Cal shrugs, immediately wincing when it pulls on the healing wound in his chest.
I want to slap him but keep my hands to myself. Instead, I give him a pointed look.
“I didn’t say it wouldn’t hurt.” He rubs gently over where the knife went in. “But this is the only lead we have. It might not give us anything, but what the fuck else do we do?”
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated and angry, because he’s right about that too. We lost track of them in the forest. The van already gone by the time I sent my pack after them. I don’t regret saving Cal, not for a fucking second, but knowing I let them take Morgan... itburns.
“We have more than enough reason to think Fox is involved with the fight rings. And that Birch is working for Fox in some capacity.” He grabs my hand and waits for me to look at him. “Morgan is a liability for BirchandFox. If you were Fox and you had a newly turned shifter to get rid of, wouldn’t you try and make money off him first? We know from Nico how popular they are.”
I can’t stop the growl that erupts from me, don’t even try. The very fucking idea of Morgan fighting another shifter while those motherfuckers bet on the outcome... it makes me want to break everything in sight.
“Let me do this,” he urges, squeezing my hand until the rage subsides. “It’s all we have.”
The waitfor Cal to return are some of the longest hours of my fucking life.
I’m on my own at the small clearing because no one can bear to be around me right now. I don’t blame them. As I lean against the old tree, listening for the telltale rumble of Cal’s bike, rage ripples through my body in steady waves.
I’ve shifted twice.
Didn’t fucking help.
Probably made things worse if anything.
I’ve got my eyes closed when I hear someone approaching. They’re not bothering to be quiet about it, so I don’t bother opening my eyes. Seconds later I catch their scent. “Should you be up and about?”
Mal shrugs. “Corey gave me the all-clear.”
I glance over at him. “You pick the short fucking straw?”
“Hardly.” He shakes his head and settles on the ground beside me.
“I’m in a fucked-up place right now.”
“I know that.”
“I’m so full of rage and...” I let out a roar that scatters whatever wildlife remained.
Apart from a slight twitch, Mal doesn’t react. “Understandable.”
“Everyone’s avoiding me like the fucking plague.” I glance down, surprised to see claws. I hold my hands out as evidence. “For good reason.”
Mal sighs. “Doesn’t matter if you get a little ragey. Or violent. We’ll all heal.” He gives me a gentle nudge with his shoulder.“You’re our president and alpha. If we can’t be there for you when everything goes to shit, what fucking use are we?”
I’m speechless.
Not for the reasons he probably thinks. I shove my thigh against his, needing more contact. “There has never been a time when I’ve doubted it. Or any of you, but—” I grit my teeth as I think about Cal out there injured and alone. About Morgan, newly shifted in the hands of fucking Birch. My body ripples as the need to shift tugs at me again, that pull to give in to the wolf inside me and let out all the anger, the rage, the frustration... I fight it with everything I have, because I’m fucking terrified if I let go this time, I won’t make it back.
“It’s okay.” Mal’s hand slides into mine and holds on tight, not letting go even when my claws sink deep into his skin. “We’ve got you.”
I don’t understand at first until I’m hit with a barrage of familiar scents.
Flint, Beth, Jet.
“You can shift if you need to,” Beth says, taking my other hand. “We’ll keep you grounded.”
Surrounded by the people I trust most in this world, I finally give in and let my wolf take over.
True to their word, they shift with me, not letting me out of their sight.
