The Kill Order

Chapter 16

To this day, I'm not exactly sure why I got in the car. I have a few theories, but none of them quite add up to how I ended up sitting in the passenger seat with someone who clearly loathed me. Hatred wasn't a strong enough word to describe my relationship with Dante.

Sure, he'd said that he wasn't going to hurt me, but I trusted his intentions about as far as I could throw him. Which, given my human strength and his weight of at least three hundred pounds, was probably a grand total of six inches.

I could even have blamed it on my mission. Reconnaissance, or some bullshit like that.

But to be honest, the truth was probably closer to the fact that I needed to do something. Even if that something was something closer to idiocy than genius, even if that something put me in a car with a guy who wanted me dead. At least I wasn't sitting around, waiting for the enemy to come to me.

So, when we pulled up to Mason's house, the sense of relief I felt wasn't just attributed to the knowledge that Mason was inside.

At least, I was pretty sure it wasn't.

Despite the number of cars crowded around Mason's house and street, Dante swerved and parked the Jeep diagonally on the lawn. I raised my eyebrows, but hopped out of the passenger seat without comment. I might have been making poor decisions, but I wasn't suicidal.

Dante reached for my arm as if to drag me inside, but I dodged him and quickly headed for the front door. I flung it open before he could reach me.

I had anticipated a huge number of people inside, but the sheer number of people made me step back. Of course, there was nowhere to go, and with Dante pressing at my back, I entered Mason's house.

The crowd parted and silenced as I walked through the living room. I grit my teeth, willing the experience to be over. It was my first day at the Academy all over again, but this time, I was better prepared.

I was a Special Agent of the FBI, and I was going to keep my head up and act like one.

Mason shouldered his way through some of the bizarre receiving line. The relief on his face made my stomach twist, and not in an entirely unpleasant way.

"Aris," my name sounded like a prayer, and before I could blink his arms were around me. "I was so worried. Why didn't you answer?"

I wiggled uncomfortably. "Broke my phone. What's up with all the people?"

Dante's deep voice answered with a bellow. "I called them to witness. It's time to cut the bullshit, Mason. You ain't been an effective leader since you met this bitch."

Mason moved in front of me abruptly. I sucked in a breath; I wasn't sure I would ever get over seeing his supernatural abilities. Like it matters. What chance have we got of making it out of here alive? My palms itched to reach for my gun.

I glanced to my right, noticing Montana slink out of the crowd. She gave me a wink and a grin before settling just in my shadow.

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world," I mumbled, giving Montana a half smile. She mouthed back damn straight before returning her attention to the scene before us.

Montana's appearance distracted me from whatever Mason had replied to Dante's taunt, but I tuned back in to hear the real problem.

"I challenge you for leadership of this pack."

--

Montana's expression was murderous, but Mason was still unreasonably focused on me considering the circumstances. We'd retreated to the kitchen for some privacy, and the only information I had about this so-called challenge was that it would happen in a few days.