The Challenge (The Pack 2)

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” I groaned, throwing up my hands. Trent gave me a wary glance, moving a little further away. “So messed up,” I muttered under my breath. “Those two,” I started when he cut me off.

“I didn’t ask,” he interrupted hastily.

“Then why are you here?”

“Dom told me not to let you out of my sight.”

“Of course he did.” I inhaled slowly; releasing the air little by little like that might actually calm me down. “He told you what happened.”

“No, actually. Seemed a little incapable of rational thought. Didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his temper so I didn’t ask.” He pulled the sucker out of his mouth with a small pop, glancing over at me. “I take it you found trouble?” He laughed under his breath, answering himself. “When do you not.”

I sent him a murderous glare but it didn’t faze him in the least.

“Got lost in the woods, maybe? Oh, I know. You interrupted Dom during the Council meeting. Is that it?” Trent shook his head. “He gets a little touchy about image in the Pack.”

My lips twitched at the blatant lie and Trent bumped my shoulder. “Monster got back a little while ago. Looked worse than he did after the whole lost in the woods incident.”

“Hanleys came on Navarre land. Monster and I were forced to hide in an old treehouse.” I paused as a rumble emanated from him. “They sniffed us out.” I growled in disgust, “They sniffed me out.”

“They’re dead,” Trent stated, not doubting for a second Dom had annihilated them. I nodded, then corrected myself and shook my head no. He halted, tension threading through him as he glanced towards the towering trees that made up the huge swath of Navarre land. “I should go help.”

“Wait, no,” I reached for him, my fingers slipping against the black Henley he wore. “There were two Hanleys. One killed the other.”

Trent stuck his finger in his ear and wiggled it. “I must have heard you wrong.” He glanced at me for confirmation. “It almost sounded like you said a Hanley protected you from another Hanley.”

“He did,” I asserted and Trent looked lost. “Look, the guy didn’t seem to want to be there. He also didn’t like what the guy was doing. I figure he must have had it coming.”

“I’m sure he did, but, Jess, pack doesn’t kill pack. Ever.”

“He did,” I said simply, my steps slow as I started back toward the motel. Trent caught up quickly, his gaze scanning the dark edge of the forest as he put himself protectively at my back. I stopped suddenly, reminded of something. “You know, I think they thought I was Anna. The Hanley that came after me…he was interested in the female shifter.” A sharp snarl erupted from Trent at that knowledge and I started in surprise. “The shifter that killed him, he didn’t like it. Didn’t want anything to do with a female shifter,” I hurried to add in case Trent decided to go after the kid anyway.

Trent’s glower didn’t ease but he also didn’t go running into the woods howling either, so I considered it a win. He took a couple of deep breaths, rotating his neck until I heard it crack. “Smart kid.”

“He saved my life,” I agreed, plucking at Trent’s sleeve to get him moving again. “He would have saved Anna’s too if it had been her up there.”

Trent crunched down on the sucker in his mouth, making quick work of the candy as he started chewing restlessly on the white paper stick. “She has no idea of how dangerous it is that they know. She won’t be reasonable.”

“Have you tried talking to her instead of, you know, growling at her?” I observed, quirking an eyebrow at him as he glanced away. “Didn’t think so.”

“She pisses me off when she takes off like that and it’s really hard to be rational,” he defended himself and I rolled my eyes.

“Why don’t you try talking to her before she tries something like that?” I asked sensibly and he nodded grudgingly. “And I’ll talk to her too,” I added and he looked relieved. “After today, I agree with you.”

Chapter Sixteen

Nightmares consumed my sleep, leaving me a sweaty mess when I finally woke up. I groaned as I rolled out of bed, my body aching from the stress of the last two days. I padded over to the window to see if Dom had come to relieve Trent but when I peeked outside, no one was there. I swung the window shut, not bothering to latch it in case Anna showed up later.

I scrubbed my face and yanked my hair up in a messy knot before wandering to the living room. There was no sign of Dad or Monster and a glance at the clock told me they should be up by now. Worry trickled through me as I went to Dad’s bedroom door. I knocked lightly and the door swung open. His bed was neatly made, nothing out of place, but that was normal for him. He was a neat freak, something I hadn’t inherited.