Chapter 16

Ranger lives in a prison. Okay, maybe it's not an actual state-run prison, but it sure looks like one. It's dark when we pull up, but I can see the massive gate and security features as the SUV drives past them.

Tanner looks wide-eyed at the house as we park in front of a huge garage. It helps me feel better to know he wasn't lying about being a new addition to their team.

"Allow us to grab our things, and the two of you can be on your way to the Assurance compound," Ranger says to the two men in the front seat. "I know it's been a long few days." He tosses open his door and climbs out.

Tanner and I follow him from the vehicle as Maverick and Gunner climb from the other SUV. Their dogs jump from the back door as soon as they're released.

I'm genuinely shocked when Nova comes over, nuzzling her head to my hand.

Squatting down, I rub her blocky head as Tanner and Ranger toss bags out of the SUV into a giant pile.

"Come on," Maverick calls. "It's your bathroom break. You better use it."

Nova looks at him, and I stand up so she can go do her business.

"I'll send you the maintenance bill for their droppings," Ranger calls after Maverick.

Maverick raises a hand, flipping off the sullen alpha.

My gaze moves to Tanner and Ranger as they collect the bags. Shaking my head, I realize I should probably help. I head back to the SUV and collect the blanket and pillow I used during the ride.

I spot Ranger walking up the stairs to the porch and realize this is my opportunity. "Can you tell me the name of the closest town?"

"Charlottesville," the guy in the passenger seat says. "It's only a ten- or fifteen-minute drive. It's not too bad."

I give them a polite smile and move to climb back out. "Thank you. Have a good night."

"You too, ma'am," the one on the left says.

Tanner waits for me by the car door, and we head up the steps and into Ranger's house together.

It's a beautiful home, with very few windows on the bottom floor. I'm even more baffled by the rectangular boxes above the two front windows. I've seen shutters before, but I have no idea what those contraptions are.

My head swivels as we step inside a large foyer. To the left is a small formal living room, and my eyes widen when I see the same rectangles above the windows.

How freaking strange.

Whatever.

I'm exhausted.

This is an unfamiliar environment, and I take a step back when a beautiful woman with long, dark hair bounces down the stairs.

Ranger stands from dropping the duffel bags. He startles as the woman rushes him, and his gaze quickly darts from me to her and back again.

I take another step back as my heart races.

Holy shit.

Does he have a wife?

Is that why he straight-up ran away from me this morning?

If he does, then he should be ashamed of himself.

Or maybe I should be.

I climbed into his bed, like I had the right.

She walks right up to Ranger, smiling up at him like they're very acquainted. "Did you kill him? Do you have pictures? You promised me a picture!" She slaps his chest playfully. "Come on. Don't hold out on me now!"

I trip over my own feet as I continue to back away.

My instincts don't like another woman that close to him, which is absolutely insane because I have no claim on him.

"Lucien Andretti is dead," Ranger says, bowing his head. "I have verifiable proof that you can find on Ramirez's phone."

"Holy shit! You really did it," the woman shrieks, wrapping her arms around him.

He nods. "It was a team effort, but I told you that he would pay for what he did to you."

My heart drops.

They weren't there to save me.

They were there to kill the guy who kidnapped me, and not even because of what he did to me.

Two men barrel down the stairs as a third comes in the door behind me.

Fury pulses through my system.

In no universe did I think I was coming to stay with Ranger and his pack.

I don't even know why it upsets me so much.

He's a scent match, but there's some deeper level of connection beyond just being compatible.

My chest actually aches realizing that we'll never be able to explore that connection.

It's my instincts' fault.

They got obsessed with the idea of an apex alpha who would fully be able to keep me safe.

Why would he even bring me here?

I mistakenly thought he was just a little socially awkward. That maybe he liked me too and was also attracted to my scent.

I thought we had a moment next to those executed corpses.

"If you could stop touching me, that would be great," Ranger says, prying her hands off his back. "Thank Ramirez. He was there. Show your appreciation to him, and he will verbally pass it on to me."

"Holy shit! You're back," she says, looking over my shoulder.

I am so incredibly confused, but glancing behind me, there's a man with dark hair and a killer smile. He followed us in, but I forgot about him in the chaos. He steps around me and jogs toward the woman.

Well, that was a roller coaster.

I still have no idea what's going on or who that woman is to Ranger.

I inch closer to Tanner, whispering, "I'm so freaking confused."

"Me too, firecracker."

Ranger comes to my side. "That is Kate. I acquired her?—"

"He married me off to my pack with no prior knowledge or consent," the woman—Kate—says.

"Speaking of the word pack. Are you packed?" Ranger growls, glancing between Kate and the three men now huddled around her. "Lucien is no longer a threat, meaning you no longer need to reside here."

"You really are a dick," Kate says, laughing. "You demanded we live with you, and you're kicking us out with no notice."

"Stop, don't bait him," Ramirez says, pulling her into his chest with a seductive smile on his face. "Now we can get settled in at my house."

"I texted you last night, telling you it was done and that you could and should begin packing." Ranger crosses his arms over his chest. "I hoped you'd be gone by the time we arrived."

Kate laughs. "All of our shit is already out in the cars. We just wanted to be here to greet Ramirez." She smiles up at her alpha before disengaging and coming to stand in front of me. "I was Lucien's prisoner for close to two years. If you need to talk…" She shrugs. "The offer stands."

My head tilts as I try to comprehend how long two years of captivity would feel like to experience.

I've put enough together to determine they had me for five or six days.

I can't even process what it would be like to experience five or six weeks, let alone years.

It also makes me feel like a righteous asshole for disliking the woman simply for being in Ranger's home.

They may have had multiple reasons for killing Lucien Andretti, but the bottom line is, they rescued me.

That counts for something.

It's hard because I'm always more emotional right before my heat is supposed to start. The mood swings are extreme in those few days of breakthrough symptoms, when I start a new pack of suppressants.

I don't even have those to buffer with. Add in all the stress of everything that's happened, and I know some of my behavior has been me overreacting.

"Thank you," I say sincerely.

"Ramirez is the medic, but there's also a female doctor in town. If you'd feel more comfortable talking to her, I would be open to going with you if you want some company." She gives a tight smile, and my chest aches, but not with my own misery.

It's clearly her pain at whatever memories she's recalling.

"Thank you," I repeat because I don't know what else to say.

"Of course." She nods. "Ranger is an absolute psychopath." She laughs, shaking her head. "Like a complete fucking lunatic, but he's nothing like the fuckheads you were with."

I'm sure I look a lot like I feel…

Really freaking confused.

How do they know each other again?

"As it turns out," Ranger says, guiding me up the stairs a short while later. "I have two rooms that are unusable, due to Kate and her pack. Thankfully, they're finally vacating the premises. The housekeepers will tackle those tomorrow. I also need to find rooms for Maverick and Gunner. There's also the matter of finding somewhere for Tanner to stay until he finds alternate arrangements."

"Okay," I say, trying to keep pace as he strides up the stairs.

He makes it to the top and turns around so abruptly, I bump into his chest. He immediately stretches an arm around me, placing his hand on my lower back.

"I would prefer that you're not agreeable just to be agreeable." His forehead wrinkles as he leans closer. "It throws me off. No one ever agrees with me without an argument."

My nostrils flare as his electric scent hits my senses. An embarrassing cooing sound that I swear I've never made in my life slips from my lips, and the next thing I know, my face is plastered to his chest.

The man is ridiculously tall.

I'm pretty sure I mumble that because the next thing I know, his forearm is wrapped around my ass, and I'm lifted against his chest. My feet circle his backside because we're still precariously close to the top of the stairs.

"Kate was a houseguest, nothing more." He clears his throat. "And while she did as she pleased around most of my home, there is one place I know her scent hasn't infiltrated."

"She seemed like more than a houseguest," I grumble, stretching up to bury my face in his throat.

His stubble scratches against the cut on my cheek, and I hiss.

"There's no need for theatrics. I wanted her out even more than you did." He does an about-face and marches down the hall.

I scoff. "Your itchy beard hurt the cut on my cheek."

He pauses his stride mid step, tilting his face down to study mine. "There's only a small amount of blood. I'll clean that up for you in my bedroom."

There really is something wrong with my brain when his words make my lady bits tingle.