Dean saw his sister’s face appear on his screen. She looked okay except for a bandage on her neck, and she was wearing someone else’s clothes. “What happened to your clothes?” He couldn’t stop the words from coming out a lot gruffer than he’d planned. A hand settled on her shoulder as James came into view. “I didn’t like them. What do you think happened? We got busy, and they got sacrificed.” Dean winced. He didn’t want to think about his little sister fucking anyone, let alone James. “Enough. Trisha, are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he? If he did, I’ll kill him.” “Dean, shut up. It wasn’t like that. Well, it was, but it wasn’t. Look, this is weird talking to you about this. All you need to know about this is it went beyond no return and now we have to live with it.” Trisha looked annoyed with the entire subject. “Still, you don’t have to…” “Shut up Dean. I’m here, I’m mated, and I think I want to see where it goes. Now the war, let’s go with th
Henry sat in the dim, claustrophobic, smelly RV across from Rath. He’d say his better half or partner-in-crime. But as far as he knew, there were no crimes yet. Or at least none known about. “Now what is the problem and what can I do for you?” Rath smiled reassuringly, as he always did. “She not scared or cooperating. I think she might also be suicidal. Everything will fall apart if I don’t have the prize to dangle before my boys.” “Suicidal you say? Lacks fear. Hm… I wonder if the old wolf has bitten off more than he can chew. What do you think I can do to help you this time?” “The Lycan must be given to his mate and now that they’ve come to their full potential and with the spell removed. I can get the deed for you, and we’ll be squared away. Just one more thing and we’ll have everything we both want. You, the land, and my legacy are complete before I die.” “Have told you for years you have no control over that part of your legac
Dean and Oli got ready to head out for the meeting at Jordan’s Run. “I think we should take a healer, just in case she needs one.” Dean mentioned to Oli. “Already thought of, and she’s waiting with the enforcers going with us. I figured a male healer would not be welcome for obvious reasons.” Oli slid a cross body pack onto the table before he finished pulling on a shirt. “What obvious reasons? Why should anyone care if the healer is male or female?” Dean truly looked stumped by the detail as he looked at Oli to clarify why he made emphasis on that detail. “Wow. You really are distracted. You’re acting like someone that’s seen their mate from afar and you’re on the cusp of doing that whole mating thing. You’re completely unaware of how you’ve been acting like since you came back from that meeting in town.” Oli stopped putting on his heavier belt to look at Dean in surprise. “That waste of time, you mean. That fool didn’t have a clue what he
Trisha didn’t wait on ceremony. Pissed off at being locked in the closet, she shifted into her fur and proceeded to claw at the door in anger. When the door didn’t budge under her claws, she shifted to her weight. She used her head as a battering ram several times after kicking at the door with her hind feet failed. Frustrated, she shifted back into her flesh and checked to see if she could pull the hinges. Sure enough. The hinges were on the inside of the door. She could take it apart if she had something to pry the pins out of the hinges with. That was a challenge to find, but finally she found someone left an old butter knife in a box along with a scoop and cup. She figured someone dedicated them to measuring out something in the pantry closet. She was now stuck with it. James would rue the day he did that and learn fast that no one does that to her. “Oh! You’re out! I was just coming to spring you.” A middle-aged she-wolf exclaimed. “We
The clouds that rolled in late in the afternoon threatened to open up as the group of shifters moved through the woods toward Jordan’s Run. All the wishing and praying that it would hold off until the meeting was over failed miserably. It came down cold and wet. “Delightful. Everyone, keep your eyes open for trouble. We don’t want to be surprised in this.” Dean yelled to those with him and James. They were almost there, and they hadn’t seen a soul yet. “Noses to the ground. Anything that’s out of place or odd mention it loud and clear. We don’t want surprises.” James added more to the orders and Dean had to admit they were good. James hadn’t added them to compete with him. “I don’t like this. It’s too quiet. Either no one is here or there aren’t many of them. I’m still not sure if they are rogues or wolves from another pack.” “I don’t know. Oli is still waiting for one of our elders to get back to him with an idea of who this mystery person might be
The rain didn’t help with any of the investigation. They sent out several teams, however; they didn’t find much. James now felt sure Dean was suffering from an incomplete mating bond. Selfishly, James prided himself on not resisting completing the bond with Trisha. Because Dean wasn’t holding up well under the thought, she was being used like the guy in the RV had been. “Alpha Duncan. We found some identification that belonged to several people. Including the dead wolf in the RV. Speculation is these belonged to the victim who perpetrated this.” “Note the names and bundle it up. Wait, what’s his name?” “Henry Gingham.” “Any idea how he died?” “Strangled, then drained of blood until his heart stopped. Whoever did it was fast and strong.” “Thanks. Round up everyone you can that’s not needed here. I don’t believe we’ll find anyone now in this weather and it’s probably destroyed any scent trails.” “Yes, sir.”
“Kiera! Thank all the heavens. Are you alright? Just stay right there. Dean’s in the car right now. I know he’s been wanting to see you. He’s been going crazy looking for you. Like I mean mating moon crazy. Just don’t move.” He dropped the papers on the front counter and clumsily slid out the main door. He made a mental notice to call about getting an estimate for new floor mats for the entrance. That was a workplace accident waiting to happen. He picked up the papers. Great, they were playing supernatural detectives again. At least he didn’t have to investigate it. He just needed to keep an eye out for anything connected to it. The Sheriff looked at the supposed monster huddled under a standard issue grey blanket. He supposed she was one of those things. Gad, she was a mess, maybe Alpha Jonas could get her to see reason? Kiera showed signs of distress at hearing the alpha’s name. He wasn’t sure he like that. Alpha Jonas wasn’t o
Dean was feeling claustrophobic in the vehicle. It was only Oli, Ellie, our healer, and himself in a seven passenger vehicle. He was trying not to growl or tear up the place. Kiera was out there. He was sure of it. Someone must have missed an important clue. He had to go back and find it. Oli was wasting time at the sheriff’s station. They could use their time a lot better. The long they had Kiera, the higher the chance she’d end up like that guy in the RV. Dean knew he was in a state, but right now he didn’t care that his pack healer watched him like she was in a vehicle with a caged animal. He felt like one right now. His skin itched, and he kept searching for a scent that he’d know if he smelt it. This was crazy. It was like Dean felt bewitched or cursed. Oli hadn’t been inside the station more than a minute before he came barrelling out of the doors he’d just entered. He tore open Dean’s door. “Kiera’s inside right now. Go.” That’s all he needed to say.