“Thanks again. There’s plenty of food if you get hungry so help yourself.”

“I appreciate that.” He left fast, closing the door firmly behind him.

Jadee sighed. It figured that she’d finally found a guy she was interested in and he wasn’t a type she could get involved with. He sometimes had a tail, claws, and he turned into some scary beast-looking thing when he shifted. His pack was also anti-human. Life just wasn’t fair.

* * * * *

Lavos located two of the cars in a ravine and managed to push them into the river before assistance arrived. Lorn found him first. His brother strode toward him quickly with a grim expression.

“Kar filled me in. Where is the human?”

“Sleeping inside the motor home. It’s about a mile to the south.”

“She’s a risk. Kar said she’s immune to you. Let me try to wipe her mind.”

Lorn was stronger than him. He debated it. His brother wouldn’t hurt Jadee…but did he want her to forget all about him?

The answer came fast. “No. Leave her be.”

“It’s too dangerous. She knows too much. Kar told me everything, Lavos—including the fact that you seem to be attracted to her. He thinks your reasoning is compromised.”

He felt a little betrayed that Kar had shared that with his brother, but Lorn was their clan leader. Part of Kar’s job was being honest. He couldn’t fault him for that. “She knows enough to keep herself safe when she returns to her normal life.”

“Damn it, Lavos. What are you thinking?”

“She’s different, Lorn. Special. I trust her.”

“I don’t.”

“You owe me.” His temper flared. “I helped you protect Kira.”

“She was raised with us and I love her. This human is irrelevant when it comes to safeguarding our people.”

Lavos stepped closer. “Don’t do this. Don’t be like him. You’re channeling our father. You don’t know Jadee. She’s brave and smart.” He reached up and almost ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, then saw how dirty they’d become. He brushed his palm over the sweatpants he’d borrowed instead. “I like her, Lorn. Yes, I am attracted to her, but I’m not planning on trying to take her to bed. It can’t work out. I just want to see her go free. She’s got spirit and spunk. You’d like her too if you got to know her. She reminds me of Kira.”

“Damn.” Lorn’s expression softened. “That’s low, comparing this human to my mate.”

“But effective.” Lavos relaxed.

Worry creased Lorn’s features. “Is she…you know?”

He masked his features to hide his emotions. “My mate? I’m not testing her blood to see. I won’t even kiss her.”

“It’s just that—”

Lavos cut him off. “I already know. Let me save you the trouble. I’m not Veso. He’d already made enemies as soon as they realized he wasn’t loyal to Decker, so him taking a human mate wasn’t much worse in the clan’s eyes. He’s also antisocial. I’m your lead enforcer. Having a human mate would stir the shit with the clan in a massive way because they’d have to deal with her all the time. I doubt Veso will even allow Glen out of his cabin unless he’s ordered by you to bring her in.”

“Our people need more time. I’m balancing a fine line of trying to ease them into a new way of living but I don’t want to break their minds in the process.”

“You’re a good leader, Lorn. You’re thinking about your clan. Don’t look so torn up. I just like her. I do have to tell you that she thinks we’re Werewolves. I didn’t correct her.”

“Do you honestly believe she won’t reveal anything?”

“She’s not going to tell anyone what happened. She’s seen too much. That’s why I’m so certain I can trust her. She never wants to cross paths with anything nonhuman again. It will help keep her safe if anything ever goes after her. I want her to live, damn it.”

“Fine. I’m surprised you didn’t hustle her out of here before we arrived.”

“I tried. She came to visit her father in a rental but it was in a wreck when that last soldier attacked. Can you have Digger come out here to get the motor home up and running? There’s oil all over the ground under it. It looks as if the soldiers tore open the oil pan and probably fucked up some wiring. She can drive that home.”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.”

Lorn glanced around. “What a mess. Kar said the master wasn’t found.”

“He already fled. We have a description of him though.”

“I’m going to have to assign some enforcers to track him down. He’s long gone from this area if he’s intelligent and not totally insane.”

“I agree. You could send me.”

Lorn scowled. “No.”

“You don’t think I can handle one moron? I’ve been out in the human world before.”

“I think it would give you an excuse to spend more time with this human you’ve grown an attachment to. I’ll call a council meeting between the clans to give them an amended version of what happened and they can decide who to send after this son of a bitch, to make certain it never happens again. It affects us all.”

“Don’t tell them the truth about Jadee.”

“Like I’m a moron.” Lorn snorted. “That’s why I said amended. They might assign someone to go silence her for good if I told them everything.”

“I knew I could count on you.”

“You knew comparing her to Kira would work.”

“Guilty.”

“Are you sure you can trust her?”

Lavos didn’t have to think about it. “Stop worrying so much. Yes.”

“Fine. I’m going to want to meet her though, and I’ll tell everyone that I was able to wipe her mind. Kar might slip up at some point. He’s got a mouth on him when he wants to impress women. This way our bases are covered. She’ll be safe from reprisals.”

“Thank you—but don’t mess with her head.”

“I give you my word.”

“I appreciate it.”

Lorn glanced around again. “What a damn headache. We have the death toll at almost three dozen in all. I brought ten of our clan with me and we located a few cars that they probably lured into pulling off the highway to attack the drivers.”