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LOCKE

My fingers flew across the keyboard, but amid the sounds of typing, my ears were trained for any signs of movement. Any hint of Wren .

Brix had informed me that she’d gone target shooting with Ender. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to leave the two of them alone with weapons was beyond me. And I needed proof of life, stat.

The floorboards creaked in the hallway, and my fingers stilled as I listened. Footsteps grew closer, and I turned to see Kingston in the doorway. Surprise had my brows lifting. When we weren’t on a mission, he usually spent his days at the gym, catching up on work. “You’re home?”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “So are you.”

“Wren,” we said at the same time.

“She’s addicting,” King muttered.

I couldn’t argue that point. I’d held her all night, and it still wasn’t enough. “She’s target shooting with Ender,” I informed him.

Kingston’s entire body tightened. “She’s what?” he barked.

I winced. “Apparently, she wanted to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow.”

“Who thought it was a good idea for Ender to be her teacher?” King snarled.

I shrugged in answer, not wanting him to kill the messenger. A second later, his voice filled all our pack mates’ heads. “Ender, if anything happens to her, I will make sure you suffer.”

A huff of annoyance sounded in response. “Relax. Your delicate little princess is just fine.”

“Says the cat daddy whose pussy rules his life,” Puck shot back.

“What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me?” Ender snarled.

“Enough,” Kingston demanded. “Ender, you will make sure Wren returns to the house unharmed in all ways.”

“Whatever,” he snapped and then threw up a mental shield to block us all from his mind. Kingston could’ve broken through, but it would’ve been an invasion.

“That went well,” I muttered.

King sighed, scrubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. It’s like he’s at his worst.”

“She affects him,” I said quietly. “It stirs up all the betrayal and mistrust he’s experienced over the years. And it doesn’t help that we still don’t have a plan for Red River. Not to mention, the MC and the mages are still circling.”

A muscle in Kingston’s cheek began to flutter. “Any movement lately?”

I shook my head. “As far as I can tell, it looks like the mages retreated and went home. The MC is trying to reform with whatever members are left in Tennessee.”

“We’ll have to watch that. You sent your tips to law enforcement there?”

I nodded .

“It’d be nice if they helped us out for once. Especially since this is the human variety of trash.”

“I’ll let you know when I hear back,” I assured him.

King shifted his weight before speaking again. “And Red River?”

It was difficult for him to even say the words. The pack had stolen his sister from him. They also unjustly slayed both Brix’s and Ender’s families. There was so much evil in that one group of shifters.

We’d been trying to find a way to dismantle them for years. We couldn’t take them on head-to-head; their sheer size alone meant they’d decimate us. But we’d found ways to disrupt them.

Sending anonymous tips to law enforcement about their drug and human trafficking operations. Even tipping off the IRS about unreported income. We were chipping away little by little, but I knew Ender and King were growing impatient.

“I zeroed in on their new drug-running routes from Mexico. I’ll be sending a map to the Feds shortly. If they time the bust right, it should cripple them for a few months,” I said, opening a map on my computer screen with the path outlined in red.

“Good,” King gritted out. “Good.”

But I knew it wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t bring his sister back or any of the countless others who had been lost to Red River’s violence.

“Gonna go for a run,” he clipped, but he was gone before I could say another word.

I sighed. He didn’t need a run. He needed time with Wren. She made everything better.

As if I’d conjured her, she appeared in the open doorway. “Is Kingston okay? He seemed…off.”

Damn.

I wished he would talk to her and open up. Maybe it would help. I knew what it felt like to lay my burdens down around Wren. She hadn’t judged me for what I’d been through; she’d made me feel accepted despite it all.

“He’ll be okay,” I told her.

Wren nodded but didn’t look like she believed me. Her gaze moved around the space, taking it all in. The rest of the guys called it The Lair, and I’d give it to them. It definitely rocked the dark vibe—all the low lights with neon in places. Puck had even had a sign made for me that read The Lair , which I’d hung over my bank of computers.

There were two couches in the corner, a pillow on one for when I needed a nap between hacking sessions. There was a mini fridge within reach of my desk so I could grab my energy drink of choice whenever I needed one, and a couple of gaming chairs behind the massive desk.

“So, this is where you run the universe?” Wren asked.

My lips twitched. “I like to think so. Come in. Sit.”

She slowly moved deeper into the room and took the seat next to mine. I instantly pulled her closer, wrapping my hands around her calves. The urge to touch her was too strong. All I could think about was how she hadn’t had the touch she’d needed for so long. I wouldn’t ever let that happen again.

Wren’s expression softened, and she leaned closer, her lips just a breath away. Then she closed the distance. The kiss was featherlight, the barest touch, but I couldn’t resist leaning in, deepening it.

Her tongue stroked mine, the taste of rain and mint exploding in my mouth as the scent of wildflowers swirled around us. She let out a little moan, and my hand slid into her hair. Gods. I wanted all of her. Wanted to drown in whatever this was.

A loud, accusing meow sounded, breaking us apart. Wren giggled, not a laugh or chuckle but a true giggle. The sound was so light and innocent it had pressure building in my chest.

“I’m sorry, Princess. Were your eyes assaulted by us kissing?” Wren cooed.

Princess let out another meow as if to say, “Yes, they were .” And then she leapt onto Wren’s lap. I’d never seen the cat take to anyone like this other than Ender.

Wren scratched behind her ears as Princess headbutted her chin. “I missed you, too.”

“Hey, Locke, have you seen Prin—?” Ender’s question cut off as he halted in the doorway to The Lair. A scowl instantly spread across his face. “Are you trying to steal my cat?”

Wren rolled her eyes. “I think your cat is just proving that she has good taste.”

“I’m going to take her to the vet for a checkup because she’s obviously dealing with some sort of psychosis. I’m sure medication will fix it,” Ender shot back.

“Pretty sure the psychosis is yours, given you built a pussy palace next to a weapons arsenal, Cat Daddy.”

I’d taken a sip of my energy drink but started choking at the words: pussy palace . Wren leaned over and thumped me on the back. “Now, look what you did.”

Ender just glared at her. “Princess, come on. We’re going.”

The cat gave him a long look and then simply curled up in Wren’s lap. She grinned at him. “Don’t you know by now? You can’t tell a cat what to do.”

Ender let out a growl, turned on his heel, and stomped down the hall. Wren’s laughter followed him out.