Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain) - By Amanda Carlson Page 0,34
happen, because you’ve barely been gone twenty-four hours and you’ve already been forced into your Lycan from.” The phone buzzed in my ear, the connection worsening.
I sighed. “I was hit again with the spell without warning when you felt the change. We’re right outside her boundary and it might have been triggered by the proximity, but I have no real clue. It could also be time release. But the good news is I handled it and it’s gone. I know you’re not happy with me, but nothing was going to keep me home. We both knew that. It would’ve been too much to tell you in the short time we had left and it was better to go without a fight.”
“Jessica, I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know what’s going on,” he ground out. “We could’ve had another witch examine you. There could’ve been some sort of counterattack. Going off on your own is not going to work. This is Pack. It’s not a one-man operation. It infuriates me that you have the ability to block me. Keeping things from me in the future will not be tolerated.”
“I hear you. I won’t let it happen again and I promise to tell you everything from now on. But, in my defense, I couldn’t risk Rourke’s life like that. If you had ordered me to stay home, it would’ve been worse. We could’ve had a fracture between us. You would’ve forced me to leave Pack.”
He was quiet for a few beats. “Jessica, I understand why you did it, but it stops now. I need to know everything, and from there we make the decisions… together. Your life is going to change very quickly from now on. I get it. But I’m still your Alpha.” A fierce growl spread across the line. “I don’t give a goddamn if my commands don’t stick. You will follow my rules or you will find yourself on the outside. Are we clear?” His voice was stony and a few faint ripples of his emotion flowed through me, our blood connection barely triggering this far away. But it was there.
“Clear.”
“I just arrived in Redman’s territory. We meet with him first thing in the morning. I want you to check in with me again as soon as you can. If I feel any more issues from you, I’ll call. If I can’t get a hold of you or Tyler, I will drop what I’m doing and come after you.” I knew he would.
“Got it.”
“Jessica.” My father’s voice dipped low. “Please stay safe.”
“I’m doing my best.”
I clicked off the phone and reached down to grab a pair of pants out of my pack. Once I was dressed, I rejoined the group, strapping my pack on my back. Naomi stood silently next to the truck. She hadn’t moved since I’d taken the call. Eamon paced off to the side.
“You are strong,” she said firmly as I stopped. “Stronger than most.”
Was I strong or was I different? “I’m not going to argue with you, Naomi. But now’s not the time to talk about my genetic makeup. We’ve lost enough time. Which way are we headed? Lead the way.”
“We are one pass away from the correct entrance,” Naomi said; her voice rang with tension. “We will have to climb to the top of this peak and down to the next gorge. Once we cross the river at the bottom, we will pass into Selene’s territory. It will take longer than if you had found the correct entrance, but we have no choice now. Follow us.” Eamon was already moving through the trees.
“How did we miss it?” I asked, falling in step behind her. “This was the only road that made any sense on the GPS.” Danny trailed behind me, followed by Tyler, who had just locked the truck. Ray took up the rear. “Can Selene mess with GPS signals?” I guessed a goddess could do what she wanted if she was clever enough.
“Whether she can or cannot is not our concern,” Naomi said. “We do not need GPS. The road you were looking for had flood damage and the entrance has since been wiped away.” She arched an eyebrow over her shoulder at me like a pro. “You are a supernatural, are you not? I will be more precise in the future. I told you the road you wanted dead-ended into the lake. This”—she gestured around her—“does not.”