Page 34 of Understanding Fate

“I love you, Firefly,” he says, his intensity taking my breath away.

“I love you too, Candy Cain” I reply before turning to follow the man, his partner falling into step behind me.

***

Four hours later, I’m finally alone in my room. Well, alone-ish. A guard stands outside my door, so I’m not exactly by myself, but I’m not at liberty to leave either.

Neither of the men I left with spoke to me as we rode to the private airport or on the flight to Colorado. Once we landed, they escorted me to a hotel suite and left me with a guard posted up outside.

Quiet never seemed so loud. I wasn’t sure if they weren’t allowed to talk to me or if I had done something that led to the treatment, but they were about as far from friendly as you could get. I tried to ask questions, crack jokes, and even made faces at them, but they didn’t react.

The next time either spoke was to explain to the guard standing at my door that no one was allowed in, and I wasn’t allowed out.

I wish Cain were here, or even Ghost, well maybe more Snowball than Ghost.

Throwing myself onto the large bed, I consider my situation. My suitcase hasn’t arrived, and I don’t have my phone, the real one or the burner, and it's just after four in the morning. Part of me wonders how to explain my disappearance to Ethan and Tristan.

What will they do when I don’t show up tomorrow?

It weighs on my heart to know that I’d blown such a fantastic opportunity. The company checked every box.

Well, all but one.

The one name still sitting on the ‘move to Boston’ cons list.

Cain.

Despite him telling me he would follow me anywhere, I know how hard it would be for him to leave his pack. They are his family. Coming from a life without one, I couldn’t live with myself if I took him away from them.

Not that it matters now.

No company is going to hire a candidate as flaky as I have been. At this point, I have to hope I can find another place where I can make my future.

If I have a future. As I drift off to sleep, my fears about being taken by Deacon Marlo slide back in, and the nightmares play on repeat. My screams echoing off the walls remind me how alone I really am.

Chapter 14

Dante

At five minutes to twelve, I walk into the courtroom with Noah at my side. We spent the whole flight discussing legal options and ramifications.

Not that we have many.

Our entire argument focuses on the fact that Brielle has spent her life in Las Vegas.

It’s weak at best.

They won’t likely care if she was raised in Antarctica. She hasn’t been Awakened; we have no idea where her lineage comes from. Worse, Deacon has proof she was with his pack and that we took her out of his territory after killing his Second.

We have to hope that proximity is enough.

The courtroom is smaller than one available in the city. These are used for less significant pack disputes and hold only a dozen people when full. We’ve been assigned a special committee to oversee Marlo’s claim, and we will be at a disadvantage since he works with the LLC members quarterly as our state representative.

A job my father held until his death.

The memory of him pulls at my heart, and I push the emotion away. I don’t have time to feel his loss today. My best friend, Cain, needs me focused. My Second needs his Mate.

Straightening my shoulders, I note that Marlo is already seated at one of the two tables with an older man I’ve known as his lead counsel, Brian Concord. Both men stop talking as we enter, and we find our way to our seats at the table next to theirs.

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