Page 48

A s soon as Lucian barged into the house, he bustled past three wolves and went to his room. Although Eden’s scent lingered on the fibers of his clothes, he still reeked of jail and wanted to change. As soon as he stripped down to his underwear, someone pounded on the door.

“Open up,” Tak boomed.

“It’s not locked.” He opened the closet near the foot of the bed and pulled out a pair of dark jeans and stepped into them.

Tak entered and shut the door behind him. Resting his arm on the low bookshelf, he watched Lucian get dressed. “Going somewhere?”

“Out.”

“They released you into my custody.”

Lucian pulled a black T-shirt over his head. “So that makes you my warden?”

“No, that makes me your Packmaster. Whatever you do reflects on me and could hurt this pack.”

“What makes you think I’m going to do anything?”

Tak drummed his fingers on the bookshelf, his silence speaking volumes over his emotional scent.

After pulling out his office chair, Lucian took a seat so he could put on a fresh pair of sneakers and socks.

“I can’t dictate what you do with your free time,” Tak pointed out, “but I want Montana to go with you. I know what it feels like to be wrongly accused of a crime.”

Lucian slowly tied his laces. “You believe me?”

Tak snorted. “If you had it in you to murder anyone, I’m pretty sure you would’ve killed Deacon by now. I know you two are enemies.”

Lucian put his foot down and watched Tak flick something off Lucian’s bookshelf. Probably a cookie crumb. “I know I’m the black sheep of the pack, but?—”

Tak held out his hand. “Wait a minute. Stop right there. This pack doesn’t have any black sheep. We have rank, and that’s all. We’re wolves—family. Some need more guidance than others, but I don’t want that negative language under my roof. That’s not how I see you, brother.”

Lucian was taken aback. He’d always felt like he had to try harder since he was the Chitah in the pack—the one who didn’t belong.

He stroked the base of his throat, uncertain how to respond.

“I’m only saying I know it would be easy to get rid of me, but I want to stay.

That’s why I’m not gonna do anything illegal to get myself kicked out. ”

Tak’s brow furrowed. “You think it would be easy for me to get rid of you? Why? Because you’re a Chitah?”

“Because I’m an asshole.”

Tak threw back his head and erupted with laughter. When his emotions filled the room, Lucian’s lips twitched as he fought back a smile.

This wasn’t a funny topic, but Tak’s laugh was infectious.

When Tak’s amusement died down, he wiped his eyes.

“White men are funny with their words. I don’t care what you think you are, but you’re my packmate.

And all I ask is that you honor my rules and respect your family—that you won’t do anything that could break apart this pack.

That’s what I ask of everyone. I gave the Councilwoman my word we would leave all matters of this case to the Council—that we wouldn’t get involved. That includes you.”

Lucian stood and grabbed a bottle of gel. After squirting some in his hand, he scrunched it through his hair in a haphazard attempt to style it. “She has nothing to worry about.”

Tak studied him for a beat. “You know, I haven’t been out in a while myself. I’ll tag along and we can celebrate your release.”

“Fine with me. There’s somewhere I need to stop first.”

Tak reached for the doorknob. “As long as it’s not prison. The only bars I ever want to see again are the ones on my baby’s crib.”

The windshield wipers swished back and forth in slow synchronicity as Tak’s white truck rolled toward a white mansion illuminated with spotlights.

Tak slowed the vehicle and ducked his head to admire the house. “What kind of friends do you have? Is this about a job?”

Lucian unlatched his seat belt. “It’s personal.”

Montana, who was sitting in the middle, looked across his shoulder at Lucian, his scent heavy with suspicion. It made Lucian want to roll the window down, but they were almost there. To his relief, he spied a car parked under a covered carport.

Before the truck stopped, Lucian jumped out.

“Hold up!” Tak called out.

Lucian clenched his fists as he marched through a light drizzle until he arrived on the wide doorstep. An ornate lion’s-head door knocker glowered at him while he rang the bell.

A ferocious bark greeted him from inside the house. Lucian listened to his packmates approach from behind, but he was too laser focused on the door. He didn’t care if his packmates witnessed what was about to happen. This was the moment he’d been fantasizing about for days.

When he rang the bell again, the barking grew louder and more frantic.

“All right!” a strident voice shouted before the light switched on. “Shut the hell up.”

The barking ceased, though Lucian could hear anxious whimpers. When the door opened, a large brown dog wearing a spiked collar lunged.

Lucian bent forward and glared at the Doberman pinscher.

The dog abruptly yelped and jumped back ten feet.

Even animals were intimidated by a Chitah’s gaze.

The pinscher danced as if hot coals were beneath his paws, and after a final bark, he turned in a circle, his pointy ears standing to attention.

When Lucian straightened, he stared daggers at Henry until the Mage blinked.

“To what do I owe the honor at this godforsaken hour?” the blond-haired, pompous jackass said while adjusting the loop on his white bathrobe. “You’re that Chitah fellow who got arrested for murder, aren’t you?” He flicked his gaze behind Lucian. “Are you responsible for him?”

Lucian glared into the man’s sparkling blue eyes, which had probably ensnared many an unsuspecting woman. “If you want to know the answer, Hightower, ask me directly. I’m the only one you need to be addressing.”

“My bad. I thought you were a little, uh… slow in the head. I mean, you’d have to be to show up on my doorstep after murdering one of my employees.”

“I heard you’re courting Eden Thompson.”

“Oh shit,” Montana muttered.

A cocky smile played on Henry’s lips. “Courting? That’s my fiancée you’re talking about.

Did you come to offer your congratulations, or do you want to pay me restitution for the loss of an employee?

” He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb, arms folded.

Meanwhile, his dog sat down and watched, a quiet bark escaping every few seconds.

“I’m not paying you shit.” Lucian’s nostrils twitched as he tasted the air. “And you’re lying about something. Did Marcus even work for you in the end?”

Henry gripped the doorjamb on both sides and narrowed his eyes.

“You’ve got some set of balls showing up at this hour with that smart mouth.

I’m a busy man.” He directed his attention to Tak.

“If you’re his Packmaster, you should cut this one loose.

We don’t need a killer wandering the streets of our town. He’s a danger to us all.”

The scent of Tak’s irritation hit Lucian like a bullet train, and the alpha finally spoke. “When I want your advice, Mage, I’ll ask for it. But if you keep giving me unsolicited opinions on how to run my pack, I’ll give you something in return, and you’re not gonna like it.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Who said that?” Tak asked, his tone more amused. “Are those seats in your fancy car made from leather or cloth? I really need to take a piss.”

Lucian looked over his shoulder at Tak, silently asking for him to stay out of it. Tak read his expression but looked skeptical as to what was about to happen.

Hell, even Lucian wasn’t sure what was about to happen.

He faced Henry and lifted his chin. “The night of the murder, I asked Eden’s permission to court her. She didn’t give me her answer until tonight. You wanna know what she said? If she hadn’t already accepted your offer, she would have accepted mine.”

Henry stared, perplexed. “So what?”

“Will you relinquish her from her promise?”

“Hell no.”

Lucian delivered a cold stare. “Because Eden has another suitor who refuses to back off and I want her as my mate, I’m challenging you to the death.”

After a silent beat, Henry burst out in laughter.

In all of Lucian’s fantasies, he’d never anticipated laughter. It made his gums throb as his fangs wanted to punch out.

Henry scoffed. “That’s a Shifter custom.”

“It’s also a Chitah custom.”

Henry’s face turned red as he stepped through the doorway, forcing Lucian to back up. “As far as I know, it’s only with kindred spirits, and you two aren’t kindred.”

Tak joined Lucian’s side. “Lucian lives in my pack. That means he’s granted typical pack rights. I’m certain his elders would also grant him permission if he spoke with them.”

Threads of blue light dripped from Henry’s fingertips, raising the hair on Lucian’s arms. “You’re willing to lose your life for a woman?” His eyes narrowed. “What’s the real reason behind this?”

“I love her.” Lucian inched forward. “She’s mine, and you can’t have her.”

Henry’s scent filled with uncertainty. Perhaps he wondered if Lucian knew about his involvement with the murder.

“She’s already mine.” Henry stepped back into his house. “Do yourself a favor and leave town before you wind up back in jail. Now get off my porch, or I’ll sic my dog on you.”

“Just try it.”

“Get him!” When Henry stepped aside, the Doberman lunged.

Tak dove between them and dropped to his knees, startling the animal.

“Attack!” Henry snarled at the animal.

Tak locked eyes with the dog until it whimpered and submissively lowered its body to the ground.

Even regular animals recognized an alpha Shifter.

Their power was felt in the air and in their voice.

Tak finally stood and slammed his hand against the doorjamb.

“If you want to know what happens to chickenshits who use their animals to fight their battles, step outside.”

Henry scowled at his loyal companion, who whimpered at the giant alpha.

The Mage glowered at Lucian. “You’re lucky you were set free after facing murder charges. Don’t press your luck. Now get off my property.” He slammed the door.

Lucian stared at that door so hard he could have burned a hole through it. “I challenge you, Henry Hightower! Accept my challenge!” Then he slammed the metal ring on the door knocker several times.

Montana hooked his arm in Lucian’s. “Come on.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“He heard you throw down the gauntlet. Let him think about it.”

Lucian turned on his heel and glared at Montana. “Think about it? A challenge to the death isn’t a choice.”

“Actually, it is. Let him decide if he wants to look like a weak suitor to his fiancée.”

“Don’t call her that.” Lucian stalked toward the truck.

Striding toward him, Tak caught up and stopped him in his tracks. “You didn’t expect that man to duel in his bathrobe, did you? Is this what you want?”

Lucian clenched his jaw, unable to control the emotions swirling in him like a cyclone.

Tak cupped Lucian’s head and searched his eyes. “Huh. You really do love her.”

“What does that mean?”

He lowered his arms and arched an eyebrow. “It explains why she doesn’t love him .”

Lucian frowned, surprised that Eden would’ve divulged personal information to a Packmaster. “Did she tell you that?”

“A woman doesn’t have to; you can see it in her eyes. When she told me of her happy news, there was no joy, no excitement in her voice. No embellishments of the proposal or their plans.” He lowered his arms. “Are you certain you want this? To give up your life for a woman who…”

“Say it.”

Tak sighed. “Hightower is her equal. Do you think she’s the first person to not mate for love? The powerful don’t have the luxury of trust. A challenge isn’t a guarantee things will go your way. What makes you think she’ll choose you in the end if she won’t leave him now?”

Lucian averted his gaze. “I don’t know. Maybe her scent tells me.”

“You were lucky that dead man’s Creator didn’t want your head. Your first night of freedom, and you’re ready to give it up again?” Tak folded his arms. “If she was willing to mate you, why does she not break it off with him?”

Lucian stalked toward the truck. “You ask too many questions.”

Tak obviously sensed something wasn’t right about this scenario, so Lucian had to watch what he said.

He had given Eden his word that he would obey the laws and not hunt down his nemesis. Instead, he’d thrown down the gauntlet. Legally.

Now he would wait.