Page 5 of Sasha's Wounded Wolf

I shook my head furiously. I didn’t care what Rowan’s father had lost. I still swore he had something to do with the attacks on both of us. It didn’t matter to me that he’d injured himself trying to pull Rowan from the truck. It was guilt as far as I was concerned. Rowan had told his father he was claiming me as his mate. Then he’d had an accident and I’d been accosted before it could happen. That was more than coincidence. If Richard Byrd hadn’t been the force behind what had happened, then he knew who was. I’d screamed that at Nico more than once over the years.

“I spoke to Anthony just before I walked in tonight. He invited us to come visit. I accepted.”

“Have fun.”

“He said they had an interesting call from a wolf who used to be a part of the Rigton Pack.”

“Who?”

I held my breath as I waited for my brother’s answer.

“Easton.”

My heart almost stopped at the mention of one of my mate’s closest friends. They’d been like brothers. Rowan, Lincoln, Easton, Patrick, and Josh. Patrick and Josh had died with Rowan.

“Does he know where Lincoln is?”

“They’re together,” Nico told me. “And they asked for a meeting with Bastion James. They said they have information to share with him.”

“What information?”

My stomach was in knots. I swore I’d throw up any moment.

“About Rowan.”

Nico’s words were like a bomb exploding in my gut. My ears rang. My palms were clammy. Everything came rushing at me. Except air. I couldn’t remember how to inhale. My lungs ceased to work.

“Breathe, Sasha. Breathe,” Nico ordered, jerking my chair back. He forced my head down between my legs, holding it there while he rubbed my back briskly. “Breathe for me, Sasha.”

We stayed like that for longer than I cared to admit. I struggled while my brother did his best to put me back together. God, what would I do without him? He’d always been there for me, but even more so since I’d lost Rowan. Since I’d had Raine. My brother was the best uncle in the world to my son. I knew he did his best to stand in for Raine’s father. It made me proud, sad, and angry all at once. Yes, I was fucked up. Losing a mate did that to a woman.

Finally, I forced my lungs to cooperate. Nico squatted beside my chair as I sat up.

“When are they meeting with James?” I whispered.

“Two days.”

“Does Anthony know what Easton wants to talk about?”

Nico shook his head, but there was something in his gaze.

“What is it? What are you not telling me?”

“Not long ago, a woman showed up asking for the James Pack, asking for help.”

I shrugged. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“She said a man had helped her and sent her to Rigton County. To the James Pack. He told her he’d known Bastion and Raina in another life. She was running, and he sent her there to get help in making a stand.”

“Nico, what is all this leading to?”

“The man who sent her reminded her of Raina. Similar blue eyes.”

My heart stalled then leapt into a fast staccato beat.

“She said he had scars on his arm. Scars that could have been made from serious burns.”

“Nico. I can’t…” I paused, clutching my chest as my lungs threatened to seize again. “What are you…”

---