Enthralled: Tainted Book Four

23. High Price

Kerry

The cramped delivery van rattled like a tin can, every bump jarring me against the cold metal walls. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and excitement, mixed with the oily scent of the van itself. I squeezed myself against the wall, trying to find a sliver of personal space, but couldn't shake the feeling of being smothered. It felt like being stuck in a can of sardines, and I wasn't happy at all.

There were too many people who were too close to me.

As if sensing what was wrong, my new buddy, Sid, wormed his way over and pressed his bulk against me, and his brothers came with him until they surrounded me. I loved dogs; they were loyal and straightforward. I knew werewolves were much more than dogs—each one was a mass of sinew and power and moon magic—but their warm bodies gave me comfort just the same.

I leaned into them, sinking my hands into their thick, soft fur. The feeling of being suffocated wasn't so bad when I did that, and I was able to hear the engine and the steady thump of the tires against the road again.

The big white wolf among them crowded against the wall next to me, obviously as uncomfortable with the tight quarters as I was. I didn't try to touch him, though. As we were piling into these delivery van, I'd held a fist out to him to smell, but a frantic head shake from Luna Posy made me drop my hand, and one look in his golden eyes told me all I needed to know. The one called Quartz, Alpha Jayden's wolf, was just like me.

Not people friendly.

A low almost-purr came from my left, and I looked at the gray and white wolf, his golden eyes shining in the dim light as he stared back at me with his tongue hanging out. Granite, Alpha Wyatt's wolf. The one who was gonna find my girl, who'd promised to focus solely on getting my angel outta there, and I gave him a tiny smile, just a flick of my lips. My heart sped up with a mix of excitement and anxiety, hopeful he'd find her, but mostly dreading he wouldn't.

I knew how my luck ran.

As the van took a sharp turn, the wolves shifted, muscles tightening like springs. Then, outta nowhere, the van slammed to a stop, throwing us all forward. I managed to stay on my feet, thanks to the wolves, and a mix of growls and cursing and grumbling broke out around me.

"Sorry about that." Spin peered around from the driver's seat with a devil-may-care grin. "Brakes on this thing are touchier than I anticipated."

"I knew I shoulda drove," I muttered.

With a husky rumble that coulda been a chuckle, Topaz, Alpha Cole's brown wolf, pressed harder against me, as if to say, "Then you couldn't pet us," and I had to admit, putting up with Spin's lousy driving was bearable for that reason alone.

#

Mira

The freight entrance loomed ahead, a big steel slab that probably thought it was a fortress.

Cute.

At my touch, it turn into nothing more than a snack wrapper. Hank gave me a nod, his archer stance cool and ready, like we were about to waltz into an arena and start picking off targets for fun.

And I mean, sure, it was gonna be fun.

Just that deadly, on-the-edge kinda fun where lots of things died.

"All right, Mira," I whispered to myself. "One floor at a time. Get in, sweep 'em, and clear it for the big guns."

Prince Aero slipped in first, fingers practically sparking as he short-circuited the cameras. They'd never know we were here. Hank stayed back, giving us cover as we slipped down a long, dim hall toward the hidden elevator.