Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
“Lay with me.” He put out his good arm, creating room between that and his body.
When she’d needed him, he’d stayed with her, protecting her against her nightmares. Even though he probably didn’t need her in the same way right now, she’d return the favor.
She slid off her shoes and then her pants, because they weren’t comfortable to sleep in, before slipping in next to his big, warm body. She tucked his wing between them before stroking the soft texture. He shivered again.
With a smile, she pulled the sheet up and settled her head into the hollow between his shoulder and neck. His arm curled around her protectively, pulling her in tightly.
What she’d just done would probably make things complicated. It would certainly blur the lines between friend and foe and lover.
Then again, he’d kissed her in front of Austin and Jessie and Sebastian, and no one had said a word. He certainly hadn’t or even acknowledged that it had happened. Neither had she, come to think of it.
They were two people good at “no strings attached”. It was basically part of their life plan. This was just another example, she was sure. Soon they’d be thrown into yet another tense situation. Par for the course with her life and now Jessie’s, and life would trundle on as it always did.
She was having a hard time deciding if that was welcomed.
22
Jessie
“Right, okay.” I clapped, because I felt great. Better than great. I felt like I had things under control.
Austin had come up with some sort of plan with the alphas that would apparently change his entire schedule and the way he went about meeting the rest of the important alphas. What was the plan? No idea. Niamh said I didn’t need to “bother me arse” about it. Fine.
I’d had to heal Tristan, who’d apparently been in pain the entire time I took a three-hour nap, because he didn’t want Indigo sharing space in his bedroom. The guy had suffered in silence, and no one had woken me to help him. I felt super guilty about it, mostly because I’d caused the wound, and when I was about to go apologize, Niamh told me I shouldn’t “bother me arse.”
Fine.
Now, a day later and arriving via plane, train, and automobile—not quite but whatever—we were about to enter a dense forest. It was the domain of a powerful, emotionally scarred and dangerous shifter rogue, one that neither shifters nor Dicks would allow in their towns or cities. Apparently, his very presence screamed unhinged, approach with caution!
In the interest of time, we would stalk this dangerous character as the afternoon waned and threatened to turn into night. Long shadows pooled in dense pockets between the trees, creating many places to hide. Once we found him, we’d likely be attacked, and then we’d attempt a meeting to issue an invitation to O’Briens.
Did we have any sort of plan? No, we did not. When asked if maybe we should? Niamh assured me that we wouldn’t “bother our arses”.
That didn’t even make sense in the situation! This was tomfoolery to attempt without a plan.
But fine. If I was going to live in ignorance, I’d do so with a wonderful disposition, like all the people of Drex’s town.
This disposition annoyed Niamh to no end.
“Shall I go first, then?” I smiled big and threw everyone a thumbs up as they climbed from the various passenger vans Mr. Tom was able to procure at the magical air strip posing as an airport. We hadn’t had anything to comfortably put the basajaunak in, and so they were making their way to us on foot. They’d been happy about it, actually. They loved the feel of the woods and mountains of the Cascades.
The rogue was said to be about halfway up one of the mountains. What mountain? I had no idea. I’d stopped asking questions when Niamh was in hearing range at that point.
“Hang on, babe.” Austin shut his door and looked around at everyone assembled before taking in the trees around them. “Tristan.”
Tristan stepped up. He wore a purple muumuu and a hard expression on his face. He was ready for battle.
“The trees are dense. You guys won’t be much good to us, and I don’t want him to hear your wings and think there is some sort of manhunt on the way. Stay here at the cars. If we need you in a hurry, Jess will send a magical pulse.”
Tristan nodded and fell back.
“Brochan.” Austin waited for his beta to fill Tristan’s spot. “Take all the wolves and other pack hunters. Spread out. You will be seeking and reporting. Don’t make contact or get too close. Stick to the trees and stay out of sight if possible. Once you have something, send a pulse through Jess’s connection.”
Brochan nodded and moved away.