Page 22 of Bronx
With that, Cora put a call through to the front desk clerk, who transferred her to Bronx’s room immediately.
“Hello?” His deep voice rumbling on the other end of the line made her feel better almost instantly.
“Bronx? I need to talk to you. In person, if that’s okay.”
“Of course.” She could hear the frown in his voice. “I’m in room 332.”
“I’m on my way.”
As Cora left the room, dread pounded out a tattoo drumbeat in her head, leaving it aching and sore. She knew involving Bronx in this situation meant putting her trust in someone she barely knew. But something deep within her told her that he was the right person to turn to, that he would protect them all—even Samuel, who wasn’t his own blood.
“Bronx,” Cora called out as she spotted him in the hallway outside his room, his broad frame leaning against a wall. He turned to stare at her, and she felt a flicker of reassurance in his intense gaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Ellie—she’s a friend of mine from the Idaho Pack—just told me something…disturbing.” Cora hesitated for a moment before continuing. “There’s a group within the Idaho Pack planning to rise up against Jake and then against the Moonstone Pack. They want to assassinate the leaders.”
The words seemed to hang between them, and Bronx’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching with barely contained fury. He nodded once, his decision made in an instant. “We’ll handle this. I won’t let anything happen to our packs or your son.” He paused. “Is this Ellie here in Moonstone?”
“In my suite.”
He nodded. “Steele and Ryker need to hear this from her. I’ll go get them—meet us back in your room?”
“Of course.”
“Give us about thirty minutes.”
Back in her suite moments later, Cora sat next to Ellie. “We have to let Steele know about this coup. Bronx has gone to get him,” Cora said, her voice firm despite the tremor of fear that threatened to overtake her.
Ellie paled at the mention of involving an alpha, her eyes widening with panic—the mere idea of facing an alpha terrified her.
“Hey,” Cora said softly, placing a comforting hand on Ellie’s arm. “You’ll be safe here with the Moonstone Pack. Steele is nothing like the alphas we’ve known before. Trust me.”
Ellie hesitated but nodded reluctantly, her eyes still dark with fear. She stood and paced the room, her steps quickening with each pass.
“Ellie, please try to calm down,” Cora urged, her own anxiety threatening to overwhelm her. “I promise you’re safe here.”
“Safe?” Ellie echoed, her voice shaky. “How can we be safe when our own wolves are planning to murder the Moonstone leaders?”
“Because we’re not alone,” Cora said, conviction strengthening her voice. “We have each other, and we have the Moonstone Pack. We’ll face this threat together.”
Ellie nodded slowly, her breathing gradually evening out as she tried to believe Cora’s words. “What if they find out I told you?”
“Then the Moonstones will protect you,” Cora vowed.
Ellie seemed somewhat comforted by Cora’s words, and they continued to sit and wait, the room filling with tense silence.
Minutes ticked by, each one feeling more suffocating than the last.
As they waited, Cora’s heart squeezed in her chest with her trust in Bronx—the strong, silent guardian—and she wondered what the future held for them.
Bonded or not.
Chapter 9
BRONX APPROACHED CORA’S SUITE, the rhythmic thudding of his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. He paused for a moment, composing himself before rapping softly on the door, despite his worry urging him on.
“Come in,” Cora called out, her voice soft and steady despite the tension Bronx could sense beneath the surface.