Shadows (Book 2 of the Zara's Wolf Trilogy) BWWM

22. Insanity

"Are you kidding me?" Evan demands after the slew of curses come to an end.

"Do I look like the kidding type?" Rick snaps back, gripping the wheel tightly in his large ready-to-strangle-someone hands.

Evan shakes his head, his brows pulling together in confusion. "How did Ryan steal our territory?"

"Because we weren't there to protect it!" Rick snarls over his shoulder.

The vehicle swerves as it fills with screams. Alicia grabs the wheel to straighten it. Rick immediately gains control over the SUV again as Alicia yells at him.

"Calm my ass! You almost got us killed! Slow down, or I'm driving!"

He growls, hunching over the steering wheel, but eases up on the gas pedal. Alicia keeps her hand on the wheel for another minute longer before pulling back.

Silence falls over us as our racing hearts slow to a normal rhythm and the truth sets in.

While we've been stressing out about the rogues attacking the Silver Star Pack, Ryan used them as a distraction to cross into our territory and stake his claim over it.

Does that mean it no longer belongs to us? It can't be that simple, can it?

"So, what's the plan now?" Evan asks, breaking the silence that has filled the SUV for several miles now.

Rick's eyes flick to Evan's reflection in the rear view mirror before returning to the road. "We're meeting your aunts, dropping Ali off with them so she's safe and away from harm's way, while the rest of us continue on home to confront him. Your parents will meet us at the mall, along with some warriors that Clyde feels comfortable in sending to aid us should Ryan and any of his followers try to attack us. We'll try to reason with him first and foremost before we initiate any kind of strategic attack."

My stomach twists into knots as I listen to Rick. His voice is calm and calculated again, making my anxiety level spike once more. He's talking about another battle, and that means more fighting and killing.

He can't be serious. I'm not ready for this. I'm not over the last one, never mind another attack.

And with Evan's brother!

I look to Evan and see him swallowing next to me, nodding his head. He presses his hand to his forehead. "I can't believe this. I just can't. Has he lost his mind completely?"

"A lunatic can't formulate a strategy like that," Rick says. "Unless, perhaps, it was Kairo's idea. Any idea what Ryan's mental state is?"

Evan shakes his head. "I haven't seen him in four and a half years. When he left..." He hesitates, looking down at the phone in his hands on his lap. "When he left, it was like he was a different person. Course, that's understandable after what happened, but no, I have no idea what his mental state is like. Before... Before that, he was a good guy. Strong, logical-minded, calm..." He sighs and places the phone in an empty cup holder. "He changed. The extent of which, I have no idea."

Rick slows the vehicle down as we round a sharp bend in the road. I glimpse his face, which is like marble again-cold, smooth, and unfeeling. "What was the accident that your parents mentioned?"

Evan stiffens a little next to me, but he turns his gaze out the window.

"Evan?"

I reach over for his hand and entwine my fingers with his. He glances briefly at our hands, but refuses to raise his gaze.

"If you don't tell me now, I'll get it from Emily," Rick grumbles. "Emily?"

Evan's eyes shoot toward Rick in the front seat. "Okay, okay."