Heart's Desire

Chapter 39 - Monty

Dane paces Sasha's living room like a commander pacing the deck of his ship. We'd returned and delivered our news to the others, and the double shock of Martin's betrayal landed a heavy blow.

My mom sits on the sofa with Noah and Sasha seated on either side, while Freya, Darius, and Ambrose choose to stand. I sit in a chair, my heart beating hard and fast against the walls of my chest and my stomach in a knot of nerves.

"Give me options," Dane says, glowering from beneath his brows. "Noah?"

Noah clears his throat. "The highest place on our land... That's Hrolf's Ridge, isn't it?"

"Yes," our mom confirms. "That's the tradition for a Great Hunt: to descend on the Prey from above. You can see the whole valley plain from up there."

"It's also tradition not to Shift before the Hunt begins," Noah says, pushing his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose. "So they'll come by the road."

"It's still passable?" I ask. I remember the old dirt track that wound its way to the top, where a fire-watch tower once  stood, but even when I was a kid it was pitted and overgrown in places.

"Passable enough, in a sturdy vehicle," Mom answers.

"An ambush?" Freya suggests. "We could dig a trench, or fall a tree, then pounce when they stop."

"Too risky," Dane says. "Too many variables. The hostages could be compromised."

Our mom frowns at him, but I understand. Calling his mate and children 'the hostages' is his way of distancing himself from the situation just enough to deal with it in a rational and detached way. Something I'm having more trouble with, myself.

I keep imagining wild, hopeful scenarios in which Kit and Julian, Martin and the twins just show up at the door, safe and sound, having miraculously managed to escape on their own. I know this is unlikely, and do my best to contribute something of more use.

"What about Ambrose and Darius?" I ask. "They're not Wolves, so they can't be part of the Hunt, right? They could be our secret weapons."

Dane shakes his head. "I wouldn't count on it. We've got to assume Ferrault knows everything Martin knows. Which is everything. Plus, he might not consider non-Wolves to be 'Pack' material, but we do, and as part of our Pack, they'll be expected to Run with the rest of us. I don't think we can count on taking Ferrault by surprise."

"I agree."

This new voice belongs to my dad, and we all turn to find him standing in the doorway, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, and leaning one hand against the frame.

My mom frowns at him. "Joe, you should be in bed."

He enters the room and comes to sit in the chair opposite mine. "I'll rest when my family is safe — and yes, that includes my wayward son."

"Dad, if Martin—" Dane begins, but our dad raises a hand, silencing him. He might have passed the Alpha to Dane, but he's still our father, and he still commands respect and authority.

"If my son has betrayed us, he may tell me so to my face. Then I will believe it. Until then, I will have faith in Martin's good heart — as should you. You know your brother."

"I've worked Homicide, Dad," Dane argues, though quietly and without heat. "The people who think they know someone best are always the most surprised."

"As I said — I'll believe it when I see the proof."

Our mom's eyes brighten with tears, even as her lips thin in a line. Our dad could be infuriatingly stubborn, at times, but in this case it was the stubbornness of love.