Page 14

Chapter Fourteen

Barrett

“What do you want to do, boss?” Bellamy asked. He was so close to shifting I had seconds to come up with my answer.

“Go,” I growled.

“Go where? Out there?”

“No. Drive.” Part of me was itching to fight, to take years of frustration out on these wolves. But my bear knew it was a bad idea. He might have been distracted lately with this gorgeous woman by his side, but he’d never lead me wrong when it came to something like this.

Bellamy didn’t question me. He just put his foot on the gas. That was why he was my right-hand man.

Tegan clutched my arm. My bear considered her touch a reward for making the right decision. “Why didn’t you fight them? We could’ve settled this right here and now.”

“No, we couldn’t have.” I exhaled, letting the rush of adrenaline that had flooded my veins leave my body. I’d been so close to a shift, because for a moment, I’d thought the same exact thing. “We have no idea who those wolves were.”

“We have a lot of allies in Sawtooth Forest,” Bellamy added. “They could’ve been working to keep us safe.”

“Or they could’ve wanted us to shift, knowing it would slow us down,” I said. “Buy more time and figure out what they were working with.”

Tegan tensed beside me. “I got you into this mess.”

Make her feel safe , my bear insisted. She’s only scratched the surface of what shifter life is and she’s not prepared for what she’s about to see.

“No, Gideon likes to pick fights with packs and humans he thinks are smaller than his. He mistakes kindness and goodwill for weakness. We’re about to show him it’s a strength, and that none of us shine unless we all shine.” I leaned in and gave her a kiss. “That means you too. You’re a dangerous woman, Tegan Reynolds. Never apologize for that.”

In the darkness, I could barely see the corners of her lips curl into a smile. But I could feel her body relax. My bear approved.

“Never thought of myself as dangerous before, but I like it.”

“Are you kidding? You might be the woman who brings down Gideon Silverclaw. Do you know how long packs have been trying to ruin him for the shit he’s done? Too long. We haven’t been able to do it because we haven’t had the proof we needed. You do.”

She took a deep breath, and I waited for her to say something. Instead, she put her head on my shoulder. Bellamy caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. He agreed with me that she was dangerous, but I knew he thought she was more trouble than she was worth.

It would take him a minute to be bear enough to admit we needed her as much as she needed us. He’d been acting differently since he realized Tegan and I were together. The sting of his rejection had never gone away, even though it had been a few years. The woman who’d walked away from him had a family.

Bellamy needed a reason to move forward.

You never thought you’d find one , my bear said. Don’t be so hard on him.

Tegan’s head was still on my shoulder, her fingers interlaced in mine. A wave of guilt washed over me, like I shouldn’t be doing this, but at the same time, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to be getting ready to fight with her beside me. She was human, but that didn’t make her weak. She’d see things we wouldn’t. Sense things we didn’t.

Bellamy pulled off the main road, onto a dirt one. Tegan sat up, peering out the window.

“I never thought I’d be back here,” she said as she sucked in a breath.

A makeshift security checkpoint had been set up. Bellamy slowed.

“Fuck!” Tegan whispered. “They’re gonna know.”

“Trust me,” was all my partner said.

Tegan slid down, off the seat. My bear growled inside me, pissed that she was doing that, but I wasn’t sure of Bellamy’s plan either.

He rolled down the window and handed them something.

“Not your usual time,” the security guy said.

“Had to go out for a job. Checking into the office late,” Bellamy replied.

The guard considered the car and then looked into the backseat. “Why’s he back there, and not in the front seat with you?”

“He gets carsick.” Bellamy chuckled, then lowered his voice. “Don’t make a big deal out of it. He gets mad when we bring it up.”

The guard gave me another once-over, and then reluctantly waved Bellamy through.

“What the fuck did you show him?” My voice was a whisper, like the guard could still hear us.

“One of the local guys used to work here. He managed to keep his security badge. I might have borrowed it and printed a fake name and photo on it.”

“Can’t believe that worked.” I put my hand on Tegan’s shoulder. “You don’t have to stay down there.”

“I’m terrified that wolves will come out of nowhere the minute they see me.” She pulled her hair away from her shoulder. “Pink hair is amazing until you have to sneak into your old office.”

“Maybe you’re not sneaking,” I suggested as Bellamy pulled into a spot marked for employees only. “What if we tear a page out of Bellamy’s book and make them think you’re supposed to be here?”

She cocked a brow. “Act like I own the place?”

“I imagine you command every room you walk into.”

Bellamy could barely stifle his groan, but he’d have to deal with it. We needed Tegan on her A-game.

“I can certainly try.” She shook out her hair and got out of the car. “Follow me, gentlemen.”

My partner raised a skeptical brow, and I shook my head.

Tegan strutted toward the building. I wished I had time to buy her a more impressive outfit, to sell whatever story she was about to tell us, but she owned this parking lot like she was walking the red carpet.

I couldn’t wait until I got her alone again.

“This is gonna be fucking trouble,” Bellamy said between gritted teeth.

“Like when that guard realizes you gave him a bogus pass?” I said.

“They don’t know me. They know her. She’s too good at this.” Bellamy stopped. “What if she’s playing us, and we walked right into her trap?”

“You’re the one that suggested we come here now.” I leveled my gaze at him. “Give her a chance.”

Tegan looked over her shoulder as she opened the door, holding it open as we caught up.

The woman behind the desk startled when she saw us come through the door. She was an older woman with a gray bowl cut, a cardigan, and glasses hanging on a chain around her neck.

“Tegan. Sweet moon, is that you?” She rose from the chair and put her hand over her mouth. “There are rumors that you…I don’t even want to say it.”

“Tell me.”

“There was speculation on the news that you could’ve been murdered. That the rescue mission’s been changed to a recovery mission.” The woman shuddered. “I’m glad to see it’s not true, but what are you doing here? In the middle of the night?”

“I could ask you the same question, Josephine. I know you have trouble with your night vision,” Tegan said. “Will someone be driving you home?”

“Of course. I made arrangements. We’ve all been working around the clock since you were abducted. Gideon said he’d stop at nothing to find you.”

“Well, he found me.” She spread her arms wide. “We haven’t gone public yet, so you’re the first to know. I’m back.”

Josephine raised a skeptical brow, then looked over Tegan’s shoulder. Her gaze fell to me and Bellamy. “And these handsome gentlemen behind you?”

“Oh, they’re new to the company, so we should give them a warm Silverclaw welcome, shouldn’t we?”

“You’re back in your old position?” Josephine asked.

Tegan shook her head. “I got a promotion. Management, can you believe it? We’re having the press conference in the morning.” She brought her finger to her lips. “Mum’s the word though, until we go live. I just need to get into the office and grab a couple of things I need to hit the ground running.”

She turned on her heel and winked at me as she headed down the hallway.

I nodded to Josephine and followed my…

I wasn’t quite ready to think of her as that yet. All I knew was I’d follow her anywhere.

“Wait.” Josephine said, stopping the three of us dead in our tracks.

She came out from behind the desk. She was tiny. Old enough to be my grandmother. And I had a feeling that she was about to screw this entire night up beyond all recognition.

Tegan turned around, her body tense.

Josephine approached her, arms crossed. “If I remember correctly, you called Gideon a ‘fuck nugget’ when you were escorted out of here by security.”

Tegan swallowed hard. “You remember correctly.”

“And I believe that you also said, loudly enough for all of us to hear, that you hoped he choked on his own wrinkled ball sack.”

I couldn’t help but snicker, which earned a stern look for Josephine. But it didn’t last long, because her attention snapped back to Tegan, her expression demanding an explanation.

“I assure you I have no idea what condition Gideon’s balls are in, Josephine,” Tegan said. “It was all part of the show. You see, we were both already signed up for Moonlight Mates , and they thought it would be super juicy if we had an enemies-to-lovers, boss and fired employee backstory. We had to make it as authentic as possible, because you know how people like to talk, and?—”

“You don’t have to tell me anymore, dear. I’m glad you’re okay.” Josephine patted her arm. “I assume Gideon knows you’re here?”

Tegan nodded. “He sent me in. Press conference is first thing in the morning.”

Josephine pulled a phone out of the pocket of her slacks. “I’ll let him know you made it here safely.”