Page 150 of Shadow City: Silver Wolf

I loved him so much for it, but I wouldn’t feel at ease until we were back home safe in our bed. “It might be best if Sierra and Randall don’t come to the university with us. Maybe they can hang out in the woods until we come back and pick them up. It would be safe for them here, especially in wolf form.”

“We can shift and run back to the pack neighborhood. It’s only about a twenty-minute run from here,” Sierra said as she stretched and patted Randall’s arm. “I can drop Randall at his house. And I bet I’ll still beat you back to your place.”

“Yeah, I linked to Carter now that we’re close enough.” Randall rolled his eyes. “He’s a hot mess and needs to see me. I love him, but damn, he can be high maintenance.”

“Thanks for that.” Killian groaned. “He’s been nagging nonstop.”

“Wait...isn’t it supposed to be the younger brother bugging the older one?” Sierra climbed back to the middle row and gestured for Randall to get out.

Randall laughed, but it held an edge. “Yeah, that’s what I always thought, but that hasn’t been the case.”

“I hate to ask, but before you go...” I turned my body, wanting Randall to feel my sincerity. “Do you know or remember anything that could help us?”

“I don’t think so.” Randall exhaled and grimaced. “I mean…it was those five guards most of the time. Julius only dropped by every now and then. They talked about some guy in charge that only showed his face to Julius, but they were all promised large sums of money and a nice place to live. Other than talking shit about each other, they were kind of tight-lipped.”

That didn’t surprise me. They wouldn’t want to divulge too much in case Randall did get free. But I’d had to at least try. “Well, if you think of anything later, let us know.”

He opened the door and got out, then paused. “Thank you all for saving me.” His attention locked on me. “And I know it’s because of you that I got out. If you hadn’t seen me…” He trailed off, and his face filled with horror. “I...I don’t know what would have happened.” He moved out of the way, heading to the tree line.

“I’ll see you at Griffin’s.” Sierra climbed out of the car, but before shutting the door, she stuck her head back in. “And be careful. The three of you attract crazy like I’ve never seen before.” She slammed the door and hurried after Randall.

“You know, you could go with them.” Griffin put the car in drive but didn’t press the gas. “And keep an eye on them.”

In other words, he wanted me to stay protected. But they were safe in the woods, and we both knew it. The enemy wouldn’t have regrouped yet. They would attack again—and soon—but not tonight. “Did you mean it when you said you want us to lead your people together?”

His shoulders tensed, knowing his answer would only reinforce that I should go with him. Instead of answering, he blew out a breath and turned back toward the university.

“If you’re going to be mad at anyone, it should be fate.” Killian chuckled behind me, but it was devoid of humor. “She’s the one who put you together with a headstrong, independent fighting machine.” I heard shuffling as he moved from the far back onto the middle seat.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Griffin rubbed his eyes and sighed. “The truth is, we protect each other. Not just her and me, but you, too. We’re stronger together.”

The truth of his words hung in the car the entire way to the university. Wewerestronger together. The three of us were not just friends, but family…a pack. It was about damn time we started seeing each other that way. The divide among shifters,particularly our kind, only weakened us. It was a self-inflicted injury.

The university came into view as we followed the black wrought-iron fence to the empty guard station. Griffin pulled the entry card from the rental’s glove box and scanned it, opening the gates.

He slowly pulled to the front of the main office building. Guards shouted at our approach, not familiar with the SUV, and Dick Harding marched out in his black suit with a guard right behind him.

I sucked in a breath. Of course Dick would be here. He was a council member and vying for Griffin’s top spot, even though my mate hadn’t quite figured that out yet. But he was beginning to.

If that asshole was on campus, that meant he was using whatever situation we’d just driven into to gain more control. But I wouldn’t let Griffin fall victim to some narcissistic, power-hungry douchebag. It was time to take a stand together in front of everyone. The moment to show that Griffin and I would lead together without outside influence was now.

In other words, it was time to take back what was rightfully Griffin’s.

CHAPTER FIVE

Dick tuggedat the lapels of his black suit as he marched toward the rental car. The windows were dark, so he couldn’t see in. His salt and pepper hair was over-gelled to the point of looking greasy, and he ran his fingers through his dark scruff as his ebony eyes squinted, like that would help him see inside.

Dumbass. He didn’t have X-ray vision, just wolf vision.

“Whoever the hell it is, get out of the car,” Dick growled, his face squinched. “Now.”

You better roll the window down before this gets out of hand.This entire situation was odd. Why were there so many cars out there? And the fact that Dick was here in the middle of the night didn’t add up.

Griffin rolled the window down, and when his face came into view, Dick’s eyes slightly widened as his musky sandalwood scent floated into the SUV.

“Griffin?” Dick asked, sounding truly shocked. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh...I go to school here and needed to get my car. I left it here today.” He arched an eyebrow at his fatherlike figure, then looked at a guard who’d joined Dick. “Is there a problem?”

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