Page 11 of Renegade Queen

It was the exact same thing he’d said before, and it still didn’t convince me.

Dean scoffed, surging to his feet as he started to tidy the table like he needed something to do. Eventually, he gave up, his hands raking through his hair, as they always did when he didn't know what to do as the emotions started to overwhelm him. When he finally turned to look at us, I could already tell by the look on his face that he was going to say something stupid. That was his go-to move in these kinds of situations.

Give him time to think things through, and Dean would come up with a plan. Put him on the spot, and he lashed out at everything and everyone before willingly throwing himself in the line of fire, thinking his life meant nothing compared to everybody else’s around him.

“We don't have time to sit on our asses and wait for her to grow a conscience. I say if she's not going to help us, then we make her help us. She knows the way in. It even sounds like she knows where Damon could be. She's the only ticket we have to get him out of there. Especially if the clock is ticking like she thinks it is.”

And there it was. The classic Dean response. It was a good thing I loved the guy because most days, he was fucking infuriating.

“Sure. Let's waltz in there. Confront the enormous bear and the woman who can do magic with our measly little human hands and, what? Shout at them? What could possibly go wrong?” I asked sarcastically.

Dean rolled his eyes and dropped back into the seat beside me, but he didn't argue. Mainly because he knew I was right. And this whole impossible situation wasn’t going to be resolved with us throwing our weight around in some kind of pissing contest.

“Soooooo?” Ryder asked, I could hear the laughter in his voice and it actually made me smile.

That was Ryder all over. The peacekeeper between the raging storms of the rest of us.

“So, you're right,” I admitted. “If we want her to help us, then we need to understand what's going on here and try to find a solution. Force isn’t going to be the answer.”

“And if she refuses?” Dean asked.

I could practically hear his eyes rolling.

But he was right. I didn't have an answer for what we would do if she said no. I wasn't going to sacrifice my brother. Damon deserved more than to be left somewhere to rot. The fallout of a pissing contest in the military, collateral damage to someone else's ego.

He’d done so much for us. The least we could do was step up when he needed us for a change.

I wouldn't abandon him. There had to be another way.

The door at the back swung open, and Alyssa sauntered through. The big guy followed closely behind her. Whatever the relationship was between them, it was clear that if we wanted her help, we’d need him on our side. The way he hovered so closely to her was a testament to the way he felt about her. Even a blind man would be able to see it. And I hated that he got to brush against her back in solidarity instead of me, even though I had no right to.

“So, seems as you're stuck here for the night, unless you fancy tangling with a whole mass of unhappy shifters, I suggest we find you somewhere to sleep. Tank has the spare room. You can choose between mine and the sofa. Two of you are gonna have to bunk up together, though.”

At least this gave us time to come up with a plan with how to move forward.

“Well, I'm definitely choosing your bed,” Ryder joked. Even if I did suspect a hint of seriousness lay there. Hell, I was definitely thinking about it.

“Yeah, I'll be somewhere else.” Alyssa laughed. “Now all I'm thinking about is you weirdly sniffing my sheets.” She cringed dramatically, and now she wasn’t the only one laughing.

The big guy behind her back growled softly at the thought. His arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her back tightly against him.

“Come on,” she sighed. “I'll show you where everything is.”

I grabbed my bag from where I’d dropped it beside the couch, and we all followed her up the metal stairs to the second floor. The apartment she’d made up here was incredible. My eyes roamed across the open living space, taking in all the books and records. Houseplants lazily hung from the shelves and yet, strangely, seemed completely in the right place. The brown leather sofas looked like they'd seen better days, but they had that kind of stylish shabbiness to them that most shops tried to achieve and failed. Exposed brick and steel beams matched in against the old wood and leather furniture dotted around the place. If I was being completely honest, it was exactly how I would have dreamed of making a place for myself. Except that wasn't really a luxury we had in the military.

I realised now how much I missed it. That feeling of walking into a place and immediately feeling at home. I didn't have that anymore. I didn't have it for most of my childhood, not until Damon stepped up and made a place where we would all be safe.

“Kitchen is over there”, Alyssa told us, throwing an arm out toward the obvious kitchen in the corner. “My room, bathroom, spare room, sofa,” she said, pointing it all out.

“Well, I called the bed.” Ryder laughed, heading to the door she'd indicated.

Except D grabbed him by the back of his collar and hauled him to a stop. Even I was surprised by his actions.

“You're not taking her bed,” he said gruffly. “She gets to sleep in the bed.”

“He's right,” Ryder admitted sheepishly. “We can take the floor.”

“It's fine really. I've got something else I need to do tonight.”