Page 49 of Remy & the Wildcat

The other hunter was brought around by Linus, who had him contained by wrenching his arm behind his back. The male shrieked and begged for mercy.

“It was Jacob Kitter,” the first hunter said. “Don’t hurt my brother, please! We had no choice.” He choked on his tears, and Remy’s upper lip curled in disgust.

“Tell me everything.”

The male nodded. Linus relaxed his grip enough to give the other hunter a chance to breathe. The first one said, “We work at the factory and live in Marin. Jacob came to us and told us that there were wild animals in the woods and he wanted us to kill the pack leader of the animals. He said it was a group of coyotes.”

The other hunter said, “His daughter and her kid, Leif? He’s a psycho. Jacob walked us into the woods and those two said they’d lead us to the leader of the coyotes, and then they shifted. When we realized we were in the wildcat territory and heard their hunting calls, we told Jacob that it was illegal to kill shifters.”

Leif had attacked the males, clawing up the legs of one and sinking his fangs into the side of the other.

The first hunter hung his head. “Jacob said he’d kill our families and us if we didn’t take out the wildcat who was trying to destroy the pride. I’m sorry it was your woman, but my family is everything to me and I did what I had to do.”

Remy stared at the males. He could smell that they were telling the truth, because lies had a bitter scent to shifters, and these males didn’t smell bitter. They just smelled scared and worried. And they should be.

“I believe you,” Remy said. “Go home and take care of your families. If I ever see either of you again, I’ll remember that you nearly killed my mate and I won’t be so forgiving.”

“We’re going home to pack and leave town, I swear,” the first male said.

“Thank you for sparing us,” the other hunter said.

They scrambled into the truck and were gone moments later. Remy stared after them until their taillights were gone, and then he inhaled and rolled his shoulders with a growl.

“We still don’t know why Jacob wanted to take out Thyme,” Linus said.

Remy turned to face the factory. “Somewhere in there is the answer.”

“We’ve got your back,” Marty said with a growl. “Jacob’s been a thorn in the pride’s side for years. Mahn hated him and kept him under control, but once he died, Jacob got so much worse.”

“It ends tonight,” Remy said.

His dad put his hand on his shoulder. “Lead the way, son.”

Remy nodded and walked toward the factory, thoughts of Thyme on his mind.

The front doors of the factory opened as their group approached. Leif and Jacob were in the lead of a large group of males. Most he recognized from the pride, but there were others, and he figured them for humans like the hunters he’d just dealt with.

Jacob folded his arms. “Come to acquiesce your position as interim alpha now that Thyme is dead? Without her, you can’t lead, you know. Only the family line can lead.”

“I’m aware that I can’t lead without her, but I don’t need to,” Remy said.

Jacob frowned. “What?”

“Thyme is alive and well in Copper Creek. Your plan to take her out with those hunters failed, just like your other plans failed.”

“No, that’s not possible,” Leif said. “I saw her?—"

Jacob elbowed him and Leif stopped talking.

Remy just smiled. “I know you were there. You and Brilla. And I talked to those hunters, and I know you threatened them and their families. I’m interim alpha, and Thyme is my mate. You tried to kill her.” He moved closer, letting his wolf out a little bit. He felt his eyes change and knew they were the amber of his wolf.

He was taller than both Jacob and Leif, and unlike them, he was a true alpha, born to lead. They were fakes and usurpers, and the worst kind of shifters, who turned on their own.

Something dawned on Remy right then. “This is your factory,” he said to Jacob.

“So what if it is?” he countered.

“You’re the one polluting the town?” Liam demanded as he stepped forward. “You stood with me as an elder and demanded the owners shut the factory down. But it was really you that was behind it all along?”

---