Warren released Kiara’s hand, but he could have held it forever. That’s what he knew. She’d become important to him in only a couple of days, even critical to his happiness.
But from the time he’d become alpha to the Caldion Pack, his life had ceased to belong to him. Every decision he made had to be right for his wolves. Where Kiara fit into his future, he wasn’t sure. For now, though, they had a wizard and a bad wolf to put down.
He shifted his gaze back to Fergus, ready to get on with the night’s work. But Fergus wore a broad grin and a knowing light in his eye. Warren could read his thoughts. He chose, however, not to rise to the bait of Fergus’s idiotic expression. Even Mary offered him a scathing look, but it did no good. Fergus kept on grinning.
Warren ignored him as he turned back to the compound plans. It had been decided to leave the Caldion troops out of the action, which might work in their favor. Fergus’s wolves were being ignored by Julio but were as fit for combat as Warren’s. Both packs engaged in sand pit battles for practice.
They would wear full warrior gear which included coms. Fergus would be able to talk to the entire contingent as needed. Warren would reserve his cell for Fergus.
When the strategy was set, Fergus and Mary left to return to the Gordion compound. Mary would need to be in a protected environment to create her dreamglide which she would use to surveil Julio’s entire set-up as well as the dispersal of his troops. Fergus had built a safe room for Mary for exactly that purpose. Building and piloting a dreamglide would put Mary in a deep, meditative state, which in turn meant she was physically vulnerable.
Warren suited up and checked his com with Fergus. He wore a plate-carrier vest which Fergus had provided for each of them. Warren helped Kiara don hers and adjust the straps. The reality, however, that he’d be taking an untrained soldier into battle gave him pause once more. This wasn’t fair to Kiara. She wasn’t a warrior. Beyond that, he wasn’t sure he could handle it if anything happened to her.
“Hey. Stop worrying. This is my choice, Handsome. Whatever happens, this isn’t on you, it’s on me. Got it?”
She looked stern and serious.
“Did you read my mind just now?”
She smiled. “I definitely don’t have that kind of ability. But over the past few weeks, watching you as I have, I’ve come to know the signs of your fretting.” She reached up and pressed her finger between his brows. “This is your main tell.”
He chuckled as he cinched the strap at her waist.
She patted the front of her vest. “This is heavy.”
“It’s supposed to be.”
“Right.”
She wore jeans, running shoes and a light blue t-shirt. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She looked more like a kid playing dress-up-in-army-gear than a warrior. Was he out of his mind?
“Stop it.” She put a hand to her head. “Dammit, Warren, I can feel how much you don’t trust me in this situation and your concerns are battering my head. So, let me just say,” she planted her hand on the center of his vest, “I can do this. I went with you to Ralph’s club, I held my own at Julio’s compound and because there’s a wizard involved, I need to be there right
now or Fergus will lose his wolves to Julio and Glissane.”
He gripped her upper arms. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He was practically shouting at her.
For a few seconds, she stared back at him. He had no idea what she was thinking, but after a moment he sensed she’d come to a decision. “There’s something you need to remember.”
“What?” Still, more bark than a respectful question. His brow hurt it was pinched so tight, but he released her arms. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what she had to say.
“I’m prepared to die, if necessary, to do what I can to stop these psychopaths. Just. Like. You.”
Air rushed into his lungs in a stiff gasp. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fingers along the grooves of his forehead. “Okay. Okay.”
He had to let go of his fears for her safety.
But here was the hard truth: She’d become damn important to him.
With that, he opened his eyes and said the only thing he could in the face of her sacrifice and courage, “Let’s go.”
He took her from the safety of the refuge, past the security spell and into the air.
~ ~ ~
Secure within her invisibility shield, Kiara hovered with Warren at the north end of the El Lobo Grande compound overlooking the parking lot. Fergus’s troops had the front door off its hinges and were making a slow progress into the hall. The rat-a-tat of AR-15s popped in the air from all directions. Fergus’s wolves had laid siege to the compound and were making steady progress.
“Any sign of Julio?”