And then, her little sister shook her head and walked back into the house without another word. Without looking at the little girl who had become her whole world.

“She’ll come around. We’ll be here for a little while; I’ll talk to her,” Jackson said as he came to stand next to her.

Talk to her? Brit had figured out there was something different about all the people around her. Jackson would only make things worse if he tried to convince her otherwise.

Two men came out of the house, and two more approached from the direction of the gate.

“How long will we be here?” she asked.

“Not very long. I have things I still need to settle before... before my birthday.”

That brief hesitation made her look at him, but Jackson had already turned his attention to the men he had asked to take care of her sister. The four bowed to him and then looked down at the baby, who had started to cry.

She picked her up, and as usual, Hope calmed down when she was in her arms.

When she looked up at Brit’s bodyguards, they lowered their heads quickly and bowed, just as everyone at the packhouse had been doing. And it made her just as uncomfortable.

“How’s my sister been coping?” she asked.

She’d been surprised to hear that Brit hadn’t left when they’d all had to hide in the forest. Brit hadn’t asked her anything about what was happening, but she knew her sister would have figured out something was wrong.

“She’s been a little...moody lately,” one of the men started, “but that’s because of her finals. She’ll be finished this week.”

The man was younger than the rest, and she sensed many warm feelings coming from him. He seemed to care about Brit genuinely.

“Thank you for taking care of her,” she said to them all and then headed towards the house, leaving Jackson to speak freely with them.

The house looked like it was spread over thousands of square feet. The wooden slats were painted white, but thick, unpainted oak pillars ran along the decking the length of the house. She had grudgingly admitted she’d like the hideout, but this house was the hideout on steroids. She pushed the wide double doors open, and her breath caught at the elegant simplicity. The space was vast and airy, and two staircases stood on either side of the spacious entryway. Wooden floors throughout and beams along the ceilings. The decor was a mixture of modern and traditional, and she loved all of it. It was exactly Brit’s style.

“Brit?” she called out.

She walked further in and looked at the long, comfortable sofas on one side. There were snacks on the table, and a movie paused on the big screen on the wall. It looked like her visit had interrupted a lazy weekend on the sofas. She caught all their scents in the room so Brit hadn’t been watching alone. It was great if she was getting on with the others that well. At least she would be able to trust them if anything happened.

“Brit?” she called again.

Hope started to fret again in her arms. She settled the baby on her breast and continued to look around.

A sizeable farm-style dinner table was on the opposite side of the sitting area, and in front of her, she could see part of the kitchen. There were pieces of art on the walls and fresh flowers in vases. Brit seemed to have made herself at home.

The kitchen was so spacious that it could give the one at the packhouse a run for its money. She smiled as she walked over to the island and ran her hand over the wooden surface. Everything was so perfect. If she could live there...

The smile fell off her lips when her ears pricked.

And a scent came in from the open door at the side of the kitchen before she caught Brit’s whispered words.

“Take me with you.”

Chapter 68

Layla was out the door before she could think, following the scent to the woods behind the house. And just past the treeline, she saw the woman who had birthed them, dressed in a casual summer dress with her arms around.

“You know I can’t do that, darling.”

“Get away from her,” she growled.

Both Britney and Rebecca turned with surprise on their faces. Surely her mother had sensed her coming?

‘Get away from my sister!’ she screamed in her head.