4. Cash

He froze in the doorway.

It wasn't that he hadn't known the bird was awake. His grandfather had texted him twenty minutes ago to let him know he'd heard him stirring upstairs and was going to try to feed and talk to him.

Cash had finished with Jorge and hurried home. He told himself it was because he didn't trust some stranger alone with his frail grandfather, but his panther didn't buy that, prowling in his chest and eager to lay eyes on the beautiful eagle again. To see his dark eyes once more and not just stare at his listless face as he slept in Cash's bed.

And yet the second their gazes connected, his whole body locked in place, at war with itself.

He had always been protective of his family. As he'd gotten older, the instinct had expanded to his pack, driving him to look for ways to help wherever he could. He'd become a beta when he was only twenty, under the pack's former alpha, and he'd taken pride in working hard to keep every single member of his pack safe.

That need to care and defend had only grown stronger as he'd gotten older. When he became an Enforcer, the drive only increased. Every day, he woke up with purpose and a sense of responsibility that kept him grounded. He'd never found someone he wanted to mate and settle down with more than he wanted to dedicate his life to his pack. They were his first priority. Always.

But his panther, the part of himself that he trusted to know what was best for his pack, was at war with his logical mind, urging him to forget everything he'd worked for and all his responsibilities, grab the pretty little eagle, and drag him up to the loft to claim in such a way no one would ever question who he belonged to.

He squeezed his hands into fists and sucked in a deep breath, immediately regretting it when that light, teasing floral scent invaded his senses, dragging him further under its spell.

His panther—and his fucking cock—needed to chill the fuck out.

No matter what his haywire instincts were telling him, the chances of the eagle being allowed to stay in Silver Oak—assuming he would want to—were as close to zero as you could get. Not only did their pack distrust outsiders and rarely allow anyone new to join, but there hadn't been a non-feline shifter in their pack in over two generations.

Liam hadn't started the policy, but he hadn't put an end to it either. After he drove out the old alpha and took over, he'd held a pack meeting. At first, he'd talked about making changes, helping the pack grow and thrive once more, but he'd gotten so much pushback, he'd dialed things way back. People hadn't wanted things to change any more than having a new alpha and his strange second-in-command had already done so.

It hadn't mattered much to Cash either way. Whether they were all cats or a menagerie of parahumans, he would do his job to the best of his ability. But now that he stared into those dark brown eyes, his panther itching to spring forward? He cursed the pack law that wouldn't allow him to keep the little bird.

Then he scoffed at himself. Even if the policy wasn't in place, what were the chances that a handsome young shifter like him didn't have a family of his own? Maybe even a mate.

His stomach churned, his blood heating with outrage.

There wasn't another shifter's scent on him, but that wasn't uncommon for birds and prey animals that didn't exchange bonding bites. The magic of the bite mixed mates' scents, but it wasn't an urge all shifters had. It was mostly just canines and felines, their predator instincts more heightened than other species.

Depending on how long the eagle had been flying and what had happened to him before he came into the territory, the lingering scent of a mate could have been washed off.

His panther didn't care.

It yowled inside of him, refusing to accept the idea that there could be another that the eagle would choose over him.

He knew what this feeling meant, and while it made his heart soar, he couldn't forget the agony fated mates had brought his family before. He needed to protect himself from experiencing that pain again since it was very likely the eagle would be leaving shortly, no matter what his reaction to him was.

There was no point in him trying to convince him to stay. There definitely wasn't a reason to work on wrapping his head around the idea that maybe his mating could be different than his parents. And he certainly saw no point in begging his alpha to make an exception to the law.

It didn't matter. Protecting the pack was what mattered.

That was his job, his purpose.

He dismissed the way Pops was grinning at him behind the bird's shoulder, his scent full of amusement. Clearing his throat, Cash stepped into the house and closed the door behind him.

"Grandson," Pops called. "I'd like you to meet Ore."

He nodded at the bird but kept his distance, ignoring the way his panther happily rumbled at the sight of him in Cash's T-shirt. It was so big on him he was swimming in it. He had a feeling Ore wouldn't even reach his pecs when he was standing, and he had to fight back a shiver at the image.

"Hi," Ore said, voice soft and a little shy. His olive skin flushed a gorgeous red on his high cheekbones, his gaze darting away for a second before coming back.

Cash nodded and looked at his grandfather, eyebrows raised in question.

Pops rolled his eyes and pushed to his feet using his cane. Cash had to stop himself from stepping forward to help, knowing it would only annoy Pops, and he'd be just as likely to whack him with the cane than to accept the help.

"Ore, this stoic young man is my grandson, Cash."

"It's nice to meet you," Ore said, climbing to his feet as well.

Cash bit back a groan. He'd been right. The man was so fucking tiny Cash's shirt hung down to his knees, mixing their scents in a way that pleased him. He'd known it would. It was why he hadn't asked anyone in the pack for something that would fit the younger man better. He'd simply cleaned him up as best he could after Fern and Pops had finished working on him and then slipped an old shirt on him. It was the softest he owned—the urge to pamper and care for the little bird had been so strong he hadn't been able to resist.

"How are you feeling?" Cash asked, his voice huskier than normal.

"Pretty good," Ore said, his slim fingers playing with the material of Cash's shirt. "Kind of achy in my joints," he added softly, eyes downcast.

Cash wasn't sure if he was embarrassed about having been injured or admitting to some sort of weakness, but it didn't sit right with him. He took a step forward before he could stop himself. "Understandable. You're lucky to be alive."

Ore's eyes darted back up. "Am I? Pops didn't really say what had happened, and everything is a blank."

Cash glanced at Pops.

"Amnesia isn't… uncommon with certain types of injuries," Pops said carefully. Having been raised by the man most of his life, Cash recognized the tone. His grandfather was a spectacular veterinarian and healer, but he didn't know why Ore didn't remember what had happened and was surprised—and worried—by it.

The eagle's scent didn't say he was lying, but Cash knew from personal experience shifters could learn to suppress their scent to protect themselves or to hide their intentions. He didn't know Ore that well, hadn't learned the nuances of his heartbeat and scent, so it was possible he was making it up.

Though his panther grumbled at him at the harsh insinuation against the man he was convinced was their mate.

He reminded himself for the hundredth time that it didn't change anything.

"We should go talk to Alpha Amato," Cash said, running a hand over his short hair. "I let him know you were awake, so he's waiting for us."

"Oh yes, of course," Ore said. "That makes sense. Let me just go—" He looked down at himself and grimaced, his cute little nose scrunching. "Never mind. I don't have anything to change into."

"I'll ask around," Pops said, smiling gently at him. "I'm sure someone has something that'll fit you a little better."

Cash ground his teeth together but didn't protest.

Liam Amato had been alpha of the Silver Oak Pack for a few years, and while he'd made some changes to things for the betterment of the pack, Cash was always a little surprised that he'd barely touched the Alpha House after he'd moved into it. He knew for a fact that some of the guest rooms upstairs were decorated rather… eccentrically, but he didn't question it.

It wasn't his job to question his alpha.

For the most part though, the place met their needs. There were public areas in the front of the house where Liam or the Enforcers could meet with emissaries from other packs, members of their own pack who had problems or questions, or someone visiting from out of town. On the second floor, there were four bedrooms—Liam's and three spares for guests. And then there was space in the rear of the house for them to use for holding the beta and Enforcer meetings and an office for Liam.

That's where he brought Ore, knowing that his alpha was in there waiting for them. As soon as he stepped in the house, he scented the other Enforcers and Fern, and his panther prickled a little at the fact that the little bird would no doubt be intimidated by such a gathering. Cash wasn't sure if the show of force was the point or if Liam wanted additional ears to listen for indicators that Ore was lying about anything.

Fern's presence was expected. He'd known she was going to be joining them so she could explain—as best as she could—what had happened to Ore after his arrival in their territory.

Ore followed behind him, gaze darting all around like he was worried he'd be quizzed on a paint color or something. As they neared the closed door of the office, Cash paused and turned to Ore.

"Don't be nervous," he said, unable to stop himself from providing some sort of comfort. He wanted to put a hand on his slender shoulder, showing he was there for him, but that wouldn't be appropriate for a number of reasons.

The top one being that he wouldn't be there for Ore. Once they stepped into that room, he would be Enforcer Lawson. It would be his job to help Liam interrogate the eagle, not protect him.

Ore nodded slowly, gaze glued to the door. Even though his nose wasn't as good as a cat's, there was no way he couldn't feel the power emanating from the room with all of the Enforcers, the head of their coven, and their alpha waiting for them.

Liam alone could be intimidating. He was as big as Cash—which could be enough to scare a tiny little bird—but he also radiated the strength he received from his pack. They might not be large, but they were a tight-knit group. Their close bonds gave their alpha even more strength.

He waited another second, though he wasn't sure what he expected from Ore, then dropped his hand from his shoulder and pushed open the door. When Ore hesitated in the hallway, Cash let himself touch him one more time, placing his hand on the small of his back and guiding him through the door. As soon as he was over the threshold though, he forced himself to drop his arm to his side again.

Liam was sitting behind his desk, feet propped up on the edge and crossed at the ankle as he looked at something on his phone. He didn't glance up as they came in, a furrow etched between his brows as he started typing. His scent wasn't worried, only a little frustrated, so Cash assumed he was texting with his older brother, Quinten.

Fern was perched on the front of Liam's desk, hands folded calmly in her lap as she studied Ore with her sharp hazel eyes. Her curls were looking particularly wild, and her scent was satisfied in a way that made him realize immediately she must have been with one—or both—of her mates just before coming to the Alpha House.

In the two chairs directly in front of Liam's desk were Saint and Rachel. They both craned their heads around as he and Ore walked in and had very different reactions.

Saint raised his scarred brow, a grin spreading across his wide, bearded face. He was handsome, in a rugged way, his white skin a warm sand color combined with his dark brown hair and beard and diamond stud in his right ear giving him a dangerous appeal. Cash had seen it work on unsuspecting human men and women since they were eighteen-year-old idiots. The scar was something he'd accidentally given himself when he was a cub, but Saint liked to tell people he got it in a bar fight.

Cash had been best friends with him his whole life; he knew all the truths behind his bullshit.

Rachel's narrowed honey-brown eyes were locked on Ore's bare legs. When Cash stepped up next to him so he could close the door behind them, she turned her unimpressed face on him. He avoided her gaze, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. Rachel's family owned a small boutique clothing store, and the way she dressed showed it. Despite it being an impromptu and unofficial meeting, her thick curves were wrapped in a navy blue dress that perfectly complemented her tawny skin. Her long, dark hair was also perfectly styled into loose waves, and she wore a pair of big gold hoops in her ears.

The sight of Ore in Cash's shirt was definitely offensive to her sensibilities.

Doing his best to ignore her judgment and Saint's lecherous grin, he pointed Ore toward the only remaining seat in the room. A chair from the meeting room across the hall had been brought in and set to the right of Liam's desk. Halfway across the room, Ore froze, and Cash knew he'd realized who—or rather, what—the last person in the room was.

The pack's second-in-command stood in the corner of the two bookcases in the room, leaning casually against a shelf and watching the room with an impassive stare. Ore's tiny body was stiff and unmoving, but Finlay didn't react, completely unperturbed by the common reaction.

"Um." Ore glanced back at him, eyes wide.

"Yup. Vampire," Saint said before Cash could say anything.

Ore's surprised face turned to the tiger, and Cash nearly snarled out loud. He wanted those eyes on him, looking only to him for guidance.

"He's harmless though. It's cool, little man." Saint smiled even wider and fucking winked at Ore.

Cash was going to rip his eyelids off.

Rachel rolled her eyes at him, and he realized he was projecting his feelings all over the place. Taking a deep breath in and then slowly letting it out, he pulled himself back under control, locking down his emotions. When he felt less volatile, he leaned back against the closed door and crossed his arms over his chest. His movement caught Ore's attention once more, and he gave the little bird a nod of encouragement.

Before Finlay had joined their pack, Cash had believed—like most others in the parahuman world—that vampires were extinct. Over a century ago, they had been hunted down and killed by human hunters who had deemed them too dangerous to exist. The hunter clans had joined forces and tracked down every vampire enclave on the continent, massacring everyone they found without hesitation.

Because vampire enclaves were so isolated—they kept themselves removed even from other parahumans—it had taken too long for anyone to realize what the hunters were doing. By the time they did, it was Cash's understanding that no one actually cared enough to attempt to protect them from eradication.

Even the shifter Council hadn't taken action, arguing that as vampires, they didn't actually fall under their purview or protection.

Which was utter bullshit. The Council never had any issue dictating to witches and seers, creating laws to hold them in check, or using them to attack those deemed enemies of the Council.

One of many reasons why Cash hadn't exactly cried over the Council getting overthrown last year.

It had turned out, though, that vampires hadn't all been killed by the hunters—despite their best efforts. Some had managed to flee across the ocean, hiding alone or in small groups in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the last decade, they'd begun to slowly come back, oftentimes being smuggled into the country by Liam's mobster brother, Quinten.

Cash didn't know what had changed that had drawn them back to North America since Finlay was pretty closed-lipped about his past and vamps in general. Until last year, the Council had still been ruling the parahuman community with total authority, and while hunters had lost some numbers—some clans even moving toward killing for money rather than fanatical beliefs—they were nowhere near being considered not a threat.

He had no idea how Finlay and Liam knew each other either. Liam hadn't shared much when he'd introduced his second-in-command to the pack. He'd simply stated that they had known each other for a while, that he trusted Finlay, and that he had agreed to come and serve as his Second.

The only other vampire that Cash had met since then worked for Liam's brother up in Chicago. The elder Amato had recently declared himself alpha of his own pack, despite the fact that he was human. It hadn't exactly been a surprise, considering the man surrounded himself with parahumans and had been leading them for years, but it was still unprecedented.

Nero, the vampire who worked for him—and was now officially one of his Enforcers—came down to Silver Oak sometimes to check in on Liam, though he never called it that. He'd show up every few months, hang around the Alpha House, flirt shamelessly with everyone he encountered, then disappear once more.

Cash had asked Finlay once if he and Nero were friends, and the vamp had just shrugged and said, "Of a sorts."

When he'd pressed for an explanation of what that meant, Finlay had told him, "He slaughtered half my family a decade ago, and I've owed him a debt ever since."

And then just walked away.

Like that was a completely normal thing to say.

Vampires were so fucking weird.

And while he was far from harmless, Cash had grown to trust him and knew he wouldn't harm Ore unless he proved to be a threat to their alpha. It was frustrating sometimes the number of things his alpha and Second kept to themselves though. He knew it wasn't fair to compare, but everyone else in the pack he'd known basically since birth. Everyone knew everyone else's business—there weren't exactly secrets in a pack as small and close-knit as theirs.

He hoped one day Liam and Finlay would feel comfortable enough to share more about themselves. It would be hard for some pack members to fully trust them until they did.

As soon as Ore's cute little ass hit the chair next to his desk, Liam tossed his phone over his shoulder at Finlay without looking. The vampire caught it with a twitch of an eyebrow.

"If my brother gets his head out of his ass, let me know. Otherwise, hold that for me so I don't throw it across the room."

"Again," Finlay murmured, tucking the device in the pocket of his jeans.

Liam curled his lip at the vamp, then focused on where Cash still stood at the door.

Answering the unasked question, Cash said, "Alpha Amato, this is Ore. He's having some difficulty remembering anything from before he woke up inside our territory."

The scent of surprise and disbelief filled the air around him, but no one spoke. Liam turned to the eagle, his wavy, blond hair just short of his shoulders and giving him a rather pirate-esque look. The faint scars at the base of his neck didn't help and were another subject Liam didn't talk about.

"Ore. Interesting name. Is that short for something?" Liam asked, dropping his feet from his desk and sitting upright.

"Forester, sir," Ore said quietly, tugging at the hem of his borrowed T-shirt.

Rachel caught the gesture and threw him another look, but Cash ignored the leopard, keeping his full attention on Ore so he could pick up any discrepancies in his heartbeat or scent.

"I see. But you prefer Ore?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you think it's strange you remember that but not what happened to you?"

Apprehension spiked in Ore's scent, and he licked at his lips before shrugging. "I couldn't say, sir. Pops said I was hurt p-pretty badly."

The small stutter ripped at Cash's heart. He had to clench his hands into fists to keep ahold of himself, his panther already getting pissed at the fear and dismay Ore was displaying, his fingers twisting so hard in Cash's shirt it was a surprise it didn't rip.

"So you don't remember what brought you to my pack?" Liam said. His voice was calm, but there was a thread of disbelief.

Ore shook his head. "No, sir. It's all just… missing. I don't know what happened, how I was hurt, or why I came here."

Liam leaned back in his chair, scratching at his short beard. "Where are you from? Who's your alpha?"

Ore swallowed audibly, and even from across the room, Cash could see his eyes getting glassy before he dropped his gaze to his lap.

"Ore," Liam prompted, "where is your pack?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "I can't remember that either."