Page 107 of Pack Fever

A chill races down my spine. That car... it’s eerily similar to the one that pursued Seth and me after our visit to my mom and sister. My heart pounds, dread washing over me. I stumble back.

“No, that can’t be Nexus, can it?” I whisper to myself. “It’s just a coincidence, it has to be.” But I can’t shake off the fear that they’ve tracked me down. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the rising panic. “You’re just being paranoid,” I tell myself, already rushing back into the elevator, even as the cafe guy’s calling me for my order. As my gaze slides to the car sitting outside, I can’t help but feel exposed, as if they tracked me down and now are working out the best time to come for me.

I dart inside, hugging myself.

The elevator doors start closing. My heart thundering, I push myself into one of the corners, trying to make myself as small as possible. Just as the gap narrows to a sliver, a hand shoots through, halting the doors with a jarring force. A scream escapes my lips, a sound ignited by the dread that’s been clawing at my insides, as the doors reluctantly slide open.

I’m barely breathing, bracing for the worst, but it’s just Reed stepping into the elevator, his eyebrows knitted together in concern.

“Are you okay?” he asks. “What’s going on?” He glances around the confined space, as if expecting to find some immediate danger that caused my panic.

“Why would you scare me like that?” I manage to say, trying to force myself to move and not look so terrified. “Why are you here?”

Reed blinks, looking partly confused, partly concerned. “What’s going on?” he repeats, his stance blocking the elevator doors, which now release a persistent beeping, protesting his obstruction.

“Th-They’re here,” I stammer out the words in barely a whisper.

“Who?” His gaze flicks behind him, back into the hallway, searching for any sign of a threat.

I quickly tell him the harrowing experience of Seth and me being chased from my mom’s place by a car that looked eerily similar to the silver SUV parked across the street.

“What if it’s Nexus?” My hands are shaking, and my breath is coming in short gasps.

Reed peers at me, his expression hardening. Then, decisively, he takes my hand, pulling me back into the lobby. “Let me go see,” he says, a determined edge to his voice.

“Wait, what if...” My protest dies on my lips, the fear of confronting Nexus paralyzing me.

“What if it’s not them, and you’re stressing over nothing?” Reed counters, his gaze holding mine, a hint of the protective streak I’ve noticed in him since my heat became more pronounced.

He leads me to a cafe table, the owner approaching with my forgotten coffee and cake. Reed speaks to him in low, firm tones, asking him to keep an eye on me, to make sure I stay put and that no one approaches me. The man nods in understanding. “Of course, sir.”

My attention is riveted on Reed as he strides out of the hotel, crossing the street with a purposeful gait toward the silver SUV. My heart lodges in my throat, every worst-case scenario playing out in my mind. What if they arrest him? What if he’s swarmed by more Nexus enforcers, and they force him to hand me over?

Then, just as Reed nears the vehicle, it springs to life, tires screeching as it peels away from the curb, disappearing down the street in a reckless escape.

The SUV’s hasty retreat doesn’t reassure me; if anything, it confirms my fears. Shit. Nexus knows where I am, and now there’s no telling what might come next.

The queasiness in my stomach intensifies, and the mere thought of the chocolate cake is now utterly repulsive. Reed reappears inside, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. Without a word, he takes my hand and my latte, guiding me swiftly down the hotel hallway.

“I think it’s best you stay by our side now,” he says, his voice low but firm, echoing the seriousness of the situation.

“God, you’re scaring me,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “Did you get a glimpse of who was in the SUV? Were they wearing a uniform or anything?”

He takes a long sip from my latte, and despite the circumstances, I can’t help but shoot him a half-annoyed look for commandeering my drink. But the irritation quickly fades, replaced by a grudging gratitude for his timely protection. For that, he deserves my coffee.

“Could barely see them,” he admits after a moment. “But they didn’t look familiar or like they were wearing uniforms. That doesn’t mean they aren’t undercover.”

My stomach twists into knots, and instinctively, I move closer to his side. Reed’s grip on my hand tightens reassuringly as he leads me to the hotel car park, his presence a constant source of comfort amid the swirling chaos of my thoughts.

Before I know it, we’re in his black, hired car, speeding away from the hotel. Every shadow, every passing vehicle, has me on edge, my gaze darting to the mirrors in search of the silver SUV. But as the miles stretch out behind us, there’s no sign of pursuit, no hint of the danger that had sent my heart racing just moments earlier.

The tension slowly slips away with each passing minute. Yet, the fear remains deep inside me.

Reed’s black sports car purrs beneath us, the cityscape blurring past in a haze of movement and buildings. There are cars everywhere, but traffic is flowing quickly for a change.

When the engine’s growl deepens as Reed suddenly accelerates, I twist in his direction, seeing his tight grip on the steering wheel and his gaze in the rearview mirror.

A knot of panic forms in my gut, but before I can say a single word, something slams into us from the back, throwing me against my seatbelt.

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