Midnight Wolf (Shifters Unbound #11)(80)

Angus’s first impulse was to say, Of course we’ll come back, but there was a real possibility they might not. He didn’t want to lie to Ciaran, who deserved to know, and who was old enough to scent a comforting fib.

“Then Dante and Celene will take care of you,” Angus said. “They’ll raise you like their own. Dante and I have already talked about it. He’s a good guy and will teach you how to be Shifter, but he’ll also keep you safe.”

Ciaran’s breath came fast. “I once thought Uncle Gavan was my dad. I cried a lot, because I was very little, and I didn’t like him. I didn’t understand why I didn’t like my own father. Then I found out you were my dad. I was scared of you when you took me away from Uncle Gavan and Mother, because I didn’t understand, but you acted like a real dad. You hugged me and talked to me and cooked me food and told me to clean up my room. I decided I’d never, ever leave you, no matter what.” Ciaran fixed Angus with his wolf gray eyes, full of determination. “No matter what.”

Angus’s heart burned, his anger at April and his love for Ciaran rolling into one fiery ball. “I said the same thing when I brought you home, Ciaran. I want to come back to you, more than anything in the world. I’ll fight like shit to get here. But I don’t want Shifter Bureau and Haider anywhere near you—I’m leaving you here to keep that dickhead away from you. No one will know you are with Dante—Haider and men like him will never find you. I promise.”

Ciaran’s lower lip came out. “Not the point. I still don’t want you to go, Dad.”

“I know. I don’t want to either. Sometimes we have to do crap we don’t want to so more people in the world don’t get hurt. I’ll have Ben and Tiger with me, and we’ll get this done as fast as we can. Just don’t give Dante too much trouble, all right? He’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

Ciaran thought about this and nodded gravely. “I’ll try. Can I still do the show?”

“Only if Dante is there to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

“I won’t.” Ciaran spoke with the conviction of the very young. “Celene is careful, and what we do looks more dangerous than it is. But I’ll be safe,” he added quickly.

Angus hugged him, holding him tight. He loved this cub so very much. Part of the reason he was off to clean up Gavan’s mess instead of ignoring it and walking away was so that men like Haider and even Dylan wouldn’t find the arsenal and endanger all Shifters, including Ciaran. He was also doing it to get Tamsin free of these shitheads forever. After that . . . they’d talk about after that when they were done.

Angus drove them away from the carnival later that day in the pickup he’d borrowed once again. Tamsin sat next to him, her hair in a long braid under a cap that somewhat hid her bright hair. Tiger bulked on her other side, saying little as usual.

Tamsin tried to keep her spirits high. She played the radio and sang, trying to get Tiger to join in. She laughed when Tiger told her, straight-faced, “Tigers don’t sing.”

“I bet they do,” Tamsin said. “How many tigers do you know?”

Tiger considered. “Me. Kendrick. My cub. His cubs.”

“I bet your cub’s a cutie. Does he sing?”

Tiger shrugged his massive shoulders. “I don’t know yet. He gurgles.”

“Do you have pictures? You must have pictures.”

Tiger produced a wallet with an old-fashioned foldout section with a long string of printed photos. Tamsin exclaimed over each picture in turn.

“He must be the most adorable cub I’ve ever seen,” she concluded when she finished and Tiger folded the photos back into his wallet. “Except for Ciaran, of course.”

“Ciaran will be a fine wolf,” Tiger said.

Angus felt himself grow absurdly proud. Tiger wasn’t known for embellishment—if he said Ciaran would make a fine wolf, he meant it.

Dante had provided a cooler full of food, so they stopped at rest areas to eat and use the bathrooms, keeping to themselves. Tiger had a hat over his eccentric hair, and Angus wore a jacket to hide his Collar.

Angus drove through the night, with Tamsin sleeping slumped against him. Tiger remained awake as well, his eyes glittering in the lights from the road.

In the morning, they crossed the Texas border into Louisiana. At least now Angus couldn’t be arrested simply for being out of his Shiftertown’s state. For breaking curfew, leaving Louisiana in the first place, helping Tamsin escape, not turning her in, disobeying Shifter Bureau . . . all that they’d probably kill him for.

The Red River, which formed the border between Texas and Oklahoma, took a huge bend through Arkansas and then ran right through Shreveport’s metropolitan area. Resorts lined the river, and riverboat casinos were permanently stationed next to high-rise hotels.

Tamsin pointed the way across the river, through Bossier City, and out into green countryside filled with tall trees and grassy lots that sometimes contained trailer houses.

They passed a sign for an air force base and one pointing south to another military facility.

“Goddess, is that where Gavan found the weapons?” Angus asked in disgust. “Would he be stupidass enough to steal from the military?”

“I don’t know,” Tamsin answered, her tone glum. “Probably.”