He drew in a deep breath, her scent sweet torture, before looking at up her. “It’s your choice, Ellen. It’s not my place to push.”
“Tomorrow,” she repeated, her eyes searching his.
He nodded, his throat tight.
“In time, perhaps I can filter through all the noise. But not yet.” Her gaze was fixed on the door, thoughtful. “You’re not the only one with questions.”
Because she had no memory of her life before her head trauma. If he was curious about her past, he could only imagine how she felt.
His drive to cure the pack paled beside her need for vengeance. But vengeance was dangerous. Especially when it required going against someone like Cyrus. She knew more than anyone what he was capable of, but she was too blinded by fury to recognize her efforts, alone, couldn’t defeat him. She was strong, she’d survived so much. But this time, she didn’t need to face him alone. His hand fisted against his legs. “Let me help you.”
She glared at him.
“Us,” he corrected.
“Us?” she asked. “Finn’s pack?” She shook her head. “I have nothing to lose. They have everything.”
He stood, slowly, taking pains to appear calm and rational. “Your life isn’t nothing, Ellen. I’m not sure one person, one wolf, can stop Cyrus. Or the evil of his pack.”
“Cyrus is the evil. His pack is loyal, and they follow their Alpha, but when he is gone, they will look to and follow another. It might take time, but I believe Finn will be that leader.” She spoke with such certainty he almost believed her. “We are guardians, Hollis, protectors. We have the ability to do great things. Cyrus’s corruption has affected his wolves—making them weak. When he is gone, the wolves will recover.”
He studied her, wanting to believe her. Was it really that easy? Kill him and remove the threat? Since Cyrus had learned of their existence, he’d been relentless in his torment.
She walked away from him, staring around the lab again, shifting from foot to foot. Her gaze wandered to the door of the vault and she shivered. “Is Mal coming?”
A quick glance at his phone told him they were on the way. “He’s coming.” Meaning she would be leaving, and he could concentrate on the work he’d come here for in the first place. So why wasn’t he relieved?
She nodded and paced the length of the lab several times. “There’s only one window.” She frowned at him. “It makes me sad.”
He glanced around the sterile white walls, high ceilings, and fluorescent lights. “It’s a lab.”
“It’s cold.” She shook her head. “I’ll wait outside.”
He led her out, acknowledging coworkers with a nod, a quick word, or handshake. Ellen hung back, unwilling to engage in small talk or polite introductions. She seemed more agitated and uncertain than usual, her posture defensive and her expression forbidding. When they stood on steps leading to the parking lot, he looked at her.
Words failed him, so they stood silently, considering the asphalt parking lot and ocean of employee cars.
The black SUV they were using turned in to the parking lot and down the main drive.
“Perhaps you’re right. Maybe fate doesn’t exist. Maybe the life we were meant to live together is pure fiction and your cure will save your pack. Maybe Cyrus will leave you all alone so you can live, happy and uncomplicated, and human,” she spoke softly, eyes trained on the SUV as it headed their way. “If you need to believe that your path is the only way, I won’t stand in your way. But my path is set, and neither you nor Finn will stop me from doing what must be done.” Her gaze met his, briefly, before she climbed into the SUV.
…
“It’s so hot.” Ellen downed the rest of her sticky-sweet melted drink and fanned herself with her napkin. Even with the sun long gone and a light breeze blowing, sweat trickled down her back and between her breasts.
“It’s Texas,” Mal answered, laughing. “You’ve been stuck on the refuge too long. Montana’s weather is cooler.”
And less crowded.
She stared around the festive hotel courtyard, her senses on high alert. Anders had assured Mal and Olivia there had been no Others sighted in Texas for weeks, but she couldn’t relax. She signaled for another margarita and turned away from Mal and Olivia, who were wrapped up in each other. As mates should be.
She didn’t want to think about Hollis, still working in the big, cold building with his name on it. She didn’t want to think about his research or his need to erase what they were so he could classify and category things into neat little boxes. But how could she ignore the truth? Even her wolf was considering defeat.
Mate or not, he’d never give in to her or the future they could have together.
It hurt. She hurt. From Hollis, and the vault’s unfiltered emotions, which had literally knocked her off her feet.
She shuddered, her ears and head aching vaguely.