Page 8 of Savage Claim

I folded my arms. “She is right here. And I’m tired of being treated like a prisoner.”

Jax’s brows dipped, making the intimidating beta look more like a worried puppy. “You’re not a prisoner. We just want to keep you safe.”

“You’re staying at Silver Ridge?” Hawk slipped out of Axel’s reach and stormed toward us, his boots stomping over sub-demon goo. “Why wasn’t Captain Coltrane informed?”

Sharp lines cut into the beta’s face as he regarded the raven’s sword, still out and dripping black blood. “Because it’s pack business and not Coltrane’s.”

“Savannah is the captain’s business.” Hawk finally realized he had his weapon raised and ran his thumb over the rune to draw the blade back into the hilt. “She oversees the nightworlders.”

Sensing the mounting tension, the car doors opened, and two other male wolf shifters stepped out of the SUV, flanking Jax’s side. Kortney cursed, and she and Axel slowly moved toward Hawk in case they needed to stop him from lunging at the nightworlders.

When did Hawk become such a hothead? He’d always loved attention and was a show-off during field training, but he never would have confronted shifters with so much animosity. I pivoted and stepped in his direction when fingers hooked in my belt loops and jerked me into a hard chest.

“I don’t think lover boy would appreciate your affection right now.” Fane’s low, rough whisper sent waves of electricity through my veins despite his cutting tone. “He seems to loathe our kind.”

Our kind.

How could I forget I was so different from the ravens now? Hell, I’d never really been one of them. How would they feel knowing I was born from at least one shifter?

“Let me go,” I hissed, trying to wiggle out of his hold. “We used to be friends. That’s all.”

“You don’t look at him like a friend.”

“Jealous?”

“Of Junior? Not a fucking chance.” He gave a low laugh that vibrated my back and made my stomach flutter. “And from the look of it, he wants to murder you.”

“Like you?” I rubbed my ass against his pelvis, feeling him instantly hardened. “Be honest, Maverick. You’ve never just wanted to kill me.”

His fingers loosely dragged over my throat, his thumb rubbing my tattoo and shooting sparks across my sensitive flesh. “Keep provoking me, and I’ll make sure to get my fill of you quickly so I can finally end you.”

My lips pressed together to keep a moan from breaking free as fire reverberated from his bite mark. I rubbed against him again, earning a warning snarl from my beast.

Someone cleared his throat, and Gareth, Jax’s assistant, arched his eyebrow at us. Fane quickly released me and stepped back to put space between us, but heat still wrapped us like a thick cloud. Obviously, the shifters sensed the sensual atmosphere that had suddenly grown around us.

So embarrassing.

I swiveled back to the ravens, catching Kortney’s smirk as she studied Fane and me. The shifters weren’t the only ones who noticed the fiery tension.

“I don’t give a damn what you think your captain should know.” Jax rolled his head, cracking his neck. “Tate is a shifter, and her presence at the compound is our business.”

Hawk’s nostrils flared while his usually kind eyes hardened to amber stones. “The captain will call Barric when she hears about this.”

“Good.” Jax motioned to the scattered sub-demon parts. “He’ll want to discuss all the Underworld lowlifes clogging the city.”

Axel stepped in front of Hawk before he could utter another word. “We should discuss that, Jax. Please let the head alpha know to expect a call from Captain Coltrane regarding this issue. The problem is worsening, and we may need to talk strategy.”

At least Axel still had his ego in check.

Jax gave a curt nod. “Will do. And you should thank your shifter assistance tonight.” He jerked his chin in our direction. “I’m sure these two did a hell of a lot more damage than you four.” His gaze lingered over Roxie, who hid in the background. Out of all of us, she appeared the least battered, barely a hair out of place.

Lazy bitch.

Axel swiveled toward us, the animosity pulsating off him. “Thanks,” he gritted out.

Hawk sneered, his hands fisting as if he wanted to punch Axel for even saying it.

“Let’s go, you two.” Jax opened the back door while the other two shifters slid into their spots. “I don’t want to keep Barric waiting.”

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