I was feeling pretty drunk when Amy eventually announced I had consumed enough alcohol.

“Is this really going to work?” I asked, feeling too relaxed to be on guard. It was the alcohol. It was also muddling my thoughts when I needed to be focused.

“It’s the only way.”

“How is this supposed to help?” I asked, resting my chin on my hand as I studied her.

“It masks your scent. If the guards can’t pick up your scent they can’t stop you.”

“Ooh,” I said. “That’s so clever.”

Amy frowned as she studied me. “Maybe you’ve had too much.”

“Too late now.” I stood, feeling a little unsteady.

“It’s a good thing I got some coffee as well. We’ll sober you up after we get out of here.” She grabbed a bag with a flask in it.

I nodded slowly. It was so difficult to remain serious when I felt like I was floating.

“Are you ready?” she stopped to asked at the door.

I nodded, trying my best to act like I was sober but I wasn’t sure I could pull it off.

“Just keep your head down, don’t attract attention. If anyone sees you and can’t smell your scent they will know we are up to something. Do you understand?”

I nodded, again.

“Come on,” she instructed as she opened the door. I followed just a few steps behind her, ignoring everything around me except putting one foot in front of the other. If I tripped I would attract attention.

After short walk across the compound she pulled me to the side of the house.

“You stay here. I’m going to get the car.”

“Okay. Stay here,” I mumbled with a salute, trying my best to do as she instructed.

Feeling a little dizzy I put my hand against the wall to keep myself upright. The fresh air was making me feel more drunk.

I didn’t even hear the car. Amy was pulling me by the hand and shoving me into the open trunk.

“Keep quiet,” she whispered before she closed the trunk.

It was dark and uncomfortable but it would only be for a short time. I could do this. I had to. There was too much at stake to fail. I thought about Maverick and our short time together. My heart softened at the thought of the man who owned my heart. It lasted only a few moments before I considered how much this would hurt him. But I had to remember I was protecting him..

The car started and I tried to keep as quiet as possible. The car slowed down a bit and I was pretty sure she was at the gate.

Everything hung off my ability to get off the compound undetected. I held my breath. I heard some voices. It was difficult to decipher what they were saying.

Then the car was moving. Amy had done it. She had successfully smuggled me off the compound without detection.

My plan was working. All I needed to do now was sober up and figure out how I was going to handle my family.

After a few minutes, the car stopped and the trunk opened.

Amy stood back as I got out.

“Now all we need to do is sober you up.”

I made it into the passenger side and she closed the door before jogging around the front of the car to get into the driver’s side.

She reached in the back seat before handing me the flask. “Drink.”

“Thanks,” I murmured before a took a couple of sips of the strong coffee.

“Where are we going now?” she asked.

I gave her the address, still unable to focus. My thoughts muddled.

She started driving, giving me a side glance every few minutes. Maybe she was worried I would spill the coffee.

“Who are you going to see?”

I hesitated trying to weigh up whether it was a good idea to reveal my plans. Maybe it was the fact that I was still drunk that I decided to answer.

“I’m going to see my family.”

She frowned. “The ones who put a contract out to find you?”

I nodded.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“You almost sound like you care Amy.” I studied her.

“I don’t.” She was quick to respond. “It’s just, I’m not sure this will end well.”

I shrugged. “I don’t have a choice.”

She remained silent.

“If I don’t do something than Maverick will have to face them.”

“Maverick can handle himself, you know.”

I nodded. “But I can’t risk his life.”

“So you’re prepared to risk yours?”

“Yes. This is my mess not his and maybe I can fix this without any bloodshed.”

There was a pause.

“And I thought you were a bitch,” she murmured softly.

I laughed. “I’m still a bitch. Just one with a conscience.”

She smiled.

“This coffee tastes like tar,” I moaned before I gulped another sip. Surely there was a better way to sober up.

“Shut up and drink it,” she retorted.

I shivered, feeling the effects of the caffeine. The coffee was so strong I bet it would wake the dead. Half way through the flask I could not stomach another sip. I closed it.

“How much longer?” I asked, unsure of how far we had already travelled.

“Maybe another hour.”

An hour before I would finally meet the family that I had never met. I felt apprehensive and nervous. What if I couldn’t stop them, what if I failed?

I didn’t have a plan.

I was already mated so could not be mated to anyone else. Could I persuade my brothers to let me live unbothered with Maverick? I wasn’t sure it was achievable but I had to try.

I would do anything to protect Maverick and my pack. It was still weird to think of myself belonging to something when I drifted through life for so long alone.

In a short time I had met Maverick, discovered what and who I really was and in under an hour I would be meeting my family.

I took a deep breath and released it. It had to go well, there was no other option. I could no fail.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Amy said suddenly, taking me by surprise as I mulled over how I was going to handle the situation when we reached our destination.

She pulled over and killed the engine.

“It’s my only option.” I was going to go through with my plan, with or without her.

“This can’t be the only way.” She shook her head.

I studied her. “This is my family, and my problem. I can’t let someone else fix this mess.”

“How exactly do you think you’re going to do that?”

I sighed, still feeling the effects of the alcohol. “I don’t know but if I can’t stop them then maybe I can save Maverick.”

“I have a really bad feeling about this Alexandria.” She had used my real name. The name she had overhead when she had bugged the study.

“You don’t have to come with me.” I was giving her an out. I didn’t expect anyone to follow me into this.

“I never liked you much but I can’t let you do this on your own. If you’re going through with this, I’m coming with.”

I didn’t know what to say. I frown as I studied her. “This is your chance to walk away and wash your hands of this whole situation,” I said. “Maverick will never need to know the details of what happened.”

“That’s the thing Alexandria. He will know. There are so many things you don’t know about our kind. It’s one of the reasons I don’t believe it’s a good idea to go through with this plan.”

“What do you suggest I do Amy?” I asked, softly.

Suddenly, my earlier alcoholic induced lightness was replaced with a deep sadness that I would fail no matter what I attempted to do.

“We go back.”

“And then what? Maverick will have to fight and what if he doesn’t win.” I added. It was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.

This was my family, my problem and I had to figure a way out of this. I had to.

“You aren’t going to change your mind,” she stated, rather than questioned.

“No.”

She started up the car again. “Then let’s hope you can figure out a way out of this.”

I had to believe I could, or else. People would die.