into my palms enough to sting.
I have to protect Evan. I need to.
12
EVAN
By the time we return to the house, everyone has congregated around the table for breakfast.
Jasmine gives me a guarded smile, sliding a tray of muffins toward me. “Help yourself. And there’s a fresh batch of oatmeal in the crockpot if you want some. Did you sleep okay?”
“Yeah, fine,” I say flatly. The truth is, I hadn’t slept at all after Jericho left, my mind continuously circling back to the damn notebook. The whole time Jericho was on the porch, I wondered if he was working on another one of me. Or us.
Wouldn’t you have left me if you knew?
It hurt to hear him say that. Does Jericho really believe I’d abandon him so easily? Just for having some sexual fantasies about us? He doesn’t understand what he means to me if that’s true. I need him around. He’s my best friend. My rock. Nothing will change that.
Rowen rushes into the room. “They’re almost here.”
Jasmine and Forest let out a breath at almost the same time. “Oh, thank God,” she says, gripping her mug.
Jericho tenses, sending me a look.Who?
Forest sets his fork down. “What happened? They were supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“Red stopped to get some things for the medic room and just lost track of time.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. We were low on supplies.”
“They’re just down the road. Should be here in about ten minutes,” Rowen says.
Jericho steps closer to me, his attention fixed on the shifters. “Who are you talking about?”
“Red and Sage,” Rowen says. “Our other pack members. They’ve been staying in Prodigy for a few days to keep an eye on the coven.”
My eyes widen. “You’ve been spying on the coven?”
Forest gets up from his chair, carrying an empty coffee mug to the sink. “We all are,” he says. “All the packs in this area, I mean. We rented a studio apartment across the street from the club and take shifts watching them.”
Jasmine nods. “For a few months now. It’s how we know so much about them.”
I’m stunned. These guys really are serious about taking the bastards down, and it makes my heart soar. But when I turn to Jericho, his shoulders are still tense as he stares at the door, like he is fighting the urge to flee. I’m not surprised.More shifters.
