Chapter Nineteen
Mal paced Finn’s office, listening to every detail. Again.
“We take them out and take their place,” Anders repeated. “Easy.”
“He’ll get suspicious.” Dante shook his head. “If he panics, he can bring a shit-storm of Others down on us.”
Mal glared at Dante.
“I get it.” Dante held up his hands. “But Finn’s right on this one. Why take unnecessary risks?”
“We know his routine,” Anders argued. “What risks? I’m thinking there’s never going to be a perfect time to kidnap the son of a bitch.” Anders glanced at Olivia. “Sorry.”
Olivia nodded, her eyes red-rimmed and shadowed.
No matter how many times he told her none of this was her fault, she took her brother’s sins onto her shoulders. Her dreams were haunted by Cyrus, the only place he couldn’t physically protect her. And her days were full of plotting ways to bring down her brother. Gentry and Brown had reported everything they’d learned the last few weeks of watching his activities.
Chase had bodyguards. Some wolves, some not.
If Miss Rangell wasn’t with him, a guard was. The redhead was intent on assuming Chase’s place, the large rock on her left hand announcing to the world—and the pack’s surveillance cameras—that she would soon be Mrs. Chase. And once that happened, Mal suspected Olivia’s brother would meet with a sudden, untimely death. If Ellen was right, Teresa Rangell was the brains of the operation. Clearly, she was done standing in Chase’s shadow.
While the pack was unified in their goal, Finn’s focus wasn’t as razor-sharp as Mal hoped. Finn’s preoccupation with Jessa’s pregnancy was understandable, but also infuriating. Time was slipping away, time that Olivia seemed to be tracking by the second. He hated seeing her this way, hated being helpless—especially now that they had intel they could use.
“We wait?” Anders asked, frowning at Mal. “Again?”
“Unless you come up with something foolproof, we have no choice.” Dante rolled his neck. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too,” Olivia said, pushing up out of the chair.
Mal fought the urge to keep her close. If she ate, it was good. She smiled at him, stood on tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek, and left with Dante.
“She stressing out?” Anders asked.
Mal nodded, sliding one photo aside. Images of Chase covered the long table. Chase going to the gym, going to the warehouse, going out with Miss Rangell, going to his favorite club—without Miss Rangell. No Cyrus. No Byron the butcher. It was for the best. If Mal had seen the giant sadist, he’s not sure he’d be able to keep his shit together.
He still woke up in cold sweat with the feel of Byron’s teeth on his throat. Nothing could erase the pain he’d felt. Or the fury. Byron had been the one to string him up, forcing Jessa to watch.
“We could do this,” Anders said, glancing at the door. “You know we could.”
Mal nodded. He wanted to.
“We wait too long, and we’re condemning more girls to this shit. I can’t shake it, Mal.” He shook his head. “Tess—think she’ll ever get over it? Lead a normal life? I can’t pretend I don’t know this. I can’t keep doing nothing.”
Mal agreed, 100 percent. “We go.”
Anders stared at him. “No shit?”
“No shit.” Mal nodded. “I’m on perimeter tonight.” He slid more images aside, studying Olivia’s brother with his guards. No matter how much he wanted to take the fucker out, he had to do this right. “These aren’t wolves.” He tapped the image. “They should be with him tonight. We go in as clients, get what we need, and leave.”
“Easy,” Anders nodded.
“No. Clients go through Cyrus,” Ellen said, walking to the table. “He’ll know.”
Mal stared at her.
She pushed through the pictures. “But if you show him you’re rich, get him drunk, pretend you’re interested, suddenly he is your best friend.” She looked Mal in the eye.
“How do you know this?” Anders asked.
“I found a way to stay useful.” Her smile was hard. “It’s easy to be quiet and listen. Cyrus complained about Chase, how he likes to talk and be important.” She rifled through the photos. “This one drives him to the club?” she asked, tapping the man in one picture.
Anders nodded.
“Because this one’s job is to keep him happy, to let him…let off steam? And clean up messes. If Chase leaves with a woman, he hides it. If Chase drinks too much, talks too much, he takes care of any problems. He is dangerous, but he works alone.”
“Wolf?” Mal asked.
She nodded.
“Fucking great,” Anders growled.
“Not so easy,” she agreed. “Nothing important is.”
Anders nodded. “Damn straight. But it’d be nice to catch a break.”
“She just gave us one,” Mal argued. He glanced at the dates on the pictures. “Tuesday and Thursdays are club days.”
Anders shook his head. “It’s Sunday.”
“Finn?” Ellen asked. “Your Alpha won’t be pleased.”
Mal shook his head. “A club is public. The guard is a wolf. Too many variables.”
Ellen’s eyes narrowed. “Your mate?”
Mal frowned. “Doesn’t need to know.”
“Secrets are dangerous.” She sighed. “But I will not waste my words warning you.” She left the office as silently as she’d entered.
“Think she’ll spill to Finn?” Anders asked.
Mal shook his head. “She wouldn’t have told us if she didn’t want this done.”
“Unless it’s a trap,” Anders muttered.
But Ellen’s eyes were proof enough. Ellen had been kept by the Others, but she wasn’t part of their pack. One blue eye, one green eye—all the Others Mal had ever encountered had the same pale, almost colorless, eyes. Like their bastard Alpha: Cyrus.Whatever questions he had about the woman, her origins, and her loyalty, he had one answer. They shared a common enemy, and she wanted vengeance almost as much as he did.
...
Olivia took a bite of her apple, watching Oscar wriggle and kick on the floor. He squealed with glee, batting at one of the toys that hung off his play gym.
“Who’s the strongest little guy?” she asked, wiggling his foot.
Olivia had taken one look at Jessa and told her to go to bed. She didn’t know much about pregnancy or childbirth, but Jessa looked close to popping. Her poor feet and hands were swelling, too, something Hollis has sighed over before agreeing with Olivia’s nap suggestion.
“You’re going to be a big brother soon, Oscar,” she said, smiling down at him.
He smiled back, making a long gurgling noise.
“You don’t say?” She lay on her side. “What else is happening down here?”
Oscar turned his head toward her, those big, blue eyes fathomless. He blinked, inspecting her features carefully.
“Your dad looks at me like that sometimes.” Olivia giggled. “I’m pretty sure he thinks Uncle Mal has made a colossal mistake.”
Oscar gurgled again.
“No, no, I’m pretty certain.” She stroked Oscar’s little cheek. “But thanks for trying to make me feel better.”
“How is a one-sided conversation supposed to make you feel better?” Hollis asked, striding into the room. Hollis always seemed like he was late on the way to somewhere important, even when he was just getting a cup of coffee.
“We’re just hanging out,” Olivia offered.
Hollis glanced at her. “You and Oscar?”
She glanced behind her. “Tess was here a minute ago.” No matter how hard Olivia tried to engage the woman in small talk, Tess didn’t budge. She listened to everything being said around her, never interacting or responding. Most of them acted like she wasn’t there. But Olivia and Jessa kept at it while Ellen watched her with narrowed eyes.
“She does that,” Hollis said.
“What?”
“Moves on silent feet.” He came around the couch to sit, carrying his mug with him. “Ellen has the same knack.”
“I trip over my own feet,” Olivia said.
“You look tired.” Hollis peered at her, his gaze thorough. “Not sleeping?”
She shook her head. “Dreams.”
He nodded. “Vivid?”
“So real,” she agreed.
“What about, if I may ask?” He sipped his coffee.
“A white wolf—Cyrus, I guess.” She shrugged, making a silly face at Oscar. Oscar’s giggle was enough reward.
“Often?” he asked.
She nodded. “It starts the same. I’m running from him. I realize I’m a wolf and turn back to fight him, but he’s gone. Other times he charges me. The ground, the snow, is covered in blood.”
“Sounds distressing.” Hollis set his cup down.
“Yes,” she agreed.
“Are you always alone?” he prodded.
She shook her head. “Sometimes there’s someone else with me, in a cave. I’m protecting the entrance. I have no idea who or what is inside, but I can’t let anyone in.”
Hollis sat back.
“Mal is with me sometimes. But sometimes he chases after the white wolf and leaves me alone with the rest of them.” She made a funny noise, scrunching up her face at Oscar.
“Rest of them?” he asked.
“A large pack. They all have the same eyes.” She smiled as Oscar yawned. “Tired little thing.”
“He’ll be starving tomorrow. The full moon. Should be interesting.” He shook his head.
“Why?” she asked, sitting up. “Something different?”
“A lunar eclipse,” Hollis said.
Olivia hadn’t been aware of Ellen, leaning against the doorframe until she said, “The first of the blood moon. It will look red, ringed—quite a sight.”
“First?” Olivia asked.
“A lunar tetrad.” Ellen sat on the arm of the couch. “Four lunar eclipses in a row. There are legends linking a lunar eclipse and the wolf. Some foolish, some not.”
Oscar squeaked, his mouth pulling down at the corners.
“Oh, Oscar, don’t do that,” Olivia cooed, scooping him up. “No tears little guy.” She patted his little back, oddly giddy at holding him so close.
“You’ll be a good mother,” Ellen said, nodding. “This pack will grow strong.”
She’d never expected a compliment from the woman—even though she and Mal weren’t ready for a child, it was nice to hear. Olivia glanced down the hall, toward Jessa’s room. “You’re not worried about Jessa? Or the baby?”
Ellen shook her head. “No. There is no danger between mates. It will be better for you, as a wolf. But I believe Jessa will be fine.” She paused. “These dreams you have, do you ever fight the white wolf?”
Olivia glanced at Hollis, uneasy. “No.”
“Why not?”
“A voice tells me I’m not ready.” She shrugged. “And I wake up.”
“You are ready Olivia. Oscar, Jessa, and the baby need you to protect them.” Ellen’s eyes locked with hers. “Your wolf can do it, but you must believe in yourself, in your wolf.”
“How do you know?” Hollis asked.
“Her wolf is still uncertain.” Ellen stood. “You need to learn to shift at will. Come, I will show you. It will help.”
Olivia glanced at Oscar, sleeping in her arms.
“I’ll take him,” Hollis offered, holding out his hands. “You don’t have to do this, Olivia.”
Ellen snorted, dismissing Hollis. “Her wolf wants her to.”
Olivia tried to shut out the noise and listen, really listen. “She does.” Olivia handed Hollis the baby and followed Ellen outside.
Ellen glanced at her. “You think too much.”
Olivia laughed. “I’ve been accused of talking too much.”
“That, too.” Ellen smiled. “Your wolf needs attention, room to bond with you. Instinct rules the wolf.”
“I—”
“You don’t trust your instincts,” Ellen finished. “But you must.”
Olivia sucked in a deep breath.
“She is always with you. The only thing you can count on, Olivia.” Ellen stripped, talking the whole time. “You must respect her and what she needs. What she is capable of.”
Olivia tried not to stare at the woman. She was incredibly fit, her form feminine and strong and lovely. But every inch of her, save her face, was covered in scars.
“What is she capable of?” Olivia asked, suddenly nervous.
Ellen smiled. “Anything. Once you defeat him, the dream will go away. Now, shift.”
Olivia watched the woman shift, mesmerized by how easy she made it look. It was quick, almost fluid. She shrugged out of her clothes and focused all her energy on one thing. Not the shift, or her fear, but her wolf. Her wolf was ecstatic.