Page 69 of Frank's Felon
“You’re not turning yourself in. We’ll figure something out.”
“I haven’t exactly given it a lot of thought before today, but this treaty might be worthwhile. Did you hear that white wolf, the leader? The WSSO’s using any means it can to turn shifters against one another.”
“Divide and conquer,” Frank added.
“Exactly. I don’t even know when the last war was between packs.”
“A few decades back, in my region,” he said as he scrubbed his face. He needed sleep, but he wouldn’t sleep as long as they were in another’s territory.
“But we’re in bear shifter territory now, Frank. That means the WSSO isn’t hoping to provoke a few border skirmishes between wolf packs. They’re hoping to incite an all-out war between bear and wolf shifters. Maybe the cats, too.”
“Hell. . . I didn’t think of that.”
“There’s more at stake here than just me,” she whispered, not believing what she was saying. The idea of going back terrified her.
Frank gripped her chin and made sure she looked at him. “That’s how I ended up in prison for five years, Delilah. I turned myself in. Don’t do it. Don’t sacrifice yourself.”
“Do you regret your choice?” she asked, knowing the answer.
Frank gazed at the sleeping Frankie. “How could I? Just look at her.” Frank tore his eyes from Frankie only to stare at her once more. That mien of his hadn’t changed. He was scared. . . for her.
“If you turn yourself in, it won’t just be five years. You killed one of them, Del.”
“Shifters, not just wolf shifter, but all, need this treaty. Damien’s right to pursue it.”
“We go back together, and give Damien a chance to solve this. I promise, if he can’t find a way out of this mess with the DSA, we’ll run, together. I’m not letting him hand you over, and I’m not letting you turn yourself in. There’s no fucking way, so don’t suggest it again.”
Chapter Fifteen
FRANK
“Look who’s finally awake,” Frank said as Frankie stirred in his arms. They had left before dawn, when Delilah said she was ready.
Frankie didn’t say anything, but she put her head on his shoulder, facing Del.
Frank had been carrying Frankie since they’d left an area he hoped never to see again, at least not under similar circumstances. The bear shifters he wouldn’t mind seeing again. They’d proved their worth, twice now. Frankie still wasn’t talking. This whole situation was a fucking mess, but he had her and Delilah back. They were safe, for now. He just had to figure out how to keep them safe.
He didn’t like how Delilah was pushing herself. Her pace was slow, as if every step pained her, but she hadn’t said a word about the pain. Delilah could be quite obstinate at times, like her decision to turn herself in to the DSA, to save the treaty between the U.S. Government and the three wolf shifter packs in his region.
“Hi, baby,” Delilah said, reaching over to stroke the child’s cheek.
She was great with kids and he had no doubt she’d be a great mom one day. How could she even think of turning herself over? She knew what waited for her. It wasn’t right; Delilah had done nothing wrong by shifter standards. That was the problem. They were dealing with humans now.
He couldn’t let her sacrifice herself. Even if he convinced her to run—hell, even if he kidnapped her and made her run, then what? He’d gladly take a life on the run with Del if that was the only way to keep her safe, but he wanted more for her. She deserved a chance at peace, to be with her family, to have kids of her own. There had to be a way.
“You not talking to me, baby?” Delilah asked.
“Frankie’s been rather quiet since yesterday. When you weresleeping,” Frank said.
Delilah smiled, one of her sweet, confident smiles. The type he used to see from Frankie.
“Well, I was rather tired. Did the bears scare you, baby?”
Frankie nodded.
“I guess I should have introduced them to you. They’re friends of mine. Vasil was the tall one with blue eyes. Cenek was the shorter one, with dark eyes like yours. They got rid of the white wolves for us.”
“Were the white wolves my cousins?” Frankie said.
