Ty dared Russell before one and all to admit he didn’t care about traditions or respecting others. He wanted Russell to threaten him and Rose. Russell wanted a war because he couldn’t handle competition. Ty would be in that competition. “There was nothing traditional about you kidnapping my daughter and forcing yourself on her.” “Well, clearly you weren’t there, if that’s what you believed happened. Because I forced nothing on your daughter. I didn’t need to as soon as my hand touched her back outside of the Post Office. We both knew we’d be mates. Or have you forgotten when the fated mate meets, they go into heat? We can test our blood for the hormones that cause that.” Ty watched Russell’s face closely as he stood toe to toe with him now. Ty was a good three inches taller than Russell, but Russell had the bulk of his build on his side. Though Ty wondered if that bulk was fat rather than muscle. None of Russell’s men appeared to have seen the inside of a tr
“What’s going on?” Rose came down from her rooms to a horrendous alarm. “Luna. Please stay calm, but the perimeter has been breached. I have sent a group to intercept the intruders.” Rose couldn’t remember his name. He handles all the electronic security. Ty insisted on a cross between traditional and high-tech security. Right now, Rose was not a fan of the high-tech side of it. “Do we know who it is? Where’s Ty? Is he back yet?”Why did they feel the need to pay her on the head and give her only half the information? It wasn’t right. “His car reported they are twenty minutes from arrival.” “That’s too far away. I want to know who it is. Make sure those send to intercept know not to kill on sight. I’m sure Ty will want any information they have and how they broke through security.” The wolf stopped in his tracks. “Luna, are you saying I don’t know my job?” “One. Don’t take that tone with me. Two. They broke through, which means they knew or fou
Sure enough, when Heather entered the large kitchen, there was Jules covered in flour and other ingredients baking like a madwoman. The evidence that she’d been at it for a while was cooling on the counter. “Jules? Hon? What’s up?” Heather knew to approach with caution. Jules was high strung even if she didn’t want to admit it. Baking and hiding in the kitchen was her way of avoiding something. But at least she baked well. If she didn’t, they’d be in real trouble. “Ben is an insane, manipulative dog with no sense of self preservation. He and Ty left about four hours ago to bloody well confront him in front of the town leaders. Can you believe it? Ugh… where did I put the pecans?” “Over there. Do you think it was a bad idea?” “Don’t you? Come on, Heather Russell wants us hunted down and killed for sport. What do you think he’ll do with them in arm’s reach? Do you think witnesses will stop him?” Jules poured several pecans into a zipper bag, squeezed the air o
Ty listened to the reports as they came in. They just left the town moments ago after taking possession of several more of the tracks of land Russell put up for sale. Ty didn’t care about the cost. In fact, they sold most of the land to him for pennies on the dollar. Russell had to be in desperate straights to need money this much. But Ty’s mind was torn from business and now focused on the fact that his mate and his pack were under attack. He couldn’t do anything from here. Ben sat beside him, looking like he would shift and run there if it meant he’d get there faster. Ty would be right by his side if that were the case. Whoever they were, they were in for a world of hurt. His wolves now had a reason to fight and defend something more than each other. Five minutes later, Micky, the pack’s security specialist, reported what they found, and their response to it. That made him furious. The hunters were present now in the region and Russell turned them on Ty
Ty couldn’t wait to be with Rose. He had to know she was safe. Once he found out what he needed to know about how the situation was being handled, he took his mate upstairs to their room to spend time with her. “What happened exactly, Ty? What did my father threaten to do?” “Not a lot. But I think he was too stunned to say anything in front of everyone. But he now knows where you are and that you’re my mate by choice. He stormed out after I left and didn’t look thrilled about any of it.” “Of course not. You messed up his plans by coming in like a bulldozer and taking things he left like so much trash at the side of the road. You’re doing things with the things he couldn’t. That’s something you need to explain to me.” “What do I need to explain?” “Your plans for everything you’re doing.” “Oh, of course. I’m sorry everything has been going so fast. I don’t believe I thought of telling you. Wait, that didn’t come out right. I
“So you made it back? No one got hurt?” Jules wasn’t sure why. But she struggled not to jump into his arms and climb onto him like a tree. At the same time, she wanted to yell at him for all kinds of things. This was crazy. “Everyone’s fine, not even a hangnail. How about you? What’s this?” Ben poked a finger into a bowl and popped it into his mouth. Orgasmic, fudge, mocha frosting. “Icing. I was going to make some mocha chocolate cupcakes.” Jules stared at his finger, no longer feeling the urge to baking. “Maybe later. I have an idea.” Ben picked up the bowl and took Jules by the wrist. He led her to his new office. He put the bowl down on the desk and locked the door. “Get naked. I need to see all of you now.” He tore at his own clothes as he said that. He must have broken a record on stripping speed. Jules gasped before she shed her clothing at record-breaking speed as well. Ben was as kinky as she was. That was something she forgot, but only for a moment. N
Ty watched Rose sleep. Gods, he’d come home and made bloody sure she was his in every conceivable way. Why? Because Russell claimed he forced her into this mating. What did it matter? She accepted him as her mate. Sure, he was basically a rogue with a few lackeys following him. But that was changing by the day. Russell thought they didn’t have a direction or discipline. That Ty got from the reports his uncle told him about. Ty hadn’t done anything to change Russell’s mind about that because until now, it let Ty and his men fall beneath Russell’s notice. Time was going by fast, and Ty needed to make a move. But how? He needed to tie Russell clearly to the murders and disappearances of the people in the area. Would he be dumb enough to contact these hunters through a traceable phone? Could they somehow record his phone calls? Or catch him on video speaking directly to them? Today was too close for Ty’s comfort. He wanted this to stop. He needed proof on so many levels. Pro
Rose couldn’t sleep or pretend to sleep anymore, so she was up early in the morning. The house was quiet as she drank her coffee. That her chances oh being pregnant just wouldn’t be banished from her mind. It was too early to find out. But Ty didn’t have it on his radar at all. In the beginning, it was fleeting in hers, so he couldn’t take all the blame. Now, however, they didn’t have an excuse. There was every reason to avoid bringing pups into this world. If her father wouldn’t hesitate to arrange her murder, then he wouldn’t think twice of killing his grand pups. Rose moved onto the back patio and settled into a chair there. For a time, she watched the morning as life woke up. Gods, if she was pregnant, then her time being able to shift would be limited. She needed to get as many runs in as possible before she couldn’t. That was a drag of being female, as if they didn’t have everything else interfering with life at bad times. Rose wouldn’t be able to run if she had to.