Page 64 of An Unending Claim

Fuck.

If it had been a tactic, I might have been able to resist, but I heard the genuine desperation in her voice. Peyton was nearing the end of her rope and if something didn’t break our way soon, I worried that the anxiety would spark her restless nature and she’d take off. Inside my head, my wolf paced, unsure what to do next.

My stare bored into the man and I grunted, “One wrong move and you won’t live long enough to take a last breath.”

“Fair enough,” he agreed.

After another long, hard look, I finally stepped aside.

Peyton scooted around me and took a step toward the stranger, but I was faster and snaked my arm around her waist, yanking her back and plastering her body against mine.

She tossed me an annoyed glare, but didn’t try to move out of my hold. “I’m Peyton Dyer.”

“Léo.”

“I’m sorry my mate is so damn rude. Come in.” Then she tilted her head to peer at the enforcers who’d gathered right behind Léo. “You might as well, too.” Then she raised her voice and yelled, “And the rest of you lurkers!” She snorted as she turned to push on my chest so I would step back. “Baby brain doesn’t mean I’m completely stupid. They could at least try to be stealthy.”

Léo glanced at Peyton’s rounded stomach and looked shell-shocked for a moment, but quickly schooled his expression. I began to regret giving in to my mate. Something about this man felt off, although I didn’t think he was a threat. It could’ve been that I just didn’t like him.

Peyton pushed again, and I did as she requested, taking a few steps back and to the side, allowing everyone to file in. She turned, but I kept my arm around her, needing her close while we figured out this new visitor.

My wolf snarled as Ephraim entered, and he hung his head, but Peyton stopped him with a hand on his arm. He slowly raised his eyes to her face, shame clear in his expression.

“I appreciate that you came to protect me,” she said softly, surprising me as much as Ephraim.

He’d come and officially apologized after our talk, and she’d accepted it, but there had still been a wall between them that I wasn’t sure could ever be brought down. I should have known that Peyton would realize how hard it would be to live with that barrier, though, because she was clearly trying to scale it. Yet another example that Peyton was born to be the Alpha female of our pack. And I was so fucking proud to be the man standing beside her.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured, giving her a respectful nod before continuing into the living room.

Jase, Savannah, Sabrina, and my parents all came from different directions after Ephraim, strolling into the cabin. Lincoln and Mason were on perimeter duty or I was sure they’d be there, too.

I waited a minute to see if anyone else would appear, then closed the door and turned to face the room full of people. Léo stood off to the side, seemingly relaxed despite having every eye in the room trained on him.

Moving my arm so it draped over Peyton’s shoulders, I walked us into the room that had thankfully been designed to hold a large gathering. I guided my mate to her recliner and glared at Jase, who immediately vaulted out of the chair. Peyton looked up at me and rolled her eyes, but dropped into the seat without complaint.

I stood next to her and focused on Léo. “Well?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and his eyes drifted to Peyton for a second before he answered, “I have proof that Xavier is behind the deaths of hunted shifters.”

“Seriously?” Peyton went to jump out of her chair, but I put my hand on her shoulder to keep her sitting.

“Explain,” I demanded.

“With the exception of the gun found with your deceased pack member, the ones used to commit the other murders are stored at the gun range on Castile land. He rotates through them so they are being fired and cleaned constantly. And he’s arrogant enough to think that will keep them from being fingered as the weapons being used to hunt shifters.”

“How do you happen to have this information? Despite being an evil son of a bitch, he’s not stupid and his security is tighter than mine. No one sneaks onto or off of Castile territory.”

“Now that’s not exactly true, is it, Peyton?” Léo spoke directly to my mate and his expression turned soft, which caused my temper to spike. However, I was more concerned with what he’d just implied to have knowledge of.

“How would I know?” Peyton shot back, her voice filled with confusion.

I almost smiled, acknowledging for the first time that her ability to hide her emotions and dance around answers could come in handy.

Léo canted his head, his expression amused, but then looked back at me. “I have an inside person.”

“Bullshit,” my dad burst out. He knew the Castile Alpha as well as I did, having dealt with him for many years before handing the position over to me. “No one in his pack would go against him. They are too terrified. The only people who have ever managed to escape have disappeared.”

Léo nodded. “The last part is true. But as for an inside man, I think—considering the loyalty and love that exist in this pack—that you would have to agree some people will risk everything for the ones they love. Even if it only means pushing them out into the world alone.”

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