Page 11

S uddenly, the sky darkened above them.

Rafe’s head snapped up just as a low whoosh cut through the air. Crows, dozens of them, flying in a tight formation overhead. Their black wings cast flickering shadows across the ground, the sound of their feathers slicing through the silence like a warning.

“Fucking Crows,” Bruce muttered behind them, his voice flat with disdain. But Rafe didn’t answer. His attention stayed locked on the sky as his instincts sharpened, going razor-edged with the familiar prickle of danger.

The Crows dove.

Rafe moved instantly, stepping in front of Billie Ann, shielding her with his body as the birds twisted in mid-air. Then, in a blur of movement and cracking bones, they shifted. Human forms hit the ground with practiced precision.

At the front stood Jack Crow.

Rafe’s jaw tightened.

Jack’s dark eyes scanned the area briefly, then landed on Billie Ann. His entire expression shifted as he opened his arms wide.

“Billie,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.

Before Rafe could react, Billie Ann darted around him and threw herself into Jack’s waiting embrace like a daughter coming home.

The sight hit Rafe square in the chest. He didn’t move.

Couldn’t. His Jaguar roared, furious and possessive, pacing just beneath his skin as the woman he’d only just claimed buried her face against another man’s neck.

Jack held her like she belonged there.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here,” Jack murmured, pulling her back just enough to search her face. “We had our annual migration meeting, and most of us were out of range. We didn’t know.”

“He’s gone, Jack,” Billie Ann said, her voice brittle and so full of pain that Rafe felt it echo in his bones. “Davey’s gone.”

“I know, Billie,” Jack said, wrapping his arms around her tightly again. “I know. I should’ve been here. He was family, like a brother to me.”

Behind Jack, the rest of the Crows stood quietly, some bowing their heads in respect. One of them, a tall man with storm-gray eyes, stepped forward and gently pulled Billie Ann into his own arms, whispering something that made her nod in response.

That was when Rafe nearly lost it. It wasn’t until he witnessed her quickly pulling away that he calmed, somewhat.

He’d been doing his best to stay back, to give her space, but watching her in the arms of another man, no matter who the hell he was, lit something violent inside him.

The kind of heat that burned low and lethal.

His muscles coiled, fists curling at his sides, and his Jaguar pressed against the inside of his skin, snarling for release.

Then Jack moved, stepping into his line of sight, cutting him off from the scene like he knew exactly what Rafe was thinking.

“It’s been a long time, Rafe,” Jack said, voice even, hand outstretched.

Rafe stared at it for a heartbeat too long before finally clasping it. “It has. Congratulations on the Alpha status.”

“Well, that tells you how long it’s been. Thank you,” Jack said with a half grin. “I take it Mac called you in?”

“He did.” Was all Rafe responded.

“We appreciate the assistance, but we are here now and will take care of it,” Jack said as if his words meant anything to Rafe. They did not.

The words were diplomatic. The tone wasn’t. Jack was drawing lines in the sand, and they both knew it.

Rafe didn’t blink, but did give a sinister grin, stepping over the line. “I’m staying.”

Before the tension could boil over into something primal and territorial, Bruce’s voice rang out, slicing through the heavy silence with the sharpness of sarcasm honed to a fine edge.

“Well, isn’t this a touching little drama?

” Bruce drawled, leaping gracefully onto one of the outside tables.

He sat with his tail curled around his paws, completely unimpressed.

“All this puffed-up chest energy and brooding stares make me feel like I walked into a deleted scene from Shifters of Our Lives .”

“Bruce, shut the fuck up,” Rafe growled, not even bothering to look at him.

Bruce ignored the warning, tail swishing lazily like he was the only sane creature in the yard.

Jack, however, narrowed his eyes at the cat. “You’re Wicked’s furball.” The disdain in his voice dripped like tar, but Bruce just gave an exaggerated sigh.

“I’ll show you furball, you overgrown Edgar Allan Poe reject,” Bruce snapped, hopping to his feet on the table. “Say that again and I’ll cough up a hairball in your boots. Maybe even enchant it to sing show tunes.”

Jack arched a brow. “You even come near me with that witchcraft shit I’ll skin you alive.”

Bruce sniffed indignantly. “In your dreams, birdbrain.” Bruce glanced back at Jack, eyes gleaming. “You know, for a guy who turns into a giant crow, you sure do strut like a damn peacock.”

“Bruce,” Billie Ann warned, of course, he ignored her.

Jack opened his mouth, but Bruce cut him off with a dramatic paw wave. “No, no. Save it. Let’s just agree I’m fabulous and you’re tragically feathered, and move on before someone lays an egg.”

Billie Ann let out a snort, quickly covering her mouth, and even Jack seemed momentarily thrown off, blinking like he wasn’t sure if he’d just been insulted.

Rafe was starting to like Bruce more and more. His gaze landed on Billie Ann, who was walking away from the man who glared at him. This made Rafe very fucking happy, and the man Rafe didn’t know very lucky.

Bruce curled back down on the table with a smug little smile. “You’re welcome, by the way. The tension is broken. Carry on with your territorial pissing matches.”

With one last sharp glare at Bruce, who was currently grooming his paw, ignoring everyone, Jack turned his attention to Billie Ann. The hardness in his face softened a fraction, though his voice still carried the weight of old Shifter ways.

“What did Davey decide to do with the bar, Billie Ann?” Jack asked, his dark eyes locking on hers.

Billie Ann didn’t even blink. “I’m staying and going to run the bar.”

“He left the bar to you?” Jack’s tone was even as he stared at her.

“Yes,” Billie Ann replied with a nod.

Rafe didn’t move, didn’t breathe. His gaze shifted from Billie to Jack, watching every twitch of the Crow Alpha’s posture. This wasn’t just small talk. In their world, such a declaration could have consequences.

In the old ways, the Shifter ways, when a Shifter died, their business, land, anything of value didn’t just go to family.

It reverted to the Alpha, who would then decide its future: pass it along, sell it, or burn it down if they saw fit.

That was their law. But Davey hadn’t followed the law. He’d followed love.

He gave everything to his human stepdaughter. And now everyone was watching to see what Jack Crow would do about it.

The other Crows stood silently behind their Alpha, still as stone, eyes like black glass as they waited.

Rafe didn’t miss the flicker of surprise in a few of their expressions, but it was the expression of the man who had pulled Billie Ann to him that piqued his interest. He had the same surprised reaction as the others, but there was also a narrowing of his eyes that Rafe zeroed in on.

A human, claiming what belonged to one of their own?

It was a challenge to the old order, and whether anyone liked it or not, the line had been drawn.

Billie stood tall, shoulders squared despite the grief still heavy in her eyes. “I’m not leaving,” she added, voice clear and sure. “This bar was Davey’s life. And now it’s mine.”

Jack stared at her for a long moment before he finally nodded, slow and deliberate. “He loved you like you were his own,” he said, his voice rougher now. “Told me more than once you were the best decision he ever made.”

Billie’s chin trembled, and Rafe watched her eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “He was the only one who ever believed in me,” she whispered.

Jack stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression firm but kind. “Then you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Not even me.”

He turned to the others behind him. “This bar belongs to her. That’s Davey’s will—and mine, too.”

Rafe’s shoulders loosened just a hair, but he didn’t stop watching the man who was now staring at Billie Ann, and Rafe didn’t like the look he was giving her. He didn’t trust Crow Shifters, especially when it came to Billie Ann.

“Thank you,” Billie Ann said to Jack when he turned back around. “I plan on opening tomorrow. You’re all welcome to come.”

“I’ll be here.” The man Rafe didn’t know, but planned on knowing real fucking soon, gave Billie Ann a wink.

“Thanks, Frisco.” Billie Ann gave him a half smile, but Rafe also noticed it didn’t reach her eyes. There was a story there, something he needed to flesh out.

Frisco gave her a nod, then his gaze swung to Rafe, his eyes narrowing as if in challenge. Rafe’s eyes narrowed back as accepting that challenge.

“I’m going to have one of my men here during opening hours to keep you safe,” Jack informed her.

“I volunteer,” Frisco announced without hesitation.

“Not necessary,” Rafe said, his eyes not leaving Frisco. “I’m staying here.”

“More manpower won’t hurt.” He gave Rafe a measured look, then stepped back into the shadow of his crows, and just like that, they shifted in a burst of feathers and were gone, leaving the wind stirred and the air lighter than before.

Bruce snorted. “You know what they say about Crows...never trust a bird who brings roadkill to a gathering and calls it a family recipe.”

“I’ve never heard anyone say that,” Billie Ann said, rolling her eyes as she looked at Bruce, who sat proudly like he’d delivered the quote of the century.

Rafe caught the way her lips twitched, like she was fighting a smile.

“Why don’t you do me a favor and go tell everyone that Shift Faced is opening tomorrow?” she added, brushing invisible lint off her jeans as if steeling herself for what was to come.

Bruce stretched, his tail curling in a lazy arc.

“You sure you’re ready for that? Because once I run my mouth, it’s like tossing meat into a wolf den.

You’ll have Shifters crawling out of the woods, witches teleporting in, and don’t get me started on the gnomes.

They drink like fish and tip like raccoons. ”

Billie Ann laughed, just a soft breath of sound, but it was real. Rafe felt something warm catch in his chest when she glanced at him, like the sun breaking through storm clouds. He could see the nervousness in her eyes, but also the fire of determination.

He gave her a quiet nod, solid and steady.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice stronger now. “I’m ready.”

She offered Rafe a small, grateful smile before turning and heading back into the bar, shoulders a little straighter and spine a little firmer.

Bruce watched her go, then shot a look at Rafe. “Break her heart and I’ll break your ugly face, Jaggie.”

Rafe didn’t dignify that with a response. He just watched the door swing shut behind her, his heart already following where she’d gone.

He stopped Bruce before he could walk away. “Bruce, what do you know about the Crow, Frisco?”

“Not much other than he used to bartend when Frank was scheduled off. He also did odd jobs. He was around a lot, did some bouncing when things got out of hand. Whatever Davey needed done, he did.” Bruce said, then looked deep in thought. “Why? Didn’t like that he had his hands on your girlfriend .”

The way Bruce said girlfriend made Rafe want to punch him. “Did they date?”

“Damn, didn’t know Jaguars were more of the jealous type than Panthers.

Color me shocked.” Bruce snorted. “But no, not that I know of. Davey was pretty strict where guys were concerned with Billie Ann. All I got from Billie Ann was that they were friends. Seriously, why? Are your spidey senses working overtime?”

Rafe ignored his question. “Was he working here when Davey was killed?”

Bruce turned fully around and walked up to Rafe. “Damn, you’re on to something aren’t you, Jag?”

When Rafe didn’t answer, but glared at Bruce, he sighed.

“Fine, I heard that he just quit and found another job.” Bruce turned back around and walked away. “Maybe if you gave me more information, I’d have more to say, but until then...taa taa.”

Rafe sneered at Bruce, but he knew it was a bluff.

That was all Bruce knew because if it weren’t, he would have blurted it out.

Bruce liked to hear himself talk. Glancing at where the Crows had disappeared, Rafe frowned.

He was definitely on to something because right now, Frisco the Crow Shifter was his only suspect, and his gut told him there was more here than meets the eye, and his gut was never wrong.