Page 6

Chapter Five

V ictor rose to his feet, the snarl widening his lips. Daniel didn’t look the least bit impressed or terrified Victor was about to rip out his throat. In fact, the sneaky wolf barely glanced Victor’s way. His mate, however, looked terrified, and Victor quickly went to stand with him, noticing, to his surprise, that Zack did the same.

“Daniel,” Zack growled out, his tone a warning. Daniel dropped Mo’s hand and, looking like he didn’t give a shit, went and helped himself to a coffee.

“Lachlan ‘Mo’ Granger,” Daniel started like he was reciting a shopping list. “Twenty-seven. Dual major in elementary and special education. Father, Lachlan Granger, currently in Leavenworth serving his third year of fifteen for myriad drug convictions. Mother Annabel Carter, deceased. Sister Khloe Granger, twenty-two, whereabouts unknown.” Daniel looked over at Mo, and Victor had a sudden urge to scoop his mate up and get right the fuck out of Dodge with him.

“Does that about cover it?” Daniel asked mildly.

Victor watched as Mo’s fingers nearly blanched white with him fisting them so tightly. “How long have I been here?” He looked up and met Daniel’s gaze. Daniel frowned, glanced at Zack.

“Since last night.”

“Really?” Mo said a little sarcastically. “Can I please see your identification?”

Victor stared at Mo in confusion. Why did Mo think they were lying?

Daniel dug in his pocket, removed his wallet, and passed the entire wallet over to Mo. Even he looked a little shocked. Mo took the wallet and examined Daniel’s ID, checked his driver’s license, and even compared the credit cards to his name. Mo handed it back and thanked him.

Victor couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “Why do you think you’ve been here longer?” Without hesitation, he handed Mo his own phone and opened it, showing the date and the time. Mo’s brown eyes turned to his.

“Because I was very badly beaten up and I don’t have so much as a bruise.”

“Well, shit,” Riley said, then shook his head. Victor met everyone’s desperate gazes around the room. What the hell should they say?

“Tell me about Khloe first,” Daniel said and sat down. Mo sighed and dropped into his chair. Victor and Zack were on either side.

“You know about my dad, and I’m sure you can imagine how I grew up. My dad was always a little on the edge of the law, but after Mom left—well, died—he didn’t even try to hide it.”

Victor wondered if that statement was telling. Mo had said his mom “left” then amended it to “died” as if they weren’t simultaneous. His shoulders sagged, and he noticed Zack reach out his hand and clasp Mo’s, and Mo allowed it. Victor wasn’t sure whether to be astonished a human would accept such comfort from a stranger or wildly jealous it wasn’t him offering it.

And he was confused. Despite what his wolf was telling him, Victor had known for a long time he wasn’t destined for a mate.

“How did Khloe get involved?” Daniel asked.

“I was always determined to drag us out of the life. Dad used to make us both act as runners, and I told him that if he made Khloe do it, I would call the cops. He agreed, but then I was trying to focus on school, and I took my eye off the ball and she got a boyfriend.”

Mo said it like a death knell, and fuck it, Victor reached out and took his other hand, gratified when Mo squeezed it back, still stunned he didn’t think it was weird.

“Name?” Daniel asked, looking up from where he was jotting some notes on his phone.

“Rigor Elkin. I don’t know if that was his real name.”

He wasn’t sure if anyone else had seen the slight stiffening of Daniel’s shoulders, but Victor slid his gaze to Riley and knew instantly from the way he watched Daniel that he had. Daniel sighed and scrubbed his face. “We know of Richard Elkin, or Rigor as he likes to be known. Not personally, but the bureau does. He’s bad news and involved in drug running. When Texas got a little too hot for him, he moved here. His minions have spent time in and out of jail, and that’s where we think he met your dad.”

“A case you’re working on?” Zack asked casually. Too casually, and it clicked. Daniel only got involved in shifter-related cases. Was this linked? And was it the tie-in to the deaths and drugs they were investigating at the high school?

Daniel gave a brief nod and looked at Mo. “I know you’re looking for your sister.”

“With no luck,” Mo acknowledged. “I managed to find out she’d been seen in Billings, and this was the closest job I could get. I suppose I started asking the wrong questions, or maybe the right ones.” He let go of Zack’s hand to rub his head and Victor was almost giddy he hadn’t let go of his. “I don’t remember much of yesterday. I’d gone to a couple of bars and shown her picture around. I remember going to the bathroom in the second one and I suppose I got hit over the head. I have flashes of questions that made little sense, and then the next thing I knew, I woke up here.”

He looked around at everyone. “So, are you going to explain to me now how I don’t have so much as a black eye?”

Daniel eyed him first, then everyone else. “I guess that depends on if you knew that your mother was a wolf-shifter or not?”

Even Victor gasped at Daniel’s bluntness. He got ready for his mate to explode but as he chanced a glance at him, he wasn’t reacting shocked, scared, or outraged. He looked puzzled, but he wasn’t running for the door. “What do you mean?” Mo asked.

“Are you prepared to sign a confidentiality agreement?”

“Hell, yeah,” Mo answered, and wouldn’t you know it, Daniel had one on his phone. Mo signed and gave his phone back. “When you say ‘wolf-shifters,’ are we talking the huge, popular romance genre?”

Victor wasn’t even gonna ask. He read science fiction when he could get his hands on it. Riley chuckled. “Hundred percent yes.”

Mo’s mouth fell open. “It’s real?”

Zack sighed. “It depends on what you read.” Riley shot a look at Victor and Zack, which Mo followed. “Fated mates, definitely.” Mo snatched his hands back and Zack and Victor growled simultaneously.

Mo looked at them both. “No. Absolutely not. I have a sister to find.”

Victor wasn’t sure Mo realized what he’d said, and he sneaked a look at the bear. He met Victor’s gaze with understanding. Mo hadn’t objected to having a mate, even two maybe, but he’d objected to having to deal with that on top of finding his sister. Interesting.

“So, this is Khloe’s known last sighting, and that’s why you’re here?” Victor clarified. Mo nodded.

“Do you know anything about the drug deaths at the school?” Daniel asked.

“I knew the kids involved. I didn’t know them personally, as I work with kids needing extra help.” He looked at Riley. “Tyler, for example.”

Riley nodded. “Tyler and his sisters came to live with us about 18 months ago. None of them had ever had any schooling. Tyler is very bright, even though he needs to catch up. Our other son Alex persuaded him to enroll.”

“They are all a credit to you,” Mo said honestly.

Riley smiled, and he nodded at the others. Victor assumed that was Riley’s bullshit meter confirming Mo was telling the truth, but he didn’t need Riley to know that.

“Tell me what you meant about wolf-shifters and why you think my mom was one, and what that has to do with my face?”

Riley glanced at Zack as if he was asking if Zack wanted to answer, and Victor was suddenly irrationally pissed that Riley didn’t think him capable of an explanation. Victor stood. “Might be easier if I just show you.” He sighed, not giving any fucks about undressing, which he did with speed. Mo gazed at him like he was crazy. He didn’t look at the bear. Victor took another step back and reached into himself. He knew by the surprised faces that he’d shifted quicker than they expected. He had gotten quick out of sheer necessity for survival and he didn’t even feel the change now. One second, he was human, and another he just wasn’t.

He looked at his mate. Mo hadn’t moved, didn’t look like he dared breathe. “He won’t hurt you,” Zack murmured, and that shocked him. It would have made sense for Zack to encourage Mo to be frightened of Victor, but then Victor wouldn’t have done that to Zack, either. He padded slowly forward, not that there was a huge distance between them, but Mo still hadn’t spoken, and Victor was concerned he was about to freak out. But he didn’t, and when his snout was an inch away from his legs, Mo leaned forward and put his hand out.

“Can I touch you?”

Victor lowered his head in answer, and he couldn’t restrain the shiver of pleasure as Mo ran his hand through the fur on his head and the back of his neck. Victor groaned, and he rested his head on Mo’s knees, steadfastly ignoring the chuckles around the room. Victor didn’t do touch. Not even as a wolf, which is why he was always on patrol when the pack had their scheduled runs. It gave him the excuse he needed. Victor had learned as a pup that touch meant pain, so he’d trained his wolf not to need it.

But this? Fuck, he could stand here all day. “You’re huge,” Mo said, and Victor tried to work out what was in his voice. Nuances of sound were harder in his wolf form, but there was a small smile curving the corners of his lips, and so Victor didn’t think the words were a criticism. He definitely wasn’t frightened. He inhaled cautiously, wanting to fill his lungs with Mo’s sweet scent, and while it was there, so was another scent. Strong enough that if he shut his eyes, he could imagine he was in the forest. He could smell the earth, grass, and deep wood tones, but on top of that a spicy orange zest wrapped around him and made him shiver. Victor raised his head and looked at Zack, gazing in wonder. The scent was coming from him. He’d been around the bear a dozen times, but he’d never smelled anything like this. Victor wanted to roll around in it, scent-mark himself. He met Zack’s gaze and got his second shock. Zack was staring intently at him, his nostrils flaring as if he was scenting Victor, but it was his eyes. Both huge, blown pupils so distended and dark the brown was almost black. The instant punch to his gut, and the way his body reacted, had him taking a step toward the bear before he knew it. Every cell in his body tightened.

It was a good thing he was all wolf right that moment, because if he’d been a man, a naked man, he would have grabbed both his mates and taken them somewhere private.

Both. His. Mates.

Victor didn’t know if his life had gotten easier or a million percent more complicated, and he shifted back, turning away while he dressed, and scooting his chair under the table when he sat. Not that any of the shifters would say anything about his body’s reaction, but Mo would be able to see his hard-on from space.

Mo spoke after a few seconds of shocked silence. “Are you saying my mom could do that?”

“Not necessarily,” Daniel said. “It would depend on if she was a pure-bred wolf shifter or not, and I can’t scent any animal in you.”

Riley nodded. “Neither can I.”

" Different animals?" Mo asked.

"Riley and I are bears," Zack said, and Mo grinned.

"Wow."

"Wolves are the most common type, but we've managed a few surprises over the years," Zack added.

Mo shrugged. “I’ve definitely never done that. How do you know about my mom?”

“Because part of my job is dealing with crimes committed by or against, shifters. A lot of missing person reports involving shifters come to me. Your mom’s sister, Janelle, reported her missing six years ago.”

“What?” Mo gasped.

“You didn’t know she had been reported missing?” Daniel asked.

“No, well, yes I suppose, but what I mean is I didn’t know Mom had a sister. She told me she grew up in foster homes.” Victor could feel the bewilderment and hurt coming off Mo in waves and cautiously moved his chair closer so they were touching. He took back his hand. Zack did the same.

“She ran away from her pack when she met your dad. Her pack didn’t approve of mixed mating.”

“With humans, you mean?”

Daniel nodded, but Victor knew he also meant different shifter species. He was glad no one was dumping that information on Mo right that minute, he had enough to deal with. “I’m getting the reports sent over so as soon as I have their details I will let you know.”

Mo nodded, let go of their hands, and hugged himself. “I need a phone.”

Victor met Zack’s worried gaze, knowing he felt just as useless. “We can do that,” Victor said. That was the easiest thing. Daniel’s phone buzzed then, and he looked down.

He read whatever message he’d received then looked back at Mo.

“As soon as I have any more information, I will tell you. I should be able to take over the case from Detective Pauley.”

Mo scrunched his nose up.

“What is it?” Victor asked.

“Pauley’s the one that basically told me Khloe going missing was what she deserved because she was a junkie.”

Daniel stood. “I’m going to request all the case notes so I can see exactly what happened, plus look into your dad’s conviction. It will take me a few days.”

Mo nodded. “You know where I live.”

“Absolutely not,” Victor snapped out. “There’s no way you’re going home alone while those goons are after you.”

Mo’s eyebrows shot up. “And where do you suggest I go?”

Victor immediately looked at Zack and Mo noticed. “No,” he said, standing up. “There’s like a million kids here. I’m not giving those guys any excuse to come looking.”

“And for the same reason you will have to miss school, at least until we find out what’s going on,” Daniel said.

Victor gazed at Zack. Mo couldn’t just leave, and Victor couldn’t take him to the pack house. Zack had a son. “Then I’ll come with you,” he told Mo.

“I don’t want you at your home either Mo,” Daniel chimed in. “At least not for a couple of days.

“Let me call my alpha,” Victor said. They had a lot of outlying cottages and he knew at least two were empty. Raschid would offer help immediately, but the rest of the pack wouldn’t be happy, especially when they found out Mo wasn’t even a hybrid. But he’d sort that out if and when it came up. For now, he had to concentrate on keeping Mo safe and figuring out what this thing was with Zack, if he felt the same, and what the hell to do about all of it.