Chapter 180

The reinforcements arrived just after midnight. We were sitting in the church when Andrew tore into the room, breathing heavily. He’d been on patrol with Jenna when they caught the scent. A few minutes later, a broad, middle-aged man walked to the church. He was dressed in black fatigues, with several guns at his belt and a long sword strapped to his back.

“General Bukowski,” Nina said, jumping up to meet him.

He shook her hand. “We’ve set up a perimeter around the town, and we’re going to camp out in the woods tonight.” His gaze roved over the small group. His eyes lingered on me and Matt for a moment before flitting away. “We encountered no signs of any Crescent wolves on the way in.”

Nina nodded. “Alright. We should speak.” She gestured for Enzo to follow, then the three of them disappeared into the night.

“Well, it’s bedtime for me,” Fiona said with a yawn.

Everyone else seemed to agree, and we all wandered downstairs.

We had our sleeping bags spread out across the floor of the basement rec room, placed shoulder-to-shoulder. Fiona was on one side of me and Matt on the other. On Fiona’s other side was Jack. All down the line, people went outside to do their business before snuggling down into their sleeping bags.

My father hadn’t wanted to stay here with us. He’d muttered something about the woods, then took off into the night. Apparently, he wasn’t comfortable being around everyone. I didn’t blame him, considering the animosity Jack and a few of the other wolves displayed toward him.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” I whispered.

Matt propped his head up on his elbow. “Our chances probably.”

“That’s uplifting,” Fiona said from my other side, her gaze locked on the ceiling. Jack was sitting up beside her, his arm cradled to his chest.

“Any chance we’re not totally screwed?” Jack hissed.

“Probably not,” Ted called from the other side of the room.

“Great, thanks,” Fiona called back. “That’s really comforting.”

He just chuckled and lay back beside Andrew.

“I still can’t believe you guys found a fridge that actually works,” I said with a snort. Ted and Enzo had hauled it over from one of the houses, setting it up in one of the empty rooms. The generator had it and some of the lights running. At least our food would last for a little while and we didn’t have to creep around in total darkness.

Still, the church had to look abandoned, and this was the only light we could turn on, since it was the only room without any windows.

“I just picked one at random and hoped,” Fiona admitted.

Jack smiled and lay back in his sleeping bag. “Luck of the draw,” he agreed. “Neither of us knows anything about fridges.”

“Or anything else, really,” Matt quipped.

Jack threw him a dirty look but didn’t comment.

“Any chance you guys are going to shut up and let us sleep?” Kelly called, her voice muffled by her pillow.

“Goodnight,” Matt called back, closing his eyes. Someone got up to turn out the light, and I snuggled closer to Matt. A moment later, his arm came around me, tugging me so that my face was tucked up against his chest.

I tried to fall asleep, listening to the sounds of everyone’s breathing as they all somehow managed to drift off, but I felt wide awake. The prospect of everything to come, and what might happen to everyone, kept running through my head. What if we lost more people? What if it was Jack or Fiona or Matt? I couldn’t stand the thought of them getting hurt.

I didn’t want to attend any more funerals.

“What’s wrong?” Matt whispered, his lips brushing over my ear. I shuddered.

“Can’t sleep,” I answered. “Don’t worry about it.”

He fell silent, and I did my best to fall asleep. I even tried counting sheep, but it was no use. Matt didn’t seem to be faring any better.

“Come on,” he said at one point. “Let’s go talk.”

We climbed carefully out of our sleeping bags, trying to make as little noise as possible. We tugged on our boots and shrugged on coats. Then we tiptoed out of the room, our wolf eyesight allowing us to see through the dark. Nothing was clear, but we could at least avoid the furniture and the shapes curled up along the floor.

Matt led me through the church, and we slipped outside through a back door. It was a cool night, and I snuggled down into my coat as Matt walked with me across the yard and through the trees. I realized where he was taking me a moment later.

He hid his car in the abandoned garage where a few mechanics once worked. It couldn't be seen from the street, even with the garage door open.

I trailed him into the garage, and he unlocked the doors to his car. We got in the backseat rather than the front, and he pulled me onto his lap the moment we were inside, wrapping his arms around my torso.

“What’s up?” he said, his nose trailing along my neck. I shivered as he planted a kiss there.

“I just can’t sleep. My thoughts won’t shut up.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” He sighed and leaned his cheek against my head. “Want to talk about it?”

“I’m afraid,” I admitted, knowing I didn’t need to act super tough around him. He’d seen me at my best and my worst. After everything that had happened between us, I knew without a doubt that he’d never judge me.

“Me too,” he breathed, his arms tightening around me.

“What if something happens to you or to Jack or Fiona.” Panic clawed at my heart. “I couldn’t survive that. I don’t want to survive that.”

“You can’t think that way,” he murmured. “Not now.”

“I can’t help it.”

He titled my head back, so I’d look at him. His blue eyes were full of the same sorrow and fear I felt. “I know, but you have to try. You have to believe that we’re going to make it out of this, that you’re going to make it out of this, or we’re already lost.”

“What if this is it?” I said, turning around so I could face him. He loosened his grip as I moved to cradle his strong thighs. “After everything.”

He shook his head. “Don’t talk like that.”

“I don’t want this to be the end.” My voice broke a little, and I clamped my mouth shut. I didn’t want to cry.

He wrapped his fingers around my arms. “Don’t say that,” he said, squeezing tight. “This isn’t the end.”

I smiled sadly. “I hope you’re right,” I said, then I leaned up and kissed him.

He kissed me back, his mouth moving against mine. Eventually, his hands drifted down from my arms and to my ass, tugging me up against him where I could feel him getting hard beneath me. I ground against him, and he moaned into my lips.

The sound sent a jolt of heat through my body, and my toes curled.

“I want you,” I said. “I need you.”

He kissed his way down my neck, his hips rising to meet mine. We worked against each other, the tension coiling deeper and deeper. I sucked in a breath as he nipped at my ear.

“Don’t stop,” I breathed.

“Never,” he growled.

The tension coiled tight, and a moment later, I shuddered. Pleasure ripped through me, and I collapsed against him. He stopped moving his hips, instead leaning down to give me a long, passionate kiss.

“I want more,” I said into his mouth. I wanted him to feel the same way I did.

He smiled and reached for the hem of my shirt. “I’ll give you everything,” he answered. “You just have to say the word.”