Page 58 of Blood and Trouble

“And we know the Montana Scorpions are in town,” Thurjin added. “We spotted them on the outskirts of Helsingør yesterday.”

“They followed us across a fucking ocean,” I said, my wolf raising its hackles.

Viggo scratched the scruff on his jaw and stared at the security details on the television at the other end of the room. Even though I wasn’t part of his pack, I sensed the apprehension in him, the patient calculation that made him the alpha. They weren’t bound to the full moon like we were, but that didn’t mean they were indifferent to our plight. They’d allowed us to come to their territory for the shift. They’d offered to guard us, to protect us, while we saw it through.

“The Scorpions in Malmö are on the move,” Viggo said. “There’s a new leader in town, organizing the chapters in a way no one’s ever done before.”

That got Poe’s interest, and he lifted his head from his spot next to me. “Evelyn?”

“It’s a woman,” Bas said. “But our source hasn’t actually seen her yet. It would be a reasonable guess.”

“We don’t have the same problems with vampires that you do in the States,” Viggo continued. “The magic here is old, and the blood feuds are long over. The Swedish Scorpions are human, but even they know something’s wrong with those fuckers.”

“That matches what we’ve heard,” Kodiak added from the phone.

“So what does she want with my sister?” Guin asked.

“If Marx and Evelyn are related, that’s motive enough,” I said, ignoring the twinge that stabbed my rib cage at the notion that she’d been on to us the whole time. She’d been stalking us around Europe, and it bugged me that we didn’t know why. What was her endgame? Why did she want Ava so bad but wait to take her?

“It’s not about revenge,” Poe said. “The witch mentioned a half-formed bond.”

“A half-formed bond?” Guin asked. “With who?”

“No one,” Poe quickly answered, but I scoffed internally. “She must have sensed the pack bonds or something.”

Still a liar.

“Channing will reach out to the Harlots about the witch,” Orion added. “Mill is digging deep, trying to find whatever we can.”

“You have our protection and our support as long as you need it,” Viggo said.

“We have a run this weekend,” Bas said. “I hate to separate you at such a dangerous time, but we could use your expertise. You know these vampires. You can scent them. Protecting us on the run keeps everyone safer. Would you consider backing us up?”

A small part of me revolted at the thought of being away from Ava for any significant period of time, but Poe was here now. We were on Bastard territory. Wards and old magic protected this land, something we’d since amplified back home. If only we’d had that when the Scorpions attacked us twenty years ago. If only we’d strengthened it before Marx took Maeve. In any case, Ava would be safe here.

“Of course,” I said. “Whatever you need.”

“Good,” Kodiak said. “Keep an eye on your six. Look out for each other. If you need backup, call me immediately.”

“You got it, boss,” Poe said.

“Let me know whenever you get something,” I said. “In the meantime, we’ll hold down the fort.”

Viggo ended the call and looked at us. “We’ve got a cabin squared away for you in the Gribskov. It’s on the outskirts of our territory, but you’ll be protected there. The woods are reinforced by ancient magic, thousands of years of our blood.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Your help means a lot to us. If we can ever repay you⁠—”

“Oh, we may take you up on that,” Bas teased. “But you’re Bastards. You’re shifters. Family.”

I glanced at Poe, who focused on the floor and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. A wave of tension rolled off him, surging through the pack bonds to land in my stomach. My wolf perked his ears, but I decided to wait to ask. If Poe had concerns, he likely wouldn’t voice them in front of the Danish Bastards. He’d wait until we were alone.

“I’ll take you to your cabin,” Thurjin said, nodding toward the entrance at the back of the clubhouse. He and two others in his pack escorted us through the territory, taking us toward a cabin in the woods.

“One of our younger alphas just went off on her own,” Thurjin explained. “So we’ve set up her old cabin for you. Locust and Bow are in the dorms with the rest of the crew.”

A small push of anxiety rolled off Poe again, and I tried to ignore it as we walked toward the treeline at the edge of the property. This close to the full moon, my wolf was loud in my mind, and he’d picked up on how restless Poe’s beast had become. There was no mistaking that bonding scent the morning I’d caught him on top of Ava, and I still hadn’t decided how I felt about it.

My animal side knew what he wanted. He’d made it perfectly clear. He wanted to wrestle them both into submission. He wanted to hold Ava’s freely given control and snatch Poe’s away from him. He wanted to devour both of them at the same time, watch them devour each other, and yet, the visual sent a hot spike of bitterness straight through me.