Page 67 of Faith and Fury

I growl. “He do that to her?”

“She was hurt before anyone showed up. Must’ve been the fall.”

The paramedic mutters something about x-rays.

He shrugs her off. “I’m good.” Gestures to the alpha behind him. “Just get this asshole in a guarded room.”

She huffs, tucking the gauze in a little tighter.

I pause. “You get shot?”

Maverick grunts. “I’ll live.”

I nod to the other alpha, mangled and unconscious. “And him?”

“He’ll pull through,” the paramedic answers. “After a visit to the OR.” She shoots Maverick a dirty look. “Thought you RDF guys knew when to pull your punches.”

He goes silent. I go silent. We just stare at each other until the paramedic disappears into the body of the van.

I clear my throat. “So … you did this, huh?”

Maverick shrugs, then winces. “What can I say? I don’t like getting shot.”

I know then, in that instant, what he’s doing. Putting his own reputation—his career—on the line. Because even for the elite RDF squadron, a violent arrest like this one will get you a write-up. Maybe even a suspension.

But if word got out that this was Faith’s handiwork … well, let’s just say the brass wouldn’t be so lenient. She could be incarcerated. Institutionalized.

Taken away from us.

I open my mouth, fully expecting to say the words ‘thank you’, when instead what comes out is, “She’s all over you.”

Maverick smirks. “Tends to happen when someone faints in your arms.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

I wish he would scoff, or tease me. At least then I’d know it was just my inner alpha being territorial.

But then, in a low voice, he rumbles, “You should’ve seen her.” His eyes glisten. “Force of fucking nature.”

My body tenses, anticipating that inevitable burst of rage, when instead … I just feel warm. My packmates doesn’t understand this part of Faith. The rage. The fire. Maybe they just don’t want to.

But Maverick sees her. Like I do.

“Yeah,” I say at last, “she is.”

He smiles, and for a second I hate him again, but then the paramedics tell us they need to get their patients to the hospital, and we all squeeze in.

I don’t know who he is—this bald, bloody alpha in the back of the ambulance. But I know Faith wouldn’t have sniffed him out if he wasn’t important. And she sure as hell wouldn’t have beaten him up without a good reason.

Just thinking about Faith makes me impatient, my inner alpha barking at the paramedics to drive faster.

I remind myself Caleb is with her. He’ll keep her safe.

I look down at the bloody alpha, my lip curling in disgust.

Guess that leaves guarding this piece of shit up to me.

***

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