His reaction is instant. Strong arms grip me, circling my back and crushing me to his chest. His mouth on mine is ravaging. I don’t bother to wonder how he knows this is what I need.

  Nothing soft. Nothing gentle.

  Just this.

  The force of his need pressing against the nerve endings in my body that so desperately crave a feeling other than my own panic and fear. We’re leaving today. Headed right back into the mouth of the beast. Who knows what we’ll find—or if we’ll walk out again.

  I just want one more moment where none of it matters.

  Levi’s hands travel to the waistband of my pants, and I shimmy my hips to help him pull them down my legs. Then his fingers are at my already wet core, slipping into me and drawing a moan from my throat. His lips find mine, swallowing my sounds as he pushes one finger into me then two.

  I nearly crawl up his body with pleasure, clinging to him in my half-dressed, half-aware state. His other hand grips my ass, squeezing, and I lose patience. Yanking on his own pants, I tug them down until his hardened length springs free. I barely get my hand around it before Levi pulls his own fingers away from me and instead cups my ass, lifting me to meet him.

  I wind my legs around his body, barely breaking our kiss as he lowers me and slides into me quickly enough to make me shudder with the shock of it.

  “Too much?” he asks, and I pull away to look him in the eye.

  The concern is too real, too much of a reminder of what we’ll face when we’re finished here, so I shake my head.

  “No,” I tell him, nearly pleading with it. “Don’t stop.”

  He drives into me, over and over, until I see stars bursting behind my eyelids. His breath is heavier now, and I can feel the sweat clinging to his skin as he pushes us both closer and closer to the edge with this hard, fast rhythm.

  My own pleasure builds toward some pointed edge, a cliff I can’t stop myself from falling over. My canines lengthen to pointed tips, aching to bite. To claim. Levi’s teeth scrape along my throat, and I know he’s thinking the same thing. I hear myself moan his name—a prayer to fate herself—and then I’m flying, my orgasm sending me soaring far above this world and its pain.

  Levi doesn’t let go, though. His body shudders as he finally comes, and then we soar together.

  By the time we make it back to the cabin, everyone’s up and moving. My parents barely say a word to each other over breakfast. It’s awkward but not in the way it felt awkward in the woods last night. I start to wonder if I maybe missed something, if maybe things took a turn in a way I didn’t stay to hear. But I’m damn sure not going to ask. No one asks about Levi and me, either, even though I’m sure they can guess what we’ve been up to. Tripp takes one look at us—more like one sniff—when Levi and I walk in together and looks down at his food again, though not before his eyebrow arches with pure teasing judgment.

  Levi ruffles his hair as he passes, and Tripp slaps his hand away, both of them laughing.

  “Morning,” my father says, sharp eyes missing nothing.

  “Morning,” I return.

  “Anything out there last night?” Levi asks him.

  My father’s gaze darts left, stopping just short of my mother. “Nothing,” he says.

  “Good,” Tripp says, and the conversation ends there.

  A moment later, my dad says something about loading the supplies and disappears out the back door before I can ask what supplies and where they’re being loaded. My mother goes back to her coffee and toast, clearly pre-occupied.

  I force myself to eat a few bites of the eggs Levi puts in front of me before my stomach turns to lead. He doesn’t push me to eat more and, instead, simply slides the plate over to himself and finishes it off.

  “You need to eat, Mac,” my mother says.

  I turn to her, ready to argue, especially if it means an outlet for my nerves. But Levi stops me, covering my hand with his. “She did,” he says, his voice clipped.

  Before my mother can reply, he shoves back in his chair and takes our empty plates to the sink. To my surprise, my mother lets it go.

  When the dishes are cleared and rinsed, we all file outside. None of us has any bags to carry, which is just a nod to the sad state of my life as a fugitive. The idea of staying in one place, even if that place is Blackstone, is appealing enough to make me long for this to all be over. But then I catch myself. Too much has happened for me to think it’ll be that easy. Or simple.

  I look at Levi, who’s organizing the inside of the van so we can all ride together. My heart aches to think that, when this is over, we might still have a chance together. But my heart doesn’t dare let hope win out.

  I look away—just in time to register the sound of a vehicle. A second later, it rounds the side of the house, and my father drives into view. A Jeep, this one much older and dirtier than the one my mother drives. It has no doors and no roof. The thing looks straight out of a safari—if that safari had taken place thirty years ago.

  My father grins from the driver’s seat as he pulls to a stop in front of the van.

  “She started right up,” he announces, clearly proud of the fact.

  “I can’t believe you kept it,” my mom says, eyeing the Jeep like she’s seeing a long-lost friend.

  “Had her parked in the trees, covered with camouflage. For emergencies,” he adds.

  My mother wanders closer, running a hand over the hood appreciatively. They share a look. “This thing’s been through it, huh,” she says, a sort of smile playing at the edges of her usually serious mouth.

  “Still going too,” he tells her.

  She nods as if this is some kind of good omen. Maybe it is. I hope it is.

  “What do you say?” my father adds. “One more trip together? Kicking ass, taking names?”

  My mom hesitates. It’s clear she’s not excited about being alone with my dad.

  I step up, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

  “Actually, I think Mom and I should go together,” I say.

  My mom turns to me.

  “If someone spots us, they’ll think you found me and are bringing me in,” I tell her. “The van’s less conspicuous. They can follow behind and track us to make sure no one tries to intercept.”

  “She’s got a point,” Tripp says, but Levi says nothing.

  I know he wants to tell me it’s safer in the van. But I also know he won’t, not after our conversation earlier.

  My mom nods. “All right.”

  “When we get to Blackstone, we’ll find a place to lie low and call the pack,” Levi says.

  “Good,” I tell him. “In the meantime, I think Mom and I should find the witch.” Levi looks like he wants to argue. “If we can remove her from the equation, he can’t do the ritual.”

  “You’re the key here, Mac, not the witch,” Levi points out.

  “I think Mac has a point,” Tripp says, surprising me by taking my side. “Jadick’s been looking for a witch for a while now. It’s clear his idea rides on her presence. We remove her, and he can’t try this again with someone else.”

  “If he’s dead, he can’t try it again at all,” Levi says darkly.

  I suppress a sigh. “You’re right,” I tell him. “This is just a back-up. A failsafe. Besides, it keeps us from sitting on our hands while we wait for the pack to show up.”

  “Fine,” he says, “But no wild goose chases. We can’t afford to be spotted.”

  “I can help with that,” my mom says.

  Everyone turns to her.

  “You know where he’s keeping her?” I ask.

  She hesitates, guilt creeping in. “I suggested our house. Told him it would be the last place anyone would look.”

  I stare at her, not sure how to respond. Returning to Blackstone is one thing. Seeing my house again, full of all those memories…

  “What will you do with her?” my father asks.

  My mother frowns, and I remember what she did to the tracker last night. “We’re removing her from the equation. Get her out of the house. Find a place to stash her where Jadick won’t find her,” I say firmly, catching her eye. “That’s all.”

  She scowls. “Fine.”

  I start for the Jeep. My father climbs out to relinquish his wheels to us. As I pass him, he stops me and presses a phone into my hand.

  “Take this,” he says. “It already has all of our numbers, and we have yours.”

  I don’t bother asking him where he got it; my dad seems prepared for pretty much anything, and I already love him for it.

  “Thank you,” I tell him, and then, before I can overthink it, I hug him quickly.

  He steps back, his cheeks flushed but his smile genuine. “Go get ’em, girl.”

  “One problem with this master plan,” Tripp calls. “Mac, Jadick’s ultimatum about taking lives is all about you showing face. Anything short of that and he’ll make good on his word, and you know it.”

  He’s not wrong.

  “That just means he’ll need to see us,” I say, considering.

  “Not an option,” Levi growls at the same time my father says, “No way.”

  I sigh. “We’ll grab the witch, stuff her in the back, and haul ass past the alpha house.” Turning to Levi, I add, “By then, the pack will be arriving, and you can intercept Jadick when he comes for us. We won’t even stop driving.”

  His tight expression makes it clear he hates the idea of letting me get so close to Jadick. Even my father’s face is flushed red now. But there’s no other way, and they both know it.

  “A drive-by. I like it,” Tripp says.

  “Fine,” Levi grinds out.

  “Dad?” I ask and then suck in a breath at the fact that I just used that word.

  He seems to realize it, too, and some of the resistance goes out of his expression. “We can try it your way,” he allows. “But if he gets too close, I’m blowing his head off, fuck the rules of engagement.”

  Tripp lets out a whoop.

  Even Levi looks inclined to agree.

  I let out a breath and climb into the passenger side of the Jeep. “Fine by me,” I say.

  The “supplies,” which are basically a shit-load of weapons my dad has saved up, are off-loaded into the van, and in a few minutes, we’re ready to go. Levi steps up beside me, his dark gaze intense with all the emotions this day has already wrought.

  “Be careful,” he says quietly.

  “Kick some ass,” I tell him, refusing to acknowledge how many lives are at stake today. Including his. Ours.

  He leans in and kisses me. My face flushes with warmth thanks to our audience. But no one reacts. Well, unless you count Tripp’s shrill whistle a reaction. Levi doesn’t look away from me, though his mouth does curve in a small smile at Tripp’s teasing.

  “Call me when you have the witch,” he says then trudges back to the van.

  Tripp moves in beside me then. “You have any kisses for me.”

  “Kiss my ass, Tripp.”

  He shrugs. “Not what I had in mind but—”

  “Tripp,” Levi growls, and my friend hurries toward the van, wearing a big grin.

  I roll my eyes, but something in my gut loosens at his easy teasing, which I suspect was his goal all along.

  Levi starts the van, its engine idling a hell of a lot softer than the Jeep’s. My dad throws the last of his bags—I really want to ask where he got so many weapons—into the back and shuts the door. I watch as my mom walks over to him and gives him a peck on the cheek. “See you on the other side,” she says.

  His eyes widen, and he stops, staring after her as she climbs into the Jeep beside me, and we drive away.

  CHAPTER 19

  My mother drives like we’re already being chased, which actually doesn’t surprise me. It does, however, irritate me considering she’s the one who encouraged Levi to keep us in sight while they followed.

  “Mom, they’re not even out of the driveway yet. Slow down,” I say.

  She doesn’t respond, nor does she take her foot off the gas.

  Warning bells sound in my mind. I look over at her, noting the white-knuckled grip she has on the steering wheel.

  “Mom,” I snap. “If you try to betray us, I swear I will—”

  “Relax,” she says, still not slowing. “I’m not betraying you. I’m saving them.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  She takes the next corner fast enough that I have to grab the bar above my head to keep from being shoved against her.

  I debate the wisdom of reaching over and yanking the wheel, a move that will surely cost us the Jeep considering there’s no way we won’t hit a tree. But I also refuse to let her do what I think she’s doing.

  “The witch can’t do the ritual without you,” she snaps, and it takes me a full breath to realize her intention.

  She’s not double-crossing me for Jadick’s orders. She’s doing the opposite.

  “If we don’t go back to Blackstone, he can’t hurt you.”

  “Mom,” I say, but she just keeps driving, blowing straight through a stop sign.

  “Mom,” I say again, louder now.

  Her chin juts out stubbornly.

  Moving fast enough that she doesn’t see me coming, I reach over and grab her face in my hands, turning it so she’s forced to look at me. She tries to wrench free, but I don’t let her. Finally, she’s forced to slam on the brakes.

  The tires screech, and we’re both driven forward as she comes to a sudden stop.

  In the silence, I see her fear reflected in her usually hardened eyes.

  “I know you’re scared,” I say.

  “I’m terrified,” she hisses.

  Anger.

  I’m used to that.

  “This will work,” I say.

  “It’s a shit plan, Mac.” I don’t answer, and she sighs, settling back against her chair. Her eyes are on the road, but she makes no move to start driving again. “I’ve never gone for a mark with such a shitty plan, and that’s usually just one on one combat.”

  “Hey,” I say. “Two on one.”

  She grimaces. “Right.”

  “I can’t leave those people to die,” I say quietly. “Even if you can.”

  She twists in her chair, looking at me again. “You think this is easy for me?”

  “I don’t know. Is it?”

  “Running is easy,” she mutters and then says more darkly, “Fighting is easy. But only if I know I can win.” No argument there. “Risking you,” she adds, “is the hardest thing I’ll ever do.”

  “Was that true even when you made that deal with Jadick for my life?”

  “Without his help, you would have died.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  Anger flashes, but she exhales, letting it go before saying, “You’re right. I don’t. What I do know is you’re alive, here, now. And I’m done interfering.”

  “You are literally trying to drive me off into the sunset against my will,” I point out.

  She scowls. “Fine, I sometimes interfere. I can’t help it. You’re my daughter.”

  I laugh. It’s brittle, but it’s something, I guess.

  She looks at me warily as if she’s thinking the same thing.

  “We’re sticking to the plan,” I say.

  “It’s a shit plan,” she says again.

  “It’s a shit plan,” I agree.

  She stares back at me, searching my face—for what, I don’t know. Finally, she blows out a breath and straightens in her seat. Behind us, the rev of an engine roars closer from around the bend.

  In the side mirror, I see the van speeding toward us. It lurches to a stop beside us on the narrow, winding road. From the driver’s seat, Levi glares at my mother. Tripp leans out the open window toward us.

  “You tryin’ to set a new record or what?”

  My mom taps the wheel. “Just seeing what this baby can do.”

  Tripp glances at me, and I nod, letting him know we’re all good. He turns and says something to Levi and then waves us forward. “Let’s do it.”

  My mom eases off the brake, and we head down the road, this time at a speed that doesn’t threaten to toss me around the seat. As we drive, I can only think about how true it is: this is a shit plan. But it’s the only one we’ve got.

  Blackstone is three hours away, according to my mother.

  Even this far out, we don’t stop for gas. Not at a station, anyway. When Levi gets low, he signals for us to pull over, and he refills using a red can stashed in the back of the van underneath the mattress compartment.

  “How’s it going?” Levi asks when I wander closer to where he has the can propped up to the fuel opening. Both sides of the road are lined with trees. It smells like open fields and pine out here. Like nothing in the world could be this wrong. For once, I appreciate staying off the major highways. My wolf is better out here. More sure of herself.

  “Fine,” I say. Knowing what he really means, I add, “She wanted to kidnap me and run me out into the hills where no one would find us. Let you guys have all the fun.”

  He grunts. “Not a bad idea.”

  “Don’t start,” I warn.

  “I’m just saying,” he says, clearly having fun with it now. “Your mom and I finally see eye to eye on something.”

  I roll my eyes. “Have you guys heard back from Frankie?”

  His half-smile vanishes. “No.”

  “And Grey?”

  “He’s with us, but he’s staying put for now. He can do more good on the inside.”

  I don’t bother to speculate about reasons for Frankie’s silence. None of them can possibly be good for any of us.

  “I’ve put out the call though,” he says. “For the pack or, at least, the ones who ran off when Jadick took over.”

  “Is that a good idea?” I ask, startled. “I mean, won’t Jadick sense it and figure it out?”

  He shakes his head. “If he never bonded with them, he has no way of knowing. And if they’ve put distance between themselves and Blackstone, the sooner I put out the call, the better. Time is not on our side.”

  I tense at that. He’s right. We have no way of knowing what time yesterday Jadick executed Jim. Or what time he’ll do it again today if we’re not there to stop it.