The two winged warriors exeunt to their chambers and we follow our brave bunny into the room we’ll be sharing for the night. She drops her things on the first surface she can, then throws herself on the bed with a sigh.
“I hate being separated, too, and have determined that we have been very spoiled by our quarters at the schools.” She starfishes on the bed, looking up at the ceiling as Felix and Fitz arrange our bags. “But Chessie was right—we can’t control everything whenwe travel, unless we make plans way ahead of time. That’s a luxury we didn’t have when we decided to make this trek. We’re limited by what’s available, close, and works best for getting to our ultimate destination.”
I pad over to the side of the bed, peering down at her. “You’re being very compliant so far, Angel. That has to mean you’re worried, but I’d like to know what specifically has you so malleable.”
“Me, too,” Felix adds as he walks around the room, scrutinizing it. “I enjoy the change, but I’ve wondered why you’re not putting up much of a fight about most things.”
Dolly rolls her eyes, her head moving as she gets comfortable. “Guys, I amsoout of my element. I mean, Aubrey had to teach me to pack, I’ve never been on a train, I don’t know anything about all this travel shit,andwe’re running on a hope and a prayer that no one figures out who or where we are. There’s so much bullshit to process that I can’t possibly get my back up about shit. Being able to trust that you’re making good decisions is how I’m keeping my anxiety about all this new shit under control, you know?”
It’s an excellent point, and I sit on the edge of the bed as I lay my hand on her leg. “Very astute, Angel. I didn’t consider it from your point of view—at least, not in that sense. You’re always so good with change and adapting when weird shit happens at home.”
“Iamgood at changing and adapting, but everyone has a breaking point. There’s too many people out to get me and so much new information being thrown at me that I have to let go ofsomething. If I don’t, I’ll lose my shit.” Her lips curve up as she props herself up on her elbows to look at me seriously. “It’sdifficult for me to do, mind you, because I spent so long being controlled by my parents and my friends. Coming to Apex alone was how I broke free, even though it scared the fuck out of me. Letting my mates run the show for a bit should tell you how much I trust you not to abuse that privilege. Duh.”
Duh, she says, like she didn’t just make my heart—and probably my brothers’—explode with happiness with a single sentence.
We’ll Get Ahead Someday
Delores
I slept fitfully—mostlybecause being trapped in this caravan led by someone Aubrey and Ren hired last night makes my bunnyextremelyirritable. We packed up hiking bags with the items we needed most and locked up our suitcases in a contracted vault room in a local bank. That was Felix’s idea, and we had to scramble to get it done first thing when the place opened so we could meet the guides on time. Once our civilized trappings were secured, we grabbed the food and weaponry supplies Aubrey ordered, then trudged to the edge of town.
When we arrive, I look around, scanning the area in my aviators to see the paths ahead. It looks challenging, and I’m glad I ate a good breakfast, as the guys insisted. I’m certainly in good enough shape to hike this now, but I wouldn’t have been when I started at Apex or even Cappie. Felix, Fitz, and Coach Z have pushed me to excel for two years for the Games, but I’m reaping the benefits now. This trek will be strenuous for all of us, especially the big guys, and they could easily fly if they chose.
They’ll mostly stay on the ground for me, and I will have to show my appreciation for that later.
“Princess, we gave you and Chess the lightest loads because your frames are built for speed rather than bulk. However, if you need help or a break, say something. We want to get to the rendezvous point quickly, but not at the expense of your health or safety.”
I salute the bossy tiger with a cheeky grin. “Sir, yes, Sir!”
He rolls his eyes and swats my ass as he heads over to talk to Chess. I know Felix takes responsibility for all of us, and it’s a wonderful thing, but I’m sure as fucknotgoing to overexert or dehydrate myself on a mountain hiking path miles south of butt fuck Transylvania with some rando we just met. I will absolutely tell them when I need shit out here, even if it makes my soul ache with frustration. There’s a time and a place for being a brat just to tweak my stern Dom, and this isn’t one of them.
“Welcome, new friends,” a deep rumbling voice says in heavily accented English.
I turn to face the newcomer. My nose twitches briefly, identifying the guide as a brown bear, but his bulk isn’t that impressive. Frowning at my assessment, I remind myself that others woulddefinitelythink this guy is built like a tank. Though my gargoyle is lithe in his humanoid form, I know without a doubt that he’d dwarf the ursine shifter in his onyx form. My scale must be drifting a bit off course as I get used to being in the company of the mythicals.
Felix smiles tightly, nodding at the man. “We followed the advice that will work for us, and I appreciate your candor with my friend last night. I believe we are ready to ascend now.”
The bear squints at him, adjusting his wide sport sunglasses as he looks at me. “You are certain the female can handle this journey? It will be difficult to simply turn back once we arefar enough into it, plus your fee will increase with every failed attempt.”
“Don’t worry about Baby Girl,” Fitz says as he stands next to me with a puffed chest. “She’s got more in her than you can imagine.”
I sense the desire to murder our guide for evensuggestingI’m not capable of hiking with him, but he’s holding back. Felix had to have discussed what was acceptable and what wasn’t when I was getting ready. Narrowing my eyes at the bear, I arch a brow and adopt my ‘Lucille’ persona. “I wouldn’t be questioningmyfitness, Ursa. You’re the one still working off your hibernation bulk, it seems.”
Inwardly, I cringe. I would prefernotto suggest anything about his body because it’s bullshit, but since I have next to nothing to work with, my scathing retort had to be bear-focused. That was the best I could come up with on short notice, so I’ll have to make amends to the universe for my transgression later. Maybe I’ll send clothes to a charity or…
“Ha! Look at her. She smells like prey and cannot keep her attention on me even to insult me.”
His snarky words awaken the bunny and the blue sparkling power inside of me within a second and before I know it, I’m gripping the large man by the neck as he struggles wildly. Toes barely dangling off the ground as I lift him just enough to be terrifying, I snarl in a low, deep tone I don’t recognize. “Watch. Your. Mouth. Yogi.”
The guide gapes at me, his arms flailing as he gasps for air. The surge of power in my veins makes me squeeze tighter and I watch his face go from red to purple to blue with a gut-deepsatisfaction that feeds the fury. A light tap on my shoulder makes me whirl around with another growl, but I see Fitz grinning at me proudly, and it stops.
“This ishot as fuckand I’d love to go to Poundtown right here, Baby Girl, but… Big bro says we can’t kill the best shifter guide in the area because he’s a dick. At least, not until we get where we’re going.”
His voice breaks through the primal instinct, and I turn back to the stupid bear. “Never let me catch you talking about me again or I’ll rip your lips off and feed them to the first taker.”
Head bobbling in agreement, the bear chokes as I finally release my grip fractionally and I sneer at him to make a point before letting go so he drops to the ground like a sack of flour. When I spin around, every single one of my men is eyeingmelike a flank steak, and as much as I’d love to indulge in that game, we have to go.
“No time for fun, boys. We have to get moving, so we get to the spot before our special emissary does.”