Page 36 of Property of Blade (Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska #1)

Like all of us, this is his last chance for a life. The kind of life that doesn’t end in destruction or regret. And I respect that more than anyone knows.

Vex holds up a hand and I nod at him. “Chrome is right there was no scent on the bag or around Hannah’s home. It’s weird. It’s as if they can mask their scent which means it could be someone like us.”

“You think it’s another supernatural being?” I ask.

“Maybe?” Vex answers.

Prophet shakes his head. “We’d feel it if another of our kind was in the area. They wouldn’t be able to hide from us for this long.”

“Prez, you mentioned the boyfriend was leaving Hannah gifts. Did she actually see him leave anything, or did she just assume it was him?” Scout asks, his voice steady but curious as he leans forward.

“Ex-boyfriend. And no.” My response is sharp, cutting through the tension in the room.

“Sorry, Blade. We all know you’ve chosen her. I meant no offense,” Scout adds quickly, his gaze dropping slightly, clearly aware of the weight of his words.

I hold up a hand to dismiss his concern, a casual wave of the wrist that signals I’m not bothered. “It’s fine. Are you thinking it was someone else? Hannah hasn’t mentioned any other friends up here or even a neighbor. She keeps to herself.”

“Like us,” Prophet mutters from his seat, his voice low but carrying a note of agreement.

“Is she staying permanently?” Rooster asks, his voice slightly more cautious than before, as if he’s testing the waters.

“She’s staying for as long as I deem it necessary,” I reply, leaning back in my chair, keeping my tone firm. The room falls quiet for a moment.

“It’s just we’ve never had a woman up here before,” Rooster continues, shifting his weight. Then his eyes dart to Vex. “Apart from Tessa, and that was different.”

“Tessa isn’t your concern,” Vex growls, his voice low, almost a warning.

I can feel the tension spiking between them.

Rooster doesn’t back down. “You know I don’t want to piss you off, brother, but she’s all of our concern.” Rooster crosses his arms over his chest, glaring at Vex.

It’s not smart to challenge Vex. The room holds its breath in anticipation, waiting to see what he’ll do.

To ease the tension, I clear my throat and lean forward, meeting both of their stares. “ Vex has handled it.”

Rooster scoffs, not letting go of the issue. “How?”

I stand, resting my hands on the table, my eyes locking on Rooster’s. My voice drops to a low growl, the threat hanging in the air. “I know it’s your nature to pick at everything, but I swear, Rooster, if you question me again, I’ll beat you bloody for it.”

The color drains from his face, and for once, he falls silent, his posture stiffening. The air between us crackles with the kind of tension that could explode any second.

I take a deep breath, pushing the anger down, and let my gaze shift around the room to reset the tone. “Fury, go upstairs and escort Hannah and her cat down here. Be nice.”

Fury looks at me, his brow furrowing. “Why me?”

“Because she thinks you don’t like her cat,” I explain, keeping my tone even.

Fury snorts, rolling his eyes. “I don’t.”

I glance up at the ceiling, inhaling deeply to keep my cool. Then I fix Fury with a look that could cut steel.

Fury sighs dramatically, his shoulders slumping. “Prez, I’m just going to go upstairs and make nice with your woman and her feline.” Fury stands, muttering under his breath as he strides toward the stairs, clearly not thrilled with the task.

“Is there anything else we need to talk about?” I ask, glancing around the room, my voice is calm, but the weight of the question hangs in the air.

Scout raises his hand, standing up from his chair. “Mira is coming. She’s going to be here permanently, and the transition from where she was to here is going to be hard on her. I’d appreciate it if you could all make her feel welcome.”

The room goes still for a moment as everyone processes the news.

Kyler breaks the silence, raising an eyebrow. “Are you bringing her here?”

Scout shakes his head, a slight frown pulling at the corners of his mouth. “No. But she might visit from time to time. I’ve rented a place just outside of Crystal Creek. It has a large vegetable garden... she’ll like that.”

“So two of us are now hitched?” Rooster mutters, his tone laced with disbelief. He shakes his head, clearly not impressed with the turn of events.

“And more are going to follow,” Prophet says with a smirk, leaning back in his chair. His eyes gleam with that familiar, knowing look.

“Not me! No way, no how. I’m a carefree bachelor,” Rooster protests, raising both hands in mock surrender.

Prophet lets out a hearty laugh, slapping his knee. “Keep telling yourself that, Rooster. We’ll see how long that lasts.”

“Before Hannah comes down, I need to say something,” I start, my gaze sweeping over the room. The guys fall silent, sensing the seriousness in my tone. “I haven’t told her about us. She thinks we’re just a regular MC. For now, we’re all going to keep it that way.”

There’s a pause, then Prophet speaks up, his voice thoughtful but firm. “It’s a mistake.”

I turn my attention to him, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Have you seen something?”

Prophet’s gaze shifts away for a moment, a faint frown tugging at the corners of his mouth as if he’s debating how much to share. “There are two paths, both are murky, but not telling her feels like the wrong move.”

I run a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly.

“You and your fucking premonitions,” Rooster sneers, his voice dripping with frustration. “Always overthinking everything.”

Prophet’s expression is unchanged as he pushes away from the table and stands. His boots scrape against the floor, echoing in the quiet room. He walks toward the kitchen with that casual confidence of his, as if he’s untouchable. Laughing softly to himself, he glances over his shoulder at Rooster.

“Does anyone want coffee?” Prophet asks, completely ignoring Rooster’s jab, his tone light and teasing.