Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Taryn strode into the room. “What the hell is hap—where’s Flintstone?”
“He went to talk to the police and get rid of them.” Rhett gestured to the monitor. “They want to talk to Riley.”
Taryn swore. “The asshole should have taken me with him. We’re the Alphas, we should always present a united front.”
“I suppose he thought it wasn’t worth dragging you away from Kye just to go send the humans away,” said Makenna. “Where is Kye?”
“Still asleep in my bed. I had to know what was happening.”
As the monitor showed Trey, Tao, and the others finally nearing the security shack, Riley blew out a breath. She couldn’t quite shake off her apprehension. A bolt of reassurance shot up the mating bond and a half smile curved her mouth.
They’d be fine, Riley told herself. They’d all be fine. And if something did happen to anyone, Riley would raise fresh fucking hell on the trigger-happy fucker.
Tao and the enforcers flanked Trey as they strolled to the security shack. Despite the darkness, Tao could clearly see the two humans behind the iron gates, standing beside a police car. One was tall and lean, the other was balding fast and had a thick, old-fashioned mustache.
Trey spoke to Gabe at a volume that wouldn’t meet the humans’ ears. “Have they said anything else since we left the caves a few minutes ago?”
“Not to me,” replied Gabe. “But they keep talking into their radios. They obviously know how acute a shifter’s hearing can be, though, because they’ve kept their voices quiet.”
Trey nodded. “Wait here, Gabe.”
Again Tao and the enforcers flanked the Alpha as they approached the closed gate. Both officers strode toward them, their gaits casual and easy, their perceptive eyes scanning each and every wolf. Tao’s wolf sniffed in annoyance as the wind carried the scents of fast food and cigarette smoke that clung to the humans.
The taller of the two studied Trey carefully. “You’re the Alpha?”
“I am,” said Trey.
“I’m Officer Brown. This is Officer Taylor.” His tone was as casual as his stance. Apparently the guy was trying to put them at ease and pretend to be their friend or something.
Taylor, chewing gum, simply inclined his head.
Brown looked at Trey expectantly, as if waiting for him to introduce each of the wolves. He didn’t.
“What brings you officers to my territory?” Trey asked.
Brown glanced past him to where Gabe stood. “As I told your pack mate, we’d like to speak with the raven you have staying with you.”
“Riley Porter isn’t staying with us. She’s part of my pack. That’s different.”
The officers exchanged a brief look, and Tao got the feeling they hadn’t actually known that. Maybe they’d assumed that each breed of shifter stuck with their own kind.
“In any case, we’d like to speak with her,” said Brown.
Trey raised a brow. “Regarding?”
“A complaint was made against her by Ramón Veloz. He believes Miss Porter broke into his home and vandalized it yesterday afternoon.”
Motherfucker. Tao should have considered that the bastard would do something like this. Ramón would have many people in his pocket. He probably thought Riley had flown into his home and let the wolves inside since, as an avian, she had the best chance of entering undetected. He had no reason to believe that the pack had any connection to a group of crazy-ass margays.
“Does he now?” Trey’s tone was bored.
Brown widened his stance. “We’d just like to have a quick chat with her so we can get all this straightened out.” As if he were on their side and believed it was one big, terrible misunderstanding.
“You don’t need to chat with Riley,” said Trey. “I can tell you myself that Ramón’s wrong.”
“You can verify Miss Porter’s whereabouts?” asked Brown.
“She was here,” said Trey.
Taylor lifted his chin. “Mr. Veloz strongly believes that Miss Porter was to blame.”
“And many believe that Bigfoot walks the earth. Doesn’t make it true or really mean anything—it’s just a belief.”
Taylor licked his front teeth. “Still, we’d just like to speak to Miss Porter and hear the story from her.”
Tao gave a slow shake of the head. “Not happening.”
Taylor’s eyes narrowed on Tao. “Is she fine with you all speaking for her?”
Tao ignored the taunt, though it made his wolf bare his teeth. “You won’t pass through this gate. You’re wasting your time here.”
Straightening to his full height, Brown sighed at Trey. “Mr. Coleman, my job is to—”
“I know what your job is,” said Trey. “I know about your laws. And both of us know that shifters don’t answer to your laws. We have our own. That means you don’t have any authority whatsoever here.”
A flicker of movement caught Tao’s eyes. A black SUV with blackened windows was creeping up toward the gate. The hair on his nape and arms lifted. In the distance a flock of birds squawked, as if spooked by something. Alarm shot through Tao and his wolf. He wasn’t completely sure what exactly was happening or where the real threat was coming from, but he knew it was there. “It’s a setup, Trey. Move.”