Page 97 of Bad Wolf's Nanny

Lola didn’t smile back.

She was staring into the dark, the weight of something heavy pressing down on her chest.

“Everyone,” she called softly, “this is it. Get lined up. One at a time. Quietly.”

Poppy and Bree ushered the others toward the entrance. The women whispered hurried goodbyes, expressions taut with fear but shining with hope.

Lola stayed near the tunnel’s mouth, counting them as they slipped into the narrow darkness. Seven gone. Eight. Nine.

Cassie ducked her head and gave Lola a brief hug. “We’ll wait for you at the end.”

Lola didn’t respond.

She couldn’t.

Because she knew, knew with absolute certainty, they wouldn’t all make it unless someone bought them time.

And she already knew who that someone had to be.

Cassie vanished into the tunnel.

Only Daisy remained.

Lola turned, her heart hammering.

She didn’t know how to say it. Didn’t know how to tell her…herfriendthat she wasn’t coming with them.

“I’ll go last,” Daisy whispered, brushing her hands on her skirt, voice trembling, “let’s close it behind us, and we can pull something over it from the other side.”

Lola shook her head.

Daisy blinked, “What?”

“I’m not going.”

For a moment, Daisy didn’t understand. Then her eyes widened. “No. No, no, no—Lola, don’t do this. We have to gotogether.We can make it.”

Lola tried to smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her heart was thudding so hard she could barely hear herself think. “You saw the length of that tunnel. It winds. It narrows. It’ll take time. Too much time. Someone needs to stall him. And if they breach before you’re out—”

“We’llrun.We’ll shift and run. We’ll be faster-”

“No,” Lola said, her voice firmer now. She stepped back from the grate, palm resting on the rusted iron bolt, “I can do this, Daisy. I can talk to him. Keep him distracted. I’ll be careful.”

Daisy’s eyes filled with tears. “You can’t—youcan’t.”

“I know. But I’m doing it anyway. I don’t care what games they were playing; they know you’re Nicolas’s mate. They’ll tear you apart. But me? They don’t know me. I’m not pack.”

“Please,” Daisy choked out, reaching for her. “Please don’t do this. You are pack. You are! Dane will lose his mind. Youdon’thave to be the one—”

Lola’s hands trembled as she caught Daisy’s wrists and squeezed. “If I don’t do it, he dies. They all die. And then it won’t matter what I wanted.”

She pushed Daisy gently but firmly toward the tunnel.

“Don’t,” Daisy sobbed. “Lola, please—”

The bolt slid into place with a heavy clunk.

Daisy’s hands slammed against the other side. “LOLA!”