Page 73 of The Last Ultimatum: Part 1

She growled. “I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I just hate that Aiden agreed to it. We'd just worked everything out.”

“And then you vanished.”

“It's not like I had a choice. They sedated me and took me while I was still in my fur and then they forced me to take a serum that made me shift back to my skin as proof that I was a shifter and not just an animal. They are monsters. And who the hell are you? Why are you here? How did you know about all of this or where to find me?”

I shrugged. “It's what I do. But I do feel your pain. I had a similar incident recently.”

“Yet you're still free.”

“As are you now. Well, mostly.”

“What do you mean mostly?”

“There's a threat to the Tribes. I don't want you caught up in it. You're safe with me and my team. In a few days I may even be able to get you back to Tilly.”

“Where is she?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Are you one of Aiden's men?”

I couldn't stop the growl that escaped me. “No.”

She eyed me suspiciously.

“If Tilly really arranged all of this, can I at least speak to her?”

“I need to ensure we have a secure line, but otherwise, yes. I can arrange that.”

Tilly

Chapter 20

It was nice here. Lachlan's family was great, but I was losing my mind with worry. He'd been gone for days without a word.

I wasn't sure what I'd expected, but it certainly wasn't being dropped off here with no communication.

“Tilly, will you braid my hair for school?” Hannah asked.

All four of the kids had been on break and were heading back to classes today. Aaron told us all that it was extremely important for us to keep up human appearances right now. It made my skin itch to shift just thinking about it.

“Sure. Do you have a brush and bows?”

“Yeah.” She proudly held them up and climbed up onto my bed. It was the one I'd shared with Lachlan. The whole room carried his scent. It was faint and clear he didn't spend time here often, but it was there.

Hannah chatted about her class and her friends as I carefully plaited her hair into two braids.

“All done.”

She turned around and then hugged me. “Thanks, Tilly. I like having a sister.”

Before I could correct her, she jumped up and ran from the room.

“Have a good day,” I yelled after her.

Before leaving my home, Lachlan had told me to turn off my phone and not to use it except for an absolute emergency because it was traceable. So I had been unable to call anyone,including Kayla. That was probably the hardest part. Well, second hardest.

The absolute hardest part was that Lachlan had abandoned me here and not once had he checked in on me.

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