written all over his face. “Hide, Katie. Now.” He reached for the gun as he guided her into the back corner. “Safety’s off.” Ready to fire, he pointed the gun at the floor and handed it back to her. “We’ll both be fine.”
He shut the door and left her in the dark. Katie blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust, and leaned back against the row of shirts that hung behind her. She held the gun in both hands, ready to bring it up and pull the trigger the moment Shilah alerted her to an intruder. She said a quick prayer that she would be able to aim and fire under pressure. Despite being a Civil War buff and battle reenactment aficionado, her father had never prepared her for an actual life-or-death situation.
At first there was only silence. She couldn’t hear anything outside her hiding place—not Rafe, not their enemies, not even the sound of Shilah’s breathing as he stood guard. The darkness was oppressive and heavy like a thick, woolen blanket, making it hard to breathe. She fought against a wave of claustrophobia that urged her to throw open the closet door for just one whiff of fresh air. It would be a mistake and she knew it. Rafe had told her to stay hidden and shoot to kill if discovered. She sensed that her survival depended upon doing exactly as he said. Perhaps even more than that, she wanted to prove to him that she was trustworthy. That she wasn’t the type of person to run off and get herself killed by being stupid.
Even if recent events suggested otherwise.
A muffled shout raised the hair on Katie’s arms. She held her breath and strained to hear, uncertain whether it had been Rafe’s voice or someone else. Shilah whined anxiously, drowning out everything else for long, tense seconds. After Shilah quieted, the same voice was audible but he spoke too softly for her to make out any words—yet somehow she knew it was Rafe. Another voice answered, deeper and booming. She couldn’t understand anything the newcomer said before a loud crash shook the walls around her. Her mind conjured up a vision of a body falling heavily against furniture. Without knowing who had been attacked, Katie wasn’t sure if she should be horrified or relieved. A wave of nausea rolled over her, then a dull pain throbbed in her stomach.
When you hurt, I feel pain. Oh, God. Katie clapped her hand over her mouth and fought not to vomit. Deep in her soul, she knew that Rafe was the one who’d been hit. She put her hand on the door without thinking, but stopped herself from turning the knob. Though her body urged her to go to Rafe, she knew that wasn’t what he wanted. She also knew that she was no match against someone who could knock down a man of Rafe’s size.
The man with the deep voice spoke again, and Rafe answered. Katie sagged in relief at the knowledge that he was conscious. Maybe there was still hope. Maybe he would gain the upper hand. She raised the gun and pointed it at the closet door, in case he didn’t.
The bedroom door opened and Katie’s legs turned to jelly at the sound of Rafe’s tense voice. “Katie, it’s me. Put down the gun and come on out.”
She hesitated. Something wasn’t right. Nothing about what Rafe had said before he left the bedroom had prepared her for the possibility that he would return and ask her to put down her weapon. She wasn’t sure whether she should do as he said, continue hiding, or come out with her gun blazing.
As though sensing her internal debate, Rafe said, “It’s okay. A couple of my pack mates dropped by for a chat. That’s all.” He hesitated, then said, “Nobody will hurt you. I promise.”
Aware that staying in the closet forever wasn’t exactly an option, and too afraid to emerge shooting, Katie slowly opened the door and poked her head out. Rafe stood between two men, both of them bigger than him, with blood running from a cut below his eye. The man to his left, powerfully built yet smaller than his companion, boldly appraised her T-shirt clad body as she emerged from her hiding place. Then he smirked. “You heard him, little girl. Drop the gun.”
She would recognize that voice anywhere. Cooper. Confused, she glanced at Rafe, who gave her a subtle nod. Putting all her trust into her bond-mate, Katie