Page 33 of Stolen

Ariana stared at him. The old man was a misogynist—Hawk had told her as much. It was crazy; people—communities—couldn’t survive without mating, without children, without new generations.

Without love.

But his prejudices didn’t make his vision wrong. Gregor and Boomer’s brother were right—she’d known that from the start, but she had clung to her illusions, her fantasies, that it would somehow all come right.

It wouldn’t. Her brother would destroy the town. And even if they won the battle, some of them would die. Maybe all of them, like Gregor said.

Who was she, to demand that all these people die for her? It was wrong.

Gregor was watching her face. Hawk had said he could see what was in people’s minds, in their hearts. He saw Ariana wavering, saw the belief and knowledge filtering through her.

There was only one right thing to do, and she had to do it. “I’ll go,” she whispered.

“I will take you,” the old wolf said. “I will go with you, all the way, keep you safe until you are back with your brother.”

She could see in his eyes that he knew he might not survive the trip. That his mind was going, that he was dying. But his last thought was to save his people, and the town he’d sworn to protect, in the only way left to him, even if he sacrificed himself.

Ariana tightened her lips, and gave one short nod.

“We need to go now,” she said. “Before Hawk comes back.”

She wanted desperately to find him, to explain to him what she was doing and why. To hold him one more time; to tell him she loved him, that he carried her heart always, until the end of time.

But she couldn’t. She knew he would never let her go.

This was her responsibility. She couldn’t let him die for her. Their love was nothing but a beautiful dream—she should have never dragged him into this.

She checked the combat vest Hawk had insisted she put on, and picked up one of the loaded rifles the men had left ready, with extra ammunition.

Her brother would probably be just as satisfied with her dead as alive, but if her sacrifice was going to mean anything, she had to face him down and make sure that he would spare the town. And Hawk.

That was the only deal she would make.

She left her phone behind, holding down a scrawled note addressed to Hawk. I’m sorry. I went to meet Ricardo. This is the only way.

She followed Gregor as he slipped out the side door, somehow using his mental powers to keep the men on guard from noticing them. They headed down the street to where he’d parked his truck, the claiming mark on her shoulder aching, along with her heart.

Hawk went over Boomer’s defense plan, but he had trouble keeping his mind on it.

He was feeling more and more… uneasy. Not just the usual wound-up anticipation he felt before a battle. Something was churning in his mind, something confused and… not frightened, exactly.

More… paranoid. And not quite sane.

Was he still picking up Ricardo? But it didn’t feel like that. It felt like…

It felt like Gregor. When his mind had been slipping, that day on the Ridge.

Oh, fuck. Was that what was going on up there? Had the alpha finally slipped out of touch with reality? If he had, the pack would be crazed. Gregor had a powerful mind, and every member of the pack was connected to him. If none of them there were strong enough—or sane enough—to break free and take charge, the whole pack could go rogue.

He tried calling the Ridge again. No answer. He texted Gunn. Where are you?

Ten minutes out from the Ridge.

Hawk hesitated, and then texted, Watch out for Gregor. He could be losing it.

He got a one-word answer to that.

Fuck.