Page 65 of To Keep A Wolf
“Fine,” he says, “But no wild goose chases. We can’t afford to be spotted.”
“I can help with that,” my mom says.
Everyone turns to her.
“You know where he’s keeping her?” I ask.
She hesitates, guilt creeping in. “I suggested our house. Told him it would be the last place anyone would look.”
I stare at her, not sure how to respond. Returning to Blackstone is one thing. Seeing my house again, full of all those memories…
“What will you do with her?” my father asks.
My mother frowns, and I remember what she did to the tracker last night. “We’re removing her from the equation. Get her out of the house. Find a place to stash her where Jadick won’t find her,” I say firmly, catching her eye. “That’s all.”
She scowls. “Fine.”
I start for the Jeep. My father climbs out to relinquish his wheels to us. As I pass him, he stops me and presses a phone into my hand.
“Take this,” he says. “It already has all of our numbers, and we have yours.”
I don’t bother asking him where he got it; my dad seems prepared for pretty much anything, and I already love him for it.
“Thank you,” I tell him, and then, before I can overthink it, I hug him quickly.
He steps back, his cheeks flushed but his smile genuine. “Go get ’em, girl.”
“One problem with this master plan,” Tripp calls. “Mac, Jadick’s ultimatum about taking lives is all about you showing face. Anything short of that and he’ll make good on his word, and you know it.”
He’s not wrong.
“That just means he’ll need to see us,” I say, considering.
“Not an option,” Levi growls at the same time my father says, “No way.”
I sigh. “We’ll grab the witch, stuff her in the back, and haul ass past the alpha house.” Turning to Levi, I add, “By then, the pack will be arriving, and you can intercept Jadick when he comes for us. We won’t even stop driving.”
His tight expression makes it clear he hates the idea of letting me get so close to Jadick. Even my father’s face is flushed red now. But there’s no other way, and they both know it.
“A drive-by. I like it,” Tripp says.
“Fine,” Levi grinds out.
“Dad?” I ask and then suck in a breath at the fact that I just used that word.
He seems to realize it, too, and some of the resistance goes out of his expression. “We can try it your way,” he allows. “But if he gets too close, I’m blowing his head off, fuck the rules of engagement.”
Tripp lets out a whoop.
Even Levi looks inclined to agree.
I let out a breath and climb into the passenger side of the Jeep. “Fine by me,” I say.
The “supplies,” which are basically a shit-load of weapons my dad has saved up, are off-loaded into the van, and in a few minutes, we’re ready to go. Levi steps up beside me, his dark gaze intense with all the emotions this day has already wrought.
“Be careful,” he says quietly.
“Kick some ass,” I tell him, refusing to acknowledge how many lives are at stake today. Including his. Ours.
