Page 65 of The Patron Saint of Timber Hollow

"Miss Hunt's presence is unrelated to your prior relationship. She is a member of our Agency. I suggest you pay attention to the legal proceedings rather than harass someone, Mr. White."Nero says in a curt voice that brooks no argument. Or at least wouldn't if Nero spoke to anyone with even a lick of sense.

Unfortunately for all of us, Ethan opens his ugly mug to speak again. "This bitch has no right accusing us of doing anything! She's just jealous and looking for a way back in. Father, Call Mr. Dunkirk. He'll set the whore straight."

"Ethan, that is enough. Go. You have my apologies for his behavior, Mr. Cicero. Thank you for your candor; we'll be out of your hair as soon as possible. If that is all?" Stephen says, moving to close the door in Jay and Nero's faces.

"Yes. Have a pleasant evening." Nero says, then turns on his heel.

We all leave, my gut still churning relentlessly as I slide into the backseat of Saint's Jeep.

Dante and Saint review the interaction, examining the entire ordeal, while I do the same, silently, from the backseat. When we're a couple of blocks away from the hotel, Dante gets out at a stoplight and disappears into the small city.

Once we're back at the Packhouse, I can't help but feel like we've missed something crucial.

Even though the confrontation at the hotel went well, I'm still on edge. Something isn't sitting right. The look in Stephen's eye was too…. calm and calculated. He knows we're wolves, I'm sure of it.

I would wager my life that the Whites' reappearance is because our pack is full of Direwolves. The biggest of wolf shifters. There is no way they wouldn't have noticed our size if they'd been here for any length of time. If they'd seen any of us--namely, me on their property.

People are dead because of me.

I swear, if I had anything in my stomach, I'd hurl right here on the blacktop.

Jay notices my fidgeting, picking the skin around my nails and gnawing my lower lip. "What's wrong, Darlin'?" He asks, tucking my hair behind my ear before hooking his arm over my shoulder. I let him lead and steer me back into the brick building before I can answer over the tightness in my ribs.

In a rush, my anxiety spills out. "I know him, Jay. Ethan isn't going to give up so easily. Particularly now that he knowsyouare involved."

I want to rip out my hair and scream that something iswrong.

"It's going to be fine, Gorgeous," Jay's confidence makes me grit my teeth.

"I'mtellingyou, Jay. It's not over yet," I reassert, hoping that I am wrong,just this once.

26

Bite

Hours later, my skin feels too small to contain my body and beast. The cabin is quiet; a thick blanket of darkness has been pulled over the forest.

I'm doing nothing other than wearing a path into the floorboards, stalking around the kitchen and living room in a continuous loop, picking at my fingernails.

Dante still hasn't checked in to let us know the Whites have left, but according to the chime of the clock in the hall, their timeline has officially expired.

Jay is sitting in the kitchen at the island, nursing a fresh cup of coffee with an open laptop before him. The computer screen holds a bunch of windows to all the cameras set up around town and the forest. Each one shows nothing but the sleepy, dark Hollow.

No one has left the White's hotel room, and that very simple fact has my nerves frayed. They're up to something; I can feel it.

Eventually, Jay closes the laptop, deposits his now empty coffee mug in the sink, and says, "The forest is too quiet. I'm going out."

"Okay, let's go," I reply, pausing my endless pacing beside him. Saint doesn't say anything, though he gets up and waits for us next to the door, arms crossed.

"No, I need you to stay put." Jay's jaw flexes, and none of the usual mischief dances in his eyes.

"What? No!" I immediately fire back, crossing my arms.

"Please, you'll be safer here," Jay pleads, grabbing my hand. I can't tell if it's intentional, but it's almost as if Jay's Alpha power is rising.

He will order us to stay,My wolf growls, inky black ears pressed tight to her skull.

"What if they comehereinstead, Jay? Hmm? What then?" I seethe, my irritation rising the more my wolf and I feel the press of his influence.