A Place to Call Home (Hollow Crest Wolf Pack Book 3) Read online

  “You sound like Wyatt,” Kannon said with a smile in his voice.

  I rolled my eyes but stayed quiet as my own thoughts consumed me. What were we going to have to do to get to a place where we could all be happy?

  I made a mental list of our problems. Mr. Reaven was determined to destroy us, the town hated us, and the lamia wouldn’t let us go. If that weren’t enough, soon we’d be out of money and lose our business and possibly our home. The triumphant look in Mr. Reaven’s eyes flashed through my mind, and I decided that he would be the first obstacle that I went after. I might not be able to take on the lamia just yet, but Mr. Reaven was a much smaller target. One thing at a time.

  “Kannon?” I asked softly.

  “Hmmm?” he replied absentmindedly.

  “I want to break into Mr. Reaven’s house and search his office and computer,” I said nervously.

  Kannon’s body jerked as he looked down at me in surprise. “Why?”

  “I know Corey didn’t set the fire. Mr. Reaven was acting suspiciously, and I think he may have been involved somehow,” I said in frustration. “We need to find out what’s going on and put a stop to it before he hurts anyone in our pack.”

  Kannon nodded at me thoughtfully. “We’ll have to find out if he has a security system, and we’ll need to plan our break-in when his house will be empty.”

  I grinned at him. “That was easy. I thought I’d have to work at convincing you.”

  Kannon blushed and then shrugged. “Not if it’s you that’s asking.”

  A happy feeling rushed through me at his confession, but it was quickly tempered by my reason for asking. “I don’t know if we’ll find anything, but I don’t think Corey was blamed for arson and murder by coincidence. Someone set Gus’s shop on fire, and it was someone who wanted it to look like it was Corey. No one had a stronger reason to come after us than Mr. Reaven.”

  Kannon nodded. “We can scope out his place after the holiday when everyone goes back to their normal schedules.”

  “You think I’m right?” I asked in surprise.

  “I trust your instincts,” he said simply.

  I felt uneasy with how easy it had been to get Kannon to agree to be my accomplice in committing multiple crimes. Was I taking advantage of his easy-going nature and his feelings for me?

  Kannon gave me a comforting squeeze. “Stop worrying,” he murmured. “I’m fine with being the Bonnie to your Clyde. We’ll be cautious so we don’t get caught.”

  I laughed out loud and relaxed. “You agree that we should keep it just between us?”

  “For now,” Kannon agreed. “We’ll let the others know if we find anything.”

  “Do you think Corey will ever tell us what he was doing?” I asked softly. “Why was he anywhere near Gus’s shop when he should have been guarding the firehouse?”

  “I don’t know,” Kannon answered with a frown. “He can be tough to figure out sometimes, but he’s pretty open when he’s an asshole. He only hides things when it’s something emotional or if he’s doing something nice for someone else.”

  “Why go to Petey’s?” I mused.

  Kannon yawned. “He’ll probably tell you eventually. We just need to give him time.”

  I stayed quiet as Kannon’s breathing evened out, and he fell into a much-needed sleep. We had been up for over twenty-four hours now, and Kannon needed extra rest if he wanted to continue to heal.

  I shut off the movie so Kannon could sleep in peace, but I didn’t move away from him. Kannon needed my touch just as much as I needed his. He was just a lot better at showing it.

  I sighed and closed my eyes. I thought Gus and the sheriff had been partners in trying to take us down, but the sheriff hadn’t seemed too upset about Gus’s death. Could he be working with Mr. Reaven? What could the two of them be planning together?

  My eyes drifted closed. I tried to stay awake, knowing that I couldn’t give our enemies the extra time they needed to carry out their nefarious plans against us, but I was just too exhausted. Corey’s sad eyes right before we left him behind in the sheriff’s office were the last thing I saw before I sank into the temporary peace that sleep offered.

  Chapter 7

  Lori

  Fatigue might have pulled me down into sleep, but it was a restless night filled with nightmares. When I woke the next morning, my limbs were heavy with exhaustion, and my brain was fuzzy.

  Grayson had slept even less than I had because he’d already completed his workout and showered before I even peeled my eyes open. Kannon was still breathing softly when Gray strode out of the bathroom in only a pair of boxer briefs. My mouth went dry, and I tried not to let my eyes pop out. Every muscle that Grayson had was on display, and nothing was left to the imagination. He felt my eyes on him and paused before taking a shirt out of his trunk. I averted my eyes and pretended that I wasn’t just staring like a weirdo.

  “Let Kannon sleep in,” Grayson sent to me with our bond. “He needs the rest.”

  I gave him a quick nod of agreement and pulled my covers back up over my head as if I were going stay here and sleep along with Kannon. The truth was that my heart was pounding. The more time I spend with Grayson, the stronger my attraction was to him. He wasn’t just a strong warrior, he was kind, loyal to his pack, and had dedicated his life to making theirs better. Grayson was the type of wolf who would sacrifice anything for the people he loved.

  I tried to convince myself that I was staying upstairs so I could keep an eye on Kannon, but I knew I was avoiding Gray. Last night he had seen me vulnerable and raw. I wanted to leave the scared girl behind and be a strong wolf that my pack could rely on, but it felt like my past was still pulling me in the wrong direction. I was weighed down and drowning in dark thoughts when I should focus on finding ways to help Corey and the others.

  Kannon eventually stirred, and I tried to bury everything deep inside of me to smile at him.

  “What did I miss?” Kannon asked worriedly as he ran a hand over his sleepy eyes. “Did something else happen?”

  I shook my head. “Nothing new,” I said bitterly. “Still the same issues that we went to sleep with.”

  Kannon gave me a hopeful smile. “But Corey is out of the sheriff’s custody, and we’ll be going to see him today.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed as he covered up a yawn with his arm.

  “We should bring the guys some of their stuff,” I suggested. “Neither of them had a chance to pack a bag.”

  “I’ll gather up what they need,” Kannon volunteered as he flopped back down on his bed. “You can be first in the shower.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want just to go back to sleep?” I teased him. My voice was lighthearted, but I was still worried about him.

  Kannon bounced up out of his bed with bright eyes and scooped me up. “Not unless you’re going to be snuggling with me.”

  I giggled as he smothered me in light kisses. I pulled back from him when I felt Grayson watching from the doorway, but instead of looking upset at our shared display of affection, he had a smile on his face.

  “Let’s get moving,” he called out to us. “The twins are probably anxious to see us.”

  “You got it,” I said with a grin as I headed to the bathroom. I was eager to check on the guys, and I wanted a chance to prove to the others that Corey was innocent. The most challenging part was going to be getting Corey to talk about what had happened.

  I was full of dread during our trip back to the university, but the drive was uneventful. The lamia let us in and didn’t bother assigning us an escort. I knew the lamia watched us through the security cameras, but the weight of their eyes felt heavier today than ever before.

  Wyatt must have been communicating with the others through the pack bond because he opened the door to our suite before we could even knock. He had a scowl on his face, and his hair was unusually messy, making him look more like Corey than I’d ever seen before. Grayson gave him a nod in greeting, but I attacked him with a big hug.r />
  Wyatt seemed surprised at my display of affection for him, but his muscles gradually relaxed against me, and some of his tension eased with a sigh. “It’s good to see you, Lori,” Wyatt murmured to me. “I’ve been going crazy here on my own.”

  I pulled away from him so I could see his face. “Where’s Corey?” I asked in confusion.

  “Solitary confinement,” Wyatt spat out.

  Grayson sighed in resignation. “He didn’t react well to the lamia bailing him out?”

  Wyatt snorted and didn’t bother to answer.

  “We should check on him,” I insisted. Corey had been held in the sheriff’s office, questioned, then picked up by the lamia. He needed to be surrounded by his pack, not locked up in a dungeon somewhere.

  “They won’t let us see him while he’s in solitary,” Wyatt admitted with his eyes cast downward. “We fought this same battle for months, and we won’t win.” The guys had lived at the university before I had ever met them, and they had struggled under the lamia’s watchful eyes and overbearing rules. I hated seeing them this beaten down. We were wolves, not lapdogs.

  Anger heated my blood the more I thought about Corey being separated from us when he needed his pack more than ever. “We don’t give up on a pack member,” I scolded them. “We do what it takes to stay together.”

  “Lori’s right,” Grayson said as he kept his eyes steady on mine. “We’ve become complacent and have been bowing to their rules too easily. It’s time to take some of our power back.”

  “We did pack a bag for Corey,” Kannon said innocently. “Since he might be here for a few days. We should bring it to him.”

  Wyatt gave us a grin that was a little too feral. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”

  “Let’s find Dr. Green,” I said confidently as I led the way to the door. Regardless of what happened today, I knew I wouldn’t be able to lay my head down on my pillow until I knew I had done everything I could do to get Corey back with us.

  It was easy to find Dr. Green as he was sitting in his office. He didn’t look surprised to see us when I knocked at the door, so someone had already warned him we were coming. That was just more evidence to show how closely we were watched.

  “If you’ve come for your pack mate,” Dr. Green called to us. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you. Corey is going to be staying in solitary confinement for a few days.”

  I stepped forward. “We came to bring Corey a bag,” I said with a friendly smile. “Since he didn’t have time to pack.”

  Dr. Green smiled at me indulgently. “That’s very thoughtful of you. I’ll make sure he gets it.”

  “Can we see him?” I asked with a frown. “I haven’t spoken with him since he was in the custody of the sheriff and the state police.” I gave him big, sad eyes in my best attempt to persuade him. I wasn’t stupid enough to think he would take pity on me, but I was hoping he would use the opportunity that I had just given him. The longer I knew Dr. Green, the more I realized that he played the role of a benevolent college professor. For some reason, he wanted me to think that he was a kind man with my best interests at heart. Well, here was a chance for him to demonstrate it.

  Dr. Green looked at me thoughtfully for a moment longer than I was comfortable with. Did he realize I was trying to manipulate him into thinking he was the one doing the manipulating?

  “He’s currently in his wolf form, but I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem since you can use your pack bond to speak with him,” Dr. Green finally stated.

  My eyes widened briefly. I hoped Corey was just in his wolf form because he didn’t want to talk to the lamia, but I had a bad feeling about this. The other guys had warned me multiple times that Corey had anger management issues that led to them installing a large cage in the basement. Corey hadn’t needed it since I’d met him, but had the lamia done something to push him over the edge?

  I swallowed nervously. “May I give Corey the bag we brought for him?”

  “Yes,” Dr. Green said thoughtfully as he tapped his fingers on his desk. “Head down to the lobby, and I’ll have Pierce bring you to him.”

  I think all of us were eager to leave this room and check on Corey. Worry gnawed at me from the inside as we went downstairs. Dr. Green had agreed with our demands a little too readily for comfort.

  The silence was heavy as we waited for Pierce. Nervous apprehension filled me the longer we waited in suspense. Finally, heavy footsteps sounded across the floor, and I looked up to see Pierce. He wore black fatigues, and I could read irritation in his face. The guys all stiffened around me as Pierce swept his dark gaze over all of us. Pierce’s movements were predatory, and he gave off an aura of danger. Wolves were usually the biggest predator in the room, but Pierce made a shiver of unrest go down my spine.

  Pierce’s eyes were so dark that they looked pure black, and I felt uneasy when they rested on me. “Dr. Green thinks you can tame the beast. Let’s go, because I’m quickly losing my patience with this shit.”

  I swallowed nervously. “Is Corey okay?”

  Pierce held his eyes on mine for another moment, and the dark abyss I saw there scared me. “Let’s go,” he said gruffly.

  Kannon put his arm around me while Grayson and Wyatt flanked us both protectively.

  “I don’t like any of this,” I confessed to them with our bond. “There’s something really wrong here.”

  Grayson sent me a wave of soothing energy, but I could feel his underlying tension. Being surrounded by my pack mates should give me a sense of peace, but all I felt was worry for them. My guys were tough, but fighting wouldn’t help us get out of this situation, it would only make things worse. It was going to be up to me to get us all out of here safely without a confrontation.

  It didn’t help my nerves when Pierce led us to a freight elevator and hit the button for a floor even lower than the sub-floor we had been on. Just how far down did this place go?

  When we stepped out into the hall, there was a stark difference from the rest of the university. Whereas the top floors were elegant and designed to show off wealth, and the labs had a sterile but still expensive feel to them, this place felt like a dungeon. The air was cold, and the cement walls gave off that distinctive prison feel. The hallway had a dim yellow light that made the atmosphere feel even more dark and oppressive. We were far below the safety of an exit and even further from freedom.

  Lamia dressed in black gave Pierce nods as we passed but watched the rest of us with cold eyes. I felt Corey’s presence at the same time as I heard his angry snarls. I reached out to him with our bond but recoiled in alarm when I felt the dark tangle of anger and violence that encompassed his mind.

  Kannon held me a little tighter. “Lori, you haven’t ever seen him like this before,” he said softly. “You should stay back.”

  Grayson and Wyatt exchanged a glance. “He’s right,” Grayson told me. “Corey will be pissed if we let you see him like this.”

  “Too late,” I said with a defiant raise of my chin. “He’s just going to have to get over it.”

  I pretended my heart wasn’t thudding in my chest as I pulled away from Kannon and walked towards the steel door that held an enraged wolf behind it.

  Pierce unlatched a steel plate and slid it to the side to reveal an opening covered by wire mesh. “As you can see,” he said drily. “Corey isn’t feeling like himself today.”

  I stepped closer to peek through the window and saw a flash of Corey’s grey coat before he slammed into the door. I lurched back with an embarrassing squeak as the door vibrated with the impact of a massive wolf and heard Pierce’s low chuckle. I flashed him an irritated look and stepped towards the door to show I wasn’t afraid.

  “Corey,” I called softly with the bond. “The pack is here for you.”

  There was no change in the darkness that had its claws dug deep into the recesses of Corey’s mind. I swallowed nervously but closed my eyes to focus better on our connection. I could hear the angry growl tha
t vibrated through Corey’s chest on the other side of the door but chose to ignore it. This wasn’t the Corey that I knew.

  I breathed deep as I reached out to Corey with our bond again. This time my touch was tentative, and instead of pushing thoughts to him, I opened myself up so that he could see everything inside of me. Corey didn’t take the bait and paced angrily in front of the door, and I knew I was going to have to draw him in somehow.

  “Lori,” Wyatt said gently. “We can leave his things here; it might take him a while to come back to himself.”

  “Shhh,” I said as I pressed my hands against the door. “I need to concentrate.”

  The first time Corey and I had opened up to each other was when we had went on a long drive together. I’d broken the ice between us with music, and we’d connected using songs to speak for us. Neither of us was great at communicating our emotions in words and conversations, but I could let my emotions out by singing.

  I started singing “Outside” by Staind quietly, in almost a whisper, but Corey paused in his pacing. His ears perked, and I got more confident once I had his attention. I closed my eyes again once I was sure that he was listening and lost myself in the music. Instead of forcing my way into his mind, I drew him into me. I let him see my pain, the way I had always felt on the outside of everything – never fitting into the human or the shifter world. I showed him how all of that had changed once I met him and the other guys. I opened the door to the agony of losing my mother, not holding back my despair or the darkness that had threatened to overwhelm me.

  There had been moments in my journey here where I had laid on the ground and hoped I would die, and I didn’t hide any of that. I let Corey see all the ugliness and guilt that had almost destroyed me. I felt Kannon touch my back, and I knew he was right here with me. All the guys were here to support and protect me. That was the essential part of what I had to show Corey.

  I wanted Corey to see the impact that he’d had on my life. I needed him to know that I needed him here with me, and I wanted to be by his side through his struggle with the darkness that threatened to consume him. As the last notes of my song trailed off, I knew that all of them had seen the deepest parts of my heart and my mind. They now knew all the secrets I held, and I felt their love and acceptance for me. Tears streamed down my face, and the guys pressed all around me.