Page 8 of Sasha's Wounded Wolf

“Raina’s fine, as far as we know,” he replied, but his face told me there was something else going on. “Lincoln headed over to one of the bars the pack used to frequent. He thought it’d be a good way to reach out to some of the Rigton wolves. Get a feel for how James and his pack have been treating them.”

I barely refrained from reminding him they were all James Pack members now. Bastion James had accepted them the moment he’d mated my sister. He and his pack had a reputation for being brutal but only when necessary. They were known to take in lone wolves. Whether they were on the run from trouble or leaving another pack or simply had never been a part of one. James took them in and let them show if they were pack material or not. Those who weren’t moved along quickly enough. Hell, he’d certainly weeded out the bad from the Rigton wolves.

“And? Who did he see there?”

“He never made it inside, but he swears he saw someone leaving when he got there.”

“Christ, E. Just spit it out. I’m not playing twenty fucking questions with you.”

“It was Nico Volkov.”

“Nico’s here?”

What the hell would Nico be doing in Rigton County now? Unless…

“He knows someone in the James Pack. He knows you’re coming here with news about me.”

“If it was him, then yes. It would appear so,” Easton offered.

It hit me like a jolt of electricity. If Nico was here, then Sasha was. He wouldn’t leave her anywhere without him. Not after hiding her so well for the last few years. My mate was here.

“Sasha’s here,” I whispered.

“We don’t know that, Ro,” Easton warned.

“I know it. If he’s here, she’s here. Call Lincoln back. I need to know where Nico might be staying. I need to find him.”

“We won’t be able to do that tonight without stirring up a bunch of questions.”

Easton held up his hands when I growled, canines flashing as I gave vent to my anger.

“Think, Ro. We don’t even know for sure if it’s him. Lincoln said he thinks it was, but he admitted he didn’t see the man for very long. We meet with James and your sister tomorrow. If Nico is here, if he came because of us, he’ll be there.”

“I’m going to the meeting,” I snapped.

“You’re going to let them know you’re alive?”

“I’m going to do what I should have done before all this happened. I’m going to claim my mate.”

Chapter Four

~Sasha~

“When is the meeting?” I asked Nico as soon as he entered the house.

I’d already put Raine to bed for the evening, and I’d been pacing the front room ever since, waiting for my brother to get back. The brick home we were staying in belonged to Anthony Rossi. He and another member of the James Pack, Donovan Mitchell, lived here. They’d given up their home for my brother and me. For Raine, too, though they didn’t know about my son. About Raina’s nephew. I wondered vaguely what she’d think of me naming Rowan’s son after her. I knew my mate would have loved it. That was all that had mattered to me.

“Tomorrow as I said. Easton, Lincoln, and several others will arrive at Bastion James’ house early in the afternoon. Anthony’s already cleared it for me to be there when they do. It helped that Hannibal vouched for me, as well.”

My brother reached out, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

“You should get some rest, Sasha. Why don’t you go sleep with Raine tonight? He’s been quiet since we got here.”

“He’s anxious. He hasn’t been around other people.”

“I know,” Nico said with a weary sigh. “That’s my fault. I took you guys to the middle of nowhere.”

“You did what was needed to protect us. What I needed. I wouldn’t have survived without you.”

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