Page 28 of Revenge of the Blood Pack

My mouth drops open. "No way." I sound like a stupid teenager, but I can't help it. These two are as alike as night and day.

"Not identical, obviously."

Obviously."And did Max have a stick up his ass when you were kids too?" Oh, hell. I hadn't meant to let that slip. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Braxton's dog comes to sit beside us, resting his chin on his master's knee, and Braxton gently pets his head as he answers. "Well, he was more carefree when we were younger, still a little too responsible and uptight, but a normal kid… until our parents were murdered. Then, he kind of just turned into an adult overnight. The therapist had a name for it, but all I remember is them saying I regressed. Pretty sure I acted younger, which led him to act older, although I wouldn't claim to understand it all."

"Your parents were murdered?" My gaze slides from him to Max, who’s currently on the phone by our SUV. For some reason, I kind of pictured Max as an only child who wore a suit from the time he was born, was sent to private schools, and had parents he referred to asMotherandFather.

He nods, rubbing behind his dog's ears. "Neither of us like to talk about it though. That was sort of the end of our innocence."

"I understand that feeling," I say, then glance at the kids again. "Even though I wish that childlike innocence lasted forever and that no one ever had to learn that the world is full of scary monsters with pretty faces."

Braxton looks down at his dog and gives it a goofy smile. "I think that's why I like the idea of the Enforcers. Maybe in this position we can rid the world of a few of those damned monsters."

I barely hear his words because I’m focused on him and his dog. It’s strange. I’ve never understood pet owners. Like, not at all. Hell, I’ve never understood people who have children. Having some innocent creature depending entirely on you feels like my own version of hell. But the way Braxton acts with his…dog makes me feel weird. Like he has a gene I’m lacking, and that’s why he treats the thing like an adorable person.

I draw my gaze from the beast and refocus on our conversation. "Is that why you're here? To rid the world of monsters?" I’m truly curious because he doesn't fit the mold of any of the Enforcers I've met so far.

"No, I'm here because I didn't have anywhere else to go. A man like me can't just get a job at a grocery store and forget what he is." His expression becomes distant, almost grim.

"And what are you?"

Rather than answering, he stands. "Max is saying play time is up."

I glance over and see our mighty leader himself leaning against the SUV, glaring.

Sighing, I watch as the dog follows Braxton to the car, looking happier than I've felt in a long time. But maybe I'd be that happy too if Braxton was petting me all day.

Okay, that sounds worse than I planned for it to. I just meant I might be happier if someone gave a shit about me too. But my mom always said, hope in one hand and shit in the other, then see which one fills up first.

My heart aches and my mind flips through the sound of my mom screaming, then the terrible way they killed her. I dig my nails into my palms hard enough to make them bleed, then draw in a ragged breath.My mom is gone. Focus on the present.

Like my conversation with Braxton. Like our current mission.

I wish I had some time alone to process everything I just heard. But figuring out these two men isn't nearly as important as finding my pack. Because once I find all of us, once I save all of us, I'm going to make another safe place like the Blood Pack lands. And Max and Braxton? All they'll know is that I'm gone.

These two men are my tools to use to get back the life I lost. Nothing more. And no matter how many sad stories I hear from them, I can't forget that.

I'm all my pack has left.

TEN

Asha

The remainingdrive to Fairmore was uneventful. We make a few stops, mostly for the dog. I watched everyone as subtly as I could. There were places where I realized that Braxton had more than a soft spot for his dog, and more a giant squishy heart for the beast. And where I realized that Max was more than a little irritated by him slowing us down.

But whether his issue was with the dog, our timeline, or something else…I wasn't sure. All I knew was that the second we entered town, the tension in our vehicle was palpable.

"Where exactly are we headed?" I ask, and my voice sounds loud in the silence as I stare out at the darkened streets of the busy town.

"To an informant."

I frown. "Does he or she know where my pack member is now? Because if they don't, we'd be better off going to the last place they were seen."

"Why? You got some kind of secret locater power you didn't tell us about?" Braxton asks from the backseat with a grin.

"No." My answer is clipped because I don't want to say more. As scared as everyone seems to be of my pack, I'm sure they're just as confused about how to use our new powers as I am. My magic is like some kind of utility belt that seems to get me out of a jam, but I still don't exactly know how. Ido, however, think that something in my confusing powers would help lead me to my pack member.

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