Chapter Twenty-Two
They left at dawn the next morning. Zach brought them some time by sending several text messages on a couple of the phones, but this couldn’t be put off, no matter how much Eli wished it.
Eyes closed, Kinley dozed fitfully in the seat beside him.
They all knew she wasn’t strong enough to be making this trip.
She’d been quiet since he’d announced his decision.
He wished there was a way to spare her this, but it had to be done.
And she wouldn’t stay back in Kentucky. Nor would he want her to.
Not until this situation was handled. There was always a chance another pack member could decide to see what was taking so long and make the trip to Sin Mountain.
She couldn’t be left on her own, and as much as it annoyed him, he needed all his brothers with him to send the proper message: Mess with us and die.
They’d made the decision to take two of their SUVs and return five of the trucks, since none of them belonged to Duke.
Those belonging to Holden, Nash, and Ridge were going to a dealer in Tennessee who wouldn’t ask questions.
Zach would add the money to Kinley’s bank account.
It was the least she was owed in compensation after all those men had put her through.
His brother could have emptied Duke’s account, but he knew without asking Kinley wouldn’t go for that. She’d argue it was pack money, needed more than ever now that they would be in total disarray after losing their strongest members.
There was a high likelihood some of them would seek out other packs they had a connection with through marriage or other family links. The rest would hunker down and try to make it work. There was always the chance a larger pack would absorb them, through violent or peaceful means.
Either way, it wasn’t his problem ... unless they made it his problem. He’d make sure they understood what a bad option that would be.
Kinley’s eyelid fluttered open and she yawned. “Where are we?”
“Almost there.” According to her directions, they’d be coming up on the turnoff in the next ten minutes.
She sat upright and dragged her fingers through her hair. “Shoot. I was hoping to look a little less like something the cat dragged in.”
“You look fine.” Actually, she looked tired, but also unbearably beautiful.
And though he knew better than to say it aloud, there was an air of fragility about her that concerned him.
The utterly feminine glance of disgust she sent him made him want to smile.
If she was worried about her appearance she had to be feeling better.
“I look like I’ve slept in a car.” She dug through her pocket and came up with an elastic band. With deft movements, she finger-combed her hair and fashioned it into a braid. Then she pinched her cheeks to add color. He had to admit, the small changes gave her the appearance of being more alert.
“You slept through the last pit stop.” They’d gassed up their two vehicles a half hour ago, wanting full tanks in case things went sideways and they had to flee.
He wasn’t expecting to have to, but it was always best to anticipate any eventuality and plan for it.
“There’s a bottle of ginger ale and a chocolate bar, if you want it.
” He indicated the cup holder between them.
She’d had a good breakfast before they’d hit the road, but they’d driven straight through, not bothering to stop for lunch.
“Dark chocolate. My absolute favorite.” She grabbed the bar, peeled back the wrapper, and took a huge bite.
She rolled her eyes and made a happy sound.
“Oh my God, that’s so good. I’ve always been profoundly grateful chocolate doesn’t make us sick like it does normal canines. ” She took another bite.
Her unchecked enthusiasm for the treat made him chuckle. It was a tiny piece of her he hadn’t previously known. Her appreciation for the small things in life was one of the many reasons he’d fallen for her.
“Want some?” She held out the bar.
Rather than take it from her, he leaned forward and nipped off a corner, licking her fingers in the process.
“Delicious.” He wasn’t talking about the chocolate.
It was good, but it was a hundred times better because she’d given it to him.
She had to be hungry, yet she’d eagerly offered him a piece, wanting to share. That was who she was at her core.
The indicator came on in the lead truck and the rest followed.
Kinley bolted the rest of the chocolate and had a mouthful of ginger ale to wash it down.
“The next turn on the right goes straight to the main pack house, Duke’s house.
” There was no sign of her enjoyment from moments before, the candy wrapper crumpled and stuffed in a cup holder.
He wanted this done so he could take her home. “Remember what I told you.”
“Stay beside you no matter what,” she repeated. “I got it. You told me a dozen times.”
“I mean it. Whatever these people were to you in the past, none of them are your friends. You’re now the enemy.” The truth hurt, but better that than for her to put herself in a position where she’d be injured.
“I understand.” Her gaze drifted down a narrow side road before she refocused on the one ahead.
“What’s down there?” A lightbulb went off in his head. “That’s the way to your home.”
It wasn’t a question, but she nodded. “Yes. It’s probably been cleared out by now or taken over by another pack member.”
The pain in her voice lashed him. He couldn’t begin to imagine how painful that must be. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”
Cyrus was in the lead and pulled to a stop.
A two-story building sat in the center of a large clearing surrounded by a thick forest. The white clapboard shone in the late afternoon sun, the large windows gleamed.
A lone chair sat in the center of the long porch, giving an excellent view of the area, allowing the alpha to survey his domain.
The bastard who’d sat there wouldn’t be coming back.
They parked the pack trucks head-on but backed in their own to allow for a faster getaway. When he climbed out, he heard people coming from several directions. Without a word, he moved up to stand beside his brothers, keeping Kinley next to him.
Despite her best efforts, her cheeks had no color.
Fine lines appeared on her forehead, and her lips tightened as her gaze darted around.
He wanted this finished so they could head home and talk.
The future was still up in the air. He’d won the war against his enemies, but the most important battle was still to be fought—the one for Kinley. This was the next step in the campaign.
Several older males appeared and stumbled to a stop, their eyes widening as they took in the strangers in their midst. There’d been no perimeter security, no one on patrol.
They’d driven in without challenge. Duke had left his pack vulnerable.
Eli’s lip curled into a snarl at the sheer incompetence.
“Who the hell are you?” A tall, broad-shouldered male with a thick beard took an aggressive step forward.
“That’s John Lewis, Holden and Edmund’s daddy,” Kinley murmured.
“That you, Kinley? You come to your senses and come home to mate with my son? Well, answer me, girl.”
More men and women appeared, some as wolves, but most in their human forms. It was disproportionately women, children, and older males with only a few in their prime.
Cyrus tossed the bag he’d had in his hand onto the ground before Holden’s daddy. Wallets and cell phones tumbled out. One by one, his brothers tossed the truck keys onto the pile.
Silent tears slid down one woman’s cheeks. Another fell to her knees, but it wasn’t despair reflected in her eyes, it was hope. She’d likely be one of those seeking asylum elsewhere.
“What the hell is this?” John Lewis demanded.
Wanting this done, Eli stepped forward. “This is what’s left of the men who came to our mountain to kill us.” Wind whispered through the trees, rattling the leaves, making the branches sway. There would be more death before this day was done. He could feel it in his bones.
John Lewis spied his sons’ wallets and phones in the mix. He paled and shook his head. “No, you’re lying.” Accusing eyes fell on Kinley. “This is your fault.”
She shook her head. “No, the fault lies with Duke for seeing me as nothing more than something to be bartered. With Holden for refusing to take no for an answer. With Nash for stabbing my daddy in the back and killing him. The rot in this pack runs to its very core. You want to assign blame, look in the damn mirror.”
Pride filled Eli at her strong words. The women’s eyes were downcast. Some of the men’s eyes too. Eli’s attention was all on John Lewis. A howl of fury ripped through the air and the older male pounced, shifting in midair. His target: Kinley.
Capable of moving incredibly fast when the situation called for it, Silas yanked Kinley out of danger. Eli jumped into the wolf’s path, grabbed him out of midair, and twisted his neck, all in one smooth motion. He dropped the body on the ground and stepped back into formation.
The others shuffled nervously, glancing from one to another for direction or guidance.
Cyrus’s voice rang out clear and deep. “We are the Seven Deadly Sins. I am pride.”
“I am greed,” Josiah chimed in.
“I am wrath.” Eli pointedly stared down at the dead wolf. And so it went down until Silas had finished.
“We are death,” they chimed together. It wasn’t something they did often, but it always had an effect. If it kept him and his family, and more importantly Kinley, safe, he was all for it. Their daddy had often told them fear and superstition could be wielded as well as any weapon.
An older man with graying hair and beard walked down one of the side paths. Beside Eli, Kinley gasped and took a step forward. He looped his arm around her waist and dragged her back.