Savage Craving - Cecilia Lane Page 0,3
was that about?” Trent asked in a low voice when they were all gathered.
Seth spread his hands wide. “They took offense at being called out on their shit. It was payback for the thing with Colette.”
The reminder pulled a growl out of his brother. Eyes flashing with his inner animal, Dash curled his hands into fists and scowled into the night. Seth couldn’t blame him. Couldn’t blame any of the angry looks flaring across one face after another. The hot fury was a natural reaction over a loved one suffering unnecessary danger.
Trent tucked Hailey against his side. The fingers of the hand spanning her hip slowly grazed her stomach. “Are they going to be a problem?”
The protective gesture was as plain as day, the same as the loving stroke in the bar.
The line between him and the others turned into a gulf. They had each other. Cubs followed matings, that was just the way of things. Full, complete lives were ahead of them.
He had no one.
Seth cleared his throat. He needed a drink. Privately. The group outing was nice, but he needed to lick his wounds where no one could see just how fucked and different he was.
An exit plan. He needed an exit plan. Not just for the night, but for all the years he had remaining on the planet.
Trouble stalked him. Trouble waited in the shadows. He didn’t want to track bullshit all over their perfect fucking lives.
Seth met Trent’s eyes. “I have it handled. You have my word. None of yours will be bothered again.”
He dropped his gaze to the alpha’s hand on his mate’s belly for a brief second, then lifted them again. Trent dipped his chin in acknowledgment.
Hailey stiffened. “You knew?” She whirled around and passed a glare over the others. “You all knew?”
Seth winced at the ducked looks and recoiled when furious eyes snapped back to him. Shit. He hadn’t meant to give up anyone’s secrets. He’d only wanted to keep the pride—current, or growing—safe.
Another reason to get gone. He didn’t know how to do the family thing.
“There was a slight change in your scent,” Sage said delicately.
“And you didn’t say anything, so we didn’t want to make any trouble,” Kyla added.
Colette shrugged. “Your cub, your announcement.”
“What a complete and total invasion of privacy,” Hailey groused, picking up steam as she went. “I’m going to buy nose plugs, and I expect you all to wear them. This scenting thing has gotten out of hand.”
"Watch out, everyone." A shit-stirring grin broke Trent's face in half. "Her hormones are already acting up."
Hailey made a noise somewhere between a hiss and a growl. She spun back around, planted her hands on her hips, and glared at her mate. “You are sorely mistaken if you think I won’t shoot you full of sedatives and leave your ass on the side of the road to walk home.” Her focus switched to the rest of the pride. “And kiss your enchilada dinners goodbye.”
And just like that, they were back to good-natured bickering.
An odd sense of relief and confusion rattled in Seth’s head. Or maybe those were his dislodged brains trying to seep out of his ears. He pressed gentle fingers to his cheeks and over his nose. Nothing broken. Nothing to be set. Just days of healing ahead.
Fucking Zeke and all the rest. He meant what he promised Trent, though. He wouldn’t let his problems fall on Crowley shoulders.
Dash turned as the group started making their way back into the bar. “Hey, dumbass, you coming?”
One more night. Just a few more hours pretending he could fit in. Seth flicked his brother off while ignoring the aches and pains screaming through his body.
He’d leave in the morning.
Chapter 2
BZZZT.
Lilah McKenna jumped as the barred door slammed shut behind her, then jumped again at the briefcase that brushed against her leg. Nothing. It was nothing. She’d been smacked harder and crowded closer in the elevators at the law firm. An accidental bump as she made her way through Shiftermax security wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
Except for the whole shifter prison thing, of course.
Lilah tightened her hands into fists to hide their shaking. She'd come too far to disappoint her boss. Besides, she'd already made it through the front doors and past the first security station. Her name was printed in the visitor's log. She'd walked through a metal detector—twice—had a wand waved over her, and survived a pat-down. She could do this. She would do this.
Dragging down a deep breath, she lifted