“Why is she running? Why not just leave the clan?”
Turi slid his hands along her arms. “The Alpha has determined that anyone found supporting Tabitha will die. She has a bounty on her head, so for her it’s run or be killed.”
“Wow.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm the thoughts that were running through her mind. “We must help her.”
“Theodore will be leaving within the hour to pick up Styx from the Alaskan Tigers. They’ll check out the coordinates the woman gave and we’ll go from there.”
“Wait, shouldn’t we go?”
“No, we have other things we need to attend to. Theodore was going to West Virginia anyway to drop off the furniture Jinx and Summer ordered. So he can fly and Styx will be the muscle. There’s nothing to worry about and if things get out of control, Jinx and his clan are close by.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I came out here to tell you this forum is doing great. We’ve seen some interaction from different clans with it, but this is the first lead we’ve received through it.”
“Maybe we could use it to locate Randolph and his gang of rogues,” she suggested, still eager to have them eliminated after what they did to her clan. If Randolph was eliminated, her heritage and relation to him would no longer matter.
“Connor, the wolf shifter of the Alaskan Tigers, heads up the Nerd Crew, and his team is working on leads. Anything the forum would produce would go to him. Ty would send a team to find him.” He pulled her tight against him. “Don’t worry, we’ll catch him.”
“I don’t doubt that, I only wonder how many more will die before we do. The man I heard talking on the phone after the attack said there would be more…”
“But there haven’t been,” Turi reassured her.
“Not yet, but he said they’d wait until our guard was down.” The thought that another clan would go through what she had made her sick.
“Everyone who is devoted to Tabitha is on guard. We’re as protected as we can be. Hopefully we can find them before they hurt anyone else.” He ran his hands down her back, drawing small circles in the arch of her back where she kept her tension bottled. “You’re safe here on the island, and you know we’d protect you.”
“I know but there are so many others who don’t have mates like you and Trey to protect them. Alphas have guards, but the women and children of the clans are left vulnerable.”
“We can only do so much. We have suggested that the clan install fences and employ ground guards for the extra protection, though nothing is foolproof. Even the Alaskan Tigers’ compound had attacks, and they have one of the best security teams around.” He laid a light kiss on the top of her head. “It’s a dangerous time we live in and fear is an everyday thing, but we can’t let it control us or stop us from living the life we were meant to have.”
Knowing he was right, she rested her head against his chest. Things were dangerous for the shifters and there was no end in sight. With the proposal on how to integrate themselves into the human world in Ty and Tabitha’s hands, she’d finally realized what kind of battle they were up against. Was it one that would be worth it in the end, or would the price be more blood than they cared to spill? Only time would reveal the answer to that.
The cost made no difference if they were going to make a better life for future generations; there were battles that had to be fought. The rogues being the first. She wouldn’t be on the front lines against Randolph or the rogues, but she’d do what she could to see them defeated.
One thing she knew. The battle was coming, and she’d make damn sure they were prepared. War had casualties but she wasn’t about to lose anyone else she loved, not if she could stop it. She’d make sure anyone who came up against her and her mates wouldn’t walk away without a fight.
The battle was only beginning.
Marissa Dobson
Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She’s a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you’re never done learning.
Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn't until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.
Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He’s her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.
Her writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to her bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.
She love to hear from readers so send her an email at [email protected] or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.
Other Books by Marissa Dobson
Alaskan Tigers Series:
Tiger Time
The Tiger’s Heart
Tigress for Two
Night with a Tiger
Trusting a Tiger
Jinx’s Mate
Two for Protection
Bearing Secrets
Reaper Series:
A Touch of Death
SEALed for You Series:
Ace in the Hole
Explosive Passions
Capturing a Diamond
Fate Series:
Snowy Fate
Sarah’s Fate
Mason’s Fate
As Fate Would Have It
Stormkin Series:
Storm Queen
Half Moon Harbor Series:
Learning to Live
Learning What Love Is
Her Cowboy’s Heart
Half Moon Harbor Resort Volume One
Clearwater Series:
Winterbloom
Unexpected Forever
Losing to Win
Christmas Countdown
The Surrogate
Clearwater Romance Volume One
Stand Alone:
Secret Valentine
Restoring Love
The Twelve Seductive Days of Christmas
Bearing Secrets Page 13
