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Brick stood subtly in front of her. “She’s not yours, and she’s not Holloway’s property to give away.”

“This doesn’t concern you,” Dane said.

“She’s my truemate. She’s not going anywhere with you.”

“Irrelevant,” Dane said. “She’s been promised to me and I’ll take what I’m owed.” He looked at Adam. “I gave you the courtesy of meeting in neutral territory, but I didn’t come to have a conversation. Hand her over or suffer.”

Brick was two seconds away from launching himself directly at the offensive male when the sound of engines revving split the silence and vehicles rushed in from the road and surrounded them.

Dark-tinted windows lowered and Brick saw the flash of a muzzle just a heartbeat before bullets started flying.

“Ambush!” Brick shouted as he pushed Jade to Alli and let out his claws and fangs. Their pack rushed to the vehicles for cover, and he hit the ground by one of the SUVs and leaned against it as the dust billowed up around them as bullets hit the ground.

“Son of a bitch,” Brick said. “Dane is fucking running away!” Maybe Brick shouldn’t have been surprised that an alpha who thought a female was some kind of package to be given away rushed through the line of cars to escape.

“Coward,” Leo snorted as he ducked another barrage of bullets.

The tires screeched as the vehicles stopped and the doors opened, males rushing from them with guns and knives.

“Who the hell are these assholes?” Alli yelled as she pulled her sword free. Jade peeked around her and caught Brick’s gaze. She was clearly freaked out but was safe, and that was all that mattered.

Brick was almost certain it was the H. A. S. group, and then someone yelled, “Die, shifters!” and he knew for sure it was them.

“Human Against Shifters,” he yelled to Alli.

“Those fuckers? Shit. All right, let’s take out the trash.” The fearless fallen angel stood, yelled a battle cry worthy of a Viking, and rushed into the battle, sword swinging.

“She’s not going to have all the fun,” Leo said to Brick. He followed Alli into battle, dodging bullets and rushing toward the males who were firing as they were the most dangerous.

Brick hollered for Dove. “Keep an eye on Jade!”

“You got it, boss!” Dove scooted back to where Jade crouched next to the SUV’s large tire, her claws and fangs ready to defend.

Brick raced into the melee, knocking a rifle from one male’s hand with a brutal kick and disarming another, sending him flying through the air with a well-aimed punch.

Brick kept an eye on his fellow pack members and saw someone with a knife stalking toward his alpha.

“Not on my watch,” he snarled, barreling into the male and disarming him before using the knife and stabbing him through the hand, anchoring him to the asphalt.

As the male screamed in pain, Brick grinned at Adam.

“Thanks, man,” Adam said.

“Anytime.”

Side by side, he and Adam fought with claws and fangs, driving the humans back into their vehicles until they fled, tires screeching as they raced away. Their fallen brethren, all still breathing but none of them in good spirits, moaned and begged for mercy.

Alli pointed her bloody sword at one of the males. “Can I kill him? He kicked me.”

“Let’s let the police handle these people,” Adam said.

“Boo. You’re no fun.”

Adam shook his head with a chuckle.

Dove brought Jade to Brick and he hugged her. “You’re okay, sweetheart?”

“I am. You?”

He knew he had some cuts and bruises, which would heal soon enough.

“I’m fine, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

While they waited for the police to arrive and deal with them, Adam interrogated the ones who were conscious and eventually got out that they were indeed part of H. A. S. and had spied on them earlier that day, and also followed them to the drive-in in hopes of taking them out.

“You guys should go,” Leo said to Brick and Jade. “Adam too. I’ll stay and talk to the police.”

“If you’re sure?” Brick asked.

“Hell yes. Go. Before you’re stuck here for hours.”

“I’ll stay with Leo,” Alli said.

Dove and Linus agreed to stay as well.

“Keep me posted,” Adam said.

Brick clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks, Leo.”

“This is what it’s all about. Fighting for the people who matter. The pack is a family and we’re supposed to have each other’s backs. Whoever my truemate is, I hope she’s not in danger like Jade has been, but at least I know I have the pack to help me keep her safe if I need it.”

“One hundred percent,” Brick said.

“Thank you,” Jade said.

Alli said, “I think that Alpha Asshole got scared away by the H. A. S. guys, but I doubt he’s going to give up so easily.”

“I doubt that too, but that’s a problem for another day,” Brick said.

The rest of the pack got into their vehicles and left before the police arrived. Jade sat next to him in the passenger seat while he drove home, with Solan and Adam in the second row.

“It was a success in some ways,” Solan said. “But a misfire in others.”

“True,” Adam said. “We won the fight but we didn’t find out where Foley has been holing up.”

“At least we didn’t lose anyone,” Brick said. But while the H. A. S. people were an issue—a deadly one—the main problem was that he doubted Dane would give up, which meant they needed to keep security tight and keep an eye out for him and his people.

The Thorn Hollow Pack had proven once more that they were ready for anything, even violent alphas and crazy humans.

“I’m thinking tacos,” Solan said.

“What?” Brick asked, wondering if he’d missed part of a conversation about food.

“Tacos. When we get home. What do you think?”

“It’s always a good time for tacos,” Adam said.

“And maybe a margarita?” Jade added.

“Oh, definitely,” Brick said. He glanced at her and smiled, so damn thankful she was safe with him. He’d do everything in his power to ensure it stayed that way.