“Do you honestly think I’d hurt you?” He waited for her to shake her head before going on. “I can’t let you go, because I won’t have your death on my conscience.”
“But you expect me to live knowing I killed my mother?” Kim shook her head.
“She’s already dead, Kim,” Ellen’s words were soft, but firm. “He’s using you, telling you what you want to hear. And, I promise, it will end badly for you.”
“You can’t make me stay here—do nothing.” Her dark eyes widened. “I can’t.”
“You can,” Hollis assured her, his wolf was more than willing to follow Mal’s instructions and lock her up. “This is my fault. It’s my responsibility to fix it.”
“What did Finn say?” Ellen asked, pressing a hand against his back.
“We wait for him at Kim’s place.” Hollis held his hand up when Kim started to protest. “I want him dead but not at the expense of your life.” He glanced at the clock. “I’ve got something in the basement that might offer some added protection. And the knives.”
“In the vault?” Ellen asked.
“Where you’ll stay until this is over.” He stared at her, pressing his hand to her stomach. “You promised me.”
Her hand clasped his wrist. “I promised you I wouldn’t fight. I refuse to hide.”
“Don’t push me, Ellen,” he snapped. “This isn’t about you anymore. This is about our baby.”
“Baby?” Kim whispered.
Ellen shoved his hand away.
She could be mad at him, she could argue and fight with him, he didn’t care. On this, there was no negotiating. He might not be able to shift, but his wolf was more than willing to make things clear. She was sitting this one out. “I’ll be back.” He stared at her, long and hard, torn between pulling her close and locking her in the vault. Instead, he left them in the lab.
…
Ellen paced the lab, her gaze returning again and again to the large clock mounted on the wall. Each tick echoed, plucking at her nerves and driving her wolf closer and closer to the brink. It was almost one and Hollis hadn’t returned. She’d texted him, but he hadn’t responded.
“It might be the basement.” Kim had a hard time looking at her. “Bad reception?” But her voice was quivering.
“Right,” she agreed. But her wolf refused to be pacified.
The faint vibrations of the overhead fluorescent lights rose until Ellen’s ears hurt. The air seemed too thin, making every breath unsteady and labored. Her wolf grew restless. It refused to still. Something had happened. Something was wrong. Every instinct told her to do. Her wolf was a hunter—proud and strong. But her wolf refused to act. She agreed with Hollis. The baby came first.
Kim kept her phone out, staring at the screen, her long black hair spilling forward to shield her face. She was easy to read, the poor woman’s nerves stretched so tight Ellen worried she’d pop.
One o’clock came and they both held their breath. But then it was five after. Ten after.
No call.
No Hollis.
Ellen’s wolf was frantic. She wasn’t going to wait a minute longer. She had to know Hollis was safe.
It was possible Cyrus was watching the lab. But why hadn’t she or Hollis sensed an Other? Unless, like Kim, he was using humans to relay information.
“Who else is here?” Ellen asked, her mind turning over possibilities.
Kim listed off the essential overnight personnel.
“Do you know them? Trust them?” Ellen asked.
“Dr. Robbins screens every employee carefully.” Kim frowned.
“That didn’t stop Cyrus from finding a way to control you,” Ellen tried to temper her voice. “I believe no one here intended to betray Hollis. But things don’t always work out according to plan. If we were monitored, they’d know you never left and we were here with you.”