Page 145 of Let Us Prey
What were they looking for?!
Bash howls, the sound so close to the Romulus battle cry it’s a physical effort not to shift in response. I smoothly tuck Delores behind me as he tears through his clothes, his white wolf violently clawing its way out of his skin, razor-sharp fangs bared and vengeance in his eyes.
That’s not good.
Luckily, he pays us no mind, bounding out of the busted door and quickly disappearing into the mist of approaching dawn. His mournful howl echoes off the brick buildings of Apex Academy, and I grimace at the thought of the body count I’ll have to deal with come morning.
But first…
“Did they… really take him?” Delores asks, her voice small but steady.
I sweep my gaze over the mess before meeting her wide blue eyes, shaking my head. “This doesn’t look like there was a struggle, baby, and I don’t smell any blood. Our fox may not be a fighter, but he wouldn’t have gone quietly.”
Taking her small hand, I lead her upstairs to Nico’s room. It’s in a similar state as the rest of the house, but I ignore the mess and stride to his closet before flinging open the doors. My stomach drops as I see not only are his clothes missing, but his suitcase as well.
He left us.
“Why would Nico leave?” I murmur, my wolf pacing anxiously, desperate to fix things. Suddenly, my blood runs cold. “This is my fault,” I croak, my gaze meeting Delores’ again. “If my head hadn’t been so far up my own ass these past few years… if I’d been a better alpha… ”
“No!” she barks, and it’s such analphabark, I immediately stand at attention. “No,” she repeats, softer. “Listen, Cash, there’s something I need to tell you, but… let’s go meet the others at Nico’s studio first.”
I nod, more than willing to let the bossy bunny take over while I internally shatter. I’m so numb, I don’t even question it when she somehow shifts without tearing her clothing, quickly removing mine to follow suit.
* * *
Aubrey and Renardare waiting for us in Nico’s studio, and I don’t bother asking if the mess I see was caused by them.Someoneis clearly targeting my pack, and the only reason I’m not concerned about the Tower is because the gargoyle’s security system includes electric shocks and a band of angry pirate raccoons.
Delores rushes past me, and we all gape as she fumbles under one of Nico’s worktables to reveal a fuckingsecret drawerfull of papers.
What the fuck is going on?!
“Nico’s been in contact with a mysterious informant in Washington, D.C.,” she lifts the papers—letters—out of the drawer, cradling the pile against her chest protectively. “He doesn’t know their identity, but they knowhis…along with what happened to his parents on Bloodstone Island.”
I feel the color drain from my face. Bash and I were barely older than pups when Nico’s parents were murdered—along with the entire diplomatic party they were traveling with—so the events of that day have always been a mystery to us as well. My father, Vito Romulus, buried that evidence so deep I doubthe’dbe able to dig it up, and I knew better than to ask.
Butsomeoneknows more than they should.
“He leftmea message!” she exclaims, pawing through the letter to pull one out. “It’s mostly an apology for leaving and that he… loves me… ” her voice cracks as my heart officially breaks.
Clearing her throat, she continues. “It’s dated the same night as the talent show, and I can’t say that surprises me. Looking back on our conversations now, I believe he was planning to do this for some time—to leave and chase the closure he needs.” Delores’ expression hardens as she looks directly at me. “And I bet the recent fallout from‘Mate-gate’didn’t make the decision too difficult. It’s hard to feelwelcomewhen you’re treated like a pariah from your own pack.”
That’s it. I drop to my knees with my head in my hands as a whine escapes me. I’ve been so focused on my own bullshit for so long that I allowed things to reach this point. Yes, the mating mark situation threw me for a loop, but I shouldn’t have let it cause the rift it did, and now it’s destroyed my pack.
Nico is as important to me as Bash is, but he clearly doesn’t know it—and that’smyfailing. I need to drop the Romulus act and start behaving like the alpha Iwantto be. I need to make things right.
We need to bring him home.
Delores’ gasp brings my attention back to her. “He also left the envelope from the last letter he received! Usually, he burns the envelopes so no one can see the PO Boxes… ” she trails off, throwing a guilty look my way as I realizeNicohad a secret PO Box—thatsheknew about.
I am going to spank her ass later.
And then cuddle the fuck out of her afterwards.
“Council headquarters are in D.C., and it’s almost the end of the semester,” Renard muses before a sly grin stretches across his face.
This means trouble.
“Spit it out, Rennie,” Aubrey mutters, as I rise to my feet, determined to focus on our future instead of my past.
