Page 22 of Pack Rage
“Mountain, I think,” Dean replied. “They made good time.”
“Flor?” I heard Brand’s voice on the phone in my hand, and I pressed it to my ear, my heart in my throat.
“Bearman. Are you all right?”
His deep voice rumbled in my ear. “I’m fine. From the feeling in the bond, Luke is fine, too. But Finn, I can’t feel him. Is he…”
I knew what he was asking. I closed my eyes, reaching for Finnick.“Huh. He’s happy, almost. Nervous, but whatever you’re noticing, it’s something good. Or at least he thinks it is.” I couldn’t imagine what good could be found in this mess, but my connection to Finnick was lighter. I tried not to think about him and our bond, and how much it had hurt the last few times I’d felt it more strongly. He and I were gonna have us a talk soon. If we lived long enough.
“Good for us, then. That’s what I needed to hear. All right. I’m driving through the gates at the Mansion now. Dean says the first of the Mountain troops are arriving there?”
“They’re coming down the road now.”
“Good. The rest should be there before the full moon. When they arrive, make your plans. Let Sergeant guide you.”
It would be too late then. I had to act immediately.
“Once I’m inside the Mansion, I’m sure they won’t allow me to call you,” Brand said, but I cut him off.
“You won’t need to. I’ve already got a plan, though. Glen and I are?—”
“Flor, stop. Don’t tell me.”
“What? Why not?”
His reply was blunt, and more than a little terrifying. “I’m about to walk into the home of a witch who wants to kill you and everyone else who can stand against her, and take over the North American packs. I’m not sure if she can read minds, or force me to tell her secrets. I’m far enough from you that I can’t follow your thoughts precisely. If I don’t know exactly what you’re doing, if you don’t tell me, then she can’t find out either.”
I felt a surge of love in our bond, and I sent one back, hoping he didn’t notice my fear.
“I’ll do what I can, Flor. I’ll find Luke and Finnick, and speak to them first. Then I’ll see if I can get into the lower levels, to talk to the Hilliers and discover where your little psycho is.”
“Thank you, Bearman.” I thought for a moment. “Just don’t get locked up with anyone. I may need you to cause a distraction.”
“What?” I heard someone on the other end of the line, shouting. But Brand was growling, “Flor, don’t tell meyou’regoing to be anywhere near this—” The shouting got louder.
“Okay, I won’t,” I said. I didn’t share that I was promising not totellhim. I was absolutely going. “Love you.”I hung up before he could ask me anything else.
Dean had jogged off, but Glen was staring at me as I pressed the button on the phone, his eyebrows raised so high that they vanished under his blond curls. “You hung up on him? He’sgoing to spank you for that, if I don’t beat him to it. This isn’t a plan, Dream Girl, or if it is, it’s the worst plan in?—”
“The history of plans?” I almost laughed. “Nah, this is only the second worst. Get dressed. We’ve got to go meet the Mountain shifters, then find a car to take to the big shitty, as Grandma Ida would say.” As we quickly straightened up Del’s house, I sketched out the final details of the plan, if it could be called one.
Glen was paler than the paint on the walls when I finished. “This really is crazy. There’s no hope that it’ll work.”
“Southern shifters are all about the crazy, Glenda.” I passed him, slapping him on the butt before I stepped into the drizzly morning. “And up to now, I would have agreed with you on theno hopething. But look at this place.” I gestured to the pack, to the shifters who I never once thought would work together, doing just that. Unranked females, ranked males, and even rogues, working to clean up my shithole of a home pack before Mountain arrived, and doing it cheerfully. “I never would’ve dreamed this could happen. I kinda hate to admit it, but there’s hope here.”
He still looked skeptical. “Is hope enough to save us all from the Council?”
I pondered that as he followed me out the door. “Maybe not,” I admitted. “We’ll probably need some duct tape, too.”
Use every weapon, girlie. Every last one.Del’s voice echoed in my mind as Glen’s rang out, attracting the attention of the cobbled-together pack that was hard at work, rebuilding.
Or building something new.
Chapter 11
In the Wolf’s Den
BRAND
