Darkest Powers Bonus Pack 2

ElevenI eased forward, my gaze fixed on Carter’s.“Uh-uh,” he said, tightening his grip on Chloe. “You do know how easy it would be to snap herneck, don’t you? Just because I’m not Changing yet doesn’t mean I don’t have my full strength.”He was right. I hadn’t had my first Change until months after I’d thrown that kid against the wall. Itook a deep breath to slow my pounding heart. I tried to catch Chloe’s eye to reassure her, but sheseemed a lot calmer than I was, just glancing from side to side. Looking for Liz.Where the hell was Liz? Why hadn’t she spotted Carter before he grabbed Chloe?Because she’d been focused on Theo and Nate. I should have been watching for Carter. I shouldhave been watching for all of them.Was Liz off finding a weapon? Probably. But I couldn’t rely on her to fix this.“Let Chloe go,” I said. “I’ll stay.”“Stay?” Carter laughed. “Why the hell would I want you to stay?”I replayed his words. Even then, all I could process was the sight of him with his arm aroundChloe’s neck.“You want Derek gone,” Chloe said. “This is your pack. He’s an interloper, even if he is family.”So she’d figured out that we were related? Of course she had. If she’d gotten even a glimpse ofTheo or Nate, she wouldn’t be wondering why Carter called me “cousin.”“Yeah, I want him gone.” Carter met my gaze. “For good.”“You want me dead,” I said.He sputtered a laugh. “Dead? You’ve been hearing too many big-bad-wolf stories, cuz. I mean Iwant you out of here. Away from us. You don’t belong. You know that. I know that. It’s Theo whocan’t seem to figure it out.”Chloe tugged his arm down a little. “And it’s Theo who’s going to return any second to make sureDerek does stay. So if you want him gone, let us leave.”“Mmm, soon. It’ll take them a while to search the forest. Before you go, though, I want to makesure your boyfriend doesn’t have any crazy ideas about keeping in touch.”“What?” I said.“You might not want to live with us, but I’m thinking you might decide to make contact. You know. . . a phone call on Christmas, a card on our birthdays.”“I don’t know your birthdays.”Carter’s gaze hardened. “You know what I mean. We’re werewolves; you’re a werewolf. We’d be agood resource. Someone to call when you have questions. And maybe, in a few years, you’ll startthinking you want to visit. Get to know us better. After all, we are family.”“And you don’t want that. You want me out of your life for good.”“I do. So this . . .” He pulled Chloe back, arm tightening. When I rocked forward, though, hereleased his grip. “This is a warning. You come after us, I’ll come after her. Or your so-called brotherand father.”“I understand.”“Do you?” He held my gaze. “Do you really?”I bristled under that stare. I wanted to tell him to go to hell, that I’d never had any intention ofmaking contact. But that would be a lie. I wouldn’t be in any hurry to find them again, but maybesomeday, when I was older and Theo couldn’t just expect to scoop me up and take me, I’d want to getin touch.Carter was right. I would have questions, about my family and about being a werewolf. While I was