The Acquisition

The auction paddle went up before Briton Bravery could raise his own. Five million for Silvermoon Tech's controlling shares, sold to the woman in red two rows ahead.

"That's Jamie Olive." Jai Hinson shoved his phone across the table. "She's been buying companies across the Northwest."

Briton immediately stood up working towards the lady.

That lady was Jamie Olive Bravery. His ex-wife. The woman who'd signed divorce papers five years ago and disappeared.

"Where are you going?" Leanora said, holding his arm.

"I want to sort some business." He said and pulled free, walking toward the exit.

Jamie was already with the auctioneer as she signed something on a tablet, handed it back to the auctioneer, and turned for the door.

"We need to talk about Silvermoon."

But she didn't stop walking. "No, we don't."

"You knew I wanted that company."

"Then you should have bid higher." She was almost at the door when Briton grabbed her wrist.

The contact sent heat racing up his arm and his wolf surged forward. Five years of silence, and now the bond was acting like it had never broken.

Jamie yanked free. "Don't touch me."

"Jamie…"

"It's Ms. Olive." Jamie mini yelled.

A man wearing a biker leather jacket with tattoos all over his body appeared beside her. He looked at Jamie, then at Briton, and went completely still.

"Any problem?" Kade Giordan asked.

"No problem. I was just leaving." Jamie took the stranger's offered arm without hesitation.

Briton watched her walk away with another man. And the thought of it made him and his wolf very angry.

"Briton." Jai called beside his shoulder. "Let her go. It's been five years."

"Who is he?"

"Some biker from the looks of it."

Briton started working after them but he only made it three steps before a gunshot shattered the chandelier.

As the crystal shattered down, people started screaming, hiding and running. Within a few seconds again another shot shattered the window. And the third one came again and hit the wall where Jamie had been standing looking shocked.

Four men in black masks started running through the crowd with their rifles raised. They weren't shooting randomly, because it seemed all their weapons were pointed at Jamie.

"Get down!" Jai tackled Briton behind a table as bullets kept fleeing in Jamie's direction which they were blocking.

The biker had Jamie on the ground, his body covering hers. He hauled her up and shoved her toward the kitchen, putting himself between her and the shooters.

Then one of the masked men raised his gun but Kade the biker grabbed a serving tray and hurled it at him, the metal met throat and he dropped down or died.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Jai whispered.

Briton was already running. Leanora his fiancee called his name but he didn't stop.

The kitchen doors were open ahead as Jamie's red dress disappeared into the service corridor.

Then two shooters blocked his path before he could move inside the corridor.

"Mr. Bravery." One spoke through his mask. "You weren't supposed to be here."

"Who sent you?"

But he didn't answer, instead he swung up his gun. And Briton seeing this shifted mid-dive, his fur coming out from his skin as his body transformed to a wolf. His jaws held around the shooter's wrist and crunched his bone.

The second shooter fired and the bullet hit Briton's shoulder but he didn't let go of the first shooter's wrist.

As the sound of sirens started wailing outside, the second shooter ran, and Briton left the injured one as he scrambled off.

Briton shifted back, naked and bleeding. The service corridor was empty. Jamie and the biker were long gone.

"Briton!" Jai called out with Leanora behind him. "We need to leave before the cops arrive." Leanora wrapped her coat around Briton.

"Find out who those shooters were," Briton said. "And everything about the man with Jamie."

"I already checked the guy." Jai held up his phone. "His name is Kade Giordan. Alpha of the Iron Wolves, he runs underground fights. He's been seen with Jamie three times in the last two weeks."

They were still mid-talk when the cop's voice started sounding closer.

"Get the car," Briton told Jai. "Now."

They made it to the parking garage without being seen by any cop. Briton's shoulder bled through Leanora's coat. His wolf paced inside his chest, furious and territorial.

"Don't tell me you're going after her." Leanora said, sounding annoyed.

"She was almost killed tonight."

"She left you five years ago, Briton. She made her choice."

"Those shooters knew my name. They said I wasn't supposed to be here." He looked at her. "Someone wanted Jamie dead and didn't expect me to interfere."

Leanora gave a sarcastic laugh. "And what does that have to do with you?"

"She's…" He stopped. Remembering how happy they were five years ago.

"She's connected to Silvermoon Tech," he finished. "Which means she's connected to my business now."

"That's not why you're going after her."

"Leanora…"

"I'm not stupid, Briton. I saw how you looked at her." She stepped back. "I've been with you since like forever. I've built a life around your schedule, attended your events, played the perfect girlfriend for every camera and board member. And in three seconds, she walked back into your life and you forgot I existed."

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?" She pulled off the diamond bracelet he'd given her and dropped it in his lap. "Go after her if you want. But don't come back to me when she breaks your heart again."

She walked away before he could respond. Jai whistled low. "Well, that's one problem solved."

"Shut up." Briton pressed his hand against his bleeding shoulder. "Did you track where Jamie went?"

"She's not an idiot. She ditched her phone at the gala." Jai started the car. "But I pulled traffic cameras, and they entered a black motorcycle which is currently headed east toward the industrial district. Want to bet that's where the Iron Wolves have their compound?"

"Drive."

They pulled out of the garage as police cars screamed past. Then Briton's phone buzzed, a call from an unknown number. But he answered anyway.

"Mr. Bravery." A woman's voice called out on the other end. "We need to discuss your ex-wife Jamie Olive Bravery."

"Who is this?"

"Someone who knows what Jamie Olive really is." The woman paused. "And can help you get her back. If you are interested, meet me at the Thornton Hotel, the penthouse suite. Come alone, or the next attempt on her life will succeed."

With that being said, the line went dead.

Briton kept staring at his phone. Jai glanced over. "What was that?"

"Change of plans." He gave Jai the address. "The Thornton Hotel."

"That's the opposite direction of the Iron Wolves compound."

"I know." Briton's wolf snarled inside his chest, wanting to hunt Jamie down immediately. But someone had just tried to kill her. And now someone else was offering information.

"This is a bad idea," Jai muttered, but turned the car around anyway.

The Thornton Hotel rose forty stories above the city. The hotel security waved them through without questions.

The private elevator required a keycard, but when he got to the person incharge, she just handed him a keycard with Briton's name on it.

When he got to the penthouse, the doors opened before he could knock. And Leanora Thornton stood in the entrance, no longer wearing the ball gown from the gala.

She was now wearing a sexy revealing white and black gown.

"Hello, Briton." She smiled. "We have so much to discuss about your ex wife.”