Page 105 of Blade's Battle
The fifth time she stopped, Callen pressed along her ribs to assess how bad her injury was. Rage pooled in Blade’s eyes the moment Callen touched her and she could swear she heard a steady low growl coming from Blade. That’s when she realized how strained their friendship had become, that Blade would threaten Callen for doing something as obvious as checking her condition.
“Only bruised, I think, but we’d make better time if you let Frank. . .” Callen briefly glanced at Blade. “Or maybe Blade carry you.”
She noticed how he left himself out of that offer; Blade was barely maintaining control over his wolf. “Blade, I need a minute to speak with Callen, okay?” Anna said, adding a smile for his sake.
Frank clapped a hand on Blade’s shoulder. “Let’s go for a short walk,” he suggested, and to her surprise, Blade left, without a word.
“I’m not sure who’s mad at whom, but it needs to end,” Anna said to Callen. “You’re friends.”
“Nearly putting him down ended that.”
“You were in a horrible position. He knows that.”
Callen’s face hardened. Instead of saying anything more about Blade, he offered her a hand up. “I know you’re more injured than you’re letting on, and Blade is barely maintaining control over his wolf, but you should let one of us carry you.”
She remembered back to when Blade had carried her through Drake’s territory. He’d carried her for hours, sometimes without a word passing between them. Even as wounded as he was, Blade would carry her if he knew the extent of her injuries, which is why she had to persevere. “I won’t risk his wolf taking over again, and that’s exactly what will happen if he sees you or Frank carrying me.”
“Then let Blade carry you.”
“He’s more injured than you and Frank put together. If the WSSO is still following us, then he needs to heal. Carrying me will slow the healing. And we can’t leave the cabin until I pack up my research in the lab. I have Tess’s treatment ready. There’s no way I’m leaving that behind. If you and Frank don’t want to wait, I’ll understand.”
“You’re as bull-headed as—”
“As Blade? Only when it’s important. This is important, Callen.”
“Fine. We leave at dawn,” Callen said, as Frank and Blade returned.
No one said anything after that. Blade walked at Anna’s side while Callen took the lead and Frank the rear.
Anna breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the cabin. It wasn’t much of a place, but it was home for the moment and it felt safe, even though it was only a few miles from where the WSSO mercenaries had attacked her.
Callen thrust his arm out, stopping everyone instantly. He pointed for Frank to go around to the back and for Blade and her to stay where they were. Blade sniffed and glared at the cabin. He’d caught a scent, probably what had alerted Callen.
Two minutes later, Callen called the ‘all clear,’ and emerged, holding a piece of paper. “Someone’s been inside. Human. And it’s not the first time I’ve caught that particular scent. Last month on our way here when we were still a few miles away I picked up that scent, but then lost it.”
“You think they’ve been watching us the entire time?” she asked, unable to stop herself from shivering.
“Not sure.” Callen handed her the paper. “I found this on the table. It’s encoded, except for your name.”
The handwriting was shaky, and the words rushed, but the code was the same. Anna rushed inside as fast as her bruised ribs would allow and grabbed a pen. Blade and Callen stood on opposing sides of the table as she decoded the message.
“It’s from Katy. She’s apologizing for leading the mercenaries here. She didn’t know I’d be here.”
“Your benefactor?” Callen asked. “Why was she here?”
“It says she’s been on the run from the WSSO and had nowhere else to go. She must have thought she’d lost them.” Anna listed in the chair and found herself leaning against Blade. The waves of pain from her ribs had intensified in the last hour. Breathing was getting harder, and she really needed aspirin for her headache. “Those men weren’t here for me, they were looking for Katy.”
“But they found you,” Blade said, running a hand through her hair as she leaned against him. “And they nearly killed you. They’ll be back. We can’t wait for you to gather everything you need, Angel. Take the most pressing items. We’ll send someone back later to get whatever you want.” It was the most Blade had said in hours.
“What about Katy? We need to help her.”
“She led them right to you,” Callen said, sounding angry, which was so unlike him. “And we’re not that far from the pack.”
“She didn’t mean to endanger anyone! She wouldn’t! You don’t know her like I do. She’s careful. Except for the first time she approached me online, all of our communications have been encoded.”
“Online? You mean you never met her?” The suspicion in Callen’s face was clear.
“Never. She said it was to keep me safe. But I have a feeling it was for her safety more than mine.”
