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“Garrett,” Luke snapped into his phone after the doc sped away. “I need men on Dr. Barrymore at all times. His parents live in the retirement community off Eden Court. He’s probably headed there now. My reluctant mate is going to get protection whether he likes it or not.” He was completely unabashed at having researched all about the good doctor while he slept.

“Mate, Sir?”

“That’s right. And I shall be exceedingly pissed off if any harm should come to him.”

“Copy that, Sheriff.”

Before Luke ended the call with his deputy, he informed him that he was heading back to the station shortly. Garrett had also set up a meeting, as Luke had requested. The enforcers of his pack would be there tonight, as well as Owen, and the rightful alphas who were robbed of their beloved leaders. Word would be sent out to Lorenzo after the meeting that the challenge would take place tomorrow. If he didn’t show, he’d basically forfeit what control he had garnered. Luke was certain that would not end up being the case.

When he finally arrived at the station, Owen was there as well. At least he wasn’t being stubborn about accepting protection. And his deputy had been right about the fact that Lorenzo would kill his brother next time. The guy looked little better than his doc did—bruising on all the visible parts of his body. Fortunately for Owen, having enough time to run from Lorenzo and his gang to shift and heal faster, had saved his life.

He put his hand on the young man’s shoulder and said, “We’ll stop him, Owen. I swear it.”

“I know his weakness,” Owen said. When Owen told him what that weakness was, Luke knew he’d take pleasure in using it against Lorenzo. When Owen revealed it to the others at the meeting later, murmurs of hope rang around the room.

Luke spoke next. “If I should fail, you must find another alpha to challenge him. He needs to be put down.” He was confident in his abilities, especially given that now this went beyond just regaining back territories. This was personal for him. He yearned to sink his teeth deep into the bastard’s throat and separate him from it. He wasn’t arrogant, though. As dominant as Luke was, Lorenzo would not be an easy opponent to defeat.

“We have confidence in you, Luke,” Morgan, a true alpha successor, said. Luke knew it was personal for him, too. Lorenzo had challenged Morgan’s father and won.

They then talked strategy and numbers. Lorenzo would be bringing his faithful three along as well as others, none of whom could be trusted to let this be a fair fight should the outcome look like it would be favoring Luke. And Luke himself would not be opposed in this situation to fighting back just as dirty, even if it meant an all-out war could break out. It was definitely not what he wanted, but they were past the point of diplomacy or a fair fight.

Just as Luke was about to end the meeting, his phone buzzed in his pocket. “We lost him, Sheriff,” Cody, one of his enforcers, said in his ear. He didn’t need to see the man’s face to know that right about now, he was cringing, waiting for the onslaught of ire from his alpha to be directed toward him.

Luke happily obliged. “What the fuck do you mean you lost him?” he barked into the phone. “I gave you and Mills one fucking job to do for the next twenty-four hours!”

“We think he was onto us,” the panther explained, struggling with his speech. Luke’s dominance had been felt even through a cell phone, no doubt. “He gave us the slip.”

Luke hung up on him, furious, not to mention worried for his mate. He had programmed the doc’s cell phone into his own last night and proceeded to call him now, several times, but each time the call went immediately to voicemail.

“This meeting is adjourned,” Luke snapped before he abruptly stood from the table and wordlessly left the station.

****

Tom didn’t go to his parents’ retirement home. He called his mom from the car and told her that something came up at work and not to worry, then veered off the highway and checked into his hotel. What if he really was still in danger? He couldn’t bring that down upon them. First, he needed to make sure that those thugs really did believe he was dead. And second, he just needed some time to process the last two days.

I could shift into an animal, I supposedly have a mate, and someone tried to kill me.

I should be dead right now.

As he paced his hotel room, contemplating his new life, the itching in his arms became more intense and something inside of him was tugging, clawing—a primal part of him wanting to be free. The walls around him felt as if they were closing in, his breaths came faster, but still he struggled for more air.

His knees buckled, he fell to the floor. The sound of growling startled him until he realized the sound was coming from him. He needed to get out of there and fast.

With inhuman speed, he bolted from the room.