Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Nick twined one of her red curls around his finger. “I wish I could, baby. He called to repeat his offer, the stubborn bastard. If I’d known someone would swoop in and take that land, I’d have claimed it myself and we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
The neighboring pack had fallen apart after Nick killed their corrupt Alpha female for trying to wipe out the Mercury Pack. Hector Flynt—a half shifter who owned a chain of hotels and restaurants—stepped in and acquired the empty territory, where he planned to build a hotel resort. Naturally, none of the Mercury wolves were happy about it. They treasured their quiet and privacy. They didn’t want to listen to cheesy hotel cabaret every night or deal with tourists stumbling onto their territory, nosing around and taking pictures.
As it turned out, Hector didn’t want a pack next door to his hotel any more than they wanted the hotel there. He had come to Nick with a “solution” to their mutual problem: he’d offered to buy their territory . . . as if it were a mere stretch of land, not their home and sanctuary. He’d then reeled off a figure that made Jesse’s brows hit his hairline.
“Does anyone else have the feeling he doesn’t like shifters?” asked Jesse.
Eli frowned. “What makes you think that?”
“He could have bought land anywhere, but he went for shifter territory,” said Jesse. “He has a history of buying shifter territories.”
Nick’s mouth twisted. “It might be worth finding out so we know if this is something personal against shifters.”
Eli’s frown deepened. “But he’s half shifter.”
“That doesn’t mean he likes that half of him,” Nick pointed out.
Shaya squeezed her mate’s hand. “I think Hector’s scared of you, but I’m not sure he’ll drop this anytime soon. A person doesn’t become as successful as he is without having a serious amount of determination.”
Nick’s brow creased. “Nothing would make us sell.”
“We know that, but he doesn’t,” she said.
They all fell quiet as Nick’s mom came into the room with a freshly bathed Cassidy and Willow. “They’ve come to say good night,” Kathy announced.
Both kids were cute in their own way. Cassidy was angelic looking with her white-blonde hair, bright-blue eyes, and baby face. Willow’s corkscrew curls were also blonde, though a little darker. She had green eyes like her father and elfin features like her mother, complete with an impish smile.
Cassidy skipped over to Jesse and tilted her head. “Have you brought her here yet?”
“Who?” Jesse asked.
“The pretty lady.”
Jesse inwardly frowned. She’d said something similar a few times that day. “I’m not sure who you’re talking about, angel.”
She sighed, as if exasperated with him. “You should bring her here before her car goes boom.”
Everything in Jesse froze. As she turned to leave, he gently placed a hand on her arm. “Wait, what did you say?”
“Her car,” she repeated impatiently. “It’s gonna go boom.”
Ally took her hand, her voice patient as she spoke. “This pretty lady . . . do you know her name?”
Cassidy shook her head.
“What does she look like?” Jesse asked, striving to sound gentle when panic was eating his insides. Could it be his mother? His grandmother? A cousin? A—
“Her hair is long like mine, but it’s dark. She has gold eyes. Oh, and she can make music.” Then the pup skipped away, leaving him stunned.
His gut twisted painfully and his heart literally missed a beat. He knew a female with mesmerizing gold eyes . . . a female he’d been watching over for many years . . . a female who could play a musical instrument . . . a female who also happened to be his.
For a moment he couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Then, looking at Bracken and Zander, he saw the same dawning realization in their eyes.
“Fuck,” Jesse bit out.
CHAPTER TWO
In the shadowed parking lot, Jesse waited impatiently while Zander inspected Harley’s car. None of the humans heading to the club paid them any attention, which showed just how easy it would be for someone to tamper with her car. She should have known better than to park in the shadows; she should be taking better care of herself. But then, Harley had never been as protective of herself as she was of those she cared for. Not because she was reckless, but because she stupidly didn’t see that she was important to anyone.
The sound of humans laughing rubbed on Jesse’s raw nerves. His pacing wolf was just as furious that anyone would target Harley. She was theirs, even if she hadn’t quite accepted it yet.
Eyes narrowed, Bracken said, “Should I ask how you knew where she worked and which car was hers?”
“No.”
Finally, Zander slid out from underneath the vehicle. “There’s a bomb there all right. A pretty simple construct. It was set to explode when the engine turned on.”