Abandoned and Unseen (Branded Packs #2)(46)

His gaze went flat. As if startled she would even suggest such a thing.

“No.”

She muttered a curse, glaring into his handsome face. “Are you just trying to be a dick?”

Without warning, he tugged her clenched fist to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

“There’s no need to go to the building,” he assured her. “We’ve hacked into their computer network. We can tap into the employment files tomorrow.”

Her anger faltered, swiftly replaced by a fragile sense of hope.

Was it possible that she could actually find the identity of the guard without running the risk of being captured by the SAU? It sounded too good to be true.

“Why not now?” she demanded, the pounding need to hunt her prey refusing to leave her in peace.

“Because it’s late,” Tucker pointed out. “And Rios is temperamental, even for a jaguar.” He pretended to give a shudder of horror. “You don’t want to wake him and ask for a favor.”

She leaned forward, forcing herself to say the words. “Tucker, please.”

He stilled, clearly sensing her desperation.

“It’s been seven years, Nicole,” he said, his thumbs rubbing the pulse that thundered beneath the delicate skin of her inner wrists. “A few hours aren’t going to make a difference, are they?”

She bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to reveal any more. Not after she’d already stripped herself bare. But if that was what it took to get Tucker moving, then she’d do what she had to do.

“Today’s the day,” she abruptly announced.

He arched a brow. “What?”

“Today is the anniversary of Bowe’s murder.” She shivered. It hurt to say the words.

Tucker made a strangled sound, looking as if she’d just sucker-punched him.

“Christ.”

Nicole surged to her feet. She’d never traded on sympathy for the death of Bowe to manipulate others; that would have been an insult to her son. But tonight, she needed Tucker to help her get into the employee files. She didn’t care how or why.

“Let’s go,” she urged.

Tucker lifted himself off the sofa, but instead of heading toward the door, he reached out to grasp her hands.

“Wait.”

She scowled. “Wait for what?”

He studied her upturned face for a long moment. “Where’s the father?”

She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“The father of your child,” he pressed. “Where is he?”

“Oh.” Nicole gave a lift of her shoulder. She’d met Randall when they were both just pups, and they’d been best friends for years. Slowly, they’d developed an intimate relationship, but it’d never been more than a mutual desire for affection. When Nicole had realized she was pregnant, she was overjoyed, but she’d never expected Randall to take on the role of parent. “We were childhood sweethearts, but our animals never mated. After I realized that I was pregnant, he was transferred to a compound on the west coast,” she explained in impatient tones.

Tucker studied her with a strange intensity. “He isn’t a part of your life?”

“No.” She tried—and failed—to remember the last time she’d even had any contact with her friend. “He found his true mate and started a new family. No bitterness.” She frowned. “Why?”

He squeezed her fingers, heat smoldering in his eyes.

“You know why.”

She felt her mouth go dry. She did know why. Her wolf had been trying to tell her from the minute she’d caught sight of the male that they had a connection that went way beyond lust. Even when she’d been focused on trying to break into the SAU facility, her wolf had been anxious to return to where she’d crossed paths with the stranger.

But the mother in her refused to accept the primitive urges.

She still had a mission to complete. Until then, she couldn’t focus on anything but tracking down the guard who’d shot her son.

“Tucker-”

“Later,” he interrupted, as if he’d sensed that she wasn’t prepared to think about the future. Not until the past was laid to rest. Pressing another kiss to her knuckles, he led her toward the door. “Come on.”

She rolled her eyes, a dangerous tenderness squeezing her heart.

“Impossible bear,” she muttered.

Stepping out of the cabin, they circled the edge of the camp; Tucker maintaining a firm grip on her hand. Not that Nicole minded. She might be consumed with her thirst for revenge, but his warm touch was soothing her wolf in a way she’d never dreamed possible.

It was odd.

She’d always assumed that if she were fortunate enough to find her mate, it would be all about the passion. After all, when she’d seen mated pairs, they could barely keep their hands off each other. But while her whole body tingled with an intoxicating desire that was both thrilling and terrifying, it was the feeling of…connection that astonished her.

In just a few hours, she’d gone from a wolf who always stood alone—even when surrounded by her Pack—to a female who had an intelligent, ruthless, dazzlingly beautiful bear who was eager to offer his strength.

It was going to take time to adjust.

Together they moved through the shadows, skirting around a surprisingly large array of solar panels, as well as several small windmills that clearly powered the electrical grid. There were also bunkers that were dug deep into the base of the hill. She assumed they were filled with extra supplies, and maybe even hidden tunnels in case of a siege.