Page 87

Fuck.

Fuck.

People from the Children of SolacesawNadia – had their damneyeson her.

I turn from Rose, scanning the basement again, ensuring that she can’t see the frustration on my face. God damn it, I should have been more careful –

Why did I let Nadia come here? The risk…and I just let her talk me into it.Whydo I let her boss me around like that?

Because she’s so pretty, my wolf whispers, pressing himself against my heart, sensing my worry and my frustration and wanting to calm me.We just want her to be happy –

Wewanther to be safe,I growl back.

He lifts his snout to the sky and lets out a tiny howl as I turn back to Rose, who watches me.

“Come on,” I say, nodding towards the steps. “This could be a trap, Rose – I want to get out of here –“

“But –“

“Let’sgo,” I snap.

She sighs and nods, following me up and out of the basement. I sweep my eyes and senses over the house again. I still sense nothing but…that doesn’t mean there aren’t eyes on us, and who knows how many. I didn’t sense anyone before, did I?

I start for the main door, but Rose heads for the stairs.

“Rose!”

“Cole, I was told to getpicturesof all the documents!”

“Fuck the documents!” I bite out. “This is no longer secure! We can come back with a larger team if my father thinks it’s that important – we’re out of our element, you and me here alone –“

Rose bites her lip, my anxiety rubbing off on her as she steps to my side. “Okay.”

“Okay,” I snap, nodding to her and then starting for the door. She stays close as we step outside. “Take pictures of everything,” I murmur. “Flash off.”

“Why?” she whispers, raising her camera and beginning to do as I say, not raising the camera to her eye but still taking pictures of everything in sight – almost at random.

“Bushes too,” I murmur, my head swiveling to keep an eye on everything. “If there’s something to see, I want a record of it.”

I can almost smell Rose’s fear ratcheting up as I walk her around to her side of the Jeep, ensuring that she gets in safely before walking around and getting in the driver’s side. I start the car, handing the gun over to her.

“You shoot at anything that moves, all right?” I murmur. “But not the windshield.”

“Okay,” Rose whispers.

I start the car and slam on the gas, not caring that we make a ton of noise on our exit.

If anyone’s watching, they already know we’re here.

Secrecy isn’t important anymore.

We ride all the way back to the camp in silence, Rose not messing with the radio this time. My shoulders start to unwind as we get closer, though I keep a keen eye on the rearview mirror.

If they’re following us, and I just lead them directly back to my camp, to where my vulnerablemateis living…

I grit my teeth, hating the idea, wantingimmediateprecautions against this. There is no way – absolutely no way – that I’m sleeping tonight, or at all, until we get a more complete military presence up here.

By the time I pull into the camp, I’m honestly wondering if it’s a better choice to just pack Nadia and Shayne and Grace into this car tonight and drive them backhome– if it’sworthit to put their lives at risk when the Children of Solace could be aware of our location…