Page 96 of Never Submit

Irritated beyond measure, I’m done ignoring it, and whip out the cell to glare at the screen.

My chest tightens. Fuck. I haven’t even given a thought to Catarina, who’s been blowing up my phone.

This missed call is the latest in a string of them going back several hours.I’ve been busy covering my ass.

Vowing to call her back whenever I have a moment to breathe, I use my toe to shove the door shut against the breeze and send out another round of encrypted messages. Within minutes, hopefully, my deltas will rally and return with some much needed supplies and food.

Alone, I drop down on the musty cot with moth-eaten bedding. A cloud of dust puffs out around me as I drop my head into my hands. Could it have been a mole on the inside? My system isn’t without its flaws, but I refuse to believe someone hacked into my security feeds, watching our movements.

Marking when we’d be at the weakest before they got past my security.

And the fucking human…

Sighing, I send out another message. Ren’s little human friend would be in one of the cars in the line. It’s a small matter to have the driver take her to the airport. To put her on a plane.

A few more hours, and she won’t be my problem anymore. She’ll be so far away I’ll never have to worry about her spilling secrets.

Ms. Wexler will owe me for it. Ren…won’t know that her friend is safe. I’m not going to tell her my plans, either.

Why?

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy torturing her a little bit.

Two days later, the office is spotless. The bedding is changed, a fire roars merrily in the small fireplace, and my belly is full of roasted chicken.

Noble and Ren are nestled to my right in a separate cabin for camp counselors. Wherever Mathis and Dax chose to hole up, I didn’t ask. They might as well be out in a tent slung between two trees for all I care.

We’re safe, Carrigan is out of the country, and Andras has no fucking clue where we’ve gone. I’ve been glued to the cell phone and ignoring my fiancé. Unfortunately, the phone rings again right in the middle of my using it.

Catarina’s smiling profile picture greets me. Should I let it go to voicemail, again? The wedding is in less than three days. Should I answer and brave the consequences?

My palms go sweaty. She doesn’t even know where I am.

Chastised, I press my thumb to the screen to answer.

Catarina immediately starts in. “How. Dare. You.”

I force a smirk into my tone.

“Catarina, my apologies,” I reply with icy coldness. “I’ve been in the middle of some large changes. You understand.”

She heaves a sigh before saying, “No, Torin, I donotunderstand. We are so close to the wedding and you’ve suddenly decided to press pause on our communication.”

I head out of the suddenly stifling office, toward the lakeshore. Behind me, we’re still setting up, gettingsettled, and poor Noble is taking on the brunt of organization for the Steel Claws.

I need to help him. Not placate her.

“I understand the wedding is coming up,” I tell her, patience thinning by the second. My fingers curl around the cell. “It hasn’t escaped my notice. I’m simply doing my duty as alpha.”

“Which would be…?”

“When you're my wife, you’ll be privy to that information. Right now, accept my assurance that I’m sorry for ignoring your calls.”

“Something important may be going on withme, which you wouldn’t know.” She’s equally cool. Catarina might as well be carved from ice.

I roll my eyes. “If you find it necessary to be shitty to me, then save it for a time when we both have a moment to spare. Right now, I’m a very busy man.”

It’s absolutely the wrong thing to say, and I know it the moment the words leave my lips.

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