Page 20 of Revenge of the Blood Pack

"So, what now? I don't think she’s gone far; maybe we should try looking for her?"

He runs his hand through his hair and I can see the frustration lining his temples. He's not pleased one bit. If this Asha person makes Max this way, then she must be something.

I can't wait to meet her and figure out her secret to pissing my bro off.

"Let's go to the motel. Maybe she went there when I didn't come out in time."

He climbs out of the SUV and I follow with Trouble trailing us, no longer amused at the situation. If it's important to Max that he finds this woman, then I'm going to help him. She is,after all, our mission now. As strange as that is for me to wrap my head around.

Me. Having missions outside of the military. A purpose connected to the only thing I've even been good at.

A job I can't afford to screw up.I guess there are worse problems.

When we enter the motel room, everything looks to be in place, and there's no sign of the girl he's looking for. What’s more, Trouble sniffs around and then settles on a spot beneath the TV. Not something he’d be doing if he sensed danger. Within seconds, I know she hasn't been here recently. And that no fight or abduction took place.

But Max doesn't seem to have come to the same conclusion. He searches the room and the bathroom, then smells her bag, frowning.

Oh, Max, what the hell is fucking with your logic?This is another dead end. It is time for him to face the hard truth: the girl had probably escaped. Either that, or she was taken. But regardless, our protocol is probably similar to what it is in the military. Inform our superiors and wait for instructions.

Or, do what I do best and fuck myself over by listening to my gut instead of my head. Sniff this woman down around town and handle it ourselves.

Not that Max would ever do anything so stupid.

To my surprise, that familiar stoic look comes over his face, and he checks his watch. "We search for her. For the next twenty minutes. Then, we call it in."

"Is that protocol?" I ask, surprised.

His dark eyes meet mine. "I'll let any consequences for this fall solely on my shoulders."

I try to hide my shock.My brother… the big, bad rule breaker?

He doesn't say anything more, just heads for the door. His jaw is clenched; his eyes are narrowed.

But then, Trouble leaps to his feet. Looking at the door, he barks and growls in a way that has me dropping into a crouch, prepared for hell. Trouble has exceptional instincts, so whatever he’s sensing, I know it’s bad.

“Quiet him down,” Max says, but he sounds confused rather than angry.

“Just wait,” I say, then hold my breath.

Suddenly, the door opens.

A woman staggers into the room, her long blonde hair falling over her face, walking as if it’s taking everything out of her just to put one foot in front of the other. Blood runs down her arms and her chest, coating her shirt and staining her hair. She takes another step into the room, then collapses onto her knees.

Max is there in an instant, catching her before she drops to her side. His reflexes are somehow faster than mine. The look on his face is determined as he stands with her in his arms, then carries her to a bed.

Trouble is at his side, looking at Asha with his stubby tail down in a way that tells me he’s upset, but he’s no longer on the defensive. He simply whines, seeming concerned about the tiny woman.

Reaching into my pocket, I take out the little square of green fabric, part of one of the uniforms, and give it to him. Trouble snatches it and sulks across the room before sitting in a corner, snuggling with his “blankie,” even though he still looks upset.

Max sits with her in his lap, his hand moving with certainty as he inspects her for any broken bones or major injuries, and probably for the source of the blood too. Although the claw marks and the shredded clothes are a dead giveaway. A look of worry comes and goes on his face in an instant, and then he says, "Asha?"

She doesn't respond.

He combs her hair back from her face, and I stiffen, instantly recognizing her as the beautiful woman from the diner. The one who smelled like heaven, like wildflowers and wind laced with a coming storm. But it’s more than that. My entire body reacted to her scent in a strange and surprising way that I’d never experienced before. If I hadn’t already been late to meet Max, I would have stopped and at the very least introduced myself to her.

In fact, I’d been kicking myself for walking away ever since. And now, here she is. Bleeding. Broken. Being held by my brother like she’s someone precious to him.

I didn't even realize I took a step closer to her until Max glances up at me, and I realize I’m closer than I was a moment before.

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