Page 10 of Nick
Steele held the driver’s door open.Ryker took the front passenger seat, Bronx the driver’s seat.Sarah hesitated for a fraction of a second before Nick’s hand at the small of her back nudged her forward.
“Come on,” he said, a subtle command woven into his tone, and Sarah moved to sit in the back.
As they settled into the seats, the scent of leather mingled with the earthy aroma of the four shifters, enveloping Sarah in a cocoon of pack unity.Nick’s presence beside her was both comforting and unsettling, stirring up a storm of emotions she had yet to confront.
The engine roared to life, and they pulled away from the Moonstone Lodge.
Sarah stared out the window, watching the scenery blur by.Her chest tightened with anxiety.These men, honorable and brave, were risking their lives because of her—because of the tangled web of politics that choked her home pack.
Yet, as Nick’s steady breathing filled the space between them, Sarah felt a spark of hope flicker inside this.
“Everything will be okay,” Nick murmured, almost as if he sensed the turmoil inside her.
She wanted to believe him.
No, she needed to believe him.
With a deep breath, Sarah turned her attention to the horizon, the vast expanse of wilderness stretching out before them.
“I hope you’re right.”She spoke so quietly she didn’t think anyone could hear her.
But then Ryker turned around from the front seat and said, “We’ll make sure of it.”
In her heart, though, she feared he was wrong.
Even though she’d come here hoping to find help, she didn’t truly believe there was any to be found.
There was no way Vincent would ever let go of the Sunburst Pack.
No matter how many enforcers and guardians Steele sent to overthrow the Sunburst alpha.
The words echoed through her mind.
It’s hopeless.
The thought brought tears to her eyes—even though she knew how dangerous hope could be.
Chapter 5
THE TIRES OF BRONX’SSUV crunched over gravel and sand as they entered the outskirts of Sunburst, New Mexico.
Sarah sat tensely next to Nick in the back seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, while Ryker joked with Bronx in the front, attempting to lighten the mood.But even Ryker’s humor couldn’t penetrate the thick atmosphere that had settled over them like the desert dust.
Nick peered out through the window, his gaze skimming over the landscape of his old home.The streets were quieter than he remembered, more forlorn, a layer of grime covering everything like a blanket of neglect.
“Changed much?”Ryker’s voice cut through his thoughts, but Nick only grunted in response, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Buildings, once vibrant and full of life, now stood faded under the New Mexico sun.As they drove, the ghostly echoes of laughter and camaraderie that once filled the streets played tricks on his memory.
Nick noted each storefront, each alleyway, his mind automatically cataloging potential threats, an instinct honed from years of living on edge.
With every passing moment, Sarah’s betrayal threatened to choke him.
“Almost there,” Sarah murmured.
Nick glanced at her, taking in her features, clouded by regret and something fiercer.She met his gaze briefly before returning her attention to the road ahead, directing Bronx when to turn.
Again, Nick’s gaze swept over the scattering of buildings that dotted the sun-bleached landscape, each one more dilapidated than the last.
