Chapter Twenty-Four
Griffin felt out of the loop, and it unnerved him. Even though he knew he wouldn’t hear from Toby all day, he still felt unsettled.
Not that he didn’t trust Toby. It was just that the plan put Toby in front of the very people who had already hurt him.
They’d agreed not to use cellphones and not to talk about the plan anywhere, including at the bakery and at home, just in case the bad guys were more organized than everyone assumed. But he’d searched the bakery and didn’t find anything. Then he cast a spell and still came up with nothing.
Griffin looked at the clock he’d put on the wall and then outside the glass bakery doors.
“He’s alright.” His dad was in charge of painting since he did a better job than everyone else, even Griffin. “You’d feel it if he weren’t.”
Riley was on a ladder, painting the corners where the ceiling and wall met. “Yeah. I felt it when Alpha Miller beat up Cass.”
Cass, who was banging away in the bathroom, putting in a vanity and sink, stuck his head into the hall. “I’m pretty sure what Miller did went beyond just getting beaten up. But yeah, you’ll feel it. Don’t worry about him.”
Griffin sighed. “He’s an alpha. And not like Miller, who was a self-serving bastard. Toby will put himself in the line of fire if it means saving someone else. Me especially.”
Dad smiled. “I think he’d make a great alpha for the pack.”
“Right. Well. That wasn’t my point. We all have to make sure we don’t put ourselves at risk because if we do, he’ll step in.”
“Yeah, this whole plan did just that, didn’t it?” Riley stopped painting, holding the brush out. He frowned and then cursed when paint dripped onto his shirt. He put his brush in the small bucket he had and then climbed down the ladder. “Damn it. Cass, I messed up my shirt.”
Cass poked his head around the corner. “It’s fine, babe. That’s why you wore something old.”
Riley sighed and went into the kitchen, where the sink worked. He took off his shirt and ran it under the water. Griffin didn’t have the heart to tell him water probably wouldn’t get it all out.
“Anyway, I was about to say before the paint attacked me that we all need to have his back. I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels, too, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And I’m afraid it will drop right on top of Toby.” Riley continued to soak his shirt.
Griffin made his way down the hall, and that was when he saw it. Through the glass of the back door was the orange lick of flames.
Cass came out of the bathroom, sniffing the air. “Fire! Everybody out!”
Cass grabbed onto Griffin’s arm and pulled him down the hall into the main area where he’d just been.
Dad was at the front door, yanking on it, but it wouldn’t open.
He was also on the phone. Griffin hoped it was with the fire department. The call was quick. He held the phone as he addressed them. “They did something to the door. It won’t open. We’ll need to go out the back.”
Griffin shook his head. “That area is on fire, the door included.”
“Riley! Get over here!”
Riley carried his wet shirt with him, which was smart. If the fire got too close, the wetness might actually save Riley’s life.
Cass drew Riley into his arms.
“Can we put this out with magic?” Riley asked.
Dad shook his head. “If we were the source, we would be able to, but since none of us are, we can’t.”
Cass growled. “We’re trapped.”
Smoke billowed into the room, hovering above them, threatening to enter their lungs.
Griffin pulled out his cellphone and called Toby.
Toby answered on the first ring. “I see it. The fire is on Main Street. It must be the roof. Please tell me you’re not there.”
“We’re trapped inside, baby. I’m gonna need you to get us out.
” As soon as Griffin said it, he knew why the arsonist had set the building on fire.
If Toby saved them with his magic, he’d be exposing himself.
If Toby didn’t use his magic, then Cass and everyone trying to make the pack better would be out of the way.
“They want us all out of the way. If he saves us, then he exposes his magical ability. Ball will involve the Magic Council. It’s a win-win for him.”
Dad’s eyes widened, and he cursed. “We need to get out of here before Toby even shows up.”
Griffin grabbed the hammer from his belt. “Toby’s close enough to see the fire, Dad.”
When Griffin hit the glass, it didn’t break at first. He had to hit it three more times before he made any headway, and by then Riley, Cass, and Dad were helping to break it, too.
The glass shattered.
It was when the smoke didn’t billow out that he knew something wasn’t right.
“The building is spelled. It’s keeping us in.” Dad cursed, then focused on undoing the spell.
Griffin helped, but partway through, he had to stop because the smoke filled the room.
The black cloud became so dense that he couldn’t see.
It was from memory that he made his way to the sink.
He took off his shirt, got it wet, and then brought it back to his dad, who was struggling to breathe as he worked quickly to get them out of there.
Cass and Riley were already on the floor. Riley had his wet shirt torn in two. He’d given half to Cass.
“Griffin!” The second he heard Toby, he wanted to kiss him. The relief was strong, but he wanted to tell him to leave, all at the same time.
“Here!” Griffin could see Toby standing outside on the sidewalk.
“I can’t see you!” Toby touched the spell, keeping them inside, and frowned.
“Take my dad first!”
Dad fell to his knees, coughing. But he crawled to the window.
Toby shook his head. “I’ll get you all out at once!”
The fire roared above them. They must have set the roof on fire and the back of the bakery, knowing those weren’t the areas Griffin usually worked in, so he wouldn’t sense the fire right away and put it out.
One minute Griffin was inside, struggling to breathe, and then the next he was on the opposite side of the road, across the street from the bakery. He still struggled to breathe.
Riley, Cass, and Dad were with him.
Toby ran across the road. Tears streamed down his face. He pulled Griffin in for a hug. He shook as he held on as if he thought Griffin would disappear.
Sirens wailed, growing closer.
They would be okay. Everyone made it out alive. They could rebuild the bakery.
One look at Riley’s tears, making trails through the soot on his face, made Griffin question whether or not the dream was dead for them.