Page 58 of Wolf Blood

It was a lie.

Rhone didn't reply.

Maverick's eyes were dark when he returned. "Take her back to the tower."

"She stays with me," Rhone said bluntly.

Maverick gestured over his shoulder. "Take a look before you make that call."

Rhone glanced at me.

"I can play guard dog," the Alpha said. "Go."

Rhone reluctantly strode out of the elevator.

If I'd been any less bloodlusty, I would've stared at his ass. But I wasn't. All I wanted was blood.

"Ozzy's dead," I said.

"Very."

"How are you going to get the system back online without him?" I asked.

"We need a tech guy. Zach Harker. He's hiding out in another pack."

"Are you going to be able to get him back?"

Maverick made a noncommittal noise.

"I don't know why you'd feel the need to keep secrets from me. This is the first time I've left the tower in months," I said.

"Rhone would be pissed if I told you."

"Wow. Hiding secrets from me because the guy who thinks he owns me wants you to. Sexist, much?"

Maverick looked at me. "The pack he's hiding out with won't let us have Zach unless we give them a stable, turned vampire. Obviously, we can't give them one of you."

Suddenly, I understood.

The options were Oren, who was Nolan's mate. That was never going to happen.Or Riley, who was barely twenty, and ridiculously innocent. That was just a terrible idea.

Then there was me.

My stability was debatable, but I could at least pretend to be stable long enough to get the other pack to give Maverick the guy he needed.

The only two problems were my best friend, and Maverick's.

"Does Bloom know?" I asked.

His grimace said she did.

"Hasanyonesuggested I can go?"

"Only me."

I nodded, looking back out at the wall in front of the elevator.

The scent of Ozzy's blood still sang to me.