Page 29 of The Alpha's Grave Secrets

It’s taking every ounce of self-control to keep my wolf from busting out, my claws pressing at the inside of my skin. I also have to remind myself to pay attention to the others in the bar.

The security guards—three of them tonight—seem oblivious to the stalker in the wings, more focused on the more obvious concerns of the moment. I can see why our unsub likes this place.

The minutes stretch on like hours and nothing happens. Another man buys Callie a drink from the bar. She thanks him, and the two chat briefly before she starts on her next lap around the bar.

Then it happens.

Callie heads toward the back of the bar, where the crowd is thinner, and the guy follows her. He moves quickly, slinking through the shadows. Just outside the bathroom, he corners her, saying something too low for me to pick up through the microphone in her necklace.

Callie shakes her head no and laughs, trying to shake him off. But the man doesn’t take no for an answer. My heart rate spikes as the creep grabs Callie by her arm, his other arm lingering on her waist. She stiffens —Torn between taking this man down and possibly blowing her cover or trying to navigate this more cautiously.

“Hati—” I bark into the mic, but he’s already halfway there.

When the guy tries to pull Callie further into the hallway, Hati steps in between them like a wall. The creep doesn’t even have time to react before he’s hauled back through the back hallway into the alley.

Hati has him pinned against the wall in a matter of seconds, his tall and muscular frame making the frat boy look like a small child beside him. My eyes flicker back to Callie, brushing herself off and rearranging her dress. “Thanks, Hati. I’m fine. I’ll stay.”

My eyes snap to the screen. “Callie, are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” She cuts off any protest I might have. “If there’s anything else to find, I’ll know.”

“Did anyone notice that situation with the man and Hati?” I asked Gun, realizing I haven’t paid enough attention in the first place.

“Luckily, no,” Gun says.

“Guys, can someone take care of this chump so I can get back in there and keep an eye out for Callie?” Hati says through the comm.

Goddess, I’m far too rattled and need to get it together.

“On it,” Gun says, hops out of the van, and shuts the door behind himself. Hati hauls ass back into the bar the moment the frat boy changes from his hands to Guns.

Gun exchanges words with the frat boy, but his mic is turned off so I can focus back on Callie and Hati inside.

Hati’s taken up a spot at the bar again, although every seat was full moments before. His posture’s too relaxed for what he’s feeling—he’s not fooling anyone who knows him. But he trusts Callie’s instincts, and for now, so do I.

I trust Gun to deal with the frat boy, there’s no way he’s going home tonight. I don’t care if he’s our guy or not, he will pay for harassing Callie. Guys like him sometimes need to learn lessons the hard way and this one’s going to leave a record.

After about fifteen minutes Gun hands the guy off to a uniform officer and steps back into the van, “I’ve got a voice recording just in case but I’m pretty sure this guys just an entitled rich kid who has never taken the word no for an answer in his life.”

“I’m going to step out and give her a call. You got eyes on Callie?”

“I do.”

Chapter 15

Elara

My heart skips a beat as my phone buzzes on the coffee table. I can’t stop the excitement from swelling in my chest when I pick it up and see Kato’s name on my caller ID.

“Kato?” I ask as I answer the phone, waiting until the fourth ring to pick it up.

“Hey,” his voice is low, sexy even; I squeeze my thighs together, hoping to stop the dampness that’s already spreading between my legs just from the sound of his voice.Oh, Goddess, I’m in this now.

“Hey,” I say, hardly able to form words.

“How are you holding up?”

“I’m just fine, curled up on the couch with a book. What’s going on?” I ask, knowing he wouldn’t call me during an operation if he didn’t need something job-related from me. He’s focused, and integrity is important to him. It’s one of the qualities I’ve always loved about him.

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