“What happened to your parents—to the three of them?”
“Oh. They retired. They bought a private island in the Caribbean and live happily together. Mom says they spend most of their days naked on the beach.” He shuddered. “She loves telling me and Grant about things we don’t want to know about our parents.”
Roxie laughed. “She sounds awesome.”
“She’ll like you,” said Jack.
“Maybe.” Roxie still wasn’t convinced mating the Earth Pack alphas was the right thing to do—for any of them. She liked Jack. They had serious sparks together. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Grant, but she suspected bedding him would be spectacular. And having the two of them together? God, a werewolf could melt from that kind of ecstasy.
Whew.
Bing. Bing. Bing.
“What’s that?” asked Roxie.
“Phone,” said Jack. He rolled into a sitting position, got up, and went to the bathroom. He returned with his cell. “It’s Grant,” he said, placing the device to his ear. “Hey, dude.”
Roxie watched Jack’s face go from relaxed to furious. “Where is he?” He listened for a few seconds. “Fine. We’ll see you in ten minutes.”
Her heart started to pound. She sat up; her worried gaze snagged Jack’s. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“That was Sara from the Blood Pack. They’ve got Grant.” Jack tossed the phone onto the night stand and stomped to the closet. “I told him to gather information, not to engage with them. He’s so goddamned stubborn.”
Roxie got dressed, matching Jack’s speed. Oh, crap. Crap! She knew something like this was going to happen. Nothing she touched—no one she cared about—could escape the taint of her Blood Pack heritage.
“We need to go.” Jack grabbed her hand, and they hurried to the suite’s door. She tugged on him, and he paused. The muscle in his jaw ticked as he stared at her.
She swallowed the sudden knot in her throat. “What are we doing?” she asked. “What’s the plan?”
“Oh, it’s pretty fucking simple.” He pulled her close, keeping her wrist snared in his hand. “The only way to make sure Grant stays alive is to give them … you.”
4
“I SHOULD’VE NEVER gotten you and Grant involved,” said Roxie. “This sucks.”
“Don’t worry,” reassured Jack as they hurried down the hotel hallway. “We’ll figure out a way to get Grant back.”
“We already have a way,” said Roxie. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait for an elevator. The sleek metal doors slid open immediately. They hustled inside and Jack punched the Lobby button. The elevator began to descend.
“I’m not handing over you,” said Jack. “You’re our mate.”
“Not yet,” said Roxie. “Look, the Blood Pack doesn’t mess around. My mom’s a little nutballs, especially after Cody bailed. The only way to make sure Grant stays safe is if I go home and take my medicine.”
“No.”
The doors opened and they strode into the lobby. Like most Las Vegas resorts, the lobby was pure luxury, from the marble floors, to the skyscraper ceilings to the over-the-top décor. The only difference between the Drift Resort and other hotel-casinos was that most of the staff and the guests were shifters.
“Where do we meet them?” asked Roxie.
“The parking lot.” The lot was attached to the hotel on the side, and like most Vegas parking lots, it was a huge tower of concrete and blacktop.
Her stomach felt like she’d swallowed stones. Dread clutched at her. She would never forgive herself if Grant got hurt because of her. She knew better than to bring in outsiders, even if they were wolf shifters, to Blood Pack business.
“Grant!” Jack’s surprised voice jolted Roxie out of her thoughts. She looked around the crowded lobby and within seconds saw Grant striding toward them—without Sara or any Blood Pack members in tow. He had cuts and bruises on his face, but they were fading fast, thanks to the healing prowess of shifters. Still, it looked like he’d taken quite the beating.
He joined them, his expression pure pissed-off.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Fuckers caught me, that’s what.”
“I told you not to engage with them,” said Jack. The relief in his voice belied the censure of his words.
“They cornered me.”
“Wait a minute. How did they know you were with me?” asked Roxie.
“They saw Jack with you. Made inquiries. Figured out he was Earth Pack co-alpha, and then it was just a matter of tracking one of us down.” He clenched his jaw. “They held me hostage in some piece of shit car.”
She reached out and grabbed his arm. “I’m glad you got away. How many of them did you kill?”