Page 24 of Tossed into the Mob (The Wolves of La Luna Noir #4)

TWENTY-FOUR

brOCK

The woods smelled different today as I trailed my fingertips over the long grass.

Treyton was carrying the baby in the carrier on his chest, and Dad was with us as we strolled in the woods behind our house.

My mate may or may not shift later, but if so, my dad and I would wander home and bathe the baby.

Being mated to a shifter had improved my scenting ability, and I picked up the earthy scent of moss that covered the rocks near the creek. The pine tree sap was particularly strong today, and I wrinkled my nose at the decaying leaves under my feet.

Treyton paused and waited for me to catch up while Dad bent over to sniff a wildflower.

Grandpa Arnie had changed our lives by “giving” us the house. We insisted on paying him rent every month, but my mate suspected he was putting the money into a special account for our daughter, Lua.

We’d considered naming our daughter Luna because of La Luna Noir, but Rudy said the name was becoming so popular, our daughter would be one of many Lunas her age.

So we researched and discovered Lua, that also meant moon and to set free.

We loved the idea of our daughter being able to make her own choices in life, though she thought she could do that now and insisted she sleep during the day and stay up all night.

Lua was four months old, and we were still trying to wrangle her into a schedule.

The first few weeks were a blur where she cried and I cried, and the family popped in with advice and plenty of meals that just needed heating up.

Luckily, we had lots of babysitters on call which allowed me to take a nap when I was falling asleep on my feet.

“You okay?” My mate adjusted the baby carrier strapped to his chest. Lua was asleep with her tiny fist resting against his shirt. I wanted to kiss her all over as she lay in her alpha father’s arms.

“Mmmm. Tired but glad to be out in the fresh air.”

“I’ll do the night shift this evening.”

I side-eyed him and grinned. “Meaning you’ll give your wolf his fur or you’ll get up when Lua cries?”

“Very funny.” He tapped my butt.

“It will pass, just suck it up,” Dad assured me. “But don’t wish for these days to end too fast, because the days and years zoom by, and soon your baby will be leaving for college.”

“Oh, Dad.” I hugged him. He was still shuttling back and forth from the apartment Flint had bought to our house, and sometimes to the apartment in town where I’d seen Emilio’s photo.

The trail was one we’d walked before Lua was born when I’d been lugging my huge bump around. Now I was carrying a diaper bag and I had my mate, daughter, and dad with me. I was tired but so happy, and while I wasn’t working now, I’d be back in the La Luna Noir headquarters in a couple of months.

But something was bugging me, and it wasn’t exhaustion. I glanced around, but there was no one else on the trail. Besides, with Treyton’s wolf, we had little to fear if someone tried to what? Steal our phones? We didn't have them with us.

Dad peered at Lua and stroked her head. “She’s so peaceful. Hard to believe she made such a dramatic entrance.”

“You should listen to her at three AM when she’s fighting sleep.”

Treyton informed me his grandfather was trying out more varieties of baby food, and I said we’d have to buy not only another freezer but a bigger house.

The wind was picking up, and we turned around and headed for home. But Treyton froze, and I almost bumped into him. He sniffed the air, and he swung around, his eyes scanning the tree line.

“What is it?” I put a hand on Lua’s back.

But as the wind blew, it was my turn to pause and sniff. The air contained something familiar and not just the woodland smells. Dad came up to us and asked what was going on, but I couldn’t say. I didn’t know, only that I didn’t like what the air was carrying.

Treyton pushed me back, but I charged in front of him. The wind stung my eyes, but it was my nose that picked up sweat and fear. The sweat wasn’t mine but maybe the fear came from me.

Something crackled behind us, and we swirled.

Two men appeared through the trees, and I understood.

It was Dr. Gasper, the one who’d escaped when I was sort of undercover and on assignment for the pack.

He was the head of the trafficking ring I’d help bring down.

He was with a guy I didn’t recognize, but their expressions suggested they weren’t out for an afternoon stroll.

On seeing our faces, Dad swung to face them and yelped. He stumbled back, and Treyton pushed him between us. But my mate had Lua. He couldn’t protect us or shift while she was attached to his chest.

“If it isn’t the midwife, his mate, and the frail human father,” Dr. Gasper called out, his voice carrying on the wind. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Gasper,” Treyton intoned.

“I’m flattered that you remember me, but then your little investigation caused me so much inconvenience.”

Treyton put a hand behind his back, trying to unclip the carrier.

“There’s no need to move your sleeping daughter. She shouldn’t be awake for this.”

I gritted my teeth, willing myself not to cry.

We didn’t have a gun like the last time we were threatened, but I had to protect Lua first and then Dad.

I was worried about Treyton too, though he had a wolf.

But Gasper was a shifter too, and the other guy’s stance reminded me of a wild animal.

I’d grown adept at scenting shifters, but he was downwind.

He moved to flank us, and I grabbed Dad and pulled him behind me.

But Lua was my priority.

“Whatever you want, your beef is with me. Let’s talk about this.” Lua had woken up and was wailing, and Trenton was struggling to unbuckle the clip.

I reached out for my daughter, but Gasper snapped at me and told my dad to take the baby.

I didn’t care about my own safety as long as Lua got away.

If Gasper had a problem with me and Treyton and took his revenge, I’d go to the goddess knowing our daughter had a large extended family to rally around and love her.

It’d break my heart to watch her from above, but her happiness was all I cared about.

“There's no need for this.” Treyton unhooked Lua and handed her to Dad. I blew her a kiss, hoping she’d remember my scent for always.

“Oh, there is,” Gasper snarled. “Your meddling cost me a profitable operation, and I’ve had little else to do but plan how to get my revenge.”

Lua had quieted a little in Dad’s arms, and he was whispering how much he loved her and the toys they’d play with at bath time. Dad’s hands trembled, and I mouthed, “I’m sorry,” through my tears. Emilio had kept Dad away from the mafia and La Luna Noir, and I’d dragged him back into it.

“Please, the baby’s hungry. I need to feed her.” I thought of all Grandpa Arnie’s jars of food and wished I could ram one down Gasper’s throat.

“She sounds like a healthy baby.” He smirked. “There’s a market for babies just like her.”

Treyton roared, and Lua cried. Dad screamed, and I must have moved closer to the other guy. I didn’t remember it but suddenly I was in his face, yelling that if he touched my baby, I'd have his head.

He sneered and his nostrils flared, saying he’d like to see me try. He cracked his knuckles. “Do it and I’ll tear your heart out and eat it for breakfast.”

Lua began to cry again, probably at me shouting, and Dad was trying to soothe her, but his voice was shaking. This was my fault, trying to prove myself to the pack. We should have left town and gone home, leaving La Luna Noir behind.

I put a hand to my head because there were so many sounds hurtling around me. There was a thump that reminded me of a heartbeat. Treyton was telling Gasper if he wanted a fight, to go ahead but to leave me out of it.

“I was the one who insisted my mate get involved in the shifter business. He begged me to leave him out of it, but I forced him.”

There was screaming inside my head, but I didn’t know where it was coming from. My mate was taking the blame for me, but it was Lua who needed protecting.

“Do not move,” the other guy spoke as if he was underwater. My head hurt so bad, and I scratched my arms, wanting to tear my skin off. Treyton and Gasper were snarling, and they were crouched, ready to spring at one another, but they still had their skin.

I had to do something, but the world was spinning and the edges were blurry.

Please gods, no. I couldn’t faint. With my last breath, I had to protect Lua.

I lurched to my right and then left, and the trees, the bad guys, my family, and my baby were hazy.

I was failing and couldn’t protect Lua from people who wanted to steal her away as payback for what I’d done.

The darkness crept in until only a tiny point of light remained and everything went black.

There was pounding in my ears and the scent of Treyton’s wolf. We’d been on a walk. Did I take a nap afterward? Lua must be ready for her bath. I opened my eyes and blinked at the sun. The smell of blood taunted my senses, and I almost gagged.

I turned my head. Treyton was holding Lua and he was naked. He had an arm around Dad, and both of them were staring at me, their expressions one of shock. Did I faint? And if so, why weren’t they attending to me?

“Hey.” Treyton reached out to touch my face. “Everything's okay.”

I tried to sit up. Oh gods, had I run a marathon? My body ached, and I was covered in mud and grass seeds.

“What happened?” I reached out and stroked Lua’s hair.

The memories returned in a rush. Gasper and another guy. They wanted to take Lua and hurt us. “Where’s Gasper?”

Treyton jerked his head at a mangled body. “My wolf took care of him.” He helped me sit up.

“And the other one?” I doubted Treyton’s wolf could have taken them both down, but he was fierce, so maybe.

My mate and Dad shared a glance. He’d run off, and we wouldn’t be safe until he was found. Dad glanced over his shoulder, and I followed his gaze. There was a body but no head. He’s been decapitated.

“You did that?” I stroked the cut on Treyton's brow that was healing quickly. “I’m sorry I fainted and didn’t help. You were the one who saved us and I did nothing.”

He gulped. “I didn’t kill guy number two.”

I glanced around, looking for Flint and the others. Treyton must have gotten word to them, but we’d left our phones in the house.

“My beast killed Gasper, but the other one was trying to snatch Lua away from Niles.”

“Then how?” My head was fuzzy, and there was something they weren’t telling me. I looked at my hands and the rest of my body. I was naked.

“Treyton, who decapitated that guy?”

“You did.”

“With my bare hands? Did I kick him to death? Bully him?” I tugged at my hair which was tangled and had leaves stuck in it. “Just tell me.”

“Your wolf killed him, Brock.”

His words made no sense. “I don’t have a wolf. I’m human.”

“Nope. You shifted, and your beast killed him. He went for the jugular and then ripped off his head. You were amazing, and you saved Lua and Niles. I’m so proud of you.”

My mate put Lua in my arms, and I held her close, scenting her, kissing her face, and examining her to make sure she wasn’t injured.

I whispered I’d always protect her. But I needed to get back to the house, shower, and climb into bed with my baby and Treyton, because I was pretty sure my mate was telling me I was a shifter.