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CHAPTER 15

I know Tate is pissed, so I give her space. She’ll work it out on her own and realise I’m right. I’m not trying to stop her. In fact, I want the same thing she does—all the corrupt hunters dead—but I want to make sure she survives it.

Leaning back in my bed, I check my cameras on my phone, seeing her in the gym, the fae watching. I suppose it should worry me, but if she can sway him to her side, then that would be a whole lot of power at her back. I witnessed that power first-hand, and fae are territorial and possessive. If anyone tried to hurt what they consider theirs, then they would burn the world.

She needs him, which means she needs to win him over, so I give her space to do just that.

“Spying on her as usual.” Shutting my phone, I lay it on the side table and slip farther into my sheets, ignoring Ronan, who bounces onto my bed next to me. “Does she know how often you watch her? Do you think she would find it creepy?”

“As creepy as you watching her?” I retort, arching a brow at him.

“Ah, but I was following orders.” He winks.

I smirk. “Even when she was showering?”

“Don’t tell her that. She’ll find a way to kill me.” He sighs wistfully, making me chuckle, but then he turns serious. “I’m going to go with her. I’m going to be part of her team.”

That makes me sit up, and he copies my movement, seeing my confusion. Ronan has been with me since . . . well, since forever. I might have sent the others to watch the other towers, but Ronan is my constant. I could never get rid of him, even if I wanted to. Why now? He must read the question in my eyes.

“I have been with her since she got here anyway, so I’m not leaving her now,” he explains. “You are right. She’s important, not just to you . . . but to me. I will never be able to have a future with her since I’m dead, but I can help keep her safe while she does what needs to be done.”

“Are you sure about this?” I ask. I don’t own Ronan. He is my friend, my brother. Guilt assaults me at his confession. I didn’t even know he thought of and wished for a future with someone. We never spoke of it, only of the job, but he’s right. All that was taken from him, and it was my fault, so if he wishes to follow Tate, I will not stop him. She would be better with him by her side.

“Yes, but will you be okay?”

“Ronan, I can take care of myself, brother. Just . . . keep our girl alive, alright?”

“Our girl?” he repeats as he starts to float away. “When did Tate Havelock become our girl?”

“The moment she walked into my office,” I reply. “Now, go before she kills the fae. She needs him, Ronan, do you understand?”

He nods as he watches me. “Thank you, Shamus. I’ll keep her safe.”

I wave him off, and when he’s gone, I slump back into my bed, alone for the first time in forever.

It will be strange not having Ronan at my side, but he’s right. She needs him, and he deserves his freedom.

No one deserves it more.

“Shamus!” The scream fills the air, and I hear them all around me.

My unit is dying.

They were ambushed, all because of me.

It’s my fault. I led them right into this trap. I knew better, but I was tired and wanted to get back. It was our last mission before we would be sent home.

I got sloppy, and now the ground is covered in my brothers’ blood.

I glance over at Ronan, who’s ducked behind a crumbling building to my right. The night sky doesn’t give us much light, but I can see his silhouette from here.

I hear their constant gunfire spraying the entire area. It won’t be long until it sprays us too. We need to find cover quickly.

“Ronan, stay low!” I order. “Return fire.”

He nods, gripping his gun, and moves to the other side of the building. I watch him go before focusing on my own task. I have to trust him to stay alive.

We have to get out of here.

We have completed eighty missions, and we have not failed a single one. This will not be the first.

We are going home, all of us.

We have to.

I return fire, then I wait until they have to reload and dive for the next crumpling building. Ronan is turned away from me, so I cup his shoulder. “Come on, we have to get out of here,” I snarl. When he doesn’t reply, I pull his helmet off and freeze as he falls towards me, lifeless.

His eyes are open and empty, and his hands are covered in blood. As I glance down, I see the bullet holes across his chest.

Ronan is dead.

My best friend is dead.

“Ro—” I gasp as bullets rain down on my hiding spot. They are intent on wiping us out. Swallowing, I glance over the hard-packed dirt and see my team.

Henry is still reaching for his gun, cut down while doing so.

Ezra’s body is huddled where he was hunkering down, waiting to return fire.

Joe was caught trying to get to me, his commander.

Dead.

They are all dead.

My entire unit is gone.

My friends, my brothers, the ones who have been with me since I was a child . . . they are gone.

I become cold and empty at the sight as something inside me shuts down and gives up. I should get out of here to report back then help collect their bodies, but none of it matters.

I do not want to live without them.

Turning back to Ronan, I press my forehead to his. “I’m sorry, brother. In this life or the next, we will be together again.” Without much thought, I stand, leaving my gun behind.

I do not need it anymore.

Stepping out into the barrage of bullets, I stare them down.

Everyone else is dead.

I am all that is left.

A fury like no other fills me and explodes outward, washing the ground clean.

I jerk awake, my body covered in a cold sweat.

Rubbing at my face, I shudder in horror, the memory clinging to my skin before the noise comes again, the one that pulled me from my nightmares and memories.

It’s a hunting alert, a sound I know better than my own heartbeat.

They always come here first, unless it’s an imminent threat, and I grab my phone to scroll through the report summary so I can assign it to a team before I stop.

Shit, this one is a threat, but it is also an opportunity.

Scrambling from my bed, I make it to the door when the alarm sounds, alerting the entirety of Stalkers’ Rest to the emergency dispatch to deal with the danger. Usually, I’d be out there with them, barking orders, but I sprint down the corridor and burst into Tate’s room.

She’s already sitting up, her eyes narrowed. Her training and years of experience force her up, even though she knows she isn’t one of them anymore. Her boots are on, and her clothes are firmly in place.

The fae is at her side with his head cocked. He’s curious but not bothered about being surrounded by enemies.

“You hear that?” I ask.

“The alarm? No, not at all,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. I’d punish her for her sass, but we don’t have time.

“I can only delay them so long while giving orders and dispatching the hunting teams. They all heard the alarm, but you must get there first,” I tell her, glancing around and finding Ronan on top of the dresser. “All of you, go.”

“Why?” She frowns. “I’m not a hunter anymore. Besides, I’m supposed to be dead.”

“Once a hunter, always a hunter, and because if I’m right and the alarm is sounding because of who I think it is, then he’s someone you will want on your side.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” she snaps as she crosses her arms and faces me.

“We don’t have time for this,” I hiss. “Go now. I’ll send you all the information. Head to the tunnel. Beat the other hunters there. Be smart and be you. Earn his trust and collect him like you have us.” I turn away when I hear the buzzing of my system, letting me know they are waiting.

I glance back. “Angel, your weapons are under your bed. I had them brought here,” I tell her. “Come back alive.”