Page 320 of Pucking Feral: Part Two

"Checkout's at eleven," he says. "Ice machine's busted. Don't use the hot water after 8 PM. Pipes bang. I'll kick your ass out faster than you can blink."

"Noted. Don't bother us."

I take the key and leave before he can share any more of Cedarbrook's hospitality.

The door sticks. I shoulder it open and the troubling stench hits me first. I pull the collar of my shirt up over my nose and hit the switch. The lightbulb in the shadeless lamp on the nightstand flickers to life, agonizingly bright.

The room is pathetically small. The king-sized bed takes up the whole thing, really, save for a crumbling dresser and an upholstered chair by the foot of the bed with the same hideous gold-and-red geometric pattern as the duvet and pillowcases, and the brown shade of the carpet suggests it might have been blue once.

I set my bag on the dresser and send Ivy a quick text.

VALEK

Come up to room 66. It's clear.

IVY

Thanks Val

I text the group chat, too, because Ivy was apparently too stressed to remember there are three other alphas worrying about her at home.

The door creaks open behind me a few minutes later.

Ivy enters first, Wraith ducking through the frame after her, his hood pulled up and his face gaiter secured. This isn't one of the loose ones, and I can tell from the way he's moving that he's suffering. He straightens slowly, and his head nearly brushes the ceiling.

They both stop and stare at me.

Can't blame them, really. I'm crouched beside the armchair with my UV light, sweeping the beam across the upholstery.

Everything's lighting up.

"Oh my gods," Ivy groans.

"It's worse than it looks," I say brightly, angling the light toward the armrest. "And it looks disgusting."

"Is that a UV light?"

"Don't."

"No wonder Plague likes you so much."

I snort, clicking the UV light off. "I think Plague more than likes me."

"Fair."

Wraith makes a low sound that might actually be a laugh, his stiff posture loosening slightly.

Ivy grabs the SUV keys from the dresser where I set them. "Okay. We're heading to the clinic. We'll be back in a few hours."

I straighten up and cross to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down and pressing my lips to her forehead.

"Be good," I tell her.

She tilts her face up to kiss me. "Always."

I look past her to Wraith. "Keep her safe."

He manages a thumbs-up, his blue eyes tired but steady.