“And by that, I am not just referring to his methods of protecting people. He’s no longer an assassin. Does he still kill people? Yes, but only when there are no other options. He does it to keep us safe, so we can do what needs to be done to ensure our survival.”
Ty wrapped his arm around Tabitha’s shoulders, slipping back into view. “You might be wondering why we sent him over someone else. Since you decided to go to D.C., we couldn’t send a whole team in for you. Limited manpower meant we had to have the best. That’s Styx. We knew he’d get you out of the city alive, and hopefully without too much of an issue.”
“Only two dead,” Styx chimed in. “I’d say that’s an achievement considering the circumstances.”
“Ignore him.” Tabitha shook his head. “He can go without killing anyone, so there must have been danger to you or someone else.”
She thought about the roof and what had happened there. As crazy as it sounded, she didn’t count those deaths against him. He had saved her life, and possibly saved her from a fate worse than death.
“Styx is an amazing warrior, one we’re glad to have on our side. He would not be one of the Elder guards if we doubted for a minute his true nature.” Tabitha glanced at Styx before back to Mira. “His history is his to tell, one that I promise you is both bloody and enlightening. Know this: there’s more to the man beside you than his skills or his past. Trust him. He’ll keep you safe.”
“Satisfied?” Styx questioned.
She turned away from the laptop, looked up at him, and smiled. “Thank you.” She hopped off the table and let him wrap up the conversation. The plane was full of wood furniture that appeared to be hand-carved, with amazing details. Strolling down the aisle, she ran her hand over the smooth wood. Whoever had spent the time to crave such detail must have a lot of patience.
A few moments later, Styx closed the laptop. “Theodore, we’re ready whenever you are.”
“Then sit down and buckle up,” he called from the cockpit.
Styx nodded to the single row of seats on the plane. “You might want the window so you can see the lights of the city as we take off.”
“If I never see D.C. again, I won’t be missing anything. You can have it.” She sat down in the middle, leaving both the aisle and the window seat available for him to choose.
He took the aisle seat without a word and snapped his seatbelt on.
“How long will the flight to Alaska be?” she asked.
“We’re not going to Alaska right away.”
“What?”
“Theodore was on his way to the West Virginia Tigers’ compound when your message came through. That’s why he was the likely choice for back-up. As a pilot, he could act as both. Now he has to deliver this furniture to Jinx and Summer. Garth and Red will meet us there as well, but that’s their home so they won’t continue on with us wherever we go next.”
“What do you mean wherever we go next? Won’t we go to Alaska?”
“I will return there, but we still need to see where the best place is for you. You’re still connected to the Connecticut Alpha, so until you’ve committed yourself to another Alpha, or he has been eliminated, you could be a potential threat to the Elders. It’s my responsibility to keep them safe.”
“I would not betray—”
“That is not what I meant.” Styx stopped her before she could continue. “You have no connections to anyone in the clan. No one to know your true motives. It’s only a precaution.”
“No connections, huh?” She took his hand in hers, and the heat and tingling returned. “What about this?”
His eyes sparkled with shock before he blinked it away. “That’s different.”
“I saw the surprise in your eyes. Did you think I didn’t feel it? Even with all that was going on, how could I have missed the mating connection ?”
“If you felt it, how could you think I was sent to kill you? Or worse, that I would torture you?” His eyes