a murder and a kidnapping, and he was grossed out by a girl kissing my head? Talk about a hypocrite.
Raff said the paperwork was basically complete, Ian told me, considering Alarick who nodded. The biggest issue we were going to have was making sure Lyle didn’t contest it.
We basically just need to make sure he’s back in the area or able to arrive back at the very least, soon after Lyle would be found. Lyle was trying to kick now as Zev shrugged a shoulder.
Don’t kill him here, Shannon suggested. Anyone who looks at the phone records knows he met Pixie here.
I’ll use command on him, Alarick decided after a moment. Ian and I will follow him in wolf form. My command will last long enough to get us out of the area and him through several visible traffic lights. The rest of you, shift and follow Penny home. Take the camera and recorder with you. Penny, make sure you take a visible route home. Stop for something to eat if you can handle it. I nodded.
Alarick and I will take care of the rest of this. We’ll make it look like he ran with the money he got from her, then something happened, wild animals got the body… He hesitated, looking at me for a moment. We’re going to block the line as soon as he leaves, he told me gently. You’re going to send a text message saying you have no more money for him, but thanking him for signing the documents you needed to change custody over. He’ll respond that you better give him more if he says so—that will be us, not him. Understand, kitten? I nodded again, exhaustion beginning to soak into my bones, the tremors turning from anger to fatigue.
Hang on just a little longer, Poppy, Zev encouraged me. You’re doing so well.
Can I release your hold? Alarick inquired, his mind searching mine.
She’s solid, Chann said firmly, before I could get a word in. Her wolf trusts the pack. I was glad Shannon was next to me when his command released, because I sagged into her waiting arms, not even caring that she had to balance my full weight as my body simply gave out under the strain of what we had learned.
Sweetheart, is there anything else you want to say to him? Alarick asked me, his blue eyes gentle though I could tell his hold was tight enough to have already left bruises as Lyle thrashed.
“I just want to go home,” I whispered, turning into Shannon’s hold. I pressed my face into her neck as I fought back the tears that wanted to fill my eyes.
“We’ll go now, love,” she assured me, tucking my hair behind my ear. “We’ll be right behind you the whole way.” I moved woodenly to my car, slipping inside as Chann darted toward the tree line, I assumed to grab the camera.
We’ll be home soon, kitten. Ian’s voice was soft in my mind as Alarick’s eyes began to glow. Take care of our girl.
In a daze, I started my car, heading out onto the road. As I drove, I focused on the plan they had in place as I felt their lines close off from me, hiding me from whatever they were going to do. I could feel the others still, sending me thoughts of encouragement, of strength, as I sent the text they asked for and headed for home. I couldn’t face stopping for food, no matter the alibi it would give me, I just wasn’t that strong.
I needed time to process this, I realized. Maybe even time to grieve again. Shock still held me in its grasp, but between my friends and my wolf, I stayed on course as the minutes on the dashboard ticked by.
Meet us at home, love, Shannon murmured. Let us take care of you.
We’ve got you this time, Tinkerbell, Chann soothed. You’re not alone.
You never have to be alone again, Zev swore, his mental voice joining his brother’s.
I repeated the words like a prayer, the moonlight streaming through the windshield feeling like a blanket on my skin as I made my way home through the empty streets.
Chapter Fourteen
Pixie
I groaned when a hand stroked over my hair, pulling me from my slumber. Sunshine beamed in through my window in strong enough rays to indicate it was probably later in the day than I guessed, but my body begged me to ignore the person waiting for me, roll back over, and seek the oblivion