Page 104 of Found by the Pack

No one argues. We all know it’s true.

Gabe’s pacing now, agitation sharp in every line of his body. “So what’s the plan? Keep her here and pray he doesn’t show up at the front door? Or do we actually put her under lock and key?”

“She’s not a prisoner,” I bite out.

“She’s a target,” he fires back.

The words sting because they’re true. She’s both.

“We at least know what the hell we are dealing with,” Shepard cuts in, surprising both of us. His voice is calm butthreaded with steel. “And that means we protect her. Whatever it takes.”

The air hangs heavy. For once, Gabe doesn’t argue. He just drags a hand down his face, muttering something under his breath that I don’t catch.

I crouch beside the couch, careful, slow. Sadie stirs faintly under the blanket, shifting like she’s caught in some half-dream, but she doesn’t wake.

Her skin’s flushed, damp at her temples. I brush the back of my hand near her cheek—not touching, just close enough to feel the heat radiating off her. Fever. Her body’s working overtime, pulling her down into the spiral.

“She’s burning up,” I murmur.

Shepard moves closer. “We can cool her down, ice packs, water.”

“It won’t be enough,” I say flatly. “Not without medical help. I’ll get the suppressants. IV form works faster, steadier. I can handle it. You two”—I glance between them, the tension crackling sharp as ever—“keep an eye on her.”

“She’s not exactly easy to ignore,” Gabe mutters, voice clipped. His eyes dart toward her, then away again, jaw tight. The pheromones are clawing at all of us, testing our control, and none of us want to admit how hard it is to breathe steady in this room.

I lean down before I can stop myself. Just a fraction. My lips brush her forehead, a whisper of contact, nothing more. But the heat of her skin sears me, branding me in a way that lingers even after I pull back.

She stirs faintly, a small sound catching in her throat, but she doesn’t wake.

My chest tightens. I’ve kissed her forehead a thousand times in my head, but never like this. Not with her scent pulling me under, not with danger circling outside.

“She’s safe here,” I say, voice low, steadying myself as much as them. “I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

Neither of them argues. Not this time.

I grab my keys, one last look at her before forcing myself toward the door. Every instinct screams at me to stay, to plant myself here and never move again. But instincts won’t save her tonight.

Action will. And if I have to tear through the whole damn town to get what she needs, I will.

CHAPTER 25

Gabe

The apartment smells like her. Too much. Too heavy.

Heat-laced pheromones crawl across my skin like a fever, making the air thick, hard to swallow. Shepard’s working like hell to keep her cooled down, damp cloth against her temples, whispering calm words, while I pace the corner like a caged animal, mug of tea clutched in my hands.

It’s not helping. Nothing about this feels manageable.

I take a sip just to occupy my mouth, to keep from grinding my teeth down. The tea is bitter, over-steeped, but it anchors me for a second. Shepard looks up from where he’s swapping out the cloth in a bowl of melted ice water.

“How bad was it?” he asks, his voice quieter than usual. “The pile-up.”

I exhale through my nose, forcing myself to focus. “Bad. Six cars. Two pinned. But other towns are sending crews—Elmhurst, Fairview. We’ll manage.”

His brow furrows, glasses sliding down his nose. He nudges them back with the edge of his wrist, careful not to let go of Sadie’s hand. “I know it must’ve taken a lot for you to come here. Despite everything.”

I glance away, muttering, “She’s worth it.”