Page 9 of Nick
Steele reached out, his hand brushing hers.“No one should live in terror like that.I know my men will find a way to stop him.”
“Everyone is afraid,” she murmured.“Afraid for themselves, their mates, their children.Every time someone so much as glances at him wrong, there’s retribution.”The memories clawed their way to the surface, each one sharp and biting.“Packs are families.They’re supposed to offer safety.But under Vincent, nobody is safe.”
“So it’s not just about being part of the pack anymore,” Steele said.“It’s about survival.”
“Vincent’s hold on the pack is suffocating, relentless.And just when you think you’ve found a reprieve, it’s snatched away.That’s what he does.He gives us just enough hope to keep us compliant, then he crushes it.”
Steele nodded.“I suspected as much.We’ve seen this before.If the pack won’t challenge Vincent out of fear for their families, Bronx and Ryker—and Nick—will find another way to expose him.”
“Thank you,” Sarah whispered.
Steele stepped back, and the other two shifter men stepped forward.Nick introduced them as Ryker and Bronx, the Moonstone Pack’s second- and third-in-command.They introduced their mates.
Sarah felt a gentle tug on her elbow, and she turned to find Steele’s mate, Mila, standing beside her.
The human woman wore a grave expression as she drew Sarah a few steps away from the group, into a corner of the room.
“If you want Nick’s forgiveness,” Mila began, her gaze piercing deep into Sarah as if she could see right through to the turmoil that churned inside her, “you have to come clean.He deserves to know why you did what you did.”
The force behind Mila’s words struck Sarah like a physical blow, years of guilt slamming into her like a fist.
Sarah nodded, once, unable to summon the courage for words.The acknowledgment was all Mila needed, and with a soft squeeze to Sarah’s arm, she stepped back.
Tell Nick why I did what I did.
Mila might be right.It might be better to confess everything to Nick.But what if Mila was wrong—what if Sarah told Nick everything and he didn’t forgive her?
What if her confession made him even angrier?
What if he decided he didn’t want to help at all?
Worse…what if asking for his help now led to his death—just as she’d feared it would all those years ago?
This was a mistake.
As Sarah lifted her gaze to Nick’s face, she remembered the plane ticket she had, and words spilled out in a rush.“This was a bad idea.I can go back by myself.You don’t all need to come with me.”
Nick’s gaze softened slightly, but his voice was firm, resolute.“We travel together.It’s safer that way.We’re taking Bronx’s SUV.”
Sarah did some quick calculations.The drive would take at least fourteen hours.Could she really stand being with him in a car for that long?
Could she keep her secrets that much longer?
“Okay,” she finally whispered, her voice scarcely above the hum of the air-conditioning that fought against the persistent heat of the Yellowstone summer.
Ryker, who’d been talking to Steele, turned back toward the other shifters in the room.A smile touched his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.Ivy—his mate—was at his side in an instant, her hand slipping into his as if it was the most natural thing in the world.They exchanged a look that spoke volumes—the kind of silent conversation only true mates could have.Ryker leaned down, planting a kiss on Ivy’s forehead.
“Keep the home fires burning for me, okay?”he murmured, humor lacing through his tone, though the undercurrent of seriousness was not lost on Sarah.
“Always,” Ivy said.
Bronx was less demonstrative, his goodbye quieter.Cora reached out, tracing one of the many scars that lined his arms—a map of his battles and his unwavering dedication to his pack.Their hands clasped briefly, a wordless exchange that conveyed more than any speech could.Bronx nodded to her, then turned away, his movements deliberate as he followed Ryker toward the door.
These men were leaving their hearts behind to face an uncertain future, and she was the reason.The realization sat heavy in her chest.
“Let’s go,” Nick said, his voice pulling Sarah back from her thoughts.
Together, they strode out to the parking lot, where the black SUV sat waiting, its glossy paint mirroring the clear blue sky overhead.
