Though tempted, Blue shook her head. “They don’t belong there. That’s a place for Potentials. A young wolf needs a family.”
“What happens to girls like her?”
Blue paced. “They go to an orphanage. She’d never survive that place. They take care of them, but a Shifter needs a special kind of nurturing. I don’t know. I guess we’ll see what happens. Look, I have to go. If you know what’s best, you’ll go home. Buy some clothes, trim up those split ends. Maybe you’ll find yourself a girl, or maybe you won’t. But don’t give up on guiding those kids. Your job is invaluable.”
Blue unlaced the front of her gown and let it drop to her ankles. Matteo was the first one who had seen her scars, and he might be the last man who saw them. Part of her was curious what a man’s reaction would be. She wished she could ignore the hideous gashes, but they were a huge part of her now, and there was no avoiding how this would continually impact her life in ways she couldn’t predict.
His jaw slackened, and though he turned his head as if to look away, his eyes softened as he gazed upon her body. She felt him admiring her breasts, her shapely hips, and her long legs. The initial look of surprise immediately vaporized, replaced with a look she was familiar with—desire.
She stepped out of her gown. “Why is it people are so shocked by nudity?”
“You took me off guard.”
Blue grinned. “Looks like I’ve found a way to shut you up.”
Matteo bowed. “Feel free to shut me up anytime, my lady.”
With that, Blue raised her arms and flew away.
Chapter 18
Blue and I had temporarily put our case on hold. After a few more days of questioning Shifters, Viktor wanted everyone to drop what they were doing to perform a special rescue mission taking down a Shifter pack. We didn’t have nor seek approval by the Shifter Council or higher authority; Viktor had taken it upon himself to collect as much evidence against these devils and rescue the children. We mostly avoided talking about it because of the grim nature, and we didn’t want Claude flipping his switch every five minutes. When Viktor finally called us to go, we didn’t have a meeting. We understood what was expected of us.
“I still don’t understand why you wouldn’t report them first,” Gem said from the back of the van. “We have so much evidence.”
Christian and I exchanged looks by the rear door before looking at Viktor, who was driving. Everyone else had taken a spot in the back—all but Claude, who was trailing behind us in a rented van. We needed something to transport the kids.
Viktor flicked a glance at us in the rearview mirror. “Men like this are crafty. If we reported them first, they might somehow find out and move the children elsewhere. These packs trade children.”
“Are you sure they’re all involved?” Gem pressed. “I don’t want to kill anyone who’s innocent.”
“Trust me, they’re all involved,” Blue said, arms folded. “I had a long talk with Marelle this morning, and she told me everything. It’s all of them. They use the three women for breeding, and the packs trade those children to keep the mothers separated from them. She heard them mention other states, so it seems like they don’t want them living in the same area.”
Gem looked down at her black shoes. “Oh, that’s horrible.”
Blue tied her hair into a bun. “The women were once kids in their pack. These guys like it that way because they don’t have to worry about them blowing the whistle. It’s the only life they’ve known, and most of them are probably too scared. Who knows? Maybe they’re just brainwashed and think it’s how everyone lives.”
I gripped the bench when we hit a hard bump. “Besides that, do you think jail is a fair punishment? And what if someone lets them out?”
Shepherd returned a knife to the holster on his chest. “Last chance if anyone wants a firearm. I’m not gonna have time to load it when we get there.”
Niko gripped the pommels of his katanas. “I’m good.”
Wyatt looked down at his all-black outfit. “I need one.”
“Horseshit. You’ve got five, and you probably won’t use a damn thing. I’m all out of holsters unless you want to shove it up your ass.”
Wyatt tugged on his black knit hat. “I was under the impression that my commando days were over, General Patton.”
Viktor snapped his fingers. “I need everyone on this mission. There are twenty-five of them.”
“Twenty-three,” Blue said. “We took out two, remember?”
“Spasibo. Twenty-three.”
“Maybe we should start having a meeting before a raid,” I suggested. “Just to get all the questions out of the way.”
Christian barked out a laugh. “We would never be able to leave, and Spooky would find a way to weasel out of it.”
Wyatt glowered. “Rollergirl and I aren’t meant for this kind of Rambo stuff.”
Gem straightened her back. “Speak for yourself.”
Wyatt crossed his feet at the ankles. “I tag along when you need a professional to hack computers and gather evidence. I did that already. My job is done. But here I am, sitting in a van with guns strapped to my crotch. You know I can’t kill anyone. That’s the worst thing a Gravewalker can do.” He swung his gaze to the space next to him. “Nobody asked the freshy. Go find a light to jump in.”
I checked the push daggers on my belt, inside my leather coat, and strapped to my hip. I also had a stake inside a fitted loop in my jacket. Shifters couldn’t heal if impaled—another reason Shepherd brought guns. Sometimes bullets went through, but sometimes they didn’t.
The van stopped, and Viktor turned off the engine.
It was quiet enough you could hear a pin drop. Was it possible to sneak up on a wolf pack?
As if reading my mind, Viktor twisted around in his seat. “A pack won’t flee on their territory, especially if they have something more than land to protect. Remember what I said earlier: no one leaves the building except the children. I want each of you working with your partner.”
“Swell,” Shepherd grumbled.
I met eyes with Christian. Something about going into a fight filled me with arousal, and I could see the same amorous look in his eyes.
“Remember what we are here for,” Viktor stressed.
Shepherd stood. When he neared the back door, he looked between Christian and me. “Whenever you two are finished eye fucking…”
Christian winked and popped open the rear door. “After you.”
Claude waited outside, also dressed in black. His golden locks were tucked inside a black knit hat. Wyatt stuck out more than the rest of us since Have a Nice Afterlife was printed on the front of his shirt.
Gem leaped out of the van, her chunky boots crunching on the concrete. There was an air of confidence about her I hadn’t seen before on one of these missions.
I noticed my surroundings—concrete roads, dilapidated buildings, and a stop sign bent in half. “I thought we were going to their house?”
“We’re here.” Blue jumped out of the van next. “This pack lives in the city.”
“I thought packs liked woods and shit.”