Jonas growled. Mick gripped the back of her neck and snapped his teeth in warning before she could dig herself a deeper hole. Leaving them was not an option.
Ever. She rolled her eyes.
“Didn't I just say I wasn’t leaving?”
Her words soothed his wolf, but her confrontational attitude excited it. “Keep pushing, sugar,” he growled.
He didn't think she was ready to play the kind of games she was inciting just yet. Dane cleared his throat, and everyone's attention swung back to him.
“The vision. It's soon. Probably tonight. We have to get Harper out of here.”
“No. He'll just come after me wherever I go. I've hurt his pride now.” Dane turned a little green, and Mick jumped up to grab the trash can. Better than vomiting all over himself and the table, but when he handed it over, Dane shook his head, pulled himself together.
“So we know when. Do you know where?”
Dane looked around. “Here.”
Jonas snarled and stood to pace. Mick could guess what he was thinking. This damned wizard was coming after their mate in their territory? Stupid. But lucky for them. Jonas got control of his initial rage and turned to meet Mick's gaze. They were definitely thinking the same thing.
“Why do you think it's tonight?” Jonas asked.
Dane turned and pointed to the window over the sink. “Because in the vision I could see the moon, almost full, in that window. And if the weather report is right, tomorrow will be too overcast to see it.”
Well now. Maybe the kid was smarter than he looked. Mick never bothered to check weather reports. His wolf alerted him to impending changes. A storm was moving in, probably after daybreak, and it wasn't quite dark yet.
“We need to get you up to the alpha's house,” he told Harper.
“What? No. It's me he wants.”
“And he isn't getting you. We need you someplace we know you're not in danger,” Jonas growled.
She lifted her chin in the air, stubbornness radiating from her tense body.
“You need my help. Dane is a seer, but not a great a spell caster, and Liza isn't good enough yet. So you're stuck with me.”
Jonas snarled and resumed pacing. Thinking. Unfortunately, he'd reached the same conclusion Mick already had. She was right. But they sure as fuck didn't have to like it.
“I'm not going either,” Dane said belligerently. Mick sighed. Apparently, pigheadedness was genetic. “I'm good with fire if nothing else,” he added with a glare at Harper. From what little he'd seen, he'd guess Harper protected her younger brother from danger as much as possible.
“Is that why Liza sent me down here?” a voice drawled from behind them.
Jonas turned to see Zach lounging against the door frame behind him. Great.
Just what they needed to add to the clusterfuck. Zach was annoying on his best days, antagonistic the rest of the time.
“Why would she send you here?” Jonas asked.
Zach shrugged and strolled into the kitchen. “Said she had a bad feeling and wanted me to check up on Harper.”
One day very soon Jonas was going to give into the urge to knock his beta on his ass, but the threat to Harper had to be eliminated first. He could guess by Mick's expression he'd decided to give in to her demand to stay. Like her, he hadn't thought the whole thing through. He was a healer; he'd never kill unless in the heat of battle. Jonas was not so reserved. They were only thinking of beating the bad guy, not what it would take to keep the bad guy away forever.
He walked outside, past Zach, who followed and closed the door behind him.
“Kid says he had a vision. Harper's father isn't willing to let her go after all.”
“You believe him?”
“Yeah.” Unfortunately. “If the kid is right, he'll show up tonight.” Zach's expression changed from predatory to amused in half a second. “The kid has a name.”
Jonas snorted. Like they had time for stating the obvious? “Whatever. I need them out of here. All three of them.”
Technically, Jonas outranked Mick, but under the circumstances Mick wouldn't follow the order if he gave it, and because of what they meant to each other Jonas was reluctant to force him. Zach, on the other hand, was beta. Not even Mick would go against his orders. Zach nodded.
“And then we wait for her father.”
Jonas nodded.
“Get Gabby and Ethan here too. And put a couple extra patrols on my place.” He tossed his phone to Jonas and left him outside to make the calls while he went back into the kitchen. Jonas stepped away from the house and scrolled through the address book. He picked up raised voices inside but couldn't make them out. A few minutes later, everyone trooped out, and he turned his back on Mick's angry glare.
He should've known he wouldn't get off that easy. He scented that Zach, Harper, and Dane had moved away, but he knew when he finished his last call, Mick would be standing there waiting for him. Knowing he couldn't put it off any longer, he flipped the phone closed and turned to face him.
Mick strode forward, stopped inches from Jonas, a growl rumbling in his chest.
“She's my mate too. You wouldn't try to stop anyone else from protecting what was theirs.”
“No.” Jonas closed the distance between them, lifting his hands to cradle Mick's face. “But do you want her to watch me kill her father? Is there another way to keep her safe?”
Mick's body jerked, but he didn't pull away. “Mick, baby, let me do what I have to without worrying about y'all,” he pleaded.
Mick's eyes glowed in the evening gloom. “You think I'm not capable? You think I can't help?”
Jonas took a deep breath. “I think it's against your nature. I think it would eat at you. And that would make me feel…less. For not protecting you too.” When was the last time he'd been this honest? Had he ever? It surprised him how easy it was to do, to just lay everything bare. He leaned his forehead against Mick's. “I need you to stay whole,” he whispered.
Finally, finally Mick touched him. His arms lifted, circled Jonas's waist, and yanked him close. “You are not getting off the hook for not discussing this with me.” No but and Jonas heaved a huge sigh of relief. Mick was going to go. “Someone has to watch Harper, and I have to be focused elsewhere. You know that.” He couldn't help push, though. “Could you really do it?” Even Mick's scent went cold. “If it meant protecting you or her, yes.”
“And that I don't want you to have to make that choice? Does that mean anything?”
Mick smiled, slow and sweet and sensual. “Baby, the time is going to come you have to let someone take care of you.”
They did something—those words—to Jonas. The sensual promise. The exacting command. He whispered, “Maybe. For now, though, I need you to go.” He leaned forward and kissed Mick. All teeth and tongue and bite. “Be safe. Keep her safe. And let me do my thing.”
Mick didn't let him go so easily. He bit him hard on his bottom lip. “We are going to talk about this again.”
He scented Zach returning, and he wanted Mick away. Safe. “Go.”
He wasn't happy about it, but he turned to leave. Jonas watched until he disappeared in the growing dark, and Zach stood at his side. Then Gabby and Ethan strolled into the yard. They both radiated tension.
Zach heaved a sigh. “You two. Can it.”
Gabby flashed a quick rueful grin, and the anxiety seemed to deflate out of her. “What's the plan?”
“You're playing decoy.”
Ethan jerked, his eyes glowing wolf yellow, but he nodded. Even if he claimed her right now, she was a lieutenant in the pack, and she'd remain one. Up close she looked nothing like Harper, but they were the same height and had similar builds.
Harper's father wouldn't realize he'd gone after the wrong target until it was too late.
The patrols had been ordered to let the man slip through or believe he had.