Another week, another update. Park and Ritch get some alone time...
Part Two: Chapter Four
“Here.” The panther held the back
out toward Ritch. “Oh, wait. You can’t smell any better than a human.”
A snarl slipped out before I
could stop it, but Ritch put his hand on my arm. “Damn! Poor me, I don’t have
to sniff pissy stuffing.”
Landon snickered. “Stop being
an asshole, Silas. Unless you’re looking to get your ass kicked.” He raised an
eyebrow and pointedly looked at me. I flicked out my claws. I was bigger than
the annoying panther, and I wasn’t above kicking some ass to make my point.
So maybe I was a bully….
Silas narrowed his eyes, but he
shut his mouth and passed the bag without giving me a reason to tear him a new
one, so I retracted my claws. Ritch squeezed my arm and then let go. I missed the
warmth of his skin on mine.
“You all know why we’re here.
Obviously, your alphas are concerned about the danger to your clans, or they
wouldn’t have sent you. But let me be clear.” I leaned forward, my fists
planted on the table. “Treating human werekin as if they’re chattel, just because
they were born different, is what got us in this mess. Learn from the fucking
mistake, or I’ll prove just how dangerous that attitude is for you personally.”
I stared hard at Silas, but then swept everyone with the same look.
What fucking hope was there to
stop the experiments if the people who were actually supposed to stop this shit
in the first place didn’t believe in what they were doing? I wanted to protect
our clan—we had four human werekin now, with Ritch staying—and I never wanted
anyone else to face what Kraig had gone through.
My tiger wasn’t the best
tracker, but I could hold my own. The scent of the fabric was bitter. Behind
the strong tang of urine was fear. “I don’t think whoever did this was here
voluntarily. Or they didn’t expect to be used in an experiment.”
“So we know they have at least
one other victim,” the horse said calmly. “I’m Caleb, by the way. We don’t
treat our human werekin bad, just so you know. I don’t need a Tiger on my ass
because he thinks I’m going to challenge him about something that’s his.”
“I haven’t—”
“He’s not—”
Ritch and I broke off at the
same time. I refused to show my embarrassment. An awkward silence descended,
and I wasn’t sure how to break it. Fortunately, the bear broke the ice. His
stomach growled, the long, drawn-out rumble loud in the quiet.
Someone snickered, and then
another, before we all started laughing. We were still guys, after all.
“All right. How about some
food?” Half the reason we were at each other was probably hunger.
Ritch rifled through the binder
on the desk. “Looks like there’s a few pizza places they recommend. This one
place has some good salads too.”
“What do you guys want?” We’d
been given a discretionary fund for the investigation to cover costs, and it
wasn’t like the sleazy motel had kitchens. Microwave food wouldn’t cut it.
Order in hand, Ritch made the
call. His eyes bugged out at the total, but I nodded. “Christian. Get everyone
sorted. We’ll get drinks and the pizza. If you have to go outside, for any
reason, pair up. We’re outside clan lands, so from this point on, no one goes
anywhere alone.”
Christian nodded. I didn’t wait
for the others to agree.
“You trust them by themselves?”
Ritch asked as he buckled his seatbelt.
“If they can’t handle it now,
they won’t when we’re on the hunt. It’s important to know who will pair up and
who can’t. Christian isn’t there to really make them do anything, but he’s my
eyes and ears. He’ll let me know what I need to know.”
“Huh. I guess I never really
thought about it like that. The alphas I’ve known….”
“Weren’t worth the name. They’re
bullies, and so are their betas if they allow the assholes to beat down on their
own clan the way yours did,” I said firmly. “Deke leads. I protect. We work together
to keep the clan safe and prosperous. That’s the way we were taught by his dad
and his beta. It helps that we’re best friends too.” I pulled into a grocery
store only a half mile from the motel.
“If I go into the store for the
drinks and the restaurant for the pizza, you’ll be alone, you know. Maybe one
of them should’ve come.” Ritch paused with his hand on the door. “We could go
back.”
“I can see all the way into the
store from here. No one is going to attack you in there with all the humans.
The doors will be locked, and I’ll keep the engine running.” I turned the car
back on. “Okay?”
“All right.” He was reluctant. “I
should use that card you gave me, right?”
“Yeah. Just keep the receipts. Thank
you, Ritch. I know this is a lot to expect of you after the life you’ve had for
the last few years.”
“No.” Ritch shook his head. “I’m
happy to do it. I’ll get used to being around people again, and I have the
chance because of you and your alpha.” He flushed and hurried to get out of the
car, fumbling with the lock before he could open the door. “I’ll be fast.”
I watched him grab a cart
outside before heading into the store. I rubbed my thumbs on the steering
wheel. Gratitude.
Damn gratitude.
How in the hell was I going to
get him to open up to me, to let me show him how great sex with a tiger could
be when it wasn’t with some asshole who’d considered him bought goods? On top
of that, he’d locked his door every night. Now we were going to be in beds,
side-by-side, in the same room.
Fuck me.
Okay, okay, so not that kind of alone time... but it's coming next week. I wonder what will happen?
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