Take a deep breath in, and then squeeze the trigger as you release it, she advised the other girl at the same time she told Liam, “Charge the gates. I’ll shoot anyone who gets in our way.” She then relayed the message to Talley in the other vehicle. Less than five minutes and at least two dead guards later, the Alpha Pack charged through the front door just as Scout’s connection to Lizzie was cut off completely.
Pack Safe House, Bristol, England, UK
10 Hours After Rescue
Charlie stood in the doorway of the room where Lizzie slept thanks to a ton of medication being shot into her veins. It hurt to look at her. Her face was in shreds and bruises marred her pale flesh almost everywhere. The handprints on her neck were the most upsetting of all. Alistair Halifax hadn’t been messing around when he’d wrapped his fingers around her throat. He’d meant to kill her.
“You do realize standing around watching people sleep is something only creepy weirdos do, right?”
“I’ve got guard duty,” Charlie said, coming further into the room so he could clearly see his nephew, who was currently spooned around Lizzie. “I just wanted to make sure you guys are okay.”
“We’re alive and free.” Layne extracted himself from Lizzie and sat up on the corner of the bed. She made a sound of distress in her throat and Layne smoothed a hand over her hair to calm her. “A couple of hours ago, I wasn’t sure about either of those things, so all things considered, we’re great.”
“Layne, I—” Charlie stopped and cleared his throat. “I’m proud of you. And I know if your dad were here, he would be too. He, ummm…” He wasn’t going to cry. Not again. He’d done enough of that for one day. “Toby loved you more than anything, and I know he would be so proud of the man you’ve become.”
“Don’t.” Layne’s mouth was set in a hard line, and in that moment he looked so much like Charlie’s older brother it was like a blow to the stomach. “I let them use her. I left us in there for months. Months, Charlie. The only reason we got out is because of her. She’s the brave one. She’s the hero. I’m the asshole who didn’t do a good enough job of protecting the person he loves.”
Charlie wanted to dismiss Layne’s feelings for Lizzie as a young boy’s crush, but one look at his nephew’s eyes said this wasn’t some fleeting emotion. He supposed it was time to stop thinking of Layne as a kid and realize he was finally growing up and becoming the man he was always meant to be.
“You did what you could. You survived.” Charlie knew more than anyone that sometimes survival was the most difficult part of all. “And I saw what you did in there today. You protected all of them when it mattered. You got them out alive. You’re their hero. I wouldn’t be surprised if that little girl doesn’t think of you as a god.”
“It wasn’t enough.”
Self-doubt was another thing Charlie knew better than most, so instead of trying to convince Layne of something he would only believe when he was ready, he said, “Well, it was enough for Liam. He’s inducting you as a Stratego at the next Hustings.”
Charlie tried not to laugh at the look of shock on Layne’s face. Really, he did.
“Are you serious?”
“No, it’s a funny joke I made up just now.” He lowered himself into the straight-backed wooden chair at the edge of the bed. “Of course I’m serious. It’s Liam. He knows a good thing when he sees it, and a Hagan Shifter is always a good thing.”
Layne held out his fist and Charlie tapped it with his own.
“Stratego,” he said after a long minute. “I’m too young. He should make me a Taxiahro first.”
Charlie leaned the chair back onto two legs. “You’re not that young. Jase and I weren’t but a year or two older when we became Strategos. You’ve grown up in the Alpha Pack, are one of the most dominant coyote Shifters I’ve ever met, including Jase, and you’ve already chosen a mate. You’re ready.”
Layne looked down at Lizzie and brushed strands of bright orange-red hair away from her face. “How did you know?” he asked, his heart in his voice.
“Well, for one I’ve got working eyeballs. And for another, I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to love someone with everything you have.” One side of Charlie’s mouth kicked up. He was happy Layne and Lizzie had found the same thing he had with Maggie. “When did it happen?”
“Falling in love with her?” Layne shrugged. “The moment I met her? Before? I think I might have been born loving her and just didn’t know it until we met and my heart recognized its other half.”
“You’ve loved her… always? Like this whole time?”
“Forever.”
“Even when the two of you were constantly at each other’s throats?”
“I didn’t say we haven’t had our issues,” Layne said, his smile not the least bit rueful, and Charlie laughed.
“You are such a Hagan.”
Layne instantly turned somber, something glistening in his eyes. “There isn’t any family I would rather claim,” he said, and then the two were hugging, neither trying to hide the tears streaming from their eyes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To all the teenagers who have been a part of my YAAP and served as Beta Fish, thank you. Without your love, support, and general awesomeness, none of these books would have ever existed. A special thanks to Claire, Tory, Samantha, Amy, Tessa, Emily, and Kathryn for fishing Whispered Visions.
To Victoria Faye, who is not only the best cover designer in the business, but a genuinely wonderful human being, thank you for giving my books a face and being my friends.
To Gwen Hayes, whose insights have made this book so much better than I could have done on my own, thank you for your encouragement, gentle prods, and vast amounts of knowledge.
To Leslie Mitchell, thanks for reaching out to me all those years ago and for your eagle eye.
To my family and friends, thank you for all the love, support, and food you’ve give me over the years.
And last, but not least, thank you to my readers, especially my Alpha Pack, for loving these books and characters. I appreciate you more than you will ever know.
About the Author
Tammy Blackwell is the author of the bestselling Timber Wolves and Shifters & Seers series. She lives in a small Kentucky town where she is a librarian, mother, and Joss Whedon fan. You can often find her wasting time on Twitter (@Miss_Tammy) and Tumblr (MissTammyWrites). Visit her online at www.misstammywrites.com or email her at [email protected].
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