Chapter 274


    LEAH


    1


    I’m sitting in the library, reading a book to Ethan, who is rolling around on the nket I’ve spread in


    front of the hearth, when Jameses to find me.


    “Leah, I think I’ve got something you should see.”


    “Okay,” I reply, wondering if it’s something to do with tracking Karolina’s movements.


    James has been in the office all day, along with one of the wolves who runs and maintains all the


    pack’s servers and various online


    activities.


    Just as I’d hoped, Leo was able to hack the GPS in both Karolina’s car and phone, and we’ve been


    tracking her ever since.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I call Tara up to watch over Ethan, and then follow James down to the office where Leo has an


    impressive back ofputers newly set up and is somehow working off four different screens.


    “This is about Karolina?” I ask as I stop next to James looking at all the information disyed, most of


    which I don’t understand.


    “Yep,” James says with a nod. “Since we’ve started tracking her, she’s mostly been between her pack


    but just now, she’s gone somewherepletely out of left field.”


    “How so?” I ask, ncing between James and Leo where he’s tapping away at theputer.


    “She’s gone outside of any pack territory at all,” Leo says, pointing to a map on one of the screens


    showing two shing red dots.


    “Like…into human territory?” I say in confusion.


    Most of Montana is drawn up into packnds that obviously ovep with human upation, even


    though the humans don’t know it. But there are some ces not imed by wolves, and where any


    wolf very rarely ventures because they’re known to be violent or unfriendly ces, even for the humans


    to live there.


    Worse, some of those territories are where Vampires live, who hate wolves and will kill us, if given half


    a chance.


    “Yes,” James says. “She stopped at some house. Leo looked up the records. The person who owned it


    died years ago and it was left abandoned. Now it’spletely run down, and that’s saying something


    considering the neighborhood it’s in has seen better days. Whatever she’s doing, she obviously wants


    it off the Council’s radar. She wants it off everyone’s radar.”


    “What if that’s where she’s keeping the AI?” I ask excitedly.


    James presses his lips into a line. “I knew you were going to say that.”


    “Well, what else could it be?” I demand. “James, we have to go check this out.”


    James huffs a resigned sigh. “I knew you were going to say that too.”


    I cross my arms. “Then why are we even standing here having this conversation?”


    “Because this is no joke, Leah. This neighborhood is dangerous. It’s not the sort of ce wolves should


    venture. If Aaron was here, there’s no way he’d let you go.”


    I get that painful ache in my chest again, the one that’s be so familiar to my every waking


    moment.


    The only thing that changes about it is the intensity.


    “Aaron’s not here,” I say in an even voice, and it amazes me how quickly I’ve gotten used to talking


    about him being gone.


    Doesn’t make it hurt any less.


    And I know that really, Ethan is the only thing keeping me going through these nightmare days. I


    “Karolina is clearly up to something,” I continue, putting a hint of Alpha in my voice that makes both


    James and Leo drop their gazes in submission. “And I intend to find out what that is. With or without


    you, James.”


    James raises his eyes again now, and they’re gleaming with


    “I knew you’d say that too.”


    I can’t help a small smile.


    The two of us havee to know each other so well, James is honestly my best friend in the whole


    world right now. I don’t know what I would have done without him.


    “Good, that settles it then. Have someone bring the SUV


    around.”


    James nods and goes to do my bidding, while I turn to Leo.


    “Thanks for your work on this. I assume it’s not exactly legal, so I appreciate the risk you’re taking.”


    “Anything for you, Luna Leah,” Leo says with a reverent nod. “With Aaron gone, you’ve been doing an


    admirable job at keeping the pack safe and not feeling too lost without our Alpha. We couldn’t have


    asked for a better Luna.”


    “Thank you,” I reply, blinking at the emotion those words rouse.


    To think, a year ago, I never thought I would find my ce here.


    Now I can’t imagine being anywhere else, even with Aaron gone from this world.


    I leave Leo to his work and go get ready, carefully arming myself just the way I know Aaron would


    expect.


    B


    By the time I walk out to meet Ja


    to go into battle…


    A battle to avenge my mate’s deal