Page 50 of Stripped

His gulp was audible. “Good plan.”

***

“And he bit my lip, sucked my blood, and left,” I said to Axel, Julie Jacobs, Paulie, Clarissa, and Zane, who were all seated on couches or on the floor in Zane's living room. Axel had introduced me to Clarissa as his second in command. She looked tough enough to do the job well. I'd told them the whole story of my encounter with Leopold, and I was barely holding my head up. I was exhausted.

“And then she puked her guts up and nearly died,” Zane said.

I opened my mouth to tell him to stop being dramatic, but he shot me a glare, like he knew what I was about to say, and I decided I didn't have the energy for that fight.

The rest of the wolves stared at me, wide-eyed, like I was some sort of alien. Except Julie, who looked as tired as I felt.

“That's not possible,” Paulie said. “No one can resist vamp compulsion.”

“She has siren blood,” Zane said. He was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, his back straight, the way he'd been when he'd held me, but there was no tenderness or passion in his gaze, only worry. “She resisted the compulsion, and she almost died doing it.”

“We can't be sure,” Axel said. He held up a hand as Zane, Julie, and I all tried to protest. He looked at me. “I'm sorry, Abby, but you have to understand where I'm coming from. Leopold could have compelled you to tell us this story, and he could have also suggested you attack us in an entirely different way.”

Zane shot up from his seat on the floor, his hands in tight fists. “That's bullshit, Axel. She's not acting like Alice or Carly, she's not under a compulsion.”

“We can't be sure, man,” Paulie said. “There's no way to be sure.”

Zane ignored Paulie, his glare focused on Axel. I knew Axel was a good guy, but he was the alpha and he couldn't allow a lower-ranking wolf to challenge him. I stood, feeling shaky again, and hungry. I stood next to Zane and covered one of his fists with my palm. He heaved a sigh and entwined his fingers through mine. “What do you want me to do?” I asked Axel.

Axel gave me a grateful smile. “I just want to have two wolves with you at all times. Security for you and us.”

Zane growled. “I'll be with her.”

Axel looked at our linked hands. “You're clearly biased, Zane. It's for Abby, too. If she does something…” He looked at me. “I'm sorry Abby, but if you hurt someone while under compulsion, I'll have to take action against you as though you weren't under compulsion. I don't want to have to do that.”

“I'll be with her,” Zane said, but he sounded less fierce, less sure.

“I know you will,” Axel said. “I'll ask Aron and Payne to take the first shift, if that's alright?”

“It's fine,” I said, since Zane's teeth were clenched together so tight I didn't think he could speak.

“When she meets with Leopold, we'll have more wolves on her. They'll have to hang back, of course, but—”

I could feel Zane heating next to me as soon as Axel said Leopold's name. “Fuck. No.” Zane said. “She's not going anywhere near that asshole again.”

Axel glanced at me, looking less sure. “If she doesn't meet with him, he'll know something's up. He'll have a reason to come after her again.”

Zane squeezed my hand so hard I was worried for my circulation. “Bullshit, Axel. If he comes after her we'll protect her, you're thinking about how you can use this.”

Axel sighed, looking pretty darn exhausted and worried himself. “We need an edge,” he said. “If we can feed him false information, send him off on a wild goose chase—”

“She almost died,” Zane roared. “She's not going anywhere fucking near that fucking bloodsucking piece of shit ever again.”

Axel slumped. “Zane, we're closer to broke than we've ever been. If we don't figure out a way to get past all the roadblocks Leopold's set up, we're going to have to move.”

“So, we move. We go somewhere we can run our businesses and trade and make money the way we always have.”

“It's not that simple,” Axel said. “Not everyone wants to leave and there's not a person in this country who doesn't know who or what we are. How many humans you think want us moving in next door?”

“No. Fuck no. You figure out another way, Axel. She's not doing this.”

I wanted to be the woman who stood up and offered to take the risk and save the pack, but I was with Zane on this one. I didn't want to get anywhere near Leopold again, and that wasn't just fear talking, it was common sense. I don't know what happened in that hotel room, but I didn't want to take a chance that Leopold's venom would kill me the next time.

Axel looked at me, the hope in his eyes making it obvious he wanted me to step up and sacrifice myself. I stared back at him, shoulders straight, expression hard, 'no' in every line of my body. He sighed. “Fine, we'll figure out something else.”

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