“I’ve been waiting to say that since a certain movie came out,” Reed says. “It’s been years, Ash. Don’t ruin it.”
Derek groans, sagging against Bram’s grip. “You can’t do this.”
“The hell we can’t,” Bram says, patting his jacket pocket. “We have a gas can with your prints on it, a camera feed from the side fence, and a signed confession from Wade Fenton, along with records proving you paid him to commit crimes.”
Reed squats down so he’s eye level with Derek’s bleeding face. “And since we’re not going to jail for hitting you, asshat, I’m at least doing this.”
Dropping into a deep squat, Reed hovers inches above Derek’s face, and bounces once. Twice. Three times.
“Did you just—” Derek splutters.
“Yep,” Reed says, standing back up. “You just got teabagged in front of witnesses.”
The wail of sirens cuts sharply through the quiet. Red and blue lights begin sweeping over the tops of the trees, flashing closer. At the sound, all the remaining color drains out of Derek’s face, leaving him a sickly, panicked gray.
“Fuck,” Derek says, staring at the approaching lights, then at Bram. “But how did you even—I paid that drunk Ray Potts to lure you away.”
“Ray Potts crosses the street to avoid Bram,” I say, walking up to him. “When the tip came in, we figured it was a lure to pull the alphas away.”
“So you...” Derek glares at me.
“Faked the departure,” Ash says, stepping up right behind my shoulder and settling a warm, solid hand on my lower back. “Drove the trucks a mile down the road, cut the lights, and looped back through the orchard.”
“And I offered to be the bait,” I say, tilting my head. “You really thought you were so brilliant, catching me out here unprotected. But I chose to be here alone. I knew you were watching, and my pack was out of sight but close the entire time. You did jump the gun a little and show up earlier than we expected, though. I was supposed to already be locked inside the shed when you got here, so I had to... improvise a little.”
Bram looks over his shoulder at me, the hard, alpha edge in his eyes softening. “And you were incredibly brave, sweetheart,” he says, his voice a low, steady rumble.
“And impressive as hell,” Reed adds, shooting me a grin. “You got himgood.”
Derek’s mouth opens. Closes.
The squad car pull into the loading yard, tires crunching over the gravel. Doors slam, uniforms step out.
Bram grips Derek by the back of his collar and marches him over to the cruiser. Then, he shoves Derek down into the back, Derek’s head hitting the door frame on the way in.
Derek lets out a pained groan, sagging onto the seat.
“Whoops. My bad,” Bram says, deadpan.
One of the deputies hides a smirk and firmly slams the cruiser door shut, while Bram casually strolls back over to us.
“We picked up Potts on the way in by the way,” he tells Bram. “Flipped him in about three seconds. Said that dude paid him two hundred bucks to make the call.”
“Thanks guys, great work,” Bram says.
The cruiser’s engine revs as they pull out, and the yard goes quiet again.
With Derek gone, the adrenaline drains out of my system in a sudden rush. My knees wobble, threatening to give out, but Ash is instantly there. His strong arm wraps firmly around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. Reed steps up close on my other side, dropping his hand onto my shoulder. Bram leans down and presses a tender kiss to my forehead.
“So,” Reed clears his throat, looking between us. “Wanna get a drink?”
50
Luna
The bell over the door clatters when we push inside. The TV up in the corner is running a muted weather map, and Maggie’s wiping down the bar. She looks up, her rag slowing, and her face falls.
“Oh, no. Oh, you guys.” She comes around the end of the bar, the rag still balled in her fist. “I heard about the fire. I am so sorry.”
