Page 111 of Starting a New Life

No invisible wall that kept us from going on.

Nothing.

We left the barrier behind us, and the truck rumbled on, followed by the second car in our entourage.

“We’re in,” Heath breathed, his aura swirling.

We were indeed in. Part one of our mission had thus been a success. However, the next parts were the more complicated and dangerous ones.

Above our heads, trees swayed in the winter wind, branches heavy with snow. A crow cawed, then a wolf’s howl tore through the evening air.

“They know we’re here,” Angelo said, eyes darting to the right even though the way he was lying in the bed of the truck meant he couldn’t see what was going on outside. Neither of us could. But Angelo and Heath had their superior noses, and I had my magic.

Closing my eyes, I felt around me, searching for auras.

“Three wolves,” Heath added, scrunching up his nose.

I found the angry, swirling signatures of wolf shifters running through the woods a couple of feet to our left, hidden by the trees and the night. I nodded. “They feel… aggressive.”

Just like Knox’s wolves had. There was a hardness to them, an anger within. Their wolves were out for blood. The back of my neck began prickling, the hairs rising, darkness creeping in.

I was back in California on my way to the packhouse, the car rumbling and sputtering, surrounded by complete darkness. I should’ve turned around back then. I should turn around right now. This was dangerous. If we got found out…

“Breathe,” a voice whispered, and a large, warm hand squeezed mine. I flinched, but the hand was relentless, its warmth seeping into me until my vision stabilized and I focused back on the muted sky above, noting all the little things I could see. Like the moon shining through the clouds. The canopies looming over our heads. I could feel the wolves hiding in the woods—we were up to five, with more waiting along the road.

“Sorry,” I said and turned my head, only to stop in shock.

Heath.

Heath was holding my hand.

I cleared my throat.

“My mind… wandered for a moment.”

He nodded, jaw clenched. “I get that.” He looked like he wanted to add something, but in the end, he kept quiet, squeezing my hand one last time before letting go.

Warmth washed through my body, soothing my nerves. Gray. I smiled and sent a wave of affection back before I focused back on my two partners in crime. I really, really needed to keep my head in the game.

“ETA?” I asked.

“Five minutes,” Angelo answered, eyes locked on his watch. “If Connie’s time estimates are correct.”

As it turned out, Connie’s time estimates were pretty accurate. It’d taken us seven minutes to reach the packhouse where a big part of the pack had been waiting, mainly male shifters, snarling menacingly, obviously trying to assert their dominance and intimidate us.

It didn’t work with Gray—he seemed more amused than anything when he hopped out of the truck without a care in the world. However, Connie was a different story. The poor kid was terrified. His aura was swirling so badly I almost got dizzy just reaching out for him.

Our group was quickly ushered away from the truck and inside the packhouse, the Council official declaring he needed a few signatures before the fight started.

I held my breath, the bond in my chest aching as Gray walked into the lion’s den.

“Are we alone?” Heath whispered. “I can’t hear anyone, but there are too many different scents in the air to know for sure if someone’s watching our cars.”

Taking a deep breath, I checked. The packhouse was brimming with auras, clouding my senses, but… “There’s someone in the woods, I think. A couple of yards to the left. No idea if he’s a guard or not.”

It could, in theory, be a wolf out smoking.

Heath gave a curt nod. “Good. Did you check for the mage?”