"If you're gonna lose it, make sure it's after he signs the papers, please," said Logan.
The door opened, and Derek peered out at them. A cocky smile slid past his lips, making Caleb want to reach out and smash it off his face.
Derek opened the door, and Logan and Caleb walked into the small, sparsely furnished room. He closed the door behind them, and Logan set the contract on the small linoleum table.
Caleb tossed the small leather bag with the money onto the bed. Derek hurried over and opened it. The smirk slid right off his face.
"This isn't fifty grand."
"Nope," said Logan. "It's fifteen." He removed a pen from his jacket pocket.
"That's not what we agreed on." Derek looked at Caleb.
Caleb leaned back against the door and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep his wolf from taking over. If anything was going to happen, he would be the one who did it, not his wolf.
"This is what's going to happen." Logan’s amicable tone made him sound like an old friend rather than the fierce wolf he was. But that’s how Logan liked it. He never used violence unless he had to. "You're going to sign these papers relinquishing all rights to Makayla and Caleb's baby, then you are going to take that fifteen grand, and you're going to leave Idaho and never come back."
Derek snorted. "Oh, you think so, do you?"
"Yes." Logan held out the pen.
"Yeah, see, that's not going to happen, so why don't you jackholes get out of my room? And tell Makayla I'll be back with a lawyer."
"You really don't get who you're screwing with, do you?" asked Logan.
"A couple of Blood Born jackasses who think they are better than me because they were born werewolves, and I wasn't."
Logan straightened his cufflinks. "Well, that's true, but it isn't what I meant. What I meant was, our father is the Alpha of Wolf River. That makes Caleb and me the Alphas in waiting."
"So, you're the tough guys?"
"No. I'm the smart guy. Caleb's the tough guy."
"Is that a threat?"
Logan smiled. "Sign the papers. Leave. Everyone wins."
"Screw you." Derek reached into the back of his waistband and grabbed a gun, pointing it at Logan.
Caleb lunged forward, his wolf roaring to life. Derek swung the pistol and pointed it at Caleb.
"Seems to me, Blood Born or Bitten doesn't matter. A bullet is still a bullet."
Logan motioned for Caleb not to move, his eyes had gone icy Alpha blue.
"Don't be stupid," said Logan. "Take the money, sign the papers, and we'll let this slide. This. One. Time."
Derek licked his lips. "I'm done talking. Get out."
Logan's muscles bunched, and a visible ripple ran over him. "Sign the papers."
Derek swung the gun at Logan. "Get the hell out!"
Caleb's wolf lurched forward. Derek turned toward him at the last second, and a blast rang through Caleb's ears. Fire shot through his shoulder. He fell backward against the door as warmth spread down his arm. A roar shook the walls, and Logan leapt on Derek.
Logan punched Derek in the face and wrenched the man’s gun hand behind his back then yanked the arm upward. The bastard shrieked as his shoulder dislocated. Logan slammed his elbow down on Derek's, breaking the jerk’s arm. He cried out again, but Logan slammed his hand over Derek's mouth and turned him to the table smashing his face into it. Blood gushed from his nose as he whimpered.
Logan took a deep breath and looked at Caleb. "You good?"