Page 17 of Eclipse of the Pack

“Because.” She cut him off. “They’re humans. No offense, but you are just about the only human I trust. I don’t trust the government. Or any of the humans claiming to care. They don’t. If they did, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Jonathen scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. She must have sensed his frustration, because she continued on.

“I don’t trust the humans-“

“Well, I don’t trust the wolves.” Jonathen said quickly, before he could be stopped or cut off. He walked over to her, he gently but firmly took her by the shoulders. Ivy’s scowl put his to shame. Her brow creased in annoyance.

“Jonathen.” She said. Raking her hand through her blond hair. “I don’t care how much you trust the humans. They can’t help. Going to thegovernment?!That would be suicide! That would be like tying a noose around our necks and giving them the rope, expecting them not to hang us with it.”

“We have to try. And – besides! What do you expect from Griffen? I get he’s important, but. Think about it. If everyone is already against him, how is he supposed to help anything? Wouldn’t that just make it worse?”

“No.” Ivy said. Frustration laced her tone. Bordering on anger. It was not directed at him, but was instead pent up anger from the stress of the situation. “You don’t understand, Jon.”

“Then help me understand. Because, I am not about wo let you walk out there and get yourself killed. We need a plan. And I need to know what it is.”

Ivy broke away from him. She huffed, almost growling in agitation.

“Then just listen to me. Griffen might have the odds stacked against him right now, but think about it. He is the oldest shifter. He has the most influence, the most power – and, he has the respect of the alphas. Which is exactly what we need right now.” Ivy said.

He frowned. He was still very, very skeptical. His own frustration sat heavy in his chest… Even if they got to the oh so powerful Griffen and managed to get him to listen. Then what? What was she expecting him to do?

“Look,” Ivy said softly. She pressed back against his chest and settled down. Inconspicuously working to calm him down.

“Griffen had the respect of the other alphas. Meaning he has control over them. He could make them listen – he could easily convince them and the other packs to weed out and execute the traitors… Well.” She trailed off the a moment.

“Well what?” Jon asked. He did not like the tone she used. It made the already uncertain situation that much more anxiety-inducing. Jon moved her closer. Wrapping his arms around her waist. Working to steady her.

“We need to have him do it now. Before we’re too late. Before Malcom moves with his plans of a coup.”

21

IVY

By the time the two arrived, the train station was packed. People occupied nearly every available space, leaving others very little room to dodge and weave through the massive crowds.

Instantly, Ivy wants to recoil. She wants to run and hide. To go back to the safehouse and lock all the doors, to board up every window. Wolves. She can sense them. Smell them. There’s more than just a few here, and they’re all frozen. Standing still like statues.

She looked up and instantly found what they were standing still and staring at.

The large tv’s overhead played live coverage of the events playing out across the city. Ivy feels sick. Wolves are all over the place. Local airfields and warehouses are being raided on live tv. The shaky camera work does little justice to the events playing out just beyond the screen.

It’s chaos.

Ivy flinches. Jumping nearly out of her skin as she feels the hand grip her wrist, grounding her back to reality. Jon’s hand slipped down, interlocking their fingers and lacing themtogether. He squeezed her hand lightly. Firmly. They had to get out. Now.

As they walk towards the ticket booth – dodging humans and wolves alike – Ivy allows her mind to wander… What if she could get a plane? Even a small aircraft could potentially be safer than risking it out in public.

That is, if she could get to one. Then again, the air fields are being targeted on live television. There’s no way she would be able to steal one without being noticed and tracked, if not shot down. It was a risk they could not take, not now.

There had to be another way. Even half a day was far too long of a trip. She couldn’t wait that long to get to Crescent City. But they seemed to be out of options.

The line for tickets is long. Every line if long. Ivy stays glued to Jon’s side, squeezing his hand every now and then. Earning squeezes back from her mate. It almost calms her. Almost.

Finally, they reach the counter. Jon rummaged through his pockets to find enough cash to make the payment while Ivy nervously scans the area. She hates it. How nervous she is. How small and exposed she feels. The train station is too open, too large.

Her anxiety manifests itself in nervous ticks she tries her best to hide. Her nails dig into the palms of her sweaty hands – unintentionally digging into the back of Jonathen’s hand. Her long nails dug into the flesh just behind his knuckles.

Jon winced as he softly tugged his hand out of reach of her nails. He planted a quick kiss on her forehead in an attempt to soothe her. It did not work.

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