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After shaking his head, Rex said, “The windows were too darkly tinted for even my shifter sight to see through. When I got to the road to the compound, they slowed but didn’t turn. Then they drove off.”
Top uttered, “They’re either watching or—”
“Looking for opportunity,” Axle said darkly. “I won’t let them take another one of our family, if I have any say in it. Not. A. Fucking. Gain.”
Top calmly said, “None of that was your fault, Axle.”
Their president’s angry swirling silver gaze shifted from Rex to Top. “Whether it’s my fault or not, I will carry the guilt of our losses,their sacrifices, for the rest of my life.”
Rex hated that Axle felt that so deep, but honestly, they all did. Every member of the Howlers MC and the Tiger’s Claw MC felt responsible in some way for every death connected to them. They were supposed to be the protectors, yet they couldn’t protect their own. The guilt and the grief were constant companions for them, and probably would be for a good long while.
Messer
Sitting in the backseat of the Pathfinder, Stella Messer listened as the other Elites from Black Forest Academy, a training academy for civilian soldiers and hunters joining the war on shifters, talked about their plans. The academy had been started just four months before, but the owner was a billionaire and money could buy you any resources you needed, except for information. Sometimes, that was a bit trickier to get.
While the other Elites chatted, Messer remained silent. She was stripped of any authority when she returned to BFA a couple months before without any new information on shifters and their abilities to assist the academy in their mission to eradicate them. She had been able to tell them where certain members of the Howlers MC and the Tiger’s Claw MC lived, as well as some basic information about names, but that was all. Even with the help of some townspeople, and a man named Matthew, the details she was able to uncover were sparse. The clubs had been really good about not letting outsiders close.
After weeks of investigating, she was called back to the academy to answer for her inability to get the job done. Even with the help of Matthew, they were unable to gather new intel or to confirm or deny the information they were given by other townsfolk.
“I still say we should have more than one vehicle,” Elite O’Halleron grumbled as she shifted in her seat to Messer’s left as they shared the backseat of the Pathfinder.
“For the fifth time,” Elite Perez bit out, “we don’t know what they are capable of, sincesomeonewas unable to do her damn job, so we aren’t splitting up.”
Messer’s anger rose inside of her as she stared at the back of Elite Perez’s head while he drove. “I may not be great at gathering intel, but I could kill you without breaking a sweat.”
The Pathfinder swung over to the side of the road and came to a stop. Elite Perez’s gaze met hers in the rearview mirror, fury blazing in his dark brown eyes, peeking out from under perfectly tweezed brows, and he replied, “You’re welcome to try,subordinate.”
She would bide her time, Messer decided. At one point, the fucker would let his guard down, and she would make sure he regretted every jab he had thrown at her on that trip. She was taking note, keeping a tally.You will pay, Perez, and it will feel so good.
“That’s what I thought,” the fucker said smugly and pulled back into traffic.
Staring at the back of his head with narrowed eyes, Messer swallowed down all the words she wanted to say.Let him think he had the upper hand.It was the best course of action at the time.Then make him pay.
Jolene
Jolene told herself it would not be appropriate or professional to flip off Dr. Thatcher. It was the third time in ten minutes she had to give herself that reminder. She arrived at the clinic five minutes late, because she had to go home to change into her scrubs and take care of Beast. She was rarely late, but you wouldn’t know that with the way he was going on.
“You’re supposed to be professional,” Dr. Thatcher grumbled as they both stood at the desk, looking over the patient paperwork.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.After completing her ten-count and feeling a bit calmer, Jolene replied, “Yes, and I’m sorry for being late. I will do my best not to be in the future.”
“You do that,” he stated, and stomped away.
Jolene rolled her eyes. When they landed on the receptionist, Marcie, the younger woman gave her a sympathetic smile and handed her a fresh coffee in an insulated mug with a lid.
“You are an angel,” Jolene told her and took the mug. “I’m going to apologize now for his bad mood.”
It was Marcie’s turn to roll her eyes. “Whenisn’the in a bad mood?”
“Fair enough,” Jolene said with a smile, before she took a deep breath and headed back to get started on seeing her patients.
Eleven
Jolene
Bythetimelunchrolled around, Jolene had lost all patience with Dr. Thatcher. She wanted to punt his five-foot-five-inch body out the plate-glass window in the lobby, but then she would most definitely lose her job. Then how would she pay for Beast’s daily dose ofyou’re such a good boytreats?
No, she couldn’t punch her boss… no matter how much the balding asshole deserved it.
