“Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you into this. I thought he’d go away once a Pack wolf showed up. I had no idea he brought friends. I wouldn’t have called you if—”
“You should have said something sooner. You should have told us about the threat.” He releases a harsh breath. “Fuck, Isa. Why didn’t you say anything?”
I scoff. “I tried. Remember?”
“Fuck.Yeah, well…” He trails off. “You should have tried harder.”
Before he finishes the sentence I’m already shaking my head. “I’m not one of you. I wanted to explain so you guys weren’t angry with me, but my problems are exactly that. Mine.”
“Bullshit. You’re a wolf.”
A familiar voice calls out and we both jerk our heads to the left. “Isa?”
“You called him?” I grit out.
“I called my Alpha. They’re usually a package deal.”
I spot the man walking beside Rafe and my blood chills. The man who saved me at the game. He’s Rafael’s dad? He’s the Southwest Pack Alpha? I can see the resemblance now. The same dark brown hair. The same brown eyes and angry brows.
Oh, shit!
My heart pounds in my chest now for an entirely different reason.
Pack Alpha Castillo meets my gaze. There’s concern there but it’s fleeting. He turns to Desmond and checks him out for injuries. I spot Ricardo close behind and decide now would be a good time to make my escape, only Rafael is there, yanking me into his arms. “What the hell were you thinking? Fuck. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Des said vampires attacked you guys.”
Emotion pools in the corners of my eyes. He cares? Like actually cares? He tightens his hold and out of nowhere, adrenaline slams into me.
His grip tightens when I move to pull away as he turns toward Des, completely unaware of the meltdown taking place inside of me.
“What the hell happened?” Rafael asks.
I swallow several times trying to force the lump in my throat down. I pull away again, but he only tightens his arms around me more. He scowls at me, his head tilting to the side.
“Let her go, man,” Desmond calls out.
“Hey. Isa? What’s happening.”
Des struggles to her feet. “Let her go, Rafe. Now.”
36
Rafe
As soon as I let go of Isa, she bolted. I tried to go after her but my best friend shouting at me held me back.
Even now, I’m tempted to go after her. I don’t know what the hell came over me but seeing her like that, covered in blood and dripping sweat, I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life. My girl was in danger.My girl.
Fuck all the bullshit with her and Josué. Fuck the fact that she ghosted me. She’s mine. She ran off tonight but as soon as I get Des settled, she and I are going to have words.
It’s just the four of us now. Des, me, my pops, and the Pack’s healer. We’re sitting in Desmond’s Escalade but I’m in the driver’s seat. No way am I letting him drive himself home tonight. Des gave my dad a recount of what happened, and one thing for sure is heads are going to roll Monday when my dad gets a hold of the vamp’s leader. He assures Desmond that there will be consequences. That this won’t happen again.
Again.
This wasn’t the first fucking time.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back to the compound?” my dad asks.
Des shakes his head. He lost a good amount of blood, but his wounds have already sealed themselves. Ricardo’s given him the all clear and the last thing he’d ever do is lay up in bed. He’ll be restless after this. He needs to eat and then go on a run.
