Page 22 of Blood of Vengeance

“Good, because you’re going to need that energy.” Zed nodded and threw the van into gear. “Keep your eyes open and your circle tight. We lost Chiggy—it would be disrespectful to his memory to lose his daughter, too. Especially to an internal.”

With that, he rolled off, heading for the driveway leading back onto the highway. Leaving me to stew for a second in my own internal thoughts. Someone in my own club might try to take my mate? Fuck and no. Not the Hellions. Maybe other clubs, other groups of shifters, but our team was solid. If a newbie or young one even joked about doing something so stupid, the older crew would beat the fuck out of them.

But if an older brother decided to take a chance…

“Never fucking happening,” I said into the gloaming, tired of being in my head already. I started my bike and followed the van, my brain still spinning. No way would any of my brothers get near Locklyn. I’d rip their fucking arms off if they even thought about it. And take her? Not happening. I may not have claimed her yet, but the woman was mine. All mine. And I would do anything to keep her.

And anything included taking out one of my own if necessary.

Zed and I hadn’t made it ten feet through the clubhouse door when Preacher yelled that Cutter wanted to see us. We both headed straight back to the office, Zed tapping on the doorframe before walking in.

“What’s up, boss man?”

Cutter scowled. “I’m not the boss…yet. How’d it go with Popper?”

I settled in a seat across from his desk. Zed stayed on his feet, leaning against a file cabinet closer to the door that he had closed.

“His assistant is going to CSI the body tomorrow,” Zed said, keeping his voice quiet and low. “The burn will happen two nights later.”

“We got a time?”

“Eight thirty,” I said. “We’ll need to get the word out.”

Cutter nodded. “Let’s start that tonight. I want every man there—no excuses. They show up to honor Chiggy, or they get the fuck out.”

“Good call,” Zed said with a nod. “You planning on taking over for the old man?”

“I’m planning on letting the brothers vote—either they choose me, or they choose to start a hunt for a new prez.” Cutter sighed and sat back, his light eyes holding mine, looking downright mean and ready to fight. “They have to want me in this seat to follow me. I either earn it, or I don’t.”

And that was what would make the man such a good leader for our crew.

“When’s the vote?” I asked.

“After we figure out who killed Chiggy.” Cutter stabbed Zed with a hard look. “Any ideas yet?”

“Not random, not internal, and likely not another shifter.”

“So who, then?”

“Don’t know.” He glanced my way. “But we’ll figure it out.”

“You’d better,” Cutter said. “I don’t want the brothers out there with someone hunting them, but I also don’t want the cops involved in Hellions business. Clean it up, but don’t leave a trace.”

“I’ve got it covered,” I said, confident I could hold off any police action if they ended up with their sights on us. Paying off the cops was the easy part—actually hunting down a killer who knew how to take down a wolf shifter in cold blood would be harder.

“Good.” Cutter nodded once, giving Zed a look that spoke volumes. “Go start letting the boys know about Chiggy’s service. All there, or they’re out.”

Zed pushed off the file cabinet. “Understood.”

As soon as Zed closed the door behind himself, Cutter turned that steely gaze my way. “How’s your mate?”

“She’s…” But how could I answer that? Adorable. Sexy as sin. Making me hard as a rock from memories of those pink panties hugging her hips. I didn’t know enough about her to know if she needed anything, and I had barely spoken to her so far. She was my mate, and already I hadn’t figured out a thing about her.

“So the talking and getting to know each other is going well,” Cutter said with a smirk.

“Fuck you.”

He shrugged, looking quite pleased with himself. “You’re not the first to find their mate, you know.”

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