What was she missing here? “Do you want to be claimed by Braden?”
Laura’s eyes never left the page. “He made me a good offer.” She mused, as though selecting fruit.
Tomorrow was the full moon. And, as of sometime tonight, the Were virus would be active in all of them. Not much time to change Laura’s mind. “He may not be able to offer you anything. The Sabres have been ordered to keep Braden from getting you.”
Her eyes rose from the page, and they flashed with rage. “They have no right to do that.”
“They have every right. Braden can’t be allowed to get away with this.”
Laura stared at her. “Did you say yes to Kade?”
Had her choice been that obvious? She guessed it had. “Yes. I have accepted Kade’s offer.”
“What about Zach?” Laura asked. “I thought you guys had a thing.”
Jessie looked away. “We did. We do. But Zach can’t save me from Braden.”
“You guys could run. Braden might not find you.”
Jessie looked more sharply at Laura. “He’s in our heads, Laura. How would running help?”
“He might have a range. Like a radio.” She sat up a little straighter. “I asked Trevor, but he didn’t really answer.”
Effing hell.That question would have put the Were on high alert. Jessie’s heart accelerated. “Cara told me we can’t outdistance this thing. Braden’ll find us, no matter where we go. And the Sabres won’t let us run.”
The blonde brows furrowed. “Whyever not? What difference is it to them?”
“They have to keep the Cryptid secret. Having two novice Weres running loose is a liability they cannot afford.”
She saw it sink in. Laura frowned. “So are we in jail here? Forced to mate with a Sabre?”
“The Cryptids’ existence is a well-kept secret.”
“Maybe it’s time to expose it,” Laura insisted.
Jessie was fast losing control of this conversation. “They have, and will, kill to keep it.”
Her blue eyes widened, and she dropped the book. “Are you saying Trevor would rather kill me than let me run?”
Dammit.Jessie wasn’t explaining this well. Why hadn’t Trevor told Laura all this? But she knew why. Kade’s admission had set her back too. It was hard to convince someone to bond on an emotional level when they knew you were a killer. And that their next target might be you. Both Sabres had wanted Laura to willingly come to him. And Jessie had just blown it.
“Laura, I think Trevor really likes you.”
The blonde woman rose. Her eyes had gone wild. “Likes me? But if I don’t bond with him, he’ll kill me?”
“No, it’s not like that. You do have a choice.”
“You’re saying they won’t let me make my choice. I didn’t realize it might be a life-or-death thing.” She rushed past Jessie and out the door.
Jessie followed, but short of sprinting after her, she wouldn’t catch her. And she didn’t think anything she said would help anyway. The entire discussion had been a disaster. Jessie sighed as she descended the stairs.
She’d tried. And she’d try again. But she had her own problems to worry about.
Like how she was ever going to forgive herself for what she had to do.
* * *
When Jessie returned downstairs, Cara was still in the kitchen, wiping the counters.
