Page 84 of Shattered Omega

“Wh-what was that?” I asked.

“If he was tracking you, he’s not anymore,” Mord murmured, tucking the device back in his pocket. I jumped as he clamped a hand over my mouth, barely even looking at me as he waited. He was huge, and even without his aura out, frightening. The glint of his gun in his other hand was hard to ignore.

My pulse was racing out of control, and it wasn’t long before I heard the sound of thundering footsteps.

Dusk…

Tears beaded my eyes, but I didn’t dare make a sound.

Mord didn’t hesitate, pulling me out moments later. I’d had to fight my whine of desperation as I caught the scent of midnight opium lingering in the air and tangled with it was Decebal’s roses and cranberries scent.

They’d just been here…

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to conjure up the words on the webpage I had just been on. Not enough…

But this was it, whether I had my answer or not. The Lincoln pack was done waiting. And that meant I needed to keep the lie I’d let Mord believe the first time I met him.

“Where are we going?” I managed to ask as he dragged me out to the Academy parking lot.

He’d tucked away his gun now. I could fight him, make a scene to the passing students, some of whom were throwing me frowns, but even if I did, it might get me nowhere. That seemed like the natural response. Try to run. To get away. But I couldn’t.

He didn’t answer as he shoved me into the back seat of a black car.

“Don’t make me regret not tying you up,” he said as he slammed the door and locked it.

My lip trembled. “Deep breaths,” I whispered, fists balling in my skirt as he circled the car to the driver’s side. “You can do this, Shatter.”

I clenched my teeth, fighting my tears. He was taking me to the Lincoln pack, and I had to be ready.

I wasn’t, but I had to be.

“They could call the police,” I said as he shifted the gear stick and pulled out of the academy parking lot.

“They won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve looked over quite a few of their activities over the last few years. Seems they haven’t involved the authorities for anything. Not even when the wellbeing of their own pack mate is at stake. I can only imagine that the authorities pose a greater threat than anything I might.”

We drove for a while, though it was hard for me to see where we were going with the blacked-out windows, and I didn’t know the city well enough to keep track. Finally, I heard gravel below us as the vehicle slowed.

Where were we?

Then the door at my back was opened, and he tugged me out with ease. I only had a second to glance around at a massive industrial-looking building closed off with tall fences, before he was tugging me toward a huge metal door.

Inside he led me through winding corridors, all with concrete walls and peeling paint and not a sign of life in sight, and we finally stopped before another metal door.

Mord unlocked it and I saw a few rooms within that were host to not much beyond a few old seats and a dented wooden table. It almost looked like a… makeshift home. Not that this sort of building seemed like a home at all…

I shrank, unsure what to expect.

At my side, Mord crouched down to undo his shoelaces. He was so unnervingly… casual no matter what the situation. I hadn’t seen him as anything but neutral besides the moment when he’d won against Ransom.

I watched as he tugged his shoes off and placed them neatly at the door, then he stood carefully, dusting off his coat before stepping in.

I frowned, still clutching my own fingers together as I looked within, my instincts filling in the gaps for me.

He had brought me here to stay for a while? The walls might be bare, and the air damp, but I think this was a home by the ebony and mystery scent in the air.

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