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Chapter Five
“We just got a call that there’s a body in the woods,” Deputy Morgan Savani said when he stepped into Dominic’s office. “The caller was a bit hysterical, a jogger who spotted the body when she took a break and sat on a large rock. She said the guy was skinned alive.”
Dominic cursed as he stood and headed for the door. Although he didn’t want any animals hurt, wild or shifter, he prayed it was a wild animal.
Morgan rode with him as Dominic headed to the area where the body was found. He let his nose lead the way, and it didn’t take long before he spotted the woman. She was in shorts and an exercise bra—Dominic didn’t know what they were technically called—and she had her phone strapped to her upper arm, her earbuds dangling and forgotten.
“Ma’am,” Dominic said as he approached.
She turned, took one look at him, and fell into his arms. “It’s horrible! Who could do something like this? I thought Midnight Falls was safe.”
He patted her back, trying to console her, but he had a job to do. Dominic eased her into Morgan’s arms, the polar bear shifter talking softly to her. Morgan was a huge, muscled guy—even larger than Dominic—and most were intimidated by him, but she didn’t seem afraid of Morgan.
Dominic turned and followed the scent. The body was behind a fallen tree, a tree the woman must have sat on when she’d stopped to take a break. The person, whoever it was, had definitely been skinned alive. The sight made Dominic want to vomit.
He also saw where the wildlife had scavenged the body.
“Take her to the car,” Dominic said to Morgan. He wanted the woman as far away as possible while he took a closer look. She was already weeping loudly, and Dominic wanted to concentrate.
Morgan put an arm around her as he guided the woman away. As soon as they were out of sight, Dominic stepped over the tree and hunkered down, trying not to breathe in the stench.
Then he stood and pulled out his cell phone. Adam Kidwell owned a furniture store, but he also doubled as the town coroner. “Need your help,” Dominic said when Adam answered.
“Furniture or other?” Adam asked.
“Other.” Dominic told him that there was a dead body and where it was located. Adam was human, but he knew about the preternatural world.
He’d discovered it by accident. Adam had been out one night, had witnessed a fight, and had seen a guy shift into a wolf. Dominic had been astonished at how well Adam had taken the news that humans weren’t alone on this planet.
“I’ll be there in twenty,” Adam said. “I have to close the shop. Human or other?”
“Honestly, I don’t know yet.” Dominic eased over the tree just so he wouldn’t have to look at the body anymore. The corpse was too messed up, and wild animals had left their scent all over it, so he couldn’t get an accurate smell to know if the person was preternatural or human. “The guy was skinned alive.”
“Jesus,” Adam said. “Do you think we have a killer in town?”
“I’m not going to assume anything until I have your report,” Dominic said.
“I’m on my way.”
After Adam hung up, Dominic shoved his phone into his pocket. It was moments like this that he desperately needed his mate. Somehow, Julian always made things better.
When Dominic was able to leave the scene, he was going straight to Deep Dish where Julian was a waiter. He needed to pull his mate into his arms and try to forget the horrific shit he’d just seen.
* * * *
Beckett was livid when Santee said he had to go home. He wasn’t pissed at his mate. Beckett was beyond angry that Santee was being abused by his own brother, a person who was supposed to protect and love him.
“I see you’re upset.” Whether Santee knew he was doing it or not, his mate took a step back.
“Not at you,” Beckett reassured him. “At the situation. You’re asking me to send my mate back to a home where he isn’t even safe.”
“I have to go,” Santee said. “Marvell thinks I’m at work. If he finds out I lied…”
That only made Beckett grind his teeth harder. “You could stay with me. We have plenty of room, and I know my brothers, as well as Milly and Bran, like you.”
Beckett had never felt so desperate in his life. Part of him wanted to force Santee to stay, but then he would be no better than Marvell. Beckett wasn’t going to force his mate to do anything he didn’t want to do. He wanted to give the little bunny as much freedom as possible, but fuck, stepping aside as Santee walked out and returned to danger wasn’t easy to do.
His cheetah was going apeshit.
