Chapter 22

ANNA

It was late afternoon before the meeting started to wind down. An hour ago, Blake had started to sway on his feet, and so, Steph had forced him down into a chair.

She stood next to him, although Anna wasn’t sure if it was in case he keeled over or if Steph thought he was faking and was planning a surprise attack.

Zach had fallen silent after his last comment, straightening up and seeming to focus his attention back on the meeting.

Anna could still feel his desire coursing through her bloodstream, though, making her feel as if her skin were sizzling.

She didn’t understand why this was happening, why his feelings were suddenly so strong in her.

When they had been running from the humans, she had felt his shame about Mitch before he had cut it off, but she had just thought it was part of him being alpha and the extreme danger of the situation.

This was different, though. Now, it was stronger and not letting up. It was influencing her own feelings, making it so hard for her to focus.

Anna glanced upward at Zach, her eyes grazing over the hard line of his jaw, the scar across his temple, and his icy eyes before drifting down and catching the small smile curling his lip.

She thought he had been completely focused on what was going on in front of them, but she was wrong because Anna was just caught ogling him.

Feeling her cheeks starting to heat up, Anna decided now wasn’t the time to ask him about the weird feelings going on inside her.

Plus, she needed some time to work out how to ask about it without sounding like a complete weirdo.

“We can’t decide the next course of action without knowing who we’re fighting.”

The rumble of Zach’s voice vibrated through Anna’s back, raising chills along her skin, even as everyone turned to look at them.

It was the first time Zach had spoken since they had reentered the room, although Anna guessed he must have been communicating with them through the pack link.

He was the alpha; there was no way he would relinquish total control. He would just make it look like he had.

“Elaborate, Zach,” Jon said impatiently, his foot tapping against the ground. Everyone was getting a bit agitated with how long this was taking and with nothing being decided.

Zach didn’t respond to Jon, but as Anna watched, both Jon’s and Steph’s stares dropped to lock on her.

She immediately tried to shrink away, but with Zach still firmly caging her, there was nowhere for Anna to go. Suddenly, a stroke of reassurance swept down her spine.

It was as if someone had rubbed a warm hand down her back, but there was no physical hand there. The touch, the sensation, had seemed to come from inside Anna.

She could feel that the touch intended to soothe her, that it was filled with affection and even a little amusement…but how could Anna know all that about a psychic touch?

How could she know exactly who it had come from and what he had meant by it?

“Right.” Jon’s thoughtful comment interrupted her whirling thoughts.

“Yes. Anna, we’re going to need to do extensive testing on your genetic code. We have to try and figure out what your other side is.”

He looked from her to Zach and back again as if waiting for a protest.

When neither said a word, he continued, “It’s also extremely important we figure out how to draw out your wolf for your health. And Zach’s.”

Steph stepped forward, smiling reassuringly at her.

“We’ll complete everything back at the den with Natalie. She’ll contact any experts that she needs, ones she knows and trusts. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

“I’m not worried about others,” Anna finally ventured, glancing up at Zach, who met her stare unblinkingly. She wished he’d speak to her; the psychic touches weren’t enough. “What if it’s me?”

“What if what’s you?” Jon asked, his expression confused. Anna still maintained her stare on Zach, needing his support, his bravery.

“What if I’m the one who’s d-dangerous? What if I am the weapon and they find a way to use me? What then?”

“You can’t worry about that right now,” Jon stated firmly, his brows drawing together.

“You can’t let the idea of ‘what if’ stop us from helping you. We’ll take it a step at a time, but you are one of us, Anna. You are Silver River. You are Zach’s. There is no other option here because we won’t let there be.”

“He’s right, Anna. You can’t leave; you must know that,” Steph was quick to add in. Anna’s eyes finally left Zach’s, her eyes bouncing between the two lieutenants who were staring earnestly back at her.

Doubts and insecurities were filling her head. ~How could they be so certain?~

They had no idea what her DNA was made up of, and these people, this Circle group, had been planning this whole thing for years.

Her whole conception was part of a big master plan, and when she was old enough, they had managed to plant her at Silver River. They couldn’t just ignore that—

“Stop thinking,” Zach growled, his arms tightening around her abdomen until it felt like she would be unable to breathe.

Anna didn’t mind it, though, feeling a little bit more grounded as her mind stopped spiraling into chaos.

“You aren’t going anywhere; I’m not going anywhere. We will figure this out.”

Before Anna could respond to that, a loud gust of wind blew through the warehouse, whipping dust around their feet.

Anna’s hair was pushed into her face, obscuring her view, but even before she could push it aside, she knew what she’d see if she looked toward the entrance of the warehouse.

They had shut the doors thirty minutes ago.

The wind grew stronger, the window panes rattling in their frames, and Anna turned herself in Zach’s arms to look at him.

“What’s going on?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his waist before she could think too much about it.

He kept his arms tight around her, his legs planted on either side of hers, braced so that the growing torrents of wind wouldn’t blow them over.

“I don’t bloody know,” he muttered grimly, the words almost lost in the noise. Jon shouted, pointing the soldiers toward the entrance.

Zach and Anna turned their heads just as the large metal doors started banging insistently, looking like they were about to cave in.

The soldiers tried to use their bodies to barricade them, pushing against them to keep them closed, but the wind only kept growing and pushing.

It wasn’t long before the doors finally gave way under the force, slamming open and shoving the soldiers across the room.

The wind immediately stopped, everything falling still as the opening revealed a lone figure, a man completely dressed in black.

Every single Silver River soldier, barring Steph, who was still guarding Blake, was prepared to attack as the man began to walk in, holding his palms out.

“Please, I do not come with ill intentions.” His voice was quiet but seemed to reach every ear with ease. He had an accent that Anna struggled to place; it was something she had never heard before.

His face reminded her of an old-school aristocrat, angular with a strong jawline.

He had thick black brows over eyes that were so dark they seemed black, and his shoulder-length auburn hair was tied at his nape, not one strand out of place.

He was dressed completely in black, but Anna couldn’t help but notice his outfit seemed to be at complete odds with his appearance.

Black combat boots, black cargo pants, and a black T-shirt that clung tightly to his body—it just didn’t seem to match.

She saw his face and imagined him to be more comfortable in a black suit than in combat gear.

After no one moved, he cleared his throat, lifting his hand and flicking his wrist. With a slam, the doors shut behind him, leaving the room in dead silence.

“Good evening,” the general greeted the room. “Sorry about all that”—he waved his hand, gesturing to the room in general—“but I do so love to make an entrance.”

In a smooth move, Zach dropped his arms from around Anna, spinning around so that she was completely hidden behind him, his body between hers and the intruder’s.

A threatening growl left his chest, but before he could speak, the intruder turned to face Zach with a smile.

“Calm, Alpha. I am of no threat to you or your lovely mate.” He leaned to the side, tilting his head so that he could lock eyes with Anna, his smile widening even more, showing off his sharp canines.

“I’m her family after all.”

***

Dead silence met his proclamation. Zach glanced briefly at Anna over his shoulder before turning to watch the stranger again, his eyes glinting with distrust and anger.

“You don’t sneak up on shifters if you mean no harm,” he growled.

Anna could feel all of Zach’s emotions inside her own body, his anger and distrust making her much more uncomfortable compared to the supportive feelings he emanated earlier.

Zach’s emotions were so ~volatile~ that she didn’t know how he was able to contain them all the time.

Underneath Zach’s anger, though, Anna could feel worry and a desperate need to get her out of the situation.

Except that was oddly specific, Anna thought, shocked. How could she possibly know that? He wasn’t mind-linking her.

“Explain yourself.” The words were brusque, but Zach hadn’t exactly been in a diplomatic mood all day, and now, he was sensing a new threat to Anna.

Steph subtly directed two soldiers to stand by Blake before moving into position next to Zach. Jon stayed to the left, creating a triangle between them and the intruder.

“How did you know we were here?” Jon demanded when the stranger didn’t speak. He just continued to watch Anna in silence. “What role do you believe you play here?”

“Answer us,” Steph snarled. Both of the lieutenants were tense, aggravated at the unknown threat to their alpha and his mate.

The intruder finally looked away, and Anna felt like a weight had lifted off her chest as his gaze moved over to Jon and then to Steph, considering them both before he finally settled his attention back on Zach.

“Of course, you are right. Where are my manners?” He swept an arm downward, bending over to give a courtly bow before he continued.

“My name is Dominic. I knew you were here because I have been watching Anna from afar for many years once I was finally able to locate her. I have come to offer my assistance in the matter of the Circle.”

“You’ve been watching me?” Anna put a hand on Zach’s arm, sidestepping around him so that she could speak directly to the man, Dominic.

“Why? Who am I to you?”

Zach tried to push her back out of sight behind his body, but Anna stubbornly refused.

She attempted to transfer her feelings to him, feelings of stubbornness and rejection at the idea of him forcing her back into hiding.

Anna focused, trying to tunnel her feelings into their personal mind-link. She had no idea if it worked, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see a muscle in his cheek starting to twitch.

He stopped trying to move her back, and satisfaction coursed through her.

The entire time, Dominic watched her. He seemed to be considering how to answer her before finally nodding with a sigh.

“This is not how I wanted to tell you, but yes, I guess plans need to change.” He looked away for a moment, his fingers rubbing absentmindedly at his cheek.

“As I said before, I am family. I wish you no harm. This is why I have come to offer my assistance to the shifter pack Silver River.” He turned back, eyeing Zach again.

“She is the only reason I offer assistance.”

“You sure talk a lot without giving a real answer,” Steph muttered drolly, placing her hands on her hips. “If you know why we’re here, then you know we’re on a time frame and we’re vulnerable. Talk.”

“Shifters and humans, both so impatient and always so aware of time passing.” Dominic smiled faintly, smoothing a hand over the top of his hair.

“I do not make contact with either species often, so my social niceties might be a little…rusty. I am Anna’s uncle. Her father was my blood brother.”

There was a long silence as they each processed that information.

Anna swallowed hard.

She had had parents who hated her and then had lost them. They had then turned out to be her aunt and uncle, while her birth mother had died before she had even known her. Now, she had an uncle? Did that also mean she had a father?

It was at that moment she remembered what Blake had said about how Katherine, her mother, had gotten pregnant. She had been kidnapped, tortured, and raped.

They had impregnated her against her will, so who exactly was Dominic and whose side was he on?

“Her uncle,” Zach commented thoughtfully. “So you know what her other side is.”

“Of course I do,” Dominic gave a nod of agreement. “I am one myself.”

“One what?” Steph demanded impatiently.

“Now ~that~ is a long story, and as you said, we are vulnerable here.” He eyed Zach thoughtfully.

“I am going to ask for some trust so that we can relocate and I can inform you about who exactly you are fighting against.”

“Why?”

“To help Anna, of course,” Dominic answered succinctly. “And without knowledge of what exactly you are fighting, you are all dead.”