Chapter 3 Companion

• Rachel couldn’t make sense of why the man reacted so strongly. She knew she probably shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She needed to know if he had a reason for avoiding the hospital.
• “Are you some kind of fugitive from the police? Is that why you don’t want to go to the hospital? Or would you rather go to Ames?” she asked.
• “You’re pretty curious, aren’t you?” he replied.
• “Even if I did hit you with my car, I still have the right to know what kind of person I’m driving around,” she said, locking eyes with him through the rearview mirror. “I don’t even know your name.”
• “Alright, Miss Curious—and I’ll add, brave—I’ll answer your questions. I’m not a fugitive from the police, and I’m not a killer. But there are people after me, one person in particular, who took everything from me. If you can get me somewhere safe, I’ll be fine, preferably in Des Moines. As for my name, it’s Philip.”
• That was as much information as Philip could share with her. He couldn’t possibly tell her what had really happened, let alone that he was a shifter. It wasn’t the kind of thing he went around broadcasting.
• “Alright, Philip, I’ll take you there, then. Try to relax back there, and I’ll figure out where I can drop you off,” Rachel said, hesitating before introducing herself. “My name’s Rachel.”
• She kept driving, occasionally glancing in the rearview mirror to check if he was staying calm in the back. She slowed down even more, determined not to go through that ordeal again.
• Philip closed his eyes and leaned his head against the seat. He was still in a lot of pain, the poison’s effects lingering in his body. In his mind, he could see his wolf lying down, whimpering.
• “How are you holding up, Zeus?” he asked his wolf through their mental link.
• “I’m weak, Philip. We need to find a place to rest. If I don’t recover, I can’t help you heal. But at least I’m happy—we found her,” Zeus replied.
• Philip opened his eyes and looked at Rachel, who was focused on driving. He knew he was in for a fight with his wolf, but he disagreed on some points.
• “She’s human, Zeus. I can’t accept a human mate,” he argued.
• “I don’t care what she is. She’s our mate, and don’t you dare reject her,” Zeus snapped, trying to stand but collapsing again.
• “Quiet down and rest. I’m not doing anything right now—we’re in no shape to argue about this. What matters is surviving this poison and getting back to reclaim our pack,” Philip said.
• Zeus settled a bit and fell silent again as Philip kept watching Rachel. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror a few times, and he couldn’t help but think that, despite his wolf’s disagreement, it was just bad luck that his mate was human. If she were a she-wolf like him, things might be different—she could be an ally, making him stronger. But as it stood, he only saw her as a liability, someone who’d make him weaker.
• He closed his eyes again, trying to relax as she’d suggested, but he couldn’t. The pain wouldn’t let up, and his mind was consumed with thoughts of Quinton and his betrayal. He wondered how things were back at the pack, whether his Beta and sister were safe, or if they’d been killed, just as his former Gamma had tried to do to him.
• ++++++++++
• In the Blood Moon pack, chaos still raged outside, but inside the new Alpha’s office, Quinton glided across the room with a smug grin, finally settling into the chair he’d always thought suited him better.
• “Do you really think the Alpha—I mean, Philip—survived?” one of the wolves at his side asked.
• “It’s not easy to survive wolfsbane. He’s wounded, and if the river carried him off, he might end up in another pack’s territory and get killed. That’d be even better,” Quinton replied.
• “I think we shouldn’t talk too much about the aconite. They need to believe you won because you’re the strongest,” another wolf remarked.
• Quinton’s face darkened at the comment. He rose from his comfortable chair and stalked toward the wolf who, in his opinion, was talking too much. Grabbing the man’s throat, he lifted him slightly off the ground, his voice dripping with menace.
• “I should kill everyone who knows that detail, starting with you. So forget what you know. As for being the strongest, I *am*, and I could take him down even without the aconite.”
• Fuming, Quinton hurled the man across the room. A growl rumbled from his throat, betraying his irritation. The wolf scrambled to his feet, clutching his neck, convinced for a moment he was about to die.
• “Don’t forget I’m your Alpha now. Get out and bring me Sara and Taylor. Maybe they’ve picked up something through the mental link,” Quinton ordered.
• The man bared his neck in submission and hurried out. Quinton paced the room, picking up a photo frame from the desk. He stared at it, running his finger over the image of Sara.
• “I can’t get rid of you just yet. Maybe I’ll make you my Luna,” Quinton said with a smirk, tossing the photograph into the trash can.
• Quinton knew earning the trust of his pack wouldn’t be easy, but having Sara by his side could change that. As the sister of the former Alpha, she might make the others see him in a new light.