Page 86 of Broken Wolf

He studied me for several minutes as I reeled back all my power and covered it back up so I wasn’t a beacon to anyone in Chicago. “Have they ever done it before?”

“Yes.” I nodded, but then I let my eyes go cold. “But I will end you myself with a smile if I push for leniency and you ever hurt another person—human or supe. They’re not food. You’re a fucker, but you do the time and fix yourself and maybe your immortal life could be worth something.”

He took the deal.

What choice did he have?

I would keep my promise and advocate that he not get the death penalty for his maker, but he would be serving at least a thousand years in prison for the list of crimes he told me. I wasn’t sure that was really any better.

And the list was ridiculous. Did he seriously think he lost his soul when he became a vampire or something?

Yes, yes, he did.

“For the love of fuck,” I groaned when he admitted that, mumbling that I needed a break. We’d been going for hours and I just needed some air.

And food. Shocker.

I was surprised Carter was waiting outside the front doors where I normally went to stretch my legs. I did a double take when I saw him and went to go back inside.

But he was faster, moving to block me but not touching me.

“Is there any way we can fix this and move past what I did?” he whispered. “Please, Sera?”

The tears in his voice killed me. They really did and my heart hurt too, but I had to keep moving, so I stepped around him.

I had to keep moving. I had a job to do and too many people who relied on me. “I don’t know. I can’t seem to wrap my mind around what you did even yet. I never thought—it was never supposed to be you who betrayed me like that or was…” I shook my head. “Not you who knew the pain only we could understand.” I wiped my eyes. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

I went back to work because that was what I did know and what I had the answers to. That was what I knew how to handle.

My heart?

Fuck if I knew.

23

In a surprising turn of events, my busting the DeKalb police made the Sioux Falls police rethink fucking with me or my pack. Apparently, they finally realized just how vicious I could be to dirty cops.

And I was. I hated giving interviews, but I gave a few about that situation and have a few lined up.

It was the one time I would willingly deal with the press and bullshit of interviews. I hated dirty law enforcement. Anyone who tarnished a badge when I respected mine… They should fry, and if I could help that, fuck—where could I buy more lighter fluid?

The city council and some of its members aren’t going away. They’re pissed I outed the one guy’s affair and know I’m not going to back down. They’re full of themselves and think they’re awesome while I’m some lowly slut wolf and… Blah, blah, blah.

It’s all ridiculous even if it wasn’t stupid.

I’m a billionaire.

I’m a division chief of the FBI.

I’m a successful businesswoman.

I’m Alpha of not one but two of the biggest packs in the country.

Seriously, did I need to list anything else to show how stupid they were to think they were more important or had more pull than me? I mean… Seriously?

Oh, and I held grudges.

But for now, they’re being hostile from a distance and just bitching. Yeah, yeah, go bitch all you want. I’ve still got more I’m going to pull once school is back in session and I can—proverbially—smack some more kids and parents around who were bullying my wolves.

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