Page 106 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

Jesus Christ.

I dunno, mate, Alec said. We woke a few hours back, found her tracks, followed them out here. She locks in like this during readings—but she’s not reading anyone now, so...

My gaze snapped to Ally. The rapid twitch of her eyes. The way her hands hung at her sides, fingers slightly curled⁠—

As if she was holding someone’s hand.

I’m not so sure about that, I thought, horror rooting in my gut. Were you able to get through her shield? I asked, suddenly breathless, needing to know she was okay.

Just for a few seconds at a time. The images are like strobes—moving too fast to make sense of.

I was on my feet before I could stop myself, heading for my mate.

August, Alec warned. I know none of us want to see her in that kind of pain again—but if you interrupt this—visions or reading—you’ll break it. Like your reading on the field. Only fragments will remain. And she’ll have to relive the worst of it just to get to the rest.

How long did it take to read Aren? My pulse spiked. I yanked off my coat, a cold sweat soaking through my shirt.

Alec shook his head. Days, mate. Days.

I’m supposed to leave her out here for days? I snapped. In the damn snow?

That’s what she needed from us for you, he admitted. We failed to give her that. It never felt like the right time. That was a shitty call. Aren agrees. Please don’t ask me to fail her again.

I met his pleading eyes, then looked back at her. I’d likely peeled the top layer off my bottom lip from biting it before I finally nodded.

She won’t freeze—her flames won’t let her, right? I asked.

Alec shook his head. She’s a phenomenal pyro, mate. With anyone else, I’d worry. But she’s got this rookie. Let her work.

“Fuck,” I exhaled, nodding, and walked to the edge of the bank—anchoring myself in the steady whoosh of her blood pumping through her heart.

Freya

Three doors, twenty first-floor windows, one enormous glass pane in the drive-thru. Four cars in line, one woman at an ATM, five civilians, six employees, one vault. Two body cams, one hacker, five of us on comms, and as few minutes to work with before response was inevitable.

Had I intended to work with a team to check off my incognito Paladin trials? Not in a million years. I mean, as long as I was the one orchestrating and redirecting the money from the corrupt to the needy, it should fulfill the rules. Beyond that, was it kinda nice not flying entirely solo?

Yeah. Yeah it was. Even if (especially because) Blaz Gwyne was equal parts thrilled and terrified to be included on an op.

“You’re sure about this?” Blaz asked for the millionth time, straightening the collar on his black leather jacket as we sat side by side in the tinted SUV.

“Ally hasn’t called to tell me we fucked the plan up the ass with a cactus and no lube, so yeah, I think we’re alright.”

“Jesus Christ, Freya,” Brody mumbled from the front seat, his eyes widening in the rearview as he fought back what had to be a smirk. He thought I was funny. He just didn’t have the balls to admit it.

His brothers, however, both burst out laughing.

“This still seems like a dumb way to get arrested,” Blaz muttered, shaking his head as he stared out the window at Cyrus ‘C.’ Stuart’s bank.

To my other side sat Tessa, Marcus Westerlund’s daughter. Just like her predecessors, the shifter’s electric blue eyes sat in stunning contrast to her warm brown skin, dozens of breathtaking braids pulled into a sexy high pony. Evidently, when her uncle wasn’t available, Tessa was a close second in the computer-whiz department.

“Well with that attitude, of course it is, silly,” I said, plopping the fedora over his head. “But everybody’s gotta pop their cherry at some point, and you said you wanted to help.”

“If you’re not calm, cool, and collected, you’ll blow this whole thing,” Tessa pointed out, glaring his way as her fingers flew a million miles a minute over her keyboard—eyes locked on coded gibberish I’d sooner tattoo on my ass than understand.

“Stand tall.” I flicked his chin up. “Shoulders back.” A playful shove. “Attitude mellow,” I added, miming smoking a joint.

Tessa snickered, shaking her head.