Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“I’m going to throw up on you.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he said, taking a step closer.
Her legs trembled, her heart hammering. She tried to steel herself, but his size and strength loomed over her like a shadow. At six foot seven, the trained soldier could crush her. She needed a plan, and she needed it fast. “You know Vero’s going to kill you, right?” she asked, her voice rising as panic seeped in.
He snorted. “Vero should be puking his guts out by now. But even if he isn’t, he has no clue it’s me. I could take him from behind so fast—”
“No, you can’t,” she interrupted, hoping her mating allergy had kicked in already. “He’ll destroy you.”
Lukas’s jaw tightened. “Then we’ll make sure he doesn’t get the chance.”
He lunged for her. Before his hands could reach her, the front door exploded inward, splintering in all directions. Lyrica stumbled back, her breath caught in her chest. Lukas spun, but Vero was already on him. He grabbed the traitor by the neck and flung him face-first into the fire. Lukas screamed, his voice high and piercing as flames licked at his skin.
“Are you okay?” Vero asked over the sound of burning flesh. His black eyes, rimmed with the faintest touch of blue, locked on hers.
She nodded, trembling. “Yeah. Bruised, but I’m fine. Is Jonathan—”
“Not great,” Vero interrupted, pressing Lukas harder into the flames. The smell of scorched flesh filled the room, acrid and suffocating.
The smell nearly dropped her to her knees. “Vero,” she shouted. “You can’t—”
“Oh, he’s going to die,” Vero said coldly. “But not yet. He’s going to answer a lot of questions first.” With one sharp yank, he pulled the unconscious soldier out of the fire and dropped him to the ground. “Don’t look.”
Lyrica swallowed hard and forced her gaze away.
“Go wait in my UTV,” Vero ordered. His tone left no room for argument.
Her legs shook. “Vero, don’t—”
“Now.”
The raw command in his voice propelled her outside. The freezing wind bit into her cheeks as she reached the UTV, the hum of its engine a small comfort in the oppressive quiet. She climbed inside and gripped the heated seat, her entire body shaking.
It was half an hour before Vero emerged. His hands were burned red and raw, his expression grim. He climbed into the driver’s seat, silent and seething.
“What did you do?” she whispered.
“Exactly what needed to be done,” he said, peeling away from the cabin.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Vero finished giving instructions to Maeve as she stood guard at the front door, flanked by two other heavily armed mates. Her expression remained calm, but her posture appeared battle-ready. “You good?” he asked.
“Not a problem,” Maeve replied, her Irish lilt softening the steel in her tone as she adjusted the grip on her green gun. “We’ll be rotating every two hours, so we will. Everyone’ll get a bit of sleep. Don’t you be worryin’, Vero. We’ve got this, and soon Ralstad and the rest will be okay. They’re too strong and stubborn to be otherwise.”
Vero nodded, grateful for her confidence. He glanced around the main room of the lodge, now stripped of its usual furniture. Rows of sleeping bags blanketed the floor, providing a makeshift barracks for the females who had sought refuge. Half would rest while the other half kept watch, paired strategically with trained mates interspersed among the untrained humans.
It was a solid plan. Many of the Kurjan mates had chosen to stay in their fortified homes, and since most of them were well trained and well armed, he had agreed. There wasn’t enough room in the lodge for everyone anyway.
Silas hovered at the back door, scanning the snowy expanse with a soldier’s vigilance. Vero made his way over, noting the tension in the ill male’s shoulders. “You need sleep,” Vero said. “You haven’t slept in twenty-four hours.”
“I’m afraid I have. I fell asleep a few times, and the females took point. Some of these mates would make excellent soldiers,” Silas shot back, his tone grim.
That was something to consider, if any of them wanted the job. “Thank you. I know you’re ill.”
Silas nodded. “Have you spoken with Paxton?”
A mild relief filtered through Vero. For now. “Yes. The Realm has circled the perimeter. No one’s getting in. Their satellites—and ours, now that they’re fully operational—don’t show any forces heading our way. So if there’s danger, it’s from the virus or infection.”
Silas’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Good.”
Vero took a deep breath. “Also, the Realm picked up Laker, the other traitor, right outside our perimeter.”
“Excellent.”
Vero needed coffee. A lot of it. “He put up a fight, though.”
“How bad of a fight?”
“He doesn’t have his head anymore.” Vero couldn’t feel bad about that.
Silas scrubbed both hands down his face, a weary sigh escaping his lips. “Well, all right then. Is the summit going to happen tomorrow night?”