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It’s true that I want revenge on Grant. But I also want answers. I doubt he will be truthful, yet there is a chance he will give me some kind of closure. He did grow up around my parents. He knew them before when I was too young to remember. As hard as I have tried, I can’t recall the years we spent in their pack.

I have so many regrets regarding my mom. I should have pushed for more answers. I should have asked more questions. Even though she was upset about it, I could have assured her that whatever happened with her family, I would understand. It kills me that she isn’t here anymore. We both got comfortable with all the running and moving. When you do something for so long, it becomes the norm. Sure, I still missed all the things I couldn’t have. The important thing was that I was with her. Now that she is dead, I have no one to ask all the things I have wondered about.

Can I depend on Grant to give me those answers?

I have to try.

I’m getting closer to the water. The air is becoming cooler, and the smell of fish floats through the air. The breeze picks up andwith it brings the knowledge that Grant is coming. He is on my trail and will come across me soon.

I don’t run. I don’t panic.

I stand my ground.

The plan is working. He is alone.

I brace myself to see him again.

The past few days I have gotten used to being around Elijah. He has been my barrier that stood in front of me and the rest of the world. I have relied on him to deal with all the hard things. Which, he has done without complaint—but he isn’t here now.

I have to do this alone.

The grass crunches under heavy boots getting closer as my heart pounds louder. I have to force my heart to slow, falling back into the habits I developed.

Calm…calm…breathe.

He will not hurt you.

I will take my power back.

Grant steps into the clearing. He’s grinning as his eyes sweep over me, leaving me feeling as if there are thousands of ants crawling over me.

“Well, hello, Sweets,” he says, his tongue sweeping over his bottom lip. “I’m excited to taste you again.”

Maybe running isn’t a bad idea.

Chapter Twenty-One

Elijah

This is the worst plan in the history of plans.

I stare out the window of the dragons’ house at the half-dead cheetah at the edge of the trees. He’s not moving. We left his cuffs on so he wouldn’t be able to shift yet, so that may be hampering his mobility. Still, he isn’t even twitching.

We had planned to stay in Laken’s house that is surrounded by rock to minimize our scent. The dragons have many capabilities. One of them is to move heavy shit with their bodies and their mind. Laken built this place by himself. It’s impenetrable by all sides. He has state of the art security—facial scans even.

The panthers, Jax, Blue, and James are sitting with their mate Harmony in the living room talking quietly with the dragons, Laken, Bishop, and Penny. The wolves Kerian and River are sitting around the counter with Las and Lucas, the lions.

Logan is standing at my shoulder watching the cheetah, too. I feel his quiet contemplation of the situation. He is a quiet one but his mind is always working.

I am agitated by the fact that I had to leave my mate to face a psychopath in the woods. I hate that I am not there to protect her. I hate that I know this is something she has to do. I absolutely hate that I have to rely on vampires to jump in if she is in trouble.

I feel helpless.

I don’t like feeling this way. It’s an unwelcome emotion I have tried to avoid for years, since I was kicked out of my home. I’ve chewed through many toothpicks since the kiss with Saylor. The bond is humming just under the surface of my skin, begging me to go to her.

A weak line is connecting us. Because the bond isn’t completed, we aren’t completely in sink. Once Saylor bites me, I will be able to know everything she is feeling. I would know if she was scared or sad or in need of help.

I want my mate’s bite. Badly.