Adam ran a hand down his face, shaking his head. “You’re asking too much, Aren. We can’t risk the Pack. We’ve always kept to our territory, and we’ve never had any problems with other wolves. If there are other Packs out there, or werewolf Special Forces squads, we’re better off staying out of it.” Adam went for the door. “I’m sorry I can’t help you more, but taking in her sister is as far as I can go.”
“We won’t stand a chance against this guy alone.”
Adam stopped and slowly turned around. “If it were just me, you know I’d have your back in a heartbeat, but if we let Sasha stay here, the entire Pack, my family, all of us would be at risk. I’m the Alpha now. Their needs have to come first.”
I shifted my gaze from Adam to Aren. The Alpha was right, but we’d already been in Reno too long. That Green Beret could be in town for all we knew. Tracking the Lotus owners in Nevada and tracing one to Reno wouldn’t be that tough with Nero’s resources at his disposal. He’d come looking for me, and when he found me, Nadya would be his, too. Adam knew something, and if it might help me keep this guy away from my sister, then I needed the intel. Now.
Rounding the couch, I marched up to Adam. “You know something you’re not sharing. Ante up, wolf. We don’t have time for this. Your brother trusts me. That should be good enough for you.”
He lunged toward me, forcing me to step back. His muscles were taut and his eyes narrowed. “You are in no position to question me about anything. I have every reason not to trust you.” His voice lowered to a growl. “In fact, I could kill you now, and I don’t think anyone would miss you.”
Aren stood between us in a heartbeat. He shoved his brother. Hard. Adam fell back, smashing the glass coffee table. He popped back onto his feet with surprising speed.
Aren widened his stance, his eyes locked on his twin’s. “So help me, Adam, I don’t want to hurt you, but if you threaten her one more time I will. That’s a promise.”
Adam stared at his brother, then over at me. “You claimed her.”
I had no clue what he was talking about, but Aren nodded. “I did. You know I didn’t choose this. It chose me.”
Adam growled. “What has she chosen?”
Both brothers turned their attention on me. The tension sparked, almost palpable in the air. “I’ve chosen to do whatever it takes to keep my sister safe.”
Adam shook his head. “Not good enough.”
My brow creased in frustration. “What do you want from me?”
Neither brother spoke.
I opened my mouth, but before I could say a word, a loud bang sounded from outside. Some kind of explosive detonated. Aren pulled the door open. The tree right outside the cabin gate was on fire, and the gate itself tilted, warped and leaning off the guide track. A wall of intense heat blew through the door, and black smoke plumed into the otherwise blue sky.
“What the fuck?” Aren rushed out the door with Adam right behind him.
I glared at the fire for a second, before it all clicked. Starting after them, a bullet whizzed past my ear and embedded itself deep in the side of the log cabin.
I dropped to the ground and shouted. “It’s a trap!”
Adam and Aren let go of the hose they were pulling out and ran around the corner of the house as silent bullets danced across the dry dirt, chasing their steps. I crawled behind a planter on the deck, peering through the foliage as I drew my weapon.
“Come on, you gutless bastard,” I whispered. “Show yourself.”
Sirens echoed in the distance as my index finger caressed the delicate trigger. But nothing moved. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears while I waited for more gunfire. By the time the fire truck finally arrived, I started breathing again. He wouldn’t attack with so many people around. Publicity and any chance of being apprehended would be a death sentence for a bounty hunter who knew too much.
If Sebastian was right, this guy needed to be careful. If Nero didn’t kill him, the government might.
Aren appeared around the side of the house, walking down to talk to the fire department. The firefighters were already at work dousing the hot, hungry flames, as Adam came back up the steps.
“The explosion was just a ploy to get us outside.” At least he was speaking to me now, instead of guttural threats. “He figured he could pick us off from a distance.”
I nodded, still scanning the landscape. “Looks that way.”
“Thanks for the shout out.”
I let myself glance over at him for a second. “No problem.”
“If he saw me with Aren, it won’t take long for him to connect the dots on this one. Damn.” He raked his fingers through his hair, pulling it back from his forehead. “I shouldn’t have come up here.”
I sighed. It was a little startling to see Aren’s deep green eyes on another person. “I know you have every reason not to trust me, but I can finish this. We can make a stand here and take this guy out.”
“But you and Aren can’t do it alone. That’s why you came, remember?” Adam focused on his brother in the distance talking with the fire chief. “I don’t know if the Pack will back me on this one. It’s because of you that I’m the Alpha now.” His gaze met mine and for a moment it felt like he could see directly into my soul. “Asking them to help you now…” He shook his head. “I don’t think they will.”
“Don’t do it for me. Do it for your brother and your Pack. No one is safe with this guy lurking in the shadows.”
Aren came up the steps. “They found shrapnel. The asshole lit off a grenade.”
“I’ve got to get to the ranch before he figures out where I live. Help me get the gate open.”
Aren put his shoulder into the twisted metal and grunted. “Be sure you’re watching for him. He could tail you, and you’d lead him right to the Pack.”
“I’ll be careful.” Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. “Be at my place in two hours.” He nodded toward me. “And leave her here.”
Chapter Nineteen
Aren
Sasha insisted I loan her my other car and left for downtown. It made sense—she’d be able to grab some food, and she was capable of protecting herself—but with the Green Beret lurking, I needed to be at her side. My gut felt tight, my muscles tense and mind sharp. I recognized the feeling. This was my game face before an important business meeting, when the stakes were high.
Couldn’t get much higher than this.
I greeted my Pack as they arrived at the ranch, traditionally making eye contact as we clasped our forearms together. Gareth was the last to show up, and I noticed he didn’t greet Lana. Adam didn’t say anything, but I could tell by the way his jaw clenched that it pissed him off.
Maybe that explained why I hadn’t seen Gareth much over the past several months. Maybe he still held a grudge against Lana for his brother’s death. She hadn’t killed him, but Sebastian wouldn’t have been in Reno during the new moon if she hadn’t been here. Gabe might still be alive.
At the back of Adam’s barn, we all gathered, with our Alpha in front of the group. Lana was on his right and I stood off to his left as he addressed the Pack.
“I appreciate everyone coming tonight. We need to be watchful and stick together. There’s a dangerous wolf in our territory. We believe he’s ex-Special Forces, and he’s working for Nero. He already dropped a grenade on the gate at the cabin in Tahoe and took shots with a long-range rifle at Aren and me.”
Adam left Sasha out of the equation. Probably for the best, at least for now. I scanned the Pack, trying to gauge their reaction while my brother told them more about Sasha’s stalker.