The Pack Girl's Retribution (Sequel to The Pack's Girl)

Expectations

Their anger and raw animal aggression reminded me of all those days before I knew them when I had feared them.

I instinctively whimpered and backed up against the door. Feeling cornered.

Racer and Vanquish stood. Animalistically closing in, as they saw my retreat.

Seeing the change of power, I realized that I needed to stamp down my she-wolf's submission and fearlessly tell them.

Now.

Before they hold me accountable and remind me of my place.

"I heard something. I saw Jaecar was injured."

"Jaecar?" Racer asked in confusion.

"You went out to check on a male?" Hunter objected. Slapping the door near my shoulder enough that I jumped. Obviously angry at the prospect I may've been sneaking out to see another male.

But I wasn't.

I can barely keep you three sated!

Closing my eyes, I steadied myself. Why am I afraid of them? I knew they had no desire to hurt me.

But their wolves will attack my she-wolf in a primal level of control. I knew I was treading a delicate balance having three males which were so dominant and aggressive and trying to keep them bending to my will. Pushing them into rage could prove dangerous.

Especially if it's a jealous rage.

To keep control of them, I had to always be an artful balance of strength and submission.

***

"What happened to Jaecar?" Racer asked.

"Marta." I explained.

"That bitch has caused every male in this pack more trouble than her skills are worth." Vanquish swore vehemently. "Draven should've put her down a long time ago."

I couldn't really argue that point.

Especially now. When I'm wondering how much she's betrayed us, myself.

My mouth moved. Wondering what I could say to ease them.

I realized I couldn't tell them I'd seen a NightHunter. They'd be furious I was close enough to see him.

That I put myself in danger. Again...

But I could entirely change the tone by confiding in them. "I had another memory."

Their brows shot up and suddenly everyone looked curious.

More human. Their other halves calming as they worried over me like concerned men.

"Of what?" Vanquish strode purposefully over. But upon getting closer to me his brow drew together.

He invaded my space and lowered to be level with my face. Catching my cheeks and turning them side to side to examine me. "What's wrong with you? You don't look right."

"Doesn't smell right either." Hunter said. Sniffing pointedly.

"What are you catching?" Racer asked Hunter of the smell.

Uh oh. My stomach sunk. What is he smelling?

Lyra Lani?

The NightHunter?

Marta's sex?

***

Panic was coursing through me, but I was doing my damnedest to look calm on the outside.

"Hint of another wolf's breeding scent."

Marta. Shit!

Damn his keen senses.

"That's not what I'm seeing." Vanquish turned my face toward Hunter for him to see what he was seeing.

What?

Hunter eased closer and sniffed around my cheek and neck.

I knew I had zero chance of outwitting his keen senses this close. I grimaced and bit my lip to hold my expression. Flattening my palms on the door behind me to try and keep myself from suddenly blurting everything.

What'd led me out there and what I'd seen.

"Ah, yes. Weakness. Illness." Hunter pulled back to eye me. "She was just sick."

"You vomited?" Vanquish asked. Eyeing me quizzically.

"No." I said slowly. Wondering if I should just tell them the truth and take my punishment.

"Something else." Hunter said. "The way Old Kara used to smell before she got ill."

"The tremors." Racer supplied as he got closer. "You had one?"

"Rebekah called it a seizure."

"You went to see her already?" This seemed to calm Hunter.

Easing the tension in the whole room as the others followed his cue. Shifting backward on their heels. Their instinct to attack my retreating she-wolf, temporarily appeased.

"I fetched her when I saw Jaecar was hurt." They all blew relieved breaths and turned to mill about the room.

But Vanquish didn't go far. Eyeing me sideways from where he rearranged a few things on the table.

He's going to want to talk later. He knows there's more. I remembered our last rough interchange and worried. I hated keeping secrets from him and knew he was as sharp as a razor blade.

He misses nothing.

And he certainly wasn't buying that what I'd told them was everything.

And damn him for being right.

***

Hunter was casting me increasingly impatient looks but as I climbed the ladder to my bed, he settled into his. Glaring at the ceiling.

He wants me to fulfill my promise.

I will. I willed him patience. Because I was far too excited to give myself over to him right now. My mind was racing and there was so much I wanted to know.

Who is Marta really?

What is she doing with the NightHunters?

Is she going to let them in? That question seemed to make my world darken and I was certain that if she were to let them in, that so many people I cared about in this pack could be killed.

I must've dozed off for a time because I awoke to the sense I was being watched. "Hunter?"

"I'm certain you'd hope so. He's quite easier to deal with, I imagine..."

Vanquish.

"He is. And a hell of a lot more pleasant to be around, the majority of the time."

I let my she-wolf peer out and her yellowed eyes shimmered into the darkness. Offering me his clear outline as he peered from behind a pillar next to my bed. His chin resting along the side as he gripped it to study me.

"You were watching me sleep?"

"I was making sure you did."

I gave him a questioning look.

"And that you weren't planning to sneak right back out tonight to go hunting for past lives."

"No more tonight." I promised.

"And you've been so believable of late..."

I winced. He wasn't wrong. I felt an instant pang of guilt. Knowing all he'd tried to do was be helpful. I thought of how he'd coached me to go to Lyra Lani rather than Draven with my proposal and how effective that had been.

He's wiser than most know.

"What do you want, Vanquish?" My guilt making my tone sharper than I intended.