SWNOVELS Chapter 47
I’m on my phone and barking orders to Adam’s men.
“Send me the footage from the hospital parking lots. Leah would’ve been too weak to walk, and he couldn’t just carry her away. I
want a vehicle. License plate numbers. Now!”
Ralph is already on it.
I barrel out of the hospital and there’s an SUV idling.
James rolls down the window. “Get in.”
His lip is still busted and so is his nose. He hasn’t shifted to heal.
I slide in and slam the door.
He tears out of the parking lot. “Do you know where she is?”
“How do you know I’m looking for Leah?”
James’ knowing gaze swings to mine. “I’ve known you since we were born, Aaron. There’s only one person on this planet that
can get you this agitated.”
“Brian Leithrow has her.”
“Yeah.”
“What do you mean ‘yeah?””
“The wolves that attacked you on the summit. I recognized one of them from Brian’s pack.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I was busy gathering evidence. You were busy accusing me...”
Jame’s hands tighten on the steering wheel.
I’m impressed. Here, I’d thought the worst of him.
I struck him.
“Liam knows that I made a vow to your sister.”
James grunts. “That tracks. Think back, only a handful of people knew you and Jessica pledged yourselves to each other. Me,
Brian, Anthony and Tobin. Remember? We were at that Fall Festival Party.” He shrugs. “Anth and Tobin wouldn’t say anything.
But for Liam to know... who stood to gain by telling him...”
I sigh.
“I wouldn’t sell you out, Aaron,” he says quietly. “I had our tech team hack Liam’s phone...”
I stare at James in astonishment. Then I admit: “I thought
maybe Jess was connected to this somehow, and you were covering for her.”
He shrugs. “I love my sister. But not enough to commit murder. Especially not the murder of an Alpha I’ve known my whole life
and consider a brother.”
I grunt.
I really f**ked this up.
“Yeah, you did.”
I didn’t
thinking.
say that out loud. He just knows me. Knows what I was
“But it’s not over yet,” James says. “Let’s get your
pain-in-the-a ss wife back. Then you can grovel and apologize for being a di ck to her.”
“And to you.”
“You’re always a di ck. It’s one of your finer qualities.”
I squeeze James’ shoulder. “Thank you.”
He nods.
I take the call from Adam when it comes in. “Okay, we’re looking for a black Dodge Ram. New model. Suped up.” I repeat the
license plate number.
“We can call in the local cops but an APB out,” Adam says. “Let them know she’s been abducted.”
“Yeah. Okay. Do it.” It’ll be a he ll of a lot of human attention, but I can mitigate those issues later, if they come up.
I end the call and toss the phone on the dash. “What’s his endgame? Why Leah?”
James whistles. “You haven’t heard yet.”
“Heard what?”
He glances at me for a second then back at the road. He steps on the gas. “Leah’s father...Alpha Roberts... he didn’t establish
Liam to assume control of the pack. He left a death letter behind, before he ki lled himself. It’s all anybody can talk about.
Apparently, the Council already knows too.”
“Knows what!? Goddamnit, James, don’t make me drag this information out of you!”
“Alpha Roberts didn’t leave his assets to Liam. He named Leah his heir. She’s going to inherit everything.”