Page 67 of Shadow of Death

“I lived with Groza’s pack and then Arkansas, or was that just pretend?”

“You came into the Arkansas pack as mine. You don’t know what it’s like to be available in a place like this. Some shifters are older than you can imagine, and their morals haven’t kept up with the times. If you aren’t claimed, you’re fair game.”

“This is the only way we’re going to get out together,” I said, my heart pounding. How could he not see this as clearly as I did?

“This is your big plan? To get out at the same time?”

“Yes,” I said, meeting his stare with as much unwavering strength as I could muster.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low and steady. “Piper, we’re not going to get an opening to get out of here together. If you get a chance to get out, you have to take it.”

How could he expect me to leave him behind? My chest tightened and my hands shook at the thought of it. It was one thing to leave when I’d thought he’d be safe. There was no way I could leave him now, knowing what Varic would do. “We have to leave together. I don’t want to leave without you.”

He straightened and paced a few feet around the room, running both hands through his hair. “This isn’t about what either of us wants. It’s about what has to happen. Promise me you’ll leave if you get the chance.”

“I’ll try.” My words were stiff. If he knew I was lying, he didn’t say anything.

We stood in tense silence for a moment before he asked, “Did he say what pack?”

“No.”

“Then we set a meeting place,” he said, his voice softening, though the tension in his frame never eased. “But no matter what, youdon’tcome back here. Deal?”

“Yeah,” I said, trying to be as noncommittal as I could. Didn’t matter, since Varic wasn’t going to let me out of his sight anyway.

Kicks ran a hand through his hair, the tension he was throwing off nearly filling the room. “Where do you want to meet up?”

Even if I wasn’t willing to leave him, there was a chance we could get split up. This was something we needed laid out ahead of time. We should’ve put a plan like this in place right after we got here.

“It can’t be too close, but not too far,” I said, trying to think of what would be ideal. Too close and I’d be a sitting duck for his pack. Shifters were excellent trackers, and I couldn’t get that far on my own without lucking out and finding a car or ATV.“The dock Rod dropped us off at?”

He was already shaking his head. “It’ll take you days to get there on foot.”

“The shops we went to before we came here?” I offered, the image of the little row of stores flashing in my mind.

“That’s still a hike, but not as bad,” he said, and I could see him considering it. He was calculating the distance, weighing the risks, just like I was. “You think you can make it there?”

“I’ll find a regular bike,” I said. “I should be able to do that distance pretty easily.”

He walked over and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest, breathing him in and listening to his heartbeat, afraid of what might come next.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I walked downto the front hall in the clothes Didi had delivered to me this morning. I would’ve preferred jeans, but even leather pants were a nice change from the dresses I’d been wearing. The boots felt like heaven. The t-shirt and jacket? I could live with them.

I stopped on the bottom of the steps, where Varic was waiting with a handful of his men. I held out my arms, as if to see if I passed muster.

Varic took me in and nodded. “As much as I appreciate you in a dress, these clothes do have something to be said for them. Plus, I need them to recognize you.”

“You think they’ll recognize me?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m positive of it. There were a couple of shifters from that pack here the night you killed my father.”

Not only was I traveling somewhere unknown with the enemy, but to a place where they already knew I was a threat. This day was just looking better and better.

I nodded and followed them outside, not letting my unease over the situation show. I had one purpose here: gain some trust.

Varic hopped into an ATV and then gestured at the passenger seat.

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