Page 67 of Wolf's Providence

Willow looked down, her focus on her crossed arms, and then she unfolded them, clasping her hands instead. I could see her mind racing, torn between accepting the plan and the fear of what could go wrong.

“Okay,” she finally said, her voice soft. “We do this, but I need to know you’ll have an escape plan if things go sideways.”

“You’ll be fine.” I reached out, covering her hand in mine, the warmth of her skin settling me like nothing else could. “But you—ifanythingever feels wrong, anything at all—you go to the most populated place, and you stay there until I tell you it’s safe. No second-guessing it.”

She nodded, but there was a hard determination in her eyes. “I didn’t mean me, I meant you. Doyouhave an escape plan? Who has your back in this, Caleb?”

I didn’t have an answer. I’d been so focused on making sure she only knew what she needed to. The more dangerous parts, the corners I might cut, those would be on me. But to ask who had my back? I wasn’t prepared for that.

“Um…”

“No one?” Willow’s eyes narrowed. “What about this ‘contact’ you have?”

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking him,” I told her honestly.

“Fine,” Willow said with a tone I’d never heard from her before. “I will. Who is it?”

Fuck.

“Does it matter?” I asked quietly.

“I’m risking myself for this plan, but I have you protecting me. Who’s protecting you, Caleb? I want to know. If we are drawing these people out, if therearepeople to draw out, then I want to know you’re covered just as much as I am.”

Leaning forward, I caught the back of her neck, pulling her forward, my lips claiming as my mouth devoured hers, as I poured everything I felt about her into that kiss.

When I pulled back, I looked into her eyes. “You’re amazing, Willow Harper, do you know that?”

Her cheeks were flushed, and I knew it would be a mix of pleasure and praise. “Nice try,” she whispered, leaning up to me and kissing me softly. “I still want to know his name and meet him.”

“His name, maybe,” I conceded. “You don’t need to meet him.”

She was going to argue, but I got off the couch, pulling her after me. “Come on, you need to get ready to go to work. We need to let as many people know, this morning, that I’m leaving town for a few days and you’ll be alone.”

“I’ll find out,” she taunted as I led her to the bathroom.

Her confidence was so much more than when I’d met her. I wondered if she knew how much she’d blossomed in such a short time. In the shower, I reminded her how precious she was to me.

She was all that mattered. I would find out who was targeting her, and if it meant letting a little of the beast within me loose, then so be it.

The worn floorboardscreaked under my boots as I stepped into the dimly lit bar. The scent of cedar and old leather hit me, mingling with the familiar scent of whiskey. Across the room, seated alone at a corner table, was a man I hadn’t seen in years, but he was instantly recognizable. Eamon looked up as I approached, his sharp eyes cutting through the low light, the all too familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Caleb Foster,” he said, looking me over as he leaned back in his chair. “Heard you’d gone loco. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

I sat down across from him, crossing my arms. “Your mouth’s still spouting out shit, I see.”

Eamon chuckled, raising his glass to me. “What can I say? You’re so fucking straightlaced, when I heard you’d lost your mind, I had to check what I was drinking.” He took a deep pull of his whiskey. After setting the glass down, his tone sobered. “So…is it true? You’ve shacked up with a human?”

I kept my expression unreadable. “Not here for the small talk, Eamon. I need your eyes and your instincts.”

“See, there he is, straightlaced, all-business Caleb Foster.” He sniffed like he’d smelled something bad. “A human, man? Like for real?”

“You got a problem with humans?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow. “How’s Britt?”

“Fuck you,” he muttered, downing the rest of his drink. “She was my best friend.”

“Yeah. Sure. Heard her screaming your namerealfriendly like far too many times,” I told him. “You want to throw shit, or you want to get to it?”

His eyes danced with laughter, his grin growing. “I’ll take all business for twenty.” He nodded to the bartender, raising his glass in one hand, holding up two fingers with the other. “Alright, Alpha, what do you need?”

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