Ryan grunted. It was a sound that Makenna translated to “Fuck you.”
“It would be wise of you to do as I say, Conner. After all, it’s not only your mate you have to think about. That cousin of yours—young Zac—also depends on you to keep him safe. I’ll bet he was a pretty child.” An arrogant smirk slowly spread across Remy’s face. “We wouldn’t want his old pack to learn his whereabouts, would we?”
A black, bottomless rage slammed into Makenna, churning her stomach and almost causing her knees to buckle. She quickly realized the emotion belonged to Ryan, who was as stoic and unreadable as always. He’d never show any vulnerability to this sick bastard. “You’re a big fan of blackmail, aren’t you, Remy?” A little of her own anger leaked into her tone. “That’s how you got some of Dawn’s sponsors to withdraw their funding.”
Remy’s chin jutted out. “Blackmail is a quick and efficient way of getting things done.”
“Especially since your little plan to sic the cougars on the shelter didn’t work so well, huh?” The morning after Riley and the children had been moved to Phoenix Pack territory, several cougars had arrived at the shelter asking whether a young viper was staying there. Trick had replied no, had told them about Remy’s hopes to get his hands on the territory that the shelter sits on.
Face tightening, Remy clenched his teeth. “I know you’re hiding the viper.”
“Viper?”
“Play dumb if you wish, but I’ve seen your records.”
“When you hacked into Dawn’s computer, you mean? Yeah, we know all about that.” Makenna smiled sweetly. “Say, how’s your mom?”
His nostrils flared, his lips flattened into a harsh line, and his fists clenched. She actually thought he’d hit her. Instead, he took a long breath and turned to Ryan. “Don’t ignore my warning, Conner. For young Zac’s sake.”
Ryan’s wolf bared his teeth, releasing a primal growl that held both hatred and challenge. The animal wanted to leap on the sick male who would do Zac harm; he had no care for the politics surrounding the situation. But Ryan’s practicality won out, keeping him still and silent as he watched the Alpha return to his car and drive away. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.
Ryan turned to his seething mate, striving to control his anger so that he didn’t overwhelm her with it. If the strain on her face was anything to go by, it was too late for that. He cupped her nape and drew her to him, pressing an apologetic kiss to her temple. “You okay?”
“I wanted to slit his throat.” She shuddered. “He makes my skin crawl.”
“His time is almost up, Kenna.” Soon, Remy Deacon would die. Ryan urged his mate up the path and into the shelter. Trick and Dominic followed them inside.
Dawn was in the reception area with Madisyn and Colton, rubbing her arms. “What did Remy want?”
“To warn Ryan and his pack not to come with us tomorrow,” said Makenna.
Dominic leaned against the wall. “I noticed he didn’t bother acting innocent when Makenna flung accusations at him.”
“Probably because he’s lost his patience at this point,” said Madisyn. “Most of his plans have come to nothing.”
Ryan nodded, looking at Dawn. “He wants you to feel backed into a corner so that you give in to him.”
Makenna draped an arm around Dawn’s shoulders. “But you didn’t; you fought for these people. You may have lost some of your sponsors, but you were able to attract new ones. He thought that having residents fired would keep the place full, stopping others from seeking refuge here. Instead, you were able to get them new jobs working for people who didn’t care they were shifters.
“He probably also thought that getting me out of his way would not only leave you understaffed and without someone to rehome the loners, but that it would mean the Phoenix wolves would no longer care what happened here. He didn’t realize that they class you, Madisyn, and the shelter as under their protection.”
“You’re a Phoenix wolf now,” Ryan growled at his mate.
Makenna smiled before turning back to Dawn. “He most likely sent the cougars here in the hope that you’d feel so threatened and scared that you’d ask him for help, but all he’s done is earn himself an enemy by pissing off the cougars.”
“You’ve done everyone here proud, Dawn,” said Madisyn.
Forcing a smile, Dawn patted Makenna’s hand. “I wouldn’t have been able to do all that without the help of your pack.”
Ryan’s pleased grunt made Makenna’s smile widen.
“Still, his meddling worked in some ways.” Dawn sighed. “The shelter is almost full, which means more expenses—money and supplies I just don’t have. The new sponsors don’t give as much funding as the sponsors that we lost. Worse, Riley, Dexter, and Savannah were forced to leave because of his actions. This place should be a sanctuary.”
“It is,” Colton insisted. “The residents still think of it that way or they would have left by now.”
Madisyn nodded. “You heard what Riley said: she’d stay with the Phoenix Pack until the Remy situation blows over. They plan to come back.”
“I’m just so worried that the council will give him what he wants.” Dawn rubbed her cheek. “Loners aren’t seen as people who have the same rights as other shifters. Remy’s word will have more weight than mine for that reason alone. Plus, he could blackmail them or bribe them.”
“It doesn’t matter what he does, Dawn, or what the council decides,” said Makenna. “Remy Deacon will not get his hands on the shelter. It. Will. Not. Happen.”
Ryan grunted his agreement.
“I mean it, Dawn, I’ll kill him before I’ll let him have it.”
Dawn squeezed her hand. “We can’t go to war with them, honey.”
“No,” agreed Ryan, “but my pack can. Makenna’s one of us now.”
“That means Makenna’s fights are our fights too,” Trick stated, his tone one of total resolve.
Again, Ryan grunted his agreement. He’d always be at his mate’s side.
Dawn smiled at each of the males. “You’re all too good to be true.”
Makenna gave Dawn’s shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s go to your office. We need to discuss how to proceed tomorrow.”
Madisyn nodded. “Remy’s going to present a damn good case. It’s important we do the same.”
“If he doesn’t get what he wants,” Dawn said, “what do you think he’ll do?”
Ryan had said it before, and he’d say it again: “Dead men can’t do anything.”
Having finished his final perimeter check of the day, Ryan was just about to return to the caves when he heard, “Ryyyyyaaaannnn!” Turning, he saw the Alpha pair and the Beta pair relaxing at the patio with Tao, Riley, and Kye.
Waving frantically, Kye hurried to Ryan and then climbed him like he was a fence post. Not much amused his wolf, but the pup sure did. Gripping him by the back of his shirt, Ryan detached a laughing Kye with a grunt. The pup grunted back with a wide smile. Ryan headed for the other wolves, frowning as he picked up the scents of snake and cheetah. It was only as he neared that he noticed Savannah was dangling from a tree branch upside down and Dexter was smacking the tree with his shoe.
Dexter gave him a somber, studious look that told Ryan he was being sized up. Then he dug his hand into his pocket and offered Ryan half a cookie.
Taryn laughed. “Where is he getting this food?”
“He’s a hoarder,” said Riley. “I think it was because he was surviving mostly on scraps until he arrived at the shelter.”
Ryan took the cookie to be polite. It was no surprise that Kye snatched it and ran off. Dexter gave chase. That kid was fast, even for a cheetah.
Threading his fingers through Jaime’s hair, Dante tipped his chin at Ryan. “I see you changed your shifts around.”
“I’m glad,” said Trey. “It’s about time you saw yourself as more than an enforcer.”
Smiling, Jaime nodded. “Makenna’s good for you.”
Of cour
se she was. She was his mate.
“I gotta say, I wouldn’t have pictured you with someone like her.” Taryn snuggled closer to Trey. “Fate seems to enjoy surprising us.”
“On another note, Trick told me that Remy turned up at the shelter earlier,” said Trey, face hard. “I’m not surprised he threatened to reveal Zac’s whereabouts if you’re present at the meeting tomorrow. Part of the case he’s making to the council is that the shelter has no protection. But if some of our pack appear, it will cancel out that side of his argument.”
“Do you think he really would contact Zac’s old pack?” asked Riley, her eyes on Savannah.
“I think he’ll do it whether we go tomorrow or not,” replied Ryan.
Dante nodded his agreement. “We’ve helped Dawn and the shelter. We’ve screwed up his plans in a major way. He’ll want revenge.”
Jaime’s hand fisted so hard her knuckles turned white. “We can’t let Zac’s old pack get their hands on him. And we can’t let Remy get his hands on that shelter.”
“Neither of those things will happen,” growled Ryan. His wolf echoed his growl.
“Something tells me that if they did,” began Tao, “Makenna would be first in line to kill them. There’s a wildness in her.”
Riley smiled. “There is. I like it.”
Trey looked at Ryan. “You’re positive she’s your true mate?”
This again? “I already had this conversation with the females and Marcus.”
Dante smiled. “Yeah, he told me about the female intervention.” Jaime and Taryn had the grace to blush. “Let me give you some advice. I’d known Jaime since we were kids, but we hadn’t once guessed that we were mates. It wasn’t until Kye was born, in that one unguarded moment while she held him and both our defenses fell, that we both realized the truth.”
Jaime linked their fingers. “It hit us like a two-by-four.”
Ryan scowled. “Makenna doesn’t have any defenses up now.”
“There has to be something or you’d feel the bond,” said Tao.
Not necessarily, given recent developments. “It’s operating.”
Dante arched a brow. “Operating how?”
“I feel what she feels. I think our scents are starting to mix.” It was only a slight change, but Ryan could swear it was there.
Trey pursed his lips. “That could be the start of imprinting.”
Ryan shook his head. He sensed it was more.
“I don’t see how the bond could have snapped into place without you feeling it,” said Dante.
Taryn held a hand up. “Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that it had. That would mean the frequency isn’t jammed, that the bond is up and working just fine. Something is stopping you and Makenna from psychically sensing it.” Taryn’s shoulders sagged. “Honestly, I don’t see how anything could possibly do that.”
“There is another possibility,” said Riley.
“What?” Tao asked her.
“It could be that the bond truly hasn’t formed yet. But that it’s functioning on some level because it’s so very close to snapping into place.”
Taryn’s brows flew up. “That is possible.” She looked at Ryan. “Usually when mates psychically connect, the bond isn’t fully formed; it takes certain emotional steps to make that happen because the couple still has some hurdles to jump. But what if you and Makenna don’t have any hurdles? What if the bond is ready and waiting, it just needs a little something to get out of the damn way?”
“Like what?” Trey asked, and she shrugged.
“Ooh,” interrupted Jaime, “maybe it’s an external issue. Something that isn’t coming between you and Makenna—hence why the bond is ready to fully form—but something that’s coming between the bond and you as a couple.”
Tao waved a hand. “For example . . .”
Jaime sat upright. “If I remember correctly, Makenna went to the shelter when she was a child. Right?”
Ryan nodded.
“Was she banished? Betrayed in some way?”
Taryn gaped at her. “I can’t believe I never thought of that.”
“You would have eventually,” assured Jaime.
Taryn smiled. “It makes total sense now.”
“I know, right?”
Trey sighed. “Could you please share with the class?”
Taryn turned to Ryan. “If Makenna was betrayed by her pack, it stands to reason that part of her is hesitant about joining another. Mating with you means becoming one of us. She’s done that. But maybe somewhere deep inside, she doesn’t trust that we won’t betray her too.”
It made sense. Makenna spoke of the pack as if she were an outsider. She had yet to call herself a Phoenix wolf. Years of volunteering at a place where other people were banished and betrayed by their packs wouldn’t have exactly filled her with faith about packs. “She’s holding back from the pack, not me.”
“Exactly,” said Taryn. “She needs to see—to believe wholeheartedly—that we won’t betray her.”
“We’ve done what we can to make her feel like one of us,” said Jaime. “She is one of us.”
Taryn shrugged. “That’s a realization she has to come to on her own. At least you can take comfort in the knowledge that she’s not at all unsure about you, Ryan.”
Smiling at him, Jaime nodded. “She loves you. We can all see that. She doesn’t even try to hide it.”
Riley caught Savannah as the little girl sprang onto her lap. “You’re lucky to have Makenna as your mate. She’s awesome.”
Tao leaned closer to the viper. “What’s that you got in your hand?”
Savannah smiled impishly. “It’s for you.” She opened her fist and offered her possession to Tao.
To the guy’s credit, he did nothing other than say, “It’s a worm.”
“You can share it with your mean old lady.”
Apparently Savannah had decided that since he was Greta’s ally, Tao was her enemy.
Tao shot a silently laughing Riley a narrowed-eyed look that she completely ignored.
“I absolutely love this kid,” said Taryn, grinning.
Dante pulled out his beeping cell phone and swiped his thumb across the screen. “It seems we have a visitor.”
“Who?” Trey asked, stiffening.
“Myles is here. And he’s brought a friend.”
By the time Myles had parked in the lot, Ryan was waiting there with the Alpha pair and Beta pair.
Trey spoke. “Why are you here, Myles?”
The male stopped with a sigh. “Two reasons. One, Rosa’s friend called and said that a huge pack has just entered Remy’s territory—the York Pack.”
Zac’s old pack. Bastard.
“They’re planning to invade this place with Remy in three days,” Myles went on. Trey and Dante growled.
“What’s the other reason for your visit?” asked Taryn.
Myles slid his friend a glance. “Well that would have to do with Grayson here. He has something to tell you. Trust me, you’ll want to hear this.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Waking to the sound of a fist thumping on Ryan’s bedroom door, Makenna groaned. The male curled around her merely grunted against her nape. The fist didn’t give up, however. “This is the shittiest wake-up call ever,” she grumbled.
Ryan lifted his head and called out, “What?”
“We have a major situation on our hands.” It was Dante.
Ryan sat upright. “Explain.”
“Come take a look at the security monitors in Trey’s office.”
A short time later, Ryan and Makenna entered the crowded office. “What’s going on?” asked Makenna. Moving aside, Dante gestured at the monitors. One look had Makenna blurting, “Fuck.”
“Yes, fuck,” agreed Tao. “Remy has to be behind this.”
Trick nodded. “He wants the council to think we’re not the right people to be guarding the shelter.”
“Given that there are dozens of extremists outside the security gates, ye
lling and protesting, I’d say he’d make a good point,” said Makenna. They were all wearing hoods to conceal their faces—most likely hoping to protect their identities from The Movement. Makenna looked at Trey. “I thought you said the extremists wouldn’t come here.”
“Something’s got them so worked up that they don’t care about the danger it’s putting them in.” The Alpha leaned closer to the screens. “What are they shouting?”
Jaime shook her head, worrying her lower lip. “I can’t tell.”
Dante took out his cell phone and keyed in a number. “There’s only one way to find out.” He put the phone to his ear. “Gabe, what is it they’re saying?” Gabe was guarding the gate.
The room was quiet enough for everyone to hear Gabe’s response: “They want ‘the rabid cat.’”
Makenna met Ryan’s gaze as she said, “Dexter.”
“They’re yelling that it belongs in hell and they want to send it there,” added Gabe.
“Hey look, cops have showed up,” said Tao. “Tell me they aren’t part of the protest.”
“They’re trying to move the extremists along,” Gabe told them. “The bastards are blocking the road. Can you see the news crew?”
Makenna cursed. “The council won’t need Remy to tell them about this. They’ll see it for themselves.”
“He hasn’t just done this to persuade the council we can’t protect the shelter,” said Ryan. “He’s trying to block our exit so we can’t get to the meeting.”
Makenna’s spine locked. “I’m not missing it.”
“No, you’re not,” Trey assured her. “There are other ways out of here—hidden exits we have for emergencies. It will slow you down a little, maybe make you a little late for the meeting. But you will get there.”
Taryn turned to Makenna. “I really wanted to be there today but—”
“You need people here in case they somehow manage to get through the gates,” finished Makenna. “I get it.”
“Jaime, Trick, and I will come with you and Ryan,” said Dante. “That means you’ll have enough backup without the pack being defenseless.”
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