Page 5 of Veil of Shadows

“Deal,” I said without hesitation.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Voss said as he grabbed the back of my neck and yanked me behind him.

“Hey!” I exclaimed.

“Hah-HAH!” Delilah barked as she clapped her hands. “I’m going to have to use that move with her. I never could wrangle her in sometimes.”

“Get out of here before you regret it,” Voss warned.

“Or what?” Delilah asked as she lifted her head high with pride.

“Or,” Ronyn said as he took a step toward the woman. I scrambled to my feet as I watched him cloak my former boss in his shadow. “I start with you and take my chances on the other side.”

Delilah’s gaze searched his before a wild smile crept across her face. “I see why you like him, Special Agent.”

I froze at her words as Delilah’s ice-cold stare came back to mine. “But make no mistake, Bexley, I always get what I want in the end. After all, it’s how I got my promotion.”

My entire body vibrated with fury as her smile grew positively hellish.

“You guys should ask her about that story, by the way. It’s a thrilling one,” Delilah said breathlessly.

“Leave. Now,” I commanded.

If anyone could have curtsied sarcastically, that would have been how I described Delilah’s next move. With her prim andproper little self, she bowed her head and gave us a curtsy that said, ‘you haven’t seen the last of me yet.’ I drew in slow, steady breaths, forcing my feet to stay rooted to the ground even though every single skill I had at my disposal itched to be freed. Her ear-piercing whistle pierced the deadly night, and all of a sudden, a thunderous whoosh was met with a visual blur. Delilah disappeared at the drop of a hat as the wind kicked up, damn near knocking me off my feet. And as blurs rushed across the compound, I felt myself stumble into someone before the cacophony died down.

“Jesus Christ,” I said breathlessly as the whooshing blurs finally disappeared.

“I gotcha,” Merida said, setting me back onto my feet.

Voss wasted no time turning toward the pack. I watched as he held his hand into the air as a look of stoic cynicism crossed his face. I gazed out among the pack, watching their eyes as they all watched him. Even Merida’s gaze gravitated to him, and I wondered what he told them. It was clear to me that they were talking in groupthink, and I would have given anything to hear his words.

Then, Ronyn pointed to various spots all along the compound before his troops broke away from us to take up their spots.

“What’s going on?” I asked Merida.

I no longer cared how it looked. I needed to know what the hell was happening.

She looked at me with a curious glance before nodding her head. “Voss gave the order for Ronyn to fill the woods with his troops. They’re about to start back running their 24-hour patrol schedule. He doesn’t like that we were caught off-guard tonight.”

“Him and I both,” I muttered. “But why are we still standing out here? Shouldn’t we all head back into our homes? You know, help calm down the kids?”

Merida simply shook her head. “Ronyn’s commanded all of us to stay put until him and his troops clear the woods for ten or so miles. He wants to make sure none of them are lingering around to watch us through the night.”

I sigh softly as we all stood there, waiting for a command I’ll never be able to hear. “Thanks.”

She rubbed my back. “Anytime.”

We didn’t stand there for long, though. Maybe half an hour. And then, as if Ronyn bellowed across the entire fucking world, everyone took off. The wind kicked up once more as mothers and fathers alike scooped any child into their arms that they could find. They bolted back toward their homes, moving as quickly and as quietly as possible.

Merida wrapped her arm around my waist.

“Come, into the bath house we go,” she said as she led me toward the other side of the compound.

“Wait, the bath house? At a time like this?” I asked.

“Alpha’s orders,” is all she said as she led me toward the beautiful wooden building.

I knew better than to mess with shit when Voss was at the helm.

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