Page 46 of Alphas Never Hide

Damnit.Someonehad been watching when we’d gone into the tunnel.HowhadImissed them?Irubbed my forehead.Wasmy magic fading?Couldit do that?

“Itreeks of an unfamiliar wolf,”Dillonsaid.

“WasitRobbie?”Iasked.Noone answered.Right.Noneof these people had met him. “I’llcheck whenIgo up.”

“Wefound some wallets and phones in one room,”Ryleysaid as he held out the toiletry bag toDillon, who was dressed in his police uniform.Dillonopened the bag and flipped through what we’d gathered. “Wethink they belong to other people the wolves held here.”

“Arethere more people to help?”Adrianlooked around. “Whereare they?Arethey stuck in cages?”

Ishook my head. “Ithink they escaped last night too.LikeRyley.Wedidn’t find anyone.”

“Exceptthere might be other hidden rooms down here.Weknow there are speakers and mics behind some walls,”Ryleysaid.

Adrianstilled and lifted his nose to sniff the air.

Dillonpeered down the tunnels. “Itcould take ages to search this place safely.Thatbit of wood might be all that’s preventing the tunnel from caving in.”

“Weneed to call my brother,”Ashsaid.Dillonnodded.

Ash’sbrotherBirchhad helped seal a hidden tunnel at the inn a few months ago.Hewas an earth mage and a good guy.Hecould at least make sure we didn’t do something that would have the whole place falling in on us.

“Goodidea,”Isaid. “Idon’t think we should staydown here.”Iwouldn’t know how to deal with the guilt if anyone got hurt.Icouldn’t take that risk.

“Untilthen we’ll set up a schedule to guard the place,”Dillonsaid.

Ishook my head. “Wedon’t know how many peopleRobbiehas with him.Theyare adept at kidnapping supes.Noone is staying out here, not even in pairs.”

Dillonlooked like he wanted to argue, butAshcaught his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Alphais right,”Ashsaid.

“Fine.We’llhead back together and come up with a safe plan,”Dillonsaid after a moment.

Thetender lookDillonshared withAshmade my insides clench.I’dseen them go all gooey for one another many times over the last few months, butI’dnever thought much of it.I’dbeen happy for them, but my reaction felt different this time.Envy?Longing?

Whatwould it be like to share that gentle understanding with someone?Iglanced atRyley.Hisgaze caught on mine, and my stomach did that same weird swoopy thing.

IhopedIwasn’t coming down with something.

“Let’sget out of here,”Isaid.

Chapter Eighteen

RYLEY

Aswe walked back to the vehicles,Dillontried to convinceHaydento go straight to the police station when we returned toWillowLake, whileJeremyargued we should go to the doctor’s place first because ofHayden’slatest head injury.Haydenrefused to commit to either destination.Whenwe got to the vehicles andIclimbed intoHayden’struck with him while the others got into their own vehicles,Idoubted we’d be going anywhere but the garage.

Iwas right.

Dillonstopped right beside us whenHaydenparked outside his business.Hedid his best to coaxHaydento the police station, butHaydenjust turned and walked toward the garage as he said, “Vanknows where to find us.”

Heonly looked back once, when he got to the door.Hefrowned at me, like he couldn’t figure out whyIwasn’t following right behind him. “Areyou coming?”

AsItrotted after the moody werewolf, who was holding the door open for me like a gentleman,IshotDillonan apologetic smile.IthoughtI’doutgrown my need to follow people around whenIleft the herd, but apparentlyIhadn’t.Thealmost alpha made me feel safe, andIwasn’t ready to turn my back on that feeling quite yet.It’dbeen so long sinceI’dfelt it.Itwas nice.

Ofcourse, it may have also helped thatIcouldn’t get that impulsive kiss out of my head.Iwouldn’t mind doing that again, soIwas sticking close.Youknow, just in case the opportunity to smash our mouths together again presented itself.

Iadjusted my glasses asIenteredHayden’sbusiness.Thewaiting room inside the place was clean but not pristine.Theworn-out furniture, the cracked lino, and the dreary fluorescent lights matched howI’dalways imagined an old mechanic’s shop waiting room would look.Eventhe air helped set the atmosphere with scents of all things mechanical.Icouldn’t tell you ifIwas smelling oil or grease or some other mechanical fluid, but it suited the place.