Buried and Shadowed (Branded Packs #3)(41)

She might have to wait to bite Ranney, but if she wanted to sink her fangs into something, he was ready, willing, and able to offer her an outlet for her frustration.

****

Sinclair pulled his truck into a shabby motel just across the Colorado state border.

They’d barely spoken during the forty-minute drive. Mira because she was clearly pissed at him. And him…

Well, he didn’t know exactly what he felt.

Fury at the SAU for daring to kidnap her. Pride in Mira for taking a situation that would have terrified most people and turning it to her advantage. Lust that pounded through his body, despite the fact that the time couldn’t be less appropriate.

And an uncertainty that had his wolf restlessly pacing beneath his skin.

He wasn’t sure exactly what had happened to Mira during the past two weeks, but she wasn’t the same shy, submissive female he’d thought he knew so well.

Instead, she was defiant and surprisingly determined to keep him at a distance.

Why?

Had her captors managed to convince her that shifters couldn’t be trusted? He gave a sharp shake of his head. No. That couldn’t be it. Mira was too intelligent to be swayed by the blustering idiots.

Besides, she was still trying to help them track down Dr. Lowman. Even demanding that she stay and continue her computer search even though it put her at risk.

So what the hell was going on?

Unable to bear the strange barrier between them any longer, he decided to stop for the night.

It would not only give them the opportunity to clear the air between them, but it would also allow them to remain hidden from the SAU soldiers that were no doubt being spread throughout the area to search for Mira.

Parking the truck behind a dumpster, he wrinkled his nose. Hyper-senses could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

Mira pulled herself out of her dark thoughts, turning to stab him with a confused frown.

“What are you doing?”

“They’ll be searching for you,” he said, unbuckling his seat belt. “We need to lay low for a few hours.”

Her confusion deepened as she allowed her gaze to skim over the one-story brick structure that was built in an L shape. The roof was made from a corrugated metal that was starting to rust, and half the windows were boarded over. It was sad, and dingy, and on the edge of complete collapse.

“Here?” she demanded with a shudder.

“It’s the sort of place where people don’t pay attention to who’s coming and going,” he assured her, not mentioning that it was also run by one of the Unseen. It was used like the old-time Underground Railroad. The first step in the road to helping shifters on the run disappear from those hunting them. There were some secrets that he couldn’t share until she was a committed part of his Pack. He shoved open the door of the truck. “I’ll get us a room.”

“Wait.” She glanced back at him. “I need a computer.”

Without hesitation, he reached over the back of the seat to the narrow storage area. Grabbing his backpack, he pulled out a small tablet and handed it to her. “Will this do?”

She nodded, reaching for it with a distracted expression. “Yeah, thanks.”

Sinclair scowled. Over the past eighteen months, he’d come to expect Mira’s complete and unwavering attention when they were together. Hell, he’d simply taken it for granted. Now that it was being snatched away, he wasn’t a happy wolf.

In fact, he had a sudden urge to bite something.

Or someone.

Really, really hard.

Glaring at her down-bent head, he hit the automatic lock and slammed shut his door.

Seriously, she was stomping on his last nerve.

Jogging across the deserted parking lot, Sinclair entered the office, ignoring the grizzly shifter who studied him with blatant curiosity as he checked them into one of the private rooms.

“Any special needs?” the male demanded, looking as big and shaggy in his human form as he did as a bear.

Sinclair handed over a wad of cash as he took the key the male had tossed on the chipped Formica counter.

“Privacy,” he said in clipped tones.

The bear shrugged. “That comes standard with the room.”

Sinclair nodded, pausing long enough to offer a warning. “There’s a potential army of SAU searching for us,” he said. “You might want to close for the night. In fact, it would probably be best if you decided to take a short vacation.”

The bear narrowed his gaze, taking in Sinclair’s grim expression before giving a nod of his head.

“I have a sister in Casper. I think it’s time for a visit.”

“Good idea.”

Sinclair left the office, pausing to sweep a searching gaze over the dark lot. When he was certain there were no eyes watching him, he returned to the truck. Moving to the passenger side, he hit the remote key to unlock the door.

He pulled it open, leaning over Mira to grab his backpack.

“Follow me.”

Clasping the tablet, she crawled out of the truck and fell into step beside him.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re bossy?” she said.

“Daily,” he assured her, moving toward the end of the hotel that was spray-painted with graffiti. Using the key, he unlocked a heavy steel door that was dented in several places, as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. “It’s my job.”