you

es

ound sure. S

he sweeping headlights, boots hitting pavement in total

. Don't l

y n

it slows

hole explanati

in daylight, into a side street lined with dark storefronts. A truck sat at the

t i

even kn

n the

in the

his own until they'd cleared two blocks, taking turns that made

ement - a shape at the mouth of the alley they'

, heart still hammering. "Was t

own side, checking. "If it were, you'd know.

en

t n

ep sayi

t keeps be

omeone else

kno

't seem s

u to answer something, and I need the trut

ka

you your family isn't

hest, too specific, too close to t

onight," she said slowly. "A

did it

racked on it. "I know what that mea

gold.

o you

k glance off the road, gone again

ne do the s

permission, some animal part of her brain al

cked the movement before she'd finished

one of

, and it matters, but I don't have time to

make

second she thought he

y. "Mine. The one those men belong to. And one that doesn't exist

n answer, tha

test true ver

gain.

e, the first crack of frus

ze for it. I'm the Alpha of one pack. Those men back there work for another. And whatever you are - whateve

gh that the tires humming against aspha

," she said fin

ld y

d k

The way your pulse didn't spike until after the danger was already gone, like your body h

argue and found she di

that mattered more than any of this. "The

r aunt. I don't k

w do I f

vate road she hadn't noticed until the pavement changed under the tires, smoother, n

your decis

s ton

y fifteen feet high, flanked by two men who straig

ard and pulled the gate

odding once as the

ole body

ated. "That's wha

es

involved with these

this pa

w m

tonight than you'd be anywhere else in this s

t an answe

y one that ma

shut behind the truck with a heavy clang tha

straight ahead through the windshield. "I think I already kno

y m

whatever had been controlled and careful i

y burned to the ground twenty-two years ago. Every wo

mouth w

right now," he sai

crackled to life before he

fence. We've

ill in a way that had noth

e said into the

avier than the first. "She's hurt bad. Says she's not l

grabbed his arm before sh

hat's my aunt,

ver was speaking didn't want to say it at all. "She said to tell you Voss alre

silent except

dn't loo

rove straight for the east fen