17

Ranger

“Did you have any issues with your credentials?” I looked Ivan over as he stood in my room. The wolf shifter shook his head. The scar running from his cheek to his eyebrow added to his menacing stance. He was a big beast with a gym obsession and never missed leg day, but was also one of the smartest mutts I’d ever met.

When I took over the Alpha position of McCaw, one of the first things I did was get him off the xylazine so that brain of his didn’t rot. A few showers and a degree later, he was head of my IT department. Fredrick would have told me not to trust a junkie hooked on wolf tranquilizers.

But Fredrick was dead.

“Alpha, all due respect, but the security is garbage. I’ve only been here an afternoon and I already found a few leaks. The western edge of the property isn’t marked. The software they use for uploading the show to the main servers is itching for an attack.”

I held up my hand before he went full nerd on me. “It doesn’t matter.”

Ivan scratched the back of his shaved head. “Mattox and the rest of the guys are right to be worried. I’d like to get a bigger team up here. They can camp out in the national forest if you don’t want them at the resort.”

“No.” I sighed. We’d been over this. Although I appreciated their loyalty, it wasn’t necessary right now.

“I’ll do what I can to protect you, but I seriously recommend you reconsider getting more backup out here.” His crestfallen look made me smile.

“Do you think I need backup?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.” He frowned.

“Ivan, sit down. You’re making me nervous.” I laughed. “This isn’t why I called you here.”

“Then why?” Ivan sat heavily on the sofa, staring at me like a lost pup.

“I have a situation that requires an extra set of eyes and discretion.” I folded my arms over my chest, wondering how much I should explain.

“Situation?”

“Nothing serious.” I waved it away, ignoring the wolf growling inside of me. It is serious. “There is a certain female I want protected at all costs and I’d like to know more about.”

“A female?” Disbelief bloomed in his eyes. “Not Fallon, right?”

I shuddered. “No. My sister is perfectly capable of handling herself. It’s… a… Luna candidate.”

His mouth popped open.

“And this is just between us,” I warned.

His jaw snapped shut as he nodded.

“I don’t need the pack getting all worked up until I figure out what I’m going to do.” Because that was the problem. I wasn’t sure where this would lead. All I knew was that I was intrigued and didn’t want anything to happen to the woman until I scratched this itch. Call it an Alpha’s protective instinct or the dismissiveness she’d shown inciting the challenge, but I needed to feel this out.

My wolf was growling.

I ignored him.

Ivan wanted to ask more, but he wisely kept to the topic. “I’ve never known you to be indecisive, boss.”

I’m not.

I ran my hand over my hair, tugging through the strands to silence my beast. “This is a delicate matter.”

“Gotcha,” Ivan said. “Do we want cameras with or without audio?”

And that’s why I requested Ivan be sent here. He had no problem doing what needed to be done no matter how questionable his methods may be.

My beast gave a wolfish grin, on the same page as me now. “Audio would be nice.”

*

The resort bar sat down the steps to the right of the rustic lounge. It was a large space with doors that opened to the back near the pool. Tiki torches were lit outside and the camera crews flitted around the groups of Alphas and Lunas celebrating the official start of the trials.

“I’m going to grab a drink and make the rounds.” Fallon let go of my arm and headed to the bar counter. “Want anything?”

“No.” I let my gaze travel through the crowd, looking for a certain face to stand out. It wasn’t like the seedy bars we frequented back in the day, but these shifters wouldn’t be caught dead in places like that where the whiskey was strong enough to knock a full-grown wolf on its ass.

This was one of the parts of my position that I’d never quite gotten used to. The pompous displays and clipped tongues of shifters that had gone too human for their own good.

It was against the natural order of things.

But I was a hypocrite because I still played their games and went to the soirees as was expected. I wore the clothes. Mingled with the leaders and, like now, the children that would one day take over the packs.

If Fredrick could see me now…

My wolf was silent and I knew before I finished sweeping the room that she wasn’t here.

Good girl. The tension eased from my shoulders. I liked the idea of her safely tucked up in her room, alone in bed, and wearing one of her comfy sweaters. Not in the company of these starved animals all vying for the cameras’ attention.

It would be better if she was in our bed.

Once again, I agreed with my beast.

“Mr. McCaw.” One of the cameramen hurried over with his team. “The fans want to know if any of the Lunas here have caught your eye.”

“Not tonight.” I gave him a curt nod and stepped away, feeling the fur on my skin prickle.

The cameras were a necessary part of this whole event, but that didn’t mean I had to like them.

“Pity.” Edith Tulia sided up to me. Her rosewater scent was overpowering this evening as if she’d bathed in her own natural smell. She wore a silk blue dress that clung to her ass and let her hair hang loose down her back.

“What’s a pity?” I took the bait.

“You’re going to break a lot of hearts.” She winked, draping her hand into the crook of my elbow. “At least throw one of us a bone and pretend you are interested in being here.”

“Who says that I’m not interested?” I removed her hand from my arm as my sister came over with two drinks. One for me. She was good at reading the room.

“They didn’t have your scotch,” Fallon said, taking up her position at my side and turning to address Edith like this was some sort of dance. “What’d you get to drink?”

“The apple martinis are alright.” Edith smiled at us both. “But nothing like the ones at the Carr’s Gardens event.”

“Those were good.” Fallon sipped her glass of red wine as I downed the tumbler of cheap scotch.

“Chad was looking for you earlier.” Edith smiled at me. “He slipped away to escort Lilith back to the room, but he should be back soon.”

“I’ll stay for another drink then.” I returned her smile, touching her shoulder in a friendly gesture. Something about the smooth skin rubbed me the wrong way. Discreetly, I wiped my palm on my trousers.

Fallon caught the motion and arched an eyebrow, saying nothing about it. “Did you see they have pool tables set up in the side room? I’m dying to play at least one game tonight.”

It’d been a while since we played, but Fallon took up a cue stick like she was born to it as I secured us a round table in the back of the room. I was going to ask if it was taken, but the few young Alphas who hovered around it slipped away before I could speak.

“I feel like no one is going to brave your brother to see about a potential mate connection,” Edith laughed after she sent the waitress on her way with the drink order for the table.

“Story of my life.” Fallon rolled her eyes, lining up the rack.

I folded up my sleeves and chose a cue. “Wouldn’t you want the mate who bests me?”

The silence in the room had me glancing over my shoulder. “What?”

Both girls laughed.

“I don’t know any with an ego your size.” Edith trailed her fingers along my back as she moved to select her stick. “Maybe Chad. Are you interested in him, Fallon?”

“Maybe,” my sister said.

I stepped away from Edith before she could hear my beast growling. The woman was pretty and decent enough to talk with, but she was a little too sharp for my specific appetite.

“The man of the hour arrives,” Edith said just before Chad stepped into the room.

“What are we playing?” he asked as if it wasn’t obvious.

“Cutthroat.” Fallon lined up her shot to break. “You’re just in time.”

*

“I think we’ve been hustled.” Chad was laughing, brushing off his loss with all the finery of a shifter not used to being dealt a shitty hand.

“Should we tell him?” Fallon smirked.

“Nah. Let him think it was luck.” I sipped the bitter scotch. “We’ll have to try again sometime.”

“Why not now?” Chad flagged down the cocktail waitress. “Bring us another round.”

“I’m good for tonight.” I set down my empty glass and nodded to Fallon.

“Come on, man. The night’s just getting started.” Chad chalked his cue, challenging me.

My wolf bristled a bit, but I was tired. I’d shown face and that was more than enough. The one person who might tempt me to stay out later seemed to be safely tucked into bed. Where I’d also like to be.

“Guess we figured out who the grassroots company is.” Chad chuckled, easily distracted it seemed.

“What?” I stopped rolling down my sleeve.

Across the bar, Trenton walked in with a skinny blond by his side. She wore high heels and a mini skirt under a ripped t-shirt with Jim’s Garage printed on the front.

“Wasn’t Aspen wearing one today too?” Edith asked, covering her mouth as she giggled. The alcohol churned in my gut as I looked to Fallon.

My sister blanched a bit. “Sponsor, I’m assuming.”

“It’s a little tacky.” Edith spoke in that condescending way that made every word she said tacky too.

My wolf started growling as I clenched my fists. “Excuse me.”

Edith pouted. “Ranger, don’t leave.”

I ignored her. My vision tunneled as I made a beeline across the bar to where that punk little Alpha stood ordering a beer. “Jim’s Garage?”

The blond beside Trenton staggered back, eyes wide. “Um. It’s a…. company.”

“Did he make you wear that?” I waited for Trenton to turn around. Warning bells rang in my head telling me to stop before this went too far, but my wolf was already rising to the surface as if this was a threat directly to him.

“I didn’t make them wear anything.” Trenton looked up at me. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, but the dumbass shifter tried to widen his stance. “And even if I did. It’s none of your business.”

I could feel them. The cameras. Lenses turning our way. The shifters around us who took a step back. One hit. That’s all it would take. A well-timed punch to the throat and he’d be on the ground.

Kill him.

“It’s everyone’s business when you treat your Luna candidates like whores of a billboard.” Even I was impressed at how calm I sounded.

“What’s your problem, bro?” Trenton asked.

“My problem?” I smiled, seeing red as my wolf flashed in my eyes. I’ll give you a problem.

“Ranger. Stop. Not until the Alpha Games,” my sister pleaded through our pack link.

I reached out and brushed off Trenton’s shoulder. An innocent touch before I gripped it tight, letting him feel my strength. “My problem is that I don’t appreciate women being treated like objects for your gain. If you can’t afford a decent sponsor, come see me for a loan.”

Trenton growled. It was a weak little sound. I gave him a final shake before turning away.

“What the hell was that?” Fallon called after me.

I was too busy trying to hang onto my beast–and figure out the answer myself–to respond.