right.”
“You think someone ratted us out?” Her frown deepened. “Who would have known?”
“Jaime,” Seth answered, though she seemed an unlikely candidate. “Someone at the security firm, possibly. That SEA agent didn’t do a damn thing to keep a watch on your apartment.”
“So anyone with eyes and a means to follow us.” She didn’t sound convinced.
“Maybe,” Seth said again. He let off a harsh breath. She was right. None of those options made sense, but they sure as hell were justification for keeping her close until he confirmed how they were found. “To be on the safe side, I’m bringing you to Bearden. I have people there. People I trust.”
“Okay,” she sighed. “If that’s what you think is best.”
By the Broken, he hated the lack of challenge from her. Fucking stupid. She’d about driven him up the wall with questioning everything, but somehow the pliable agreeability was worse.
“This is where the people you know live?” Lilah broke the silence as he made the turn onto the Crowley ranch. She twisted around to face him, bewilderment in her scent and written on her features. “A ranch?”
“Is that shocking?”
“I imagined some underground bunker with guns on the wall.” She turned her head to watch the herd of cattle grazing just off the side of the single-track road. “This is not what I expected.”
Seth stilled the twitch of his lips. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She watched the gentle hills and even broke into a grin when she spotted the horses in the distance. For the first time since they’d met, he thought he saw the true version of Lilah. No fear, no worry, not even the defeated sense she’d worn since the diner that morning.
A protective urge settled in his chest. He wanted—no, needed—to see her happy and relaxed. She deserved smiles and laughs, not the destruction that brought him into her life.
He nearly cursed when they neared the barn. Trucks were parked outside the doors. A quick headcount showed everyone gathered there, instead of up at their dens. He’d hoped to get Lilah settled before making his trek up the road to update everyone, but plans had no bearing on reality.
Lilah’s scent shifted, and when he glanced at her, she’d tensed up once again. She smoothed the wrinkles in her skirt, eyes locked on the group that had turned to face them. “You trust them?”
Seth reached for her hand and gave her a quick squeeze. “I do. They won’t hurt you.”
Her scent swirled with uncertainty, but her face betrayed nothing. He suspected her eyes told a different story, but she didn’t look at him. “Okay,” she said finally. She dipped her chin and reached for the handle.
“What are you doing here?” Trent’s nostrils flared and his attention switched to Lilah. “Who is this?”
Seth resisted the urge to shove her behind him and bare his teeth. “This is Lilah. She was attacked by Jasper.”
“So it’s true, then.” Trent scowled. “My uncle is back in the world.”
Lilah let off a tiny, shocked noise. When all eyes turned to her, her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “Uncle?” she breathed, eyes widening and bouncing from face to face.
Hailey offered her a gentle smile. “Oh boy. I’ll explain everything.”
A possessive need dug through his insides. The other dens were out of sight, but he couldn’t stand the idea of her stepping into any of them. No, she belonged with him.
“My room,” he growled.
Hailey made a face. “She’s not going to stay in the barn.”
He took a step closer to the alpha’s mate. “Mine,” he repeated in a harder voice.
Trent shoved himself between them and tension thickened the air. He gave Seth an inscrutable once over, then cut a sidelong look to his mate. “It’s fine, Hailey. Take her inside.”
He waited until the women had stepped through the barn doors before he whipped back around and prodded Seth hard in the chest. “What the fuck was that about?” Trent demanded. “You order my mate around? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Not to mention your little impromptu vacation. You don’t even have the decency to tell me yourself, you let Dash do all the talking?”
“You heard what happened. I had to go. I’m not apologizing for leaving as quickly as I did. She’d be dead if I’d gotten there a minute later.” Seth met the man’s fiery stare. The air steadily grew thicker and colder as the seconds ticked on. He didn’t drop his gaze. He didn’t offer any other explanation. There wasn’t anything else