Chapter 148

"Why didn't you tell me?" Exhaustion, accusation and blame-all three she lay at his feet. This is what she had meant. Noah's pertenatural habit of not being answerable to anyone had to change. Vanessa had no idea Ian was to be held there for three weeks. She wanted him back in his bed, his childlike flutter of eyes to find himself amidst his favorite stuff toys or the wooden puppets he liked to make. Hand printed wallpaper in the room and a bird's nest just like he wanted. He had written that list down for her.

Disappearing behind the trees, what Vanessa first thought was merely a grassy berm raised on hydraulic lifts to reveal a plas-crete reinforced bunker. She eased into the space realizing both of them were alone, she didn't want an audience. Abandoned hallway led to the big conference room where they first met the select leaders of the pack. The coolly neutral atmosphere was tampered with warm yellow lights pocketed in the roof above her and in the walls to her side- no windows.