Page 34 of No Strings Attached

Fifteen minutes later, he saw three police cars parked on the shoulder of the road. They were about a quarter-mile away from the address Sam had given him.

Morgan eased in behind them and got out. Not only was Sheriff Harper there, but so were Deputy Cannon Lowery, Deputy Denali Davis, and Deputy Wyatt Birch.

They really did need to hire more cops.

“Here.” Wyatt handed Morgan a Glock. “Figured you wouldn’t have yours on you.”

Morgan tucked it into the back of his waistband. “Thanks.”

Dominic slapped a printed mugshot onto the hood of the cruiser closest to them. “Meet Daryl Radmore, a hyena shifter. There’s only one charge against him in the system, but we all know it’s only because he hasn’t been caught for other crimes.”

Daryl had been arrested for assault two years ago and was given probation. No way in hell that had been his only crime. Morgan would admit the guy was handsome, but the eyes never lied, and they were fucking soulless.

“Morgan and I will breach the front,” Dominic said. “Denali will take the right side of the house, Wyatt on the left, and Cannon will pull up the rear.”

“I’m not looking to arrest him,” Morgan reminded them. “I’m using deadly force.”

Being a deputy meant a lot to Morgan, and he normally followed the letter of the law, but this was a preternatural matter, and in their world, the number one cardinal sin was harming a mate, even if no one had known Sam was a mate at the time.

Daryl was still a threat, and Morgan planned on eliminating him.

Cannon took off toward the trees, working his way around to the back of the house. The rest of them spread out, staying low so they could keep the element of surprise for as long as possible.

They were after a shifter. Getting the drop on Daryl would be more difficult than if they were after a human, so the longer they could keep him in the dark, the better.

It took them only seven minutes to get into position. They didn’t need to run at full speed, because, despite being in their human forms, they were still remarkably fast and agile.

Morgan crouched behind the burgundy car, surveying the house. It was a modest one-story residence, with a few windows lacking screens. On the front porch sat a worn red recliner next to a wilted potted plant.

Morgan spotted a glimpse of movement in one of the front windows and prayed like hell that Daryl was inside. He could almost taste the man’s imminent death.

As soon as Cannon was in position at the rear of the house, Sheriff Harper signaled everyone to move in. With a crouched run, Morgan closed the distance and climbed the front porch, hearing faint heavy metal music playing inside.

After Dominic gave a single nod, Morgan gripped the handle and forcefully pushed open the door, entering the house. His heart dropped when he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot coming from somewhere in the back and raced toward the source of the noise.

In the backyard, Cannon lay on the ground in his lion form, his fur coated with blood. As Daryl sprinted toward the safety of the forest, Morgan pulled out the Glock from his waistband and fired. The bullet hit Daryl’s left shoulder, causing him to stumble, but he quickly recovered and shifted into his hyena form. He darted to the left, disappearing into the shadows of the towering trees.

Mid-run, Denali shifted into his majestic lion form and charged after the hyena. Wyatt followed suit, transforming into a sleek cheetah as he pursued their target.

Morgan took off after them, pushing himself to the limit in his human form. Despite his polar bear being a formidable predator, speed was not one of its greatest assets.

He didn’t let up as he ran through the dense forest, his heart pounding as he tried to keep up with Denali and Wyatt. The terrain was uneven and treacherous, but the two moved with a speed and grace that Morgan could only envy.

The sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves filled the air, but Morgan couldn’t tell if it was the hyena making the noises or the wild inhabitants that called the forest their home. Every muscle in his body tensed as he pushed himself harder, adrenaline coursing through him.

As Morgan crested an incline, a wide stream came into view, glittering in the sunlight. The banks were lined with tall grasses and wildflowers, and a gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of water toward him.

The lion and cheetah were sniffing the ground on the opposite side, and Morgan knew that Daryl had used the water to wash away his trail, because Wyatt had a reputation of never letting the bad guys get away.

“Goddamn it,” Morgan snarled as his friends moved farther away, trying to pick up the hyena’s scent.

The son of a bitch was long gone.

Morgan left Denali and Wyatt to return to the house to check on Cannon. The lion was still down, and Dominic stood watch over him. In his lion form, Cannon would heal.

“Bastard used the water to wash away his scent,” Morgan growled as he closed the distance.

“Get back to the hospital,” Dominic said. “We got this. If they find Daryl, I’ll let you know.”

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