Cut to the Chase (City Shifters: the Pride Book 4)

by Layla Nash

  He shook the thought from his head and kneed the bag. Every moment he spent with her just made it that much more difficult to face the possibility of losing her. If she decided to walk away, to choose her pack over him, he might lose his mind. The lion sure as hell would. Edgar would have to lock him up in a cage for the next year to keep him from going after Ruby. Maybe the rest of his life.

  Carter stepped back, wiping some of the sweat from his face, and jumped as someone said, "Did that bag in particular say something to offend you, or do you just hate all red bags?"

  He turned and saw Eloise watching him with a raised eyebrow. Carter sighed. "Got a lot on my mind. What's up?"

  Benedict's girlfriend worked as a receptionist at the gym, partly because she needed a job, but mostly because she was part Medusa and could paralyze any shifters who got out of control. The bears took safety seriously, and Eloise's very presence kept things under control. Apparently, she'd done security for the illegal street-fights run by the coyotes, and her reputation preceded her. So the uncertainty in her expression worried him. A lot.

  "Well." Eloise played with her phone, gray-silver eyes sliding away from his as her dark hair snuck over her shoulder in a clingy rope. "Todd Evershaw called."

  Carter snorted and turned away. "Girl, don't tell Benedict that."

  She followed him, making a face, but caught his sleeve to pull him up short. "What am I, stupid? Of course I'm not going to tell him. Besides, he's in a big business meeting thing all afternoon, and I couldn't reach him anyway."

  Carter studied her through narrowed eyes, a hint of unease uncoiling in his stomach. Eloise's normally unflappable demeanor, honed through years of criminal work, had entirely disappeared. She looked nervous. "What did Todd want?"

  "Here's the thing."

  "Jesus. There's a thing?" Carter shook his head and went to sit on a nearby bench, pounding a bottle of water before mopping his face with the towel. "You're killing me, Eloise. Please don't tell me you're breaking up with Benedict for Todd Evershaw. Ben would lose his fucking…"

  "Don't be ridiculous." She flicked angrily at her hair as it curled and uncurled in a cloud around her head. "I had to promise Miles Evershaw a favor when he helped me with the hyenas. Todd just called to say Miles is ready to cash in. Today. Like, now."

  The uneasy feeling grew. Evershaw had been agitating with the Council, despite that the vote had been put off, and trying to gather support from the coyotes, jackals, and other canines for the past several days. It stressed Ruby out until Carter could hardly distract her from it at all. And for Evershaw to call in a favor from someone he knew was close to Ruby and her pack...he didn't like it.

  Carter shook his head. "Don't go."

  "I have to." She grimaced, glancing down at her phone. "I gave him my word on the favor, Carter. I have to at least hear him out."

  He shoved to his feet and headed for the locker room. "Give me a sec to clean up, and I'll drive you. I know Benedict wouldn't want you going in there alone."

  "Thanks, Carter." She chewed her lower lip. "I'm supposed to meet them at his office."

  The relief in her tone convinced him he did the right thing, even though his skin crawled with the urge to strangle Miles Evershaw. Walking into the wolf's den already angry meant things would escalate. He took a cold shower to try to work through some of the irritation, and felt more at ease by the time he dressed and met Eloise outside at his car. She still looked nervous, fiddling with her phone, and occasionally trying to control her hair.

  It took about twenty minutes to reach the warehouse district where Miles Evershaw kept his offices. Before they got out of the car, Carter took a deep breath. "If anything happens, paralyze whoever's close, and get out of there. I'll buy you as much time as I can. Just don't let them take you hostage, okay? And remember you represent Logan and the rest of the pride. If you start a blood feud, all of us are liable."

  "Got it." She stared out the windshield, unmoving, then took a deep breath and calm settled over her.

  Carter hadn't seen her go full Medusa since the fight with the hyenas, though Eloise ended up paralyzing herself when the former hyena queen held up a mirror, but even some of the mojo was scary. She turned silver eyes to him and tilted her head at the door. "Ready?"

  He got out of the car, going around to open her door, and then they both went to the heavy steel entranceway, where one of Evershaw's cold-faced guards waited. The wolf's lip curled as he looked at Carter. "Only the girl."

  Before Carter could do more than growl, Eloise arched an eyebrow and her hair coiled itself into snake-like ropes, arching in a threatening spray around her head. "Try again."

  The guy hesitated, taking in the hair and quicksilver eyes, then his radio crackled and he shoved the door open. "Fine. But the lion walks in of his own accord."

  "Obviously," she said under her breath, all trace of nerves gone, and practically elbowed the guy out of the way. Carter followed, silent, but kept his attention on high alert as other pack members joined them in the hall.

  But at least they gave Eloise plenty of space.

  By the time they made it to the back room in the warehouse that served as Miles's office, Carter wanted to jump out of his own skin from feeling stalked, hunted. Those damn wolves on his heels the entire way made his lion prickly. And seeing Miles Evershaw just made Carter want to put his fist through a wall. He imagined the son of a bitch daring to ask Ruby to settle for Miles, because no one else wanted her.

  Luckily Carter just had to stand there, arms crossed, as Eloise faced the alpha of SilverLine pack. Todd, Miles's younger brother or cousin or something, hopped up from the couch on the far side of the office and offered the Medusa a charming smile. Apparently the silver eyes and crazy ass hair didn't bother the wolf. "Eloise, lovely to see you again. Do you want a drink?"

  "Good to see you, Todd." Her attention returned to his brother, still sitting behind the massive desk. "But I'd rather get this over with. I'd also rather Benedict did not find out about this."

  Todd snorted, but he glanced at Carter before he spoke. "The lawyer keeps you on a tight leash, doesn't he?"

  "There's a leash involved, but don't assume he's the one holding the business end." She folded her hands at her middle and waited, looking at Miles.

  Miles, expressionless as usual, gestured at the chairs in front of his desk. "Sit, please."

  "We won't be here long enough for that." Eloise didn't blink.

  Carter's irritation with the man grew when he failed to stand up as they entered the room. A typical wolf power play. And downright rude when a woman walked in. His lion snarled and stretched, desperate to show the wolves how dangerous even solitary lions could be.

  But the alpha apparently didn't care, because he leaned back in his chair to study them both, and laced his hands behind his head. "You owe me a favor, Eloise. Are you ready to pay up?"

  "Yes. And you should recall, Evershaw, that I only agreed to the favor if it would not harm the Chase family or the BloodMoon pack. If you violate either of those conditions, I'm not obligated to agree to pay up."

  "I recall." The alpha's eyes darkened, so maybe he'd hoped Eloise had forgotten. Miles pressed his fingers together near his chin and studied her. "The coyotes tell me they owe you a great deal of money, and a couple of favors. They're not in a position to pay you back without destroying their business. So. All I ask of you is to forgive their debt."

  "I'm not letting them off the hook for over thirty grand, Evershaw."

  The man's eyebrow arched and the lines around his eyes deepened. He looked older, and tired. Distant and adrift. But the moment passed and Miles turned once more into an unfeeling, power-hungry schemer. "If I recall, the favor I provided you saved your life. And I'm sure Benedict would be happy to provide the cash in exchange for...services rendered."

  Carter's teeth went on edge. If Eloise went full gorgon on Evershaw, Carter would just let her go. They could deal with the consequences, but Miles had it coming.
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  Eloise's head tilted as she watched the alpha, her agitated braids the only sign she wasn't having a pleasant conversation about the weather. "What are they giving you in exchange?"

  He didn't blink. "That's between me and them."

  Carter's heart sank. If Evershaw convinced the coyotes to join the Council under his leadership, chances were the rest of the shifter alphas would allow SilverLine to become the main pack in the city. Which meant Ruby and Rafe would have to obey Evershaw or fight tooth and nail to keep their rank — or find new territory. Outside the city. And Carter would have to follow her or risk his lion plummeting into insanity. He held his breath.

  Eloise crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Evershaw, come on. We know what you're up to."

  "You owe me a favor." Evershaw leaned forward on his desk, every muscle in his body tense as his gaze hardened. "It's a very simple thing, Eloise – let the coyotes off the hook. That's all I'm asking from you. It has nothing to do with the lions or the O'Sheas."

  "But I know perfectly what you're going to…"

  "You don't." Evershaw's teeth gleamed as his lip curled in a near-snarl. "You know nothing. If you refuse to fulfill your part of the bargain, Eloise, I'll be forced to file a grievance against you with the Council, and levy an honor debt against you and the rest of your family."

  The air crackled around Eloise and her eyes turned liquid as mercury. But her voice came out low and cold and her hair hissed in an angry whisper. "Are you threatening me?"

  "It's not a threat if you do what you said you would do."

  Carter ground his teeth until his jaw creaked. "Evershaw, this is low, even for you."

  The alpha never took his eyes off Eloise. "This doesn't concern you, Chase."

  "Bullshit." Carter advanced a step, and Evershaw immediately lurched to his feet.

  Eloise grabbed Carter's arm and hauled him back as growling filled the office. She elbowed her way in front of him and jabbed her finger at Evershaw's chest. "You listen to me, Miles Evershaw. Everyone else calls you an asshole, but I didn't believe it until this moment. I know exactly what you plan to do with this favor, and even though you've found a loophole, don't think I will forget this. If any harm befalls BloodMoon or the Chases because of this agreement, I will find you and make you pay."

  The dark braids around her head flared out and hissed more, until even Evershaw looked a little nonplussed. Eloise clenched her fists. "The mansion has a very large garden, Evershaw. Someone stole all the garden gnomes. Replacing them with some stone wolves would suit me very nicely."

  Todd cleared his throat from the other side of the room, still lounging on the couch as if his brother hadn't almost come to blows with Carter. "Okay, let's all take a deep breath and…"

  "Stop." Evershaw didn't blink, but Todd silenced with a click of his teeth. The alpha met Eloise's gaze without breaking a sweat. "Well?"

  The medusa gritted her teeth but ground out the words. "Very well. I forgive the debt the coyotes owe me. And I no longer owe you anything."

  "Good." Evershaw straightened and turned his attention back to the work on his desk, barely looking at them as he gestured at the door. "Todd will show you out."

  Eloise snarled some curses under her breath as she turned to the door, and Carter wondered if she had enough magic to make them stick. Would serve Evershaw right. But Carter didn't retreat, instead moving until he could lean his fists on the desk. "Listen to me, Evershaw, and hear me well. We know you're working up some scheme against BloodMoon pack, and we're watching."

  Evershaw's head tilted slowly and a predator looked out from his eyes. "You challenging me, Chase?"

  "You face Rafe and Ruby fairly. No tricks, no bullshit. And let a fair contest decide the results, if you can't trust the Council. Stop fucking scheming like a teenaged girl."

  The wolf's lip curled. "What the fuck do you know about fair? Life isn't fair, little kitty. Get used to it."

  Carter's lion roared and rattled his brain, and enough of it echoed in his chest that Evershaw looked the smallest bit less confident. Not concerned, not worried, just less confident. Carter reined in the rage and gripped the edge of the desk until the wood creaked. "Fight fair, Evershaw. Be a man. She's worked too damn hard for what she's got to lose it because of a fucking cheater."

  "You ready to fight for Ruby?" When Carter hesitated, Evershaw seized the advantage and lurched forward, knocking Carter back. "You think I don't know? You think I didn't see it? Give me a break. You're fucking her. What, think you're going to get your own little wolf pack? Stand up on your own, since Logan won't let you play leader? I'll negotiate with you, too, Chase. If you speak for Ruby, fuck it. We can settle this right now."

  "I don't speak for Ruby." Carter snarled and his nails darkened, the lion on the verge of bursting forth whether he intended to shift or not. Not even Eloise's muttered warning caught his attention as he lifted the desk and heaved it aside. That son of a bitch. That lowly son of a bitch. "Don't you dare threaten her. Don't you fucking dare, I'll kill you in your own den, I'll —"

  "What the fuck is going on in here?" Ruby's voice rang out, cutting through his words with devastating precision.

  The only person in the entire city who could cut through the fog of fury in his brain stormed in, and Carter faced her, panicked that she walked into SilverLine's den without protection, but thrilled she would end this thing with Evershaw. He growled, about to reach for her so they could present a united front against the SilverLine alpha, but froze as Ruby turned on him.

  She wasn't pissed at Evershaw. Not at all. Her fist connected with Carter's chest instead, and her eyes flashed gold as she rounded on him. "What the fuck are you doing here? What do you think you're doing?"

  "Evershaw tried to call in —"

  "Are you messing in pack business?" Her features changed, grew more wolf-like, and dark fur sprouted on the backs of her arms as she whaled another punch into his side. "I told you. I told you this was the one thing I couldn't —"

  She turned away, refusing to look at him. "Get the fuck out of here. I'm done."

  Carter couldn't breathe. He couldn't do anything but look at her. He could explain. He could fix it. But she wouldn't look at him.

  And Evershaw's smug expression only made him feel worse. Angrier. More helpless.

  Carter stepped forward, reaching for Ruby's arm, but Eloise caught his attention and shook her head. The Medusa dragged him out of the building, saying under her breath, "Don't get involved in the wolf business, man," and nothing else, until they were outside and in the car.

  Carter stared at the steering wheel, numb from his hair to the tips of his fingers. Ruby thought he'd interfered in pack business. It was over. His lion stalked and paced, ready to fight for her. He wouldn't just let her disappear. She had to listen to him. Had to.

  Eloise didn't move or tell him to start the car. Her hair settled down, and one long braid tickled his shoulder, as if to comfort him. "So you and Ruby were seeing each other?"

  "Sort of." His voice came out rusty and broken. He took a deep breath and started the car. "But not anymore."

  "I bet Natalia could…"

  He just shook his head. He might be able to fix it, but getting Natalia involved would only complicate things further. Neither of them spoke for the drive back to the office, or the elevator ride up to Benedict's office. He might not want to reveal his relationship with Ruby, but his brothers deserved to know what Evershaw planned. At least then the Council would not be caught unawares by the coyotes. It didn't make him feel any better.

  Chapter 15

  I saw red the moment I walked into Evershaw's office and found Carter there, snarling about fighting and settling things with Evershaw. That lion jackass thought he could fight my battles for me. Went to my enemy to try to head things off and protect me – without asking permission, or my opinion, or anything. He just did it. Typical.

  By the time Eloise dragged Carter out of the office and Todd quietly excused himself, I
still couldn't see straight. Evershaw stood next to his desk chair, though the desk stood on its end across the room. No doubt from Carter's temper. I bared my teeth. "What the fuck are you doing, Evershaw?"

  "Eloise owed me a favor. I called it in. I didn't ask Chase to come here, he just showed up with her. I have no business with him." Evershaw looked older suddenly, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. "But I have business with you."

  "Look," I said, wanting to throw something at him just to see some kind of emotion on his face. The man was as expressive as a chalkboard. "I know you're trying to get the jackals and hyenas with you to try to get rid of my pack. I see it, Miles. You're not that sneaky, and it's a small city."

  "I wasn't trying to be sneaky." He crossed his arms and watched me. "That wasn't the point. The point was to demonstrate to you the lengths to which I will go to secure power in this city – for myself and for you. Yes, I want my pack to be the lead pack in this city. And I want you to be the alpha female of that pack. What happens to BloodMoon and Rafe, I don't care. If the Council votes the way I suspect they will, there will be a single wolf pack in this city. Rafe can move outside the city limits and try suburban life, or he can swear fealty to us. Either way, we would be in charge. That's how it should be, Ruby."

  I shook my head, even though Carter's betrayal made Evershaw's offer more tempting. I would never write off Natalia, but the Chase brothers could go fuck themselves. Only the wolves, working as a single unit, could hope to offset the power of the lion pride. "We won't just give up, Evershaw. We'll fight you, alpha to alpha, to decide rank among the packs. It shouldn't be up to the Council. This is between wolves, it should stay among wolves. Why the fuck would you ask the lions and bears and hyenas to vote on who we should be?"