Her regret filled the car as we drove. That the boy winced every time he moved wasn’t helping. However, physically, Isabelle seemed better. She was alert and looking out the window at the fields we passed.
“I apologize,” Winifred said suddenly.
“For what?” Isabelle asked.
“For preventing Carlos from helping you.”
Since I was still in the front, instead of the back where I belonged, I couldn’t see her expression. However, the subtle change in her scent hinted at annoyance.
“So, what exactly are you guys?” Isabelle asked, surprising me.
Is she ready to know? I sent Winifred.
Winifred smiled slightly.
If she’s asking, I think she is.
“I think you know. My name is Winifred Lewis, by the way.”
“I’m Isabelle. Why did you come for me?”
“Bethi can probably explain better than I can. However, according to what she has told us, you are one of six women with special abilities. There is a group—Bethi called them Urbat—that is trying to find you all. Their leader held Michelle, one of the young women riding in the car behind us, for a time. And, according to Bethi, he has the last one of you with him.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t really answer my question. Why did you come for me?”
“Bethi said we needed to protect you.”
Isabelle’s scent soured with suspicion.
“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked.
“We need your help.”
There was a small movement in the backseat.
“Where are we going?” the boy asked.
“A friend has a place about an hour from here.”
Although we’d fled the Compound, those living in the human world had remained there. Finding homes to stay at wasn’t a problem. Any werewolf, pack or forlorn, would give up their home to help, once Winifred explained our purpose.
“Gabby has been watching the area,” Winifred continued, “and thinks we should be okay there for a few hours. Bethi will want to talk to you.”
They shared a look, Winifred sent me. I wish I knew what they were thinking.
If he originally wanted a thirty-minute stop and we only gave them ten, I would guess that she needs to fight more. Talking to Bethi may need to wait, I sent her.
“Did anyone happen to grab our bags from the other car?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, no,” Winifred said.
What happened to the other car and the bodies?
I called the police back home to report it stolen. I said I was out of town with friends and checked the security footage and noticed the gate and garage open. One of our own helped with that. I’m sure someone has called local police by now. Hopefully, reporting the car stolen will clear me of any wrong doing.
It would clear her but likely implicate Isabelle and the boy if they had any identifiable items in their bags. Our troubles were compounding.
After that, we remained quiet until we pulled up to the property that Winifred had mentioned. The house was small, but there was a large barn not far from it. The structure was built into a hill, and the double door entrance was at the top.
“Oh, yeah,” Isabelle said softly.
As soon as Winifred stopped the car, Isabelle opened her door and was out. I watched the boy scramble after her. He was in rough shape.
“I’ll be in the barn for an hour,” Isabelle said over her shoulder.
“We need to talk first,” Winifred said.
Isabelle stopped and turned back to Winifred.
“No. There’s no way I can sit in a room with a bunch of people right now,” she said, proving my suspicion correct.
Jim pulled to a stop beside us and Bethi jumped out.
“It’s okay, Winifred. Let her go,” she said.
Isabelle arched a brow as she turned and marched to the barn. She pushed one of the doors open and stepped inside.
“I’m going to go watch.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Winifred asked.
“Yes. I need to learn.”
She didn’t try to stop me.
Isabelle’s voice floated to me as I neared.
“I’m not lifting a fist until I see what I did to you the last time.”
I stopped just outside the doors and watched the boy remove his shirt. She studied the dark bruises already covering his right shoulder. Her gaze dropped to the floor, and he moved closer to her. I didn’t like watching them together, but knew better than to interrupt again. I needed to understand her.
“It’s the price we pay,” he said softly, touching her cheek. “You know that.”
I could see the love for her in his eyes and smell it on his skin. She, however, reeked of only guilt. I didn’t like that she felt guilty; but, in this case, that emotion was preferable to anything else.
“No, it’s the price I should pay. Not you.”
She looked up at him, and jealousy clawed the wall in my mind at the compassion in her gaze.
“None of that.” He took a step back and brought both hands up. “Let’s go.”
She sighed.
“Fine.”
They started out again in a slow rhythm. Even then, he wasn’t moving fast enough for her, and she landed a hit that made him wince. Good.
“Ethan,” she said, stopping. “This isn’t working. You’re blocking too slow.”
“Sorry.”
“S’okay.”
It looked anything but okay. She smelled like frustration, and he smelled like worry. They both knew she needed to fight.
The boy looked at me. Isabelle followed his gaze and frowned.
“Hey, big and broody. Come here.”
The boy obviously respected nothing and did not value his life. Yet, Isabelle smirked at his words.
I stepped inside and waited to hear what he had to say.
“My shoulder’s not going to cut it. I need you to step in.”
My skin tingled at the idea. Just her and me. Finally.
“But there are a few rules.” As he spoke, he walked around Isabelle. “You can’t take it easy on her. Ever. Got it?”
I looked from him to Isabelle. Neither understood what they were asking. Of course I would go easy on her. Always. But, that didn’t mean I couldn’t still help her like they both wanted. So, I nodded.
“This isn’t a fight. This is a spar. A very fast, very intense spar. The goal isn’t to hurt one another.”
I nodded again, and she turned to grin at the boy.
“And no aiming for her face. She doesn’t look good with bruises.”
She didn’t. I never wanted to see a bruise on her again. Those fights were in her past. She wouldn’t need to resort to them anymore.
The boy looked at her with a grin.
“Go get him,” he said.
Then he slapped her butt.
I could only tolerate so much, and he’d handled my Mate enough. With a blur of speed, I was across the room and had him in the air with my hand around the boy’s already bruised throat. His hands flew to the fingers squeezing the oxygen from him.
“You son of a…”
Suddenly Isabelle was hammering my back with kidney punches. I dropped the boy and turned to her. She caught me in the throat with a punch and brought me to my knees. I wheezed for air and looked up as she danced back a few steps. She kicked me in the face three times in rapid succession. I could have lifted a hand to block her. Instead, I let her have her revenge. Whether I wanted him to or not, the boy meant something to her, and this was her way of letting me know I couldn’t touch him. No matter what. The third kick knocked me over. She jumped on top of me, straddling my chest, and drew back, ready to lay into me some more.
“Girl, that’s enough,” Grey said from the door. “He’s not fighting back. He won’t.”
I don’t mind, I sent him. The feel of her thighs hugging around my chest more than made up for any blow.
This is no way to start a relationship, son. You need to set some boundaries before she clips your baby maker.
He had a point.
Isabelle hesitated and looked at Grey. The move shifted her weight bringing better contact. I moved slightly so her bottom rested more fully on me. My eyes almost rolled back at the sensation.
She looked down at me as a spike of guilt colored her scent.
“No one touches Ethan. Ever. Got me?” She punctuated her words with a poke to my chest.
I nodded slowly, and she rose and stepped away from me. She glanced at the boy, who was still sitting on the ground and rubbing his throat. I stood as he gave her a thumbs-up. She gave me a flat look when she turned back to me.
“If he has more bruises from that, I’m coming after you.”
I hoped he had bruises.
“I will let everyone know Ethan’s under your protection,” Grey said. “Though, we’re all family here, so I don’t think that’s even necessary.”
“Really?” she said. “Was that an example of how your family treats each other? Some family.”
“Carlos misunderstood the situation when the boy patted your backside.”
I didn’t misunderstand a thing. She’s mine, not his.
They don’t know that yet.
She glanced at me.
“Ethan knows me. He knows my limits and what I need. There are no situations to misunderstand because when it comes to Ethan, he’s none of your business… unless he’s giving you advice about what not to do around me. Then, you might want to listen. He’s trying to save your lives.”
“I think they get the idea,” the boy said.
Do you? Grey sent me.
Yes. It doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate him touching her ass again, though.
Didn’t think so.
She turned to look at the boy once more. He grinned at her and lifted his neck a little. I realized he wanted her to see the new marks I’d made. He wanted her mad when fighting me.
And it seemed to work because when she turned to me, she glared.
“We sparring or not?” she said.