69. Jax

69

Jax

The small little honeyed wolf was curled up tightly in the bed. She gave me a half-hearted wag as I sat on the edge and gently stroked my hand over the top of her head. "Is it all right if I join you?"

Another thump of the tail. I settled back against the wall and resisted the urge to pull the small wolf in my lap. My own wolf rose inside me, but he didn't try to take control. Instead, he just came close enough so Anna's wolf could feel me.

She sighed and leaned against me.

"I guess I should catch you up on what happened," I began. "The crone called. She was furious that her maiden had been hiding out on our land, so after she finished blistering my ears, she provided some information on Amaya and her twin, Yelena. Apparently, they were close. So close that when Amaya came for the maiden position, the crone was certain both of them were there. She admitted that she'd performed a spell to separate two souls when Amaya disappeared.

She assumed the spell worked, and the twins had simply gone home with their tails tucked between their legs. We think Yelena might have sacrificed Amaya to get onto our land. The land couldn't tell the two souls apart. So while we were looking for Amaya's killer, she was roaming freely and doing god knows what.

"I have to assume that she was not working alone. Someone there wanted her. Probably Emerson. In any case, if she was supposed to bring the rising darkness, we stopped her. She's very dead."

Anna's wolf shifted, and she whimpered just a little. I stroked her ears. "I figured Emerson had done something to get you to agree to go with him. That was all I could figure, but a part of me knew that I haven't treated you the way I should. I have a long way to go for penance.

Kenzi came up with the plan. Irene darkened the bond. I've never felt so empty in my life.

She admitted that she didn't know if it would work on your end, but the mating bond is a two-way street.

Darken one end, and it might effectively be dead. She's had to redo the spell twice a week, which has annoyed her. It should lift soon. I hope… I hope you'll accept it again."

I hoped she might push her muzzle in my hand or move just a little closer. Some sign that she would accept me. She didn't even look at me. Just kept her tired eyes trained to the wall.

"Going forward, we have to stay in town and together for four days. Then one of the merchant ships is going to take us to London's pack. From there, we can make our way back home. Don't worry. Emerson's hands will be tied. He can't wolf out here in town, and we chose a motel close to the police station, so he won't take you by force. Strange that we are relying on human protection.

"We told everyone that Bridget was attacked by rogues and killed. I hate that she's dying a hero, but she has a cousin with two young children, and I don't want them to live in the shadow of her treachery. There were several competitors for her position. Kenzi didn't hesitate. Finn would have been her only competition, but he didn't want it."

There was more that I wanted to tell her. About how I couldn't even sleep in my fucking bed because she wasn't there. How the pack saw her save Irene and couldn't believe she had so much power.

How they were ashamed of how they treated her.

Her life would be different when we got back. The pack would accept her. We would have a mating ritual.

I'd finally feel complete.

Instead, there was a knock at the door. Kenzi and Saul came through the adjoining door to watch over Anna, and I went to their room and stepped out front.

Emerson and five wolves were standing there.

The fury on his face nearly made me smile. "Emerson. Funny meeting you here."

"Where the fuck is she?"

"Careful, Emerson. This motel is full of people. I was lucky to get a couple of rooms for myself, so if I were you, I'd lower my voice. It's pretty early in the morning."

To his credit, Emerson looked around and frowned. I know what he saw. Police station.

Fire station across the street. A stretch of shops and small dining next to the fire station.

Even now, shop owners were cleaning their windows and sweeping their sidewalks. One of the fire station garage doors were up, and a couple of guys were bringing out trash.

Soon, this place would be crawling with people.

"Clever, but you can't stay here forever," Emerson snarled. "She is mine."

"Blackmailing her doesn't make her yours, Emerson. You gave her a choice, didn't you? I think it's pretty clear who she really chooses. Stand down. If you touch her again, my pack has made it clear that they are happy to go to war over her. Are you ready for that?"

His face relaxed and he tried to peer in the room behind me. "Kenzi with you? I must say, that's an interesting plan. Fake a mating. How are the other alphas going to react?"

"Poorly, I'm sure. I'll be sure to make it up to them by inviting them to the real one."

"Last room, you say? Perhaps I'll talk to the desk attendant and see when a room might open. It's been awhile since I had a long visit here. I'm well-liked here, you know."

I'd also anticipated that, which is why I'd bought out the whole motel for the week. He can stay in town, but he'll have to stay in another motel. Closest one was ten miles away. "Then it'll be nice for us to catch up. Maybe we can do lunch while you're here."

"One more thing. Janelle has also gone missing. I don't suppose you know anything about that, do you? Because she is not yours, and I can retaliate."

"Have you checked your bond lately? That should tell you everything that you need to know." I took a moment to deliberately glance at all the faces who were with him. None of them were Elonso.

None of them could hold my gaze either. That was strange. They were close enough to Emerson to feed off their pack bond. They should have no problem looking me straight in the eye, even if I was another alpha.

"I'll be in touch."

"I look forward to it."