Page 34 of To Keep A Wolf
“An outcast. A hunted criminal. No home. I want to give you more than that.”
“You have,” I say softly.
But he doesn’t look convinced. Suddenly, he sits up, his expression fierce now. Determined. “Jadick’s not one to just give up. He’s going to keep hunting you.”
“Until we stop him,” I say, and Levi nods grimly.
“Exactly.”
This is it. The thing I’ve watched us avoid for the last twenty-four hours. Once we say it out loud, the clock starts. Our life of campfires and s’mores is over.
“I saw Kari.”
He stares at me for a beat longer than necessary. Then he gets up and heads for the van door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get Tripp,” he says. “He needs to hear this too.”
He opens the door and sticks his head out, calling for Tripp to move his ass. A few seconds later, Tripp hurries up with three cups of coffee balanced in his hands.
“Breakfast is served,” he says, passing them around.
I take one but don’t bring it to my lips. Tripp senses the shift in mood as he climbs in and settles himself in the passenger seat, turning it so he can face Levi and me on the mattress.
“What’s up?” he asks warily.
Levi looks at me expectantly.
“I saw Kari,” I say again except, this time, they both react.
Levi stiffens, and Tripp’s eyes widen.
“She’s alive?” Tripp asks.
“Not—Not anymore.” I can feel Levi’s eyes on me, but I don’t look at him. “Jadick was holding her hostage, torturing her for information.”
“What kind of information?” Tripp asks.
“The kind involving Jadick’s true intentions for me.” Quickly, I tell them what Kari told me about using my blood—and death—as a ritual sacrifice to end fated mates forever. “Apparently, Kari killed Crigger because she knew that’s what Jadick was planning to do. He needs the bones of his ancestors for the ritual. It’s the only thing he’s missing.”
“Fuck me,” Tripp breathes. “This is crazy. Here I thought he just wanted to psycho-love you.”
I give him a look. “You’re so weird.”
“Why you?” Levi asks, interrupting Tripp’s reply. “Why does he need your blood specifically for this?”
“I don’t know. We were interrupted before Kari could tell me that part.”
“And by interrupted, you mean you were shot in the shoulder,” Tripp provides.
I scowl.
“You haven’t told us how it happened,” Levi says quietly.
“I tried to run,” I say. “After what Kari said, I just wanted out, so I made a break for it. Made it into Jadick’s office where I knew there’d be an easy exit. Only, not so easy. He got off a lucky shot. And then I tore a hole in his leg.”
“Whoa, seriously?” Tripp whistles as if impressed.
