Page 63 of Chased

She threw a stapler at him, which he fielded easily.

Madison went on, “He also told me I would stop making any more ‘mistakes,’ by which he meant disobeying him or contradicting him in any way. He reinforced that with a little taste of how painful it would be if I didn’t.”

Unconsciously, she rubbed her wrist where he’d dug his fingers into the tendons. Sanchez’s gaze followed her actions, and his growl turned to a soft snarl. His jaw rippled, and she could see his canine teeth coming out.

She looked right at him. “Damn, I wish I could do that,” she said. “I would have bitten his hand off.”

His eyes met hers. “I’d be happy to do it for you.”

“Second that.” Mikey raised her hand.

Gunn did not, she noticed. She’d seen the look of distaste when she talked about Henri’s abuse, and it was obvious his comment to Mikey had been a joke. No one who really wanted a woman he could control would mate with Mikey, or be as happy as Gunn obviously was with her.

So he didn’t condone the Renard ways. But he still wasn’t sure about keeping her here.

He asked her, “What’s your status now?”

“Not good,” she admitted. “That’s one reason why I was upset last night, and Changed without meaning to. I got this.”

She showed them the document on her tablet, waiting while they passed it around. Gunn said, “They’re going to hunt you down?”

They didn’t understand. Not really. So she took back the tablet and pulled up a video she’d found once, of an actual Hunt. The chase. The forced mating. The way the fox marked the lapin in a way that would leave a scar. The video ended on a close-up of the woman, having just Changed to human, bruised and bloody and hysterical.

She handed it to Gunn, and the others crowded around to watch it. When it ended, there was total silence.

Breanna spoke first, her voice shaking. “You most definitely are not going to be sent out into the world alone for those barbarians to chase down.” She looked at Gunn. “No.”

“Second that,” Mikey said again. “Because that is fucked up.”

Sanchez added, “Over my dead body.” His eyes were pure gold, and there was wolf fur all down his face.

Gunn handed her the tablet back. “I agree,” he said. “And as it happens, one of my wolves has just taken responsibility for your safety.”

“Us, too,” Cisco said. Matéo nodded. Madison felt tears coming to her eyes again.

“Three of my wolves,” Gunn amended. “And I add my own assurances to that. You’re under the protection of the Outlaw Ridge Wolf pack, and we will do anything in our power to keep you safe from the Renards—or any other danger you might face.”

Madison stared at him, incredulous. “So I can stay?”

Gunn nodded. “I understand you were hired with a month’s trial, which is nearly over. Since Breanna recommends that you stay with us, I’d say that’s done.”

“Thank you!” She looked around at Breanna and Mikey, who were both smiling. Then she frowned. “But legally, you’re not supposed to keep me from Henri. You saw the document. Under Renard law, he’s already my mate.”

Michelangela said, “We’ll see about that. I know people.”

Sanchez added, “He can’t be your mate if he’s dead. Just putting it out there.”

Gunn added, “We have time to handle the legal aspects. I doubt the Renards can find you here, but I’ll put out the word to our perimeter patrols, and also down in town, to be on the lookout for fox shifters.”

Sanchez said, “Tell them to shoot to kill.”

Chapter 25

When Sanchez walked with Madison out of the command center, Boomer and his brother were hanging around with a few other guys under one of the trees, drinking coffee.

Like they were waiting.

“Hey, Snowball!” Boomer called when he saw Madison. She immediately stiffened.