Page 68 of Wolf Bound

No, he has to answer!

I end the call and immediately call the number again. I do this four more times before someone on the other picks up the phone.

I can hear the smile in his voice when he answers. “Grey,” he purrs.

“Nicolai,” I reply, my voice void of any emotion. “I want to make a deal.”

“I’m listening.”

* * *

I placethe blanket over Margot’s sleeping form. She had finally cried herself to sleep on the couch. I can tell by her fast heart rate her sleep in not peaceful, and even in sleep, she’s worried about the safety of her children. I want to tell her they’ll both be okay, that the deal I’ve made makes sure of it. But I can’t tell her what I’ve done; she’ll try to stop me.

And I can’t let anyone stop me, but I am going to need some help to make my plan work, after I hung up the phone with Nicolai, I reached out through the pack link to the two people I believed would be willing to help me and would also be able to keep a secret from Ryker.

Ryker is taking a shower right now, and the house is quiet and still. Part of the deal Ryker made with Nicolai was that he would leave the rest of the pack alone until the challenge. Nicolai swore on his life he wouldn’t take any more pack members, and he was more than happy to take Ryker’s life instead during the challenge. Everyone is still on high alert, but we didn’t feel it was necessary to have everyone stay at the house tonight like we had planned.

Ransom and Ranger are still patrolling around the house with a couple enforcers. They didn’t believe Nicolai when he said he would leave me alone until tomorrow also, they felt the need to guard the house and me all night.

I quietly pad down the hallway and push open the heavy wooden doors that lead to Elias’ office. I close them as softly as I can behind me, so Margot doesn’t hear and wake up. I look at the two men I had called here to meet me and give each a nod.

“Thank you for coming,” I tell them. “We need to make this quick, Ryker is almost done with his shower, and I know he’ll come looking for me.”

“What is this about, Pruitt?” Sawyer asks, his hunter green eyes narrowing at me. “Why can’t Ryker be here?”

“Because he’ll try to stop me, and I can’t let that happen,” I tell them. I walk further into the room and farther away from the door.

“Stop you from doing what?” Sawyer crosses his muscled arms over his broad chest and looks down at me. “What are you planning to do?”

“I made a deal,” I say simply. I look at the older man who has been standing there silently and give him a sad smile. “I couldn’t risk letting anything happen to your children.”

Elias’ face is void of emotion, but I don’t miss the slight widening of his eyes. “You’re going to turn yourself over to him, aren’t you?”

I nod. “It’s the only way I could think of that would ensure Remington and Ryker’s safety. And they’re my priority now.”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Sawyer snarls. I know he wants to raise his voice, but he doesn’t.

“That I don’t want Ryker or anyone else in the pack to die for me,” I tell him.

“Ryker could win the challenge,” Elias says.

“And he could also lose,” I snap. “I’m not willing to take that chance.”

“You’re not thinking this through—” Sawyer starts to say, but I quickly interrupt.

“I didn’t ask you here for your opinion. This is what’s happening, and I need your help to make sure it works.” I hold up my hand, silencing him when he starts to speak again. “I know you both love Ryker as much as do, so, please. Help me keep him safe.”

“What happens after Nicolai takes you? How are we supposed to get you back?” Elias asks. “I want to keep my son safe, but if you’re gone, he’ll go to the ends of the Earth to find you. He’ll fight anything that gets in his way.”

“You’re not going to try and get me back.” I lift my chin. “As long as I’m with Nicolai, he’ll leave Ryker and the pack alone; you guys will be safe. And like I said, that’s all that matters to me.”

“Ryker is going to be devastated.” Sawyer grimaces.

“But he’ll be alive,” I remind him, “and so will Remi. Will you guys help me or not?”

Elias looks at me long and hard before finally speaking. “You’re just like your parents. They were so strong and always willing to put the pack before themselves. I’ll remind you that by doing so, they lost their lives.”

“I know.” I nod and bow my head. “But I understand now why they did it.”

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