Page 8 of Bad Medicine

I never took them off her.

I grinned.Thanks, Jared.

Tonight, Kait.

Maybe.

I slid the phone into my pocketand left my bedroom smiling, anticipation and excitement zinging my body likelittle shots of electricity at the thought of joining the alpha in his bed.

I saw Jared’s wolves as Iclimbed into my car with Joe. I could relax knowing Lucy and Ash would beprotected while I was gone. A human—serial killer or not—was no match for acouple of trained wolves.

“Max called earlier,” Joe said,buckling up. “He said a package was delivered for you.”

I nodded. Saul said he’d besending something to my work, though why he hadn’t had it delivered to thehouse was a mystery. That reminded me that a car would be coming to take me tomeet the council soon. My stomach tightened and my mouth dried up. I figuredI’d always be nervous when it came to the council.

Maybe they only wanted to thankme for taking out Avis Vine or to give me something besides the rather largeamount of money they’d deposited into my bank account. Maybe they wanted togive me another assignment. Nothing to worry about.

Sure.

I called my mother, got hervoicemail, and left her a message. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” I said. “Becareful out there, Mom.” I didn’t tell her she should go back to Shadowfield tostay for a while longer. Avis was dead and I seriously doubted Samuel was goingto attempt anything. Even if he did, my mom could kick his murdering ass.

Still, I was uneasy about herbeing away from her pack, and when my phone rang and Adam Thorne’s number cameup, I realized exactly why I was so worried about my mother being alone inHuntersburg.

The alpha of the Stone MoonPack had taken her once, and I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t do it again. Only thenext time, she might not survive it.

“Shit,” I muttered, andanswered my phone.

Chapter Five

“Adam,” I said. “Finally decideto come out of hiding now that I’ve gotten rid of the rogue vampires and thehumans have calmed down?”

“I take care of my own,” hesaid.

His voice wasn’t exactly loudas it came through the speakers of my car, but still, I flinched a little tohear him. I would always have a visceral reaction to my former alpha. My fearof him made me angry. “You do?” I jeered. “Since when?”

His snort was loud. “Daniel wasa traitorous asshole who gave you a harsh childhood, Kait. Your grudge shouldbe with him, not me.”

“But my father wasn’t thereason you hobbled me, was he?”

He was silent for a fewseconds. “Why do you say that?”

“It was foretold a baby wolfwould grow up to kill you and take over your pack. And now I understand yourfear.” I had to admit to a certain amount of glee and grim satisfaction when Itold him I’d learned his secret—thanks to Lennon.

“You don’t know what you’retalking about,” he said. He was still calm, but there was a thread of angerweaving through his voice.

“What do you want, Adam?” Iasked, impatient. I had no plans to kill him, but I wasn’t going to tryconvincing him of that. Mostly, I just wanted to never think of him again.

“Just to let you know that I’vetaken in a sweet little seer with a lot of power. Jared took my traitorousoutcasts, so I’ve taken his. Seems fair, don’t you think?”

“The rules—” I started.

“Fuck the rules,” he snarled, showinghis anger at last. “And now is a good time to let you know that I am claimingJakeston as my territory. Lennon has a grudge and is more than willing to helpme defeat her former alpha.” He lowered his voice and the ice inside it frozeme to my bones. “Tell your sweetheart, Kait. I’m coming for him and I’m takinghis pack. And if my warriors catch a Gray Shadow wolf inside the city, thatwolf is mine.”

“You’re going to force me tokill you,” I whispered, realizing the truth. “You want the prophesy to cometrue, Adam? Come at my pack.”

“Tellhim,” he ordered.

“Tell him yourself,” I said, thenended the call. “Fuck.”