Girl Gone Rogue (The Shadow Hunters #2)

15. Want Me

"This place is kind of cute." Aella dropped her satchel near the door, taking in the humble cabin.

"There's only a single bed." I informed her.

"You both can share it." Jamison offered. Alexei nodded, careful not to look at me for too long.

The ride up to the cabin had been interesting.

Thankfully, the men sat in front while Aella and I occupied the back row, talking.

The moment she had met Alexei and I near the truck, she faltered, staring between us in shock. It was a miracle Jamison had been on his way, or he would've easily connected the dots. She hadn't noticed yesterday either when I visited Daisy because I had left quickly.

Alexei and I hadn't had the chance to really talk since he had been busy patrolling the borders for most of the day. When he finally appeared, I couldn't stop ogling the hell out of him. He always looked great in his fitted E.S suit but this evening, he looked edible walking towards me with a duffle bag hanging from his left hand. Those dark pools of mahogany pinned me with an intensity that made my heart palpitate loudly as he drew closer. His scent settled my nerves.

"Penelope." He greeted, the timbre of his voice sensual. It was a tone I'd never heard from him until the other night.

I opened my mouth to respond but then Aella had been running towards us, calling my name with an exuberance, I couldn't help but give her my attention.

And that was how she had found out.

When Jamison finally arrived, he greeted everyone with a grunt before slinging his duffle bag into the back. Aella and I climbed to the back while Alexei claimed the passenger seat since Jamison had already hopped behind the driver's seat, starting the engine. The truck rumbled to life, spitting out black smoke.

Aella had been intrigued by the new development between Alexei and I but I couldn't talk to her with Alexei and Jamison's prying ears around. So, I started to blab about things that didn't really matter but was a safer topic to cling on to for now.

"Are you sure your ankle is fine?" She asked.

I shouldn't have been surprised. Aella took in detail. She didn't miss things. I thought it was baddass because she was Jude's other set of eyes in the Pack now. Before, I would've said it was Seamus.

I had hidden the limp in my walk quite spectacularly, but her expression was contorted into one of worry when she examined my ankle. I had already unbound the bandages since I could feel the bones had merged correctly but I had placed it in a thin ankle brace before tucking it into my combat boot just in case.

"It's almost completely healed. There are only slight pangs, but they can be tolerated. I think tomorrow morning, it'll be good."

"Let me know if it starts aching too much. I have some painkillers somewhere in my satchel. Jude packed it for me although I told him I'd be fine."

"Thanks Aella." I pulled her into a quick hug.

We were in the midst of talking about Misty, Jude's pet cat that resembled a fluffy white ball, when Jamison interrupted.

"So, you placed a chip on the changeling." Jamison spoke, glancing up at the review mirror to meet my gaze. "That's why you led it on a wild goose chase instead of killing it on the spot."

Neither was a question but two, solid facts.

"Yeah. I already explained it to the Alpha. I wondered if the red-eyed changelings were gathering at a common spot, so I got Kian to make a chip and download an app on my phone. He didn't know what the chip was for, but he made it and I placed it on the wolf."