Page 129 of Witch Undecided
Shit changed. “Astrid, I’m sure you can walk on your own steam. It’s only been a fucking day since you were captured. The varga who can barely stand could do with an assist.” This time I speared Leif with a cool look.
He blinked sharply as if coming to his senses, released Astrid, and turned to help the varga who was clinging to the door frame.
Astrid narrowed her eyes in my direction. I didn’t have time for drama, but I flipped her off anyway.
Poppy stifled a snicker.
“I don’t want you to stay here,” Tor said. “Come with us now and we can double back later and check it out.”
I shook my head. “If the Order finds out the shifters are gone, they’ll wipe this place and we’ll lose our only chance of finding out what they’re up to.”
She’s right,Rune said.Go. I’ll stay with The Elites.
Tor looked torn, jaw ticking, and then he exhaled and nodded. The strategist in him siding with me and silencing the beast that wanted to protect.
“Sloane, keep her—”
“Seriously, Tor,” Sloane drawled. “Do we have to do thiseverytime?”
He tucked in his chin. “No. I know. Make it quick. Don’t fucking linger.”
He strode off carrying the varga woman, and the Holm shifters trailed behind him. Astrid speared me with a final bitchy look before trotting after my mate.
Leif gathered the other varga woman into his arms and shot me an apologetic look.
I sighed and shook my head. I needed to control the territorial shit. I mean, how the fuck would I cope once they started banging other women to procreate?
No. Do not think about it.
Rune stayed by my side.I’ll help you scope.
“Thanks.” I stroked his head. “Let’s see what we can find.”
“We split up and we work fast,” Sloane said. “Cora, Rune, you’re with me.”
We headed toward the low building we were hiding against a few minutes ago. It was the closest building to the tower and therefore the most viable spot for the Order to camp out and keep watch on their acquisitions.
This may just be a holding ground,Rune said.There may not be anything of note.
I smiled down at him as I pulled a set of lockpicks from my kick-ass boots and set to work on the door. “They’ve had this place for three years. I doubt this is the first time they’ve used it. There has to be something we can use against them.”
The lock disengaged and we were inside a small foyer. An office of sorts, lined with dusty filing cabinets, cheap-looking chairs, and metal desks. The windows were so grimy hardly any light got through. The open-plan space ran off into the gloom.
We set to work, rummaging through items on desks coated with a thick layer of dust.
If this place had been used at all, then it had been a long time ago. Doubt squirreled its way into my mind. Maybe I was wrong. No. There were other buildings to check out. But it stood to reason if they were using this place as some kind of on-and-off base, they’d keep their station close to the tower where they liked to hold their hostages.
“Nothing here,” Sloane said.
Wait.Rune was by one of the filing cabinets, nose to the ground.Look.
I joined him and crouched to pick up a fast-food wrapper, freshly crumpled with no dust on it.
Rune jerked his head at the cabinet.Move it.
Poppy flicked her wrist and the cabinet shot away from the wall to reveal a door.
I stepped around Rune to get to it. “Well, that’s original.”
