Dom (The Pack 4)

“That’s what I’m telling you, Dom. I got nothing. Not the faintest whiff. I don’t know if they were human or shifter, or some hybrid fucking dog. I never saw their face.” He gestured to his head, indicating a hood. “They wore a baggy jacket, hoodie thing which covered their head.”

“They don’t want to be recognized,” I mused as he crammed more food in his mouth. “I take it they weren’t really interested in being allies?”

Trent barked out a laugh, almost choking. “Yeah, let’s just say I didn’t get that far in the conversation,” he muttered. “I left out of there when they threatened to make me crawl out.” He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure I was followed all the way to the boundary line, but I never saw or heard them. They’re ninjas, dude.” He lifted his fifth sandwich. “Thanks for the food.”

“Thanks for risking your life,” I remarked idly as he stood up. “Where are you going?” He motioned in the direction of the motel.

“Gonna keep an eye on your mate,” he answered, wiping his mouth. “Not going to let those Hanley bastards get to her again.”

My mouth lifted. “You’re a good guy, Trent.”

“No shit,” he laughed. “Now, go get your beauty sleep.”

Chapter Eleven

She didn’t look surprised this morning at least, I thought as Caleb hopped out to let her in. His nose crinkled and I understood why a second later when the acrid scent of bleach hit my nose.

Her hand appeared and I grasped it firmly, jerking her inside the Jeep, my palm tingling as I took a deep breath. Her signature scent was buried somewhere under the bleach and my wolf growled at its absence.

“Did you take a bath in bleach?” I asked once she was settled in the back with Anna. “It almost makes it tolerable to be around you.”

She frowned at me and Anna attempted to smooth over my blunder. “Did you have to clean this morning?”

“Yeah, I spilled some bleach,” she answered, grasping at the excuse Anna offered, but I stared at her doubtfully. She was hiding something and I wanted to know what it was.

“I thought I’d gotten it all off, but I guess not if you could smell it,” she continued, her eyes daring me to contradict her.

“I doubt anyone else will notice,” Anna rushed to say and she nodded, unsurprised by the answer as she settled into her seat.

“We only have weight training this afternoon,” I said abruptly. “You can wait in the library again, but we should be done by the final bell.” She nodded in agreement, her attention caught by something out the window.

“Think she’s telling the truth?” Caleb questioned over the Pack link as I studied the road.

“Not a chance,” I replied, distracted when Jess gasped.

“Guys,” she called, her voice cracking.

“What is it?” I growled, going on alert as I picked up on her anxiety.

“Are wolves nocturnal?” Her question had me scanning our surroundings as the others answered.

“Yes,” Anna replied as Caleb said, “Generally, why?”

“Where?” I barked, not seeing the wolf. “Trent? You following us?” I sent the thought as I continued to scan. “Nope,” he replied, his reply sluggish and I knew I’d woken him up. “Need me?”

“No, its fine,” I replied grimly, glad he wasn’t involved, but suspecting a Hanley had decided to follow us.

“Over here,” Jess answered, pointing out the window on her side and I barely repressed a snarl at the fact they were targeting her. I glanced out her window when she screamed, and my attention jerked back to the road.

The scrawny white and tan wolf was cutting across the road in front of the Jeep and I accelerated, determined to leave him a grease stain on the pavement.

“Dom! No!” Caleb shouted, but he didn’t use any form of compulsion, and I didn’t slow. A blur caught my eye and I cursed, slowing down.

“Son of a bitch,” I snarled, knowing he’d escaped.

“Damn it, Dom. That was too close,” Caleb snapped. “It would have been war if you’d killed him,” he reprimanded mentally, but I could hear the uncertainty in his thoughts. He didn’t like the fact that the Hanleys were stalking Jess any more than I did, and they’d completely disregarded our claim on Jess.

I swiped my hand through my head in frustration, sending him a pointed glance. “You’re damn straight it was too close. It was entirely too close,” I snapped, my eyes darting to Jess in the rearview mirror. She looked shaken, but that was probably because she thought I almost killed a wolf and not the real reason she should be terrified. “I will keep her safe,” I informed Caleb, “Even if it means killing every one of them.” A burning sensation went through me and I glanced at Jess to see if she’d touched the mark, but her hands were twisted together in her lap.