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Sutton worked her magic, healing the fucker who’d just tried to kiss her.What the fuck was going on?

Why was she helping that male?

She’d pushed my hand away when I’d tried to stop her from going in the cage, and she wouldn’t even look at me now.

Another demon helped Poe up, bearing his weight and leading him away.I straightened as Sutton and Magnolia walked out.

“Sutton—”

She walked right past me, as if I didn’t exist.I followed after her.I’d shown her how strong I was, that I could protect her.Why was she angry?She hadn’t wanted that demon to touch her, no way.Impossible.

“Sutton,” I said again, calling after her.

My fingers barely grazed her arm, and she jerked it away like I’d electrocuted her.“Back the hell off,” she snapped.

“Maybe give her some space,” Mags said, her gaze sliding between us.

Space?There had been more than enough space between us.I didn’t want fucking space.

What had I done wrong?I showed her I was a worthy male, that I was strong.I was the alpha’s lieutenant.I could give her what she wanted.I was ready now.

I grabbed her arm again, not letting her pull away.“I don’t understand.Why are you angry with me?”

She stared up, her eyes big and round and hurt.

I shook my head, the pain in her eyes like a dagger in my chest.“I was protecting you.”Fuck, it was an apology, for the stupid things I’d said and done.

“I don’t want your protection, Jagger,” she said, finally speaking to me.“That’s not your job.”

Anger shot through me.“Then whose is it?That fucking demon?”

She rubbed her temples, her eyes flashing red.“Mine!I protect myself.”She shook her head.“I don’t need your kind of protection, it only makes everything worse…” She slammed her mouth closed and shook her head.

“What do you mean?”I said, taking a step closer.

“Just leave me alone.”She strode away, Mags hot on her heels.

Leaving her alone wasn’t an option.I strode out into the parking lot as they got in the ambulance and I started after her.

My phone rang, and I yanked it out of my pocket.“Yeah,” I said distractedly, watching as Sutton drove away.

“Need you back at the clubhouse.Brick’s gone missing,” War said.

“What do you mean, missing?”If we needed to find him, we could, by his scent alone.

“He left the clubhouse last night and still isn’t back.That’s not like him.The pup always lets his mom know if he’s staying out.He knows how she worries.But we’re not getting anything, brother.Not even Dirk or Elena can pick up his scent.”

Fuck.If the pup was invisible to us, to his parents, that meant he was being hidden from us.We’d know if he was dead, Lucifer would have told us.Someone had him, someone powerful.“Anyone know where he was headed?”

“A female, not one who comes to the clubhouse, one he met in the city.We got no other details on her.”

Not good.“On my way.”

I got on my bike and tore out onto the street.Witches, demons, shifters of all kinds, except maybe crows, all could be caught and held against their will and used for their powers or strength.Hounds were left alone, we were too old, too strong, too hard to conceal, and no one wanted to tangle with Lucifer.So if someone was hiding him from us, it was someone with some serious power behind them.

When I pulled into the clubhouse, everyone was already there.I strode over to War.Dirk stood with him.Willow stood beside Elena, trying to comfort her.

“Anything?”I asked.