Escaping Death

Chapter 5

Hunter

"Stop pacing, the guys can handle it." I can't stand the sound of his shoes on the gravel any longer. He's worrying for nothing and the sound of the rocks crunching under him is grating my nerves.

"It's not that," he sighs and grunts lowly like he does when he's about to tell me something even remotely personal, "my wolf is restless. He's on my case about splitting up."

I let slip a laugh that I've been holding in since he first told me he was sending those three knuckleheads to Caligo.

"You think it was a bad idea, too?" Ace questions me with darkening eyes.

My smile only widens as I consider my answer, "sending Eli and Dean to Caligo is like releasing a child into a candy store. You might as well have sent Tate on his own."

He leans backwards releasing a frustrated groan to the heavens above, "remind me to send you and Tate next time."

My hands find their way into the pockets of my jeans while I kick at the gravel in front of me in an attempt to distract him from the panic that must be tattooed on my face. I'm hoping he accepts my silence and moves on, but with his wolf as restless as he is I think he'll push me if only to distract himself from whatever inner battle he's fighting.

Ace catches on to my weak attempt to deflect with a non-answer and his gaze on me intensifies. I can feel him studying me. "Hm," he hums with amusement, "it seems I've hit a sore spot. You've got history there? Get banned for life for making all the girls drop to their knees or something?"

Any other time I'd be laughing with him, probably throw a weak punch that he'd dodge and we'd devolve into a playful fight. But all I can manage right now is an insincere half smile.

He leans against the wall next to me and mirrors my stance, "Death has no secrets, Hunter. What's your history with Caligo?" His words are a warning disguised as a reminder.

I shrug my shoulders, "None, honestly. It's just...owned by them."

Understanding flashes across his face and his posture relaxes and I'm grateful when he doesn't offer me any sympathy or pity. I gave him the truth and he'll give me space in return – on this matter, at least.

A few minutes pass by in comfortable silence, though I can feel how stressed his wolf is and it's getting worse by the minute. He's usually exceptionally skilled at keeping his feelings hidden, even through our pack bond. I'm hard pressed to recall the last time he was ever anything but calm, focused, or determined.

Gravel crunches beneath the tires of an approaching SUV redirecting Ace's attention away from whatever has his wolf in a frenzy back to the work we're here for.

The black SUV comes to a stop directly in front of us. The tint on the windows is so dark it's hard to tell what's window and what's car body. Slowly, the driver's window begins to roll down revealing a large man, clearly hired muscle, in a suit and glasses tinted to match the car.

"Ace." He states rather than questions, indicating that he already knows who we are.

Ace nods and pushes off the wall to approach the car where the driver has now extended out his arm to hand over a small white envelope. As soon as Ace takes the envelope he backs up and rips it open.

Inside there is a card with one name written on it — Nightshade.

I can feel Ace's flames building in his chest, the smoke billowing from his nose is confirmation that I'm right.

"This is your Death Wish?" He asks the driver.

The meat-head of a man shakes his head no. "My boss."