Moving Day

ALLIE

The next day, James and I rise late. We spent all night making love, and although I’m tired, I feel utterly exhilarated. Nothing can compare to the way I feel about him.

I could spend the next week in bed with him. I never want to leave.

We don’t have that luxury, though. Not with the pack in danger, with Ryan threatening to destroy us all.

I have to drive into Linton. Clara and another of the pack warriors are going to escort me into Linton to pick up my old housemates.

James feels that it’s too dangerous now for me to travel with only one bodyguard. He’d rather I didn’t travel at all, but I refuse to give in to him on this one.

I need to bring them back to the pack as quickly as possible, before Ryan launches his next attack and before Danielle has a chance to change her mind.

I’ve already agreed to give up my job at Raffles, so I called Archie this morning to say a proper goodbye. He was understanding about the circumstances, but I hated letting him down.

We took a big van with enough room to store all my housemates’ belongings.

It seems sensible to move everything out of the house they shared, since we don’t know how long they will have to stay with the pack. It could be months before they’re able to return home.

Just as we’re about to drive away, David comes running out of the pack house shouting my name.

“David, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing! I just thought it would be a good idea if I joined you.”

“I’m not sure, David. We just want to get there quickly, pack up the guys’ stuff, and get back here before anyone notices that they’re gone.”

“You’ll be quicker if you have an extra pair of hands to help with the packing. Besides, I can help protect you if Ryan attempts another ambush.”

I start to protest but he interrupts me.

“James would like me to come with you. He doesn’t want to stop you from going but he is worried about you.”

“Okay, you can come, but try your best not to annoy Danielle. She isn’t keen on moving here, and I don’t want you doing something that will make her change her mind.”

“I won’t. I promise. I’ll stand quietly in the background.”

I snort. “Of course you will.” That’s something I’d love to see—David managing to stay quiet for more than five minutes.

He jumps into the van with a big smile on his face, and we take off toward Linton.

The roads are quiet for a change, and I wonder if most of the wolves who were staying here have already left.

Alexander provided James with a list of loners, who he trusts and thinks will agree to move to the Red Moon Pack until Ryan is defeated.

Warriors had collected most of them this morning and were helping them settle into their new quarters.

When we arrive at the house, Adam and Toby are waiting for us outside with their bags, but there’s no sign of Danielle.

“Where is she?”

“Upstairs. She says she has changed her mind about coming,” Toby says apologetically.

“Like hell she has.” I march into the house and up the stairs shouting, “Danielle, get out here now! We are not leaving without you.”

“Well, you’ll have to, because I’m not coming with you,” she shouts back.

“You’re coming even if I have to drag you by the hair,” I fire back. “I’m not leaving you here so that Ryan can get his hands on you.”

I open her bedroom door and find her lying on her bed with her arms folded and a stubborn look on her face.

I’m relieved to see that most of her stuff is packed, which tells me she has only recently changed her mind about coming.

“Look,” I start over in a conciliatory tone. “I know you want to stay here. I know this place is home, but it just isn’t safe at the moment.

“Once James has defeated Ryan, you can come back, and life will return to normal.”

“And how long will that take?” she demands. “Your alpha has been trying to take Ryan down for years without success.

“I could spend years as an unwelcome and unwanted guest of his pack, hated for being a rogue and resented for being a drain on their resources.”

“You won’t,” I insist. “James isn’t like that. You already know that the Red Moon Pack isn’t like that. Heck, even the Silver Fang Pack isn’t nearly as bad as I thought they would be.

“They’ve been really welcoming to me, even though I’m a loner.”

“That’s because you’re James’s mate and their luna. They will never treat you badly. But us, the dregs who have lost our packs, we won’t get that kind of treatment.”

“Yes, you will, because if my being luna means anything, I’m not going to allow them to treat loners that way anymore.”

“You and whose army? Those wolves won’t let you continue to be a friend to a loner like me.”

“They won’t be able to stop her,” someone says from the doorway. “Besides, she will have me to help her.”

I turn around and see David.

“I know you have good reason not to like or trust me, but I swear to you, Danielle, I’ll never let anyone mistreat you again. Come with us, and I’ll help Allie keep you safe.”

She stares at him and I see her begin to weaken.

“Okay, but don’t think this changes anything between us. I still think you’re a spoiled, self-centered ass.”

He grins. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Let’s go, then,” I plead. “The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get you settled into your new accommodation.

“James has made sure that all the loners from Linton are housed close to each other. Our friends will help you settle in.”

“Not ~all~ of our friends. Not everyone was invited, and there were a few who decided not to come. We got together last night to say goodbye.

“A few of them didn’t want to lose their independence, and… Well, a lot of people were angry that Jason had been excluded.”

“What? Jason was excluded? Why?” I look at David to see if he knows, but he shrugs.

“Most people assumed that James had rejected him because he was so opposed to your mating,” Danielle says.

“He wouldn’t do that,” I protest. “He doesn’t feel angry or vindictive toward Jason.”

I’m sure that was true. I hadn’t thought Jason was on his radar at all. I looked to David for support.

“He doesn’t,” David agrees. “Besides, he wasn’t the one who decided which loners were granted sanctuary. He left that up to Alexander.

“James felt that Alexander knew the loners of Linton best, and since he’s been carrying out the investigations into who’s been spying for Ryan, he would know who could be trusted.”

“But Alexander knows Jason, he’s a friend. Why would he not include him? Unless…” The cogs in my brain slowly begin to turn. “Alexander thinks Jason is a traitor!”

“No, he can’t be, not Jason.” Danielle shakes her head.

We hear a loud banging downstairs and the front door slams shut.

Clara shouts up the stairs, “Get down here, now! We have a problem. Ryan has just turned up with a bunch of his warriors.”

“Well, if Jason didn’t betray you and tell Ryan what your plans were, someone else you spoke to last night did. Otherwise, Ryan wouldn’t be here now,” David points out.

And at that moment I realize he’s right.

One of our friends has betrayed us to Ryan.