There were no tears on my face.
I didn’t cry because my father had told me men didn’t cry.
I pushed Joe’s hands off me and stood.
Thomas stepped out of my house. He had shifted from his wolf. He gripped the porch railing and closed his eyes. Osmond came out from behind
him. I could hear the others moving inside the house.
I said, “Where is he?”
And Thomas said, “He’s gone into the woods.”
“Can you track him?”
Thomas took a step toward me. “Ox. I’m—”
“Can you track him?” I repeated.
Osmond said, “Yes. But it’s what he wants. How many?”
“Five or six,” I said. “Omegas, all.”
Osmond closed his eyes. “They’re gathering behind him. He’s leading them. There’ll be others. He’s trying to become the Alpha to the Omegas.”
Elizabeth came out, her face ashen. She was still clothed, so she must not have shifted. She pushed past Osmond and Thomas and reached for me even before she’d reached the bottom of the stairs. Her arms came around me and held me close. Mine stayed at my sides.
She said, “Ox.”
I said, “We find him. Tonight.” I didn’t look away from Thomas.
She said, “Oh, Ox,” and there was a hitch in her breath.
“He won’t run,” Osmond said. “This was planned.”
And Thomas said, “Call Gordo. We need to move soon.”
I SAT on the porch, my crowbar in hand.
The pack curled around me. Joe wouldn’t leave my side.
I had never felt this cold before.
It was full dark when Gordo returned.
He got out of the car and said, “Ox.”
I stood.
He said, “I’m sorry.”
I said, “For what?”
“What happened. I’ve… made some calls. She’ll be taken care of.”
“What does that mean?”
“I won’t let anything happen to her.”