“Dom, come to the motel,” Anna replied neutrally and I assumed Jess was standing there.
“Is she okay?” I gritted out, taking off at a run for the Jeep, Caleb following without question.
“Yeah, she’s safe.” I didn’t miss the fact that Anna specified safe over okay. “We’re on our way. If anything happens to her….” I couldn’t finish but she understood. I threw the phone down as I leapt into the Jeep, leaving Caleb to leap inside as I peeled out of the parking lot.
It was less than two minutes before I careened into the motel parking lot, gravel flying as Caleb clung to the door frame. Brakes squealed as I slammed to a stop in front of the two girls.
Jess stared at me in shock, muttering, “How?” She glanced back and forth between the motel rooms. “How the hell did they get here so fast?” My heart didn’t slow as I took in her appearance, making sure she was unharmed, and listened with one ear to Anna’s response, “They’re fast.”
I sniffed the air, my lip curling as I detected the stench of Hanley. Jess’s hand crept toward her mark and my head swung toward her, not sure I could control myself if she touched the mark now.
“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice nothing more than a rough rumble. She nodded, not speaking, and I wondered if she was in shock.
“Hasn’t been long,” I observed and Anna nodded.
“I smelled them when we got out of the car,” she replied and I sent her a harsh glare. She held up her hands defensively. “I thought we’d go to her room and I’d stay with her until someone arrived.” I continued to glare, not liking the chance she’s taken with Jess’s life. “What would you have had me do? Hmm? Take her to my house?”
I jerked my head, replying mentally, “You should have driven her straight back to the school and my side. What if the Hanleys had still been around?”
“I knew they weren’t,” she defended weakly, shrinking slightly under my harsh stare.
Jess just watched us, her head swinging between us, and I thought I saw her sniff the air.
“What happened?” I snapped, still looking at Anna, but my gaze constantly strayed to Jess, needing to verify she really was okay.
“They marked her room,” Anna replied flatly, and a growl ripped from my chest, the vibration strong enough Jess jumped.
“They what?” Caleb said in disbelief, straightening as he realized this wasn’t some random drive by stunt by the Hanleys.
“This is a declaration of war,” I snarled, my chest swelling as I realized they had deliberately waited until Trent was gone to act. That meant they’d been watching, looking for an opportunity. Rage clouded my thoughts, Jess’s safety my first concern, and the only way I knew to keep her safe was to kill every single Hanley pup.
“Calm down,” Anna attempted to soothe the rage simmering in me but her voice shook slightly.
“Are you kidding me?” Jess hissed, plucking at her sleeve. “No one on the face of the planet has ever calmed down because someone told them too!”
“Do you have a better idea?” Anna retorted, her teeth clenched as she watched me, her body huddled next to Jess’s and some part of my brain realized she thought she might need to protect Jess from me.
“Dom.” The single word cracked the rage threatening to overwhelm me as Caleb broke the only promise he’d ever made to me.
“Thank God he brought Caleb.” Anna sagged in relief even as Jess stared at her in confusion.
“Why would he listen to Caleb?” She questioned, her forehead crinkling, as she tried to puzzle out the information we were giving her in bits and pieces.
I paced, clenching and releasing my fists with each stride as I tried to regain control. Jess is safe, I chanted internally, ignoring the rest of their conversation as I resisted the urge to go slaughter an entire Pack.
“Pretty sure it’s the Hanleys, but if you want to go take a whiff….” Anna gestured to the door of Jess’s room and I took a step forward. Caleb laid a hand on my chest, meeting my eyes, “No, let me go,” he sent over the link. “You may not be able to control yourself a second time.”
My eyes narrowed at the reminder, but I let him go forward, knowing there was some truth in his words. “Make sure they’re safe,” Caleb suggested and I dipped my head, grateful for the distraction.
I moved to the door they stood in front of and reached for the door handle. “Stay behind me,” I ordered and Jess bristled.
“It’s my house,” she argued petulantly and I paused, listening for any sign that someone was inside. The silence was absolute so I stepped back and gestured to the door.
“Go ahead then. Holler if you see them.”