Page 49 of Crew

“I need some lemonade and a change of clothes,” Zara said.

“Me too,” Crew said.

“I’ll keep you guys posted,” Grey said. “And before you say anything, I’ll be careful.”

Crew nodded. “Keep us posted.”

They headed into the house just as Zara’s phone buzzed with a call from Tris.

“I saw smoke! Are you guys okay?”

“Girl, you wouldn’t believe what just happened,” Zara said, filling in her friend on the events of the morning.

“I’m glad you’re all safe, holy crap. When will that guy get a hint?”

Zara wanted to say that she hoped they’d gotten the message to Colton loud and clear that the Little River Herd wasn’t going anywhere and they would fight back against him and his herd. But she didn’t know if that was actually the case. Colton seemed determined to get to them, to her, and who the hell knew how long that would last?

“We’re safe for now, and that’s what matters,” Zara said.

“I’m coming over to make lunch right now; you guys need a break after fighting fires and fending off deranged lunatics.”

“See you in a bit,” Zara said, not about to turn down someone else making lunch.

“I need something,” Crew said, leaning over and kissing Zara’s cheek as she opened the refrigerator.

“Lemonade?” she asked, grabbing the pitcher.

“Yes, but mainly I need you.” She looked up at him and the heated look in his eyes made her breath catch.

Suddenly, all she needed was him too.

The lemonade could wait.

“Shower?” she whispered.

“You read my mind.”

“See you guys in a bit. Tris is coming over to make sandwiches, so save us some.”

As she and Crew hurried to the second floor and their bedroom, she heard Avi say, “Man, I can’t wait until I have my soulmate.”

“You and me both,” Ford said.

Colton paced in the abandoned hunting cabin that was their new headquarters, listening to his injured and moaning second-in-command Silas as he lay on the threadbare couch, waiting for nightfall so he could shift.

He clenched his hands into fists. Nothing had gone like he’d planned.

Zara was too cunning to be trapped right away. He’d thought he could just grab her and run, but the bitch had been handy with a shovel, and then her mate had shown up with that damn burning wooden slat and wielded it like a sword.

They’d moved locations the day before, leaving the campsite behind. The other herd knew where that location was, so it was compromised. They’d packed up and hustled to their new digs, intending to bring her back to the cabin and then lure Crew to his death.

The dusty cabin had a single main room with a few pieces of rotted, old furniture and an outhouse, but there was a well that had a hand pump that worked, and it was secluded enough that they could stay hidden. It wasn’t a good place for them to shift and run because the woods were dense around them, but it would do for now.

Until they were able to take over the farm and oust those assholes once and for all.

He was more determined than ever to take over and take out the whole damn herd. He’d been willing to kill Crew and Zara and let the others run away, but now? Now he was going to kill every damn last one of them. And he’d enjoy it too.

He just needed a new plan.

---