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Ooooh, he liked that.
And then the other six bikers who would fan out to form half of the challenge circle.
Benny considered whether Ryder should be second in, but he really didn’t want anyone to notice that the two of them were mated until after the challenge. He wasn’t sure why, except that Jessie shouldn’t be perceived as Ryder’s puppet. That woman was no puppet —maybe the puppet master? He grinned.
No, that worked. Inside? He frowned. He hadn’t been inside — or didn’t remember it. Titus had said it was set up much like the Last Chance, although upscale. Well, it would be hard to be downscale from the Last Chance. So a bar inside the door so that the bartender controlled the door and the bar. Tables and chairs. Pool table, dart boards. Music? Dancing? He didn’t know and he didn’t see how it would matter one way or the other. This was pinochle night. They’d be around the tables. Four men to a table....
At some point they’d need to clear the floor for the fight. That was always awkward. Benny grimaced. He’d shove the first table out of his way, when he lay down the charges against McKenzie. Titus would be glad to turn over a few tables.
Have Jessie announce herself as the new pack Second, claiming a just fight. He’d back that up. If someone challenged her, she needed to shift fast. He didn’t think she’d dressed since her last shift, so that would be fine. Might even go into the club barefoot? A bit cold, but she wouldn’t have to walk far.
Then the big fight. He didn’t have any worries that Ryder would win. McKenzie was an old wolf and had probably fought dozens of dominance fights. But Ryder had as well — and they’d been against vicious, out-of-control wolves, not disgruntled packmates. He was a dirty fighter, and he exploded.
No, Benny would be more worried about getting him to stop killing after the fight. As long as Jessie was fine, though, Ryder would be fine too. He avoided thinking about what would happen if Jessie took harm. Well that was his job; he had to see to it that she didn’t.
And then? Ryder needed to bond with those wolves. Benny shrugged. Easy enough — buy enough drinks, get drunk together. And they’d be on their way.
Or, well, maybe they should call in the women as well? This was a family pack, not Ryder’s motorcycle club after all. What would Abby do?
No brainer there. She’d get the women involved. Before the fight? He didn’t think he was going to have that option. Jessie said McKenzie was angry. This was going to go up in flames fast. So afterwards. Get the men sloshed while the women showed up, then turn it into a pack meeting.
He pictured the deer-in-the-headlights look on Ryder’s face when he realized he would have to run a pack meeting. Best to announce it after they were on their way — before Ryder had time to think about it.
And like all good plans, it went awry at the first possible moment.
Benny stood with Ryder, waiting for the other bikers and Titus and Jessie in the pickup. He guessed it was Titus’s pickup now. Or maybe it was Jessie’s? Add settling Bjorn Hansen’s estate to the list of things to be done. There was a reason why the only 100 percent shifter-run business sector was making people disappear, get new papers, and reappear. He hoped this pack was large enough to have some fixers like that.
Which reminded him, there were more of Chen’s recruits in town. They too would have to be dealt with. He sighed. And more would be arriving....
“Where are they?” Ryder muttered. He was bouncing in place. Benny glanced at him.
“You tell me,” he countered. “Where is your mate?”
Ryder blinked, and looked inward. He grinned. “They’re stopping at the motel, going to reserve rooms, and she wants a pee stop.”
Benny laughed. “See? The advantages of a mate bond,” he teased, and thought to himself, smart woman. Although nothing conspicuous about a half-dozen bikers standing outside a bar instead of going in. But this was a Monday night, and a quiet street. Benny frowned.
Too quiet. Where were the vehicles of the pack?
“I don’t like this,” Benny muttered. “Ryder? Ask your mate where the Alpha is? Tell her to be careful, but to use her bond just like it works with you.”
Ryder rolled his eyes. “That’s a more complicated question than where are you?” He pulled out his phone and called Jessie. It rang without being picked up.
Ryder frowned, and focused on his mate bond.
“She says there’s trouble,” Ryder said, heading for his bike. “The pack has taken over Last Chance. Titus and Jessie were ambushed when they pulled into the motel parking lot.”
Shit. Were there humans in there too? Benny didn’t wait for Ryder’s leadership on this one. He visualized the route he needed to take and he focused on getting there as quickly as possible. Other side of town, though. And what the hell was Jessie doing in the meantime? Waiting like a good girl?
He doubted it. Actually he had no doubts at all. She’d be in the thick of things by the time they got there.
