Page 137 of The Dragon's Mate

The crowd of people froze, and the voiceshouted again. “Get the fuck out of here! All of you!”

The man from Bishop’s birthday party – Brensearched his memory, Hudson, his name was Hudson and he was a polar bearshifter – was striding toward them. The very ground seemed to shake beneath hisfeet as he scowled menacingly at the reporters surrounding Tyler and Corey.

“Move,” his low voice was a deep growl, “beforeI make you move.”

The reporters backed away. From somewherein the crowd, a camera flashed, and Hudson bared his teeth and let loose withan angry growl.

“You guys, swear to God, I’ll do my best tohold the big guy back, but he’s got a real short temper.” Ronin peered around Hudson’sbig body. “I can’t be responsible for the bloodshed if you keep pissing himoff.”

He stepped around Hudson and grinned at thereporters. “I know what you’re thinking. He’s Canadian, they’re super nice, they’realways polite, they’re too full of cheese and gravy to be angry. But that’swhere you’re wrong.”

He leaned forward and said in aconspiratorial whisper to the reporters closest to him. “I’ve seen Big Whiterip the spine right out of a dude because he mocked his love of Canadian bacon.”

When the reporters stared silently at him,Ronin laughed and turned to Tyler and Corey. “Boys. It’s good to see youagain. Staying out of trouble, I see. C’mon over here with me and the big guy.”

As Tyler and Corey moved toward Ronin andHudson, there was another growl. Relief swept through Bren. Bishop, Mal closebehind him, was pushing through the reporters that surrounded him and Kaida.Kaida was still vibrating beside him, smoke leaking out of her nostrils at analarming rate and her eyes glowing brightly.

“Kaida.” Bishop pushed past him and tookKaida’s arm. If it burned his hand, he made no indication. “Kaida, look atme.”

She turned her gaze upward. “I will killthem all, my bear.”

“No, you won’t,” he said. “Control yourdragon.”

“They’re too close to my mate. I must protecthim.”

“He can protect himself,” Bishop said. “He’sstrong for a human, remember?”

She turned her gaze toward Bren, and he smiledreassuringly despite the way his skin prickled with fear that Kaida would shiftand kill the reporters. “He’s right. I’m fine, honey. I don’t need help.”

To his relief, Kaida’s body relaxed andreturned to its normal size. Her skin lost the shimmery blue colour and theglow in her eyes faded. She took his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“Time to go,” Mal said. “There are more reportersarriving.”

“Jesus, what a shit show,” Bishop growledas he shoved aside some reporters. “Get out of my way, assholes.”

“Holy shit,” Bren said as more and more reporterspiled out of cars and vans. “What the hell is happening?”

“You two are the flavour of the month,”Ronin shouted from where he and Hudson were standing protectively next to Tylerand Corey. “I can totally see why – you make a hella cute couple.”

“We won’t get them back to Bren’s apartmentwithout Kaida losing her shit,” Bishop said.

“I’m fine,” Kaida growled.

“No, you’re not,” Bishop said. “You’reabout ten seconds from roasting them alive.”

Mal scanned over the crowd of shoutingreporters. “Willow’s car is closer than the apartment building. You, Hudson,and Ronin hold the crowd back as best you can, while I get them to her. Shecan take them to my parents’ place. They won’t look for them there.”

“They’ll just follow us,” Bren said as thereporters, keeping a close eye on both Hudson and Kaida, started to shuffle forwardagain.

“You haven’t seen Willow drive,” Mal said.“Let’s go. Hudson, clear us a path to Willow’s car, would you?”

Bren winced when Hudson opened his mouthand roared deafeningly. Tyler and Corey cringed, and Ronin pushed them toward Brenand the others. The reporters screamed and stumbled back, clapping their handsover their ears, as Hudson stalked toward them.

“Fucking hell, it’s like magic,” Ronin shoutedas he followed the big polar bear shifter. “We have got to hire this guy fulltime.”

“Ronin, help Bishop and Hudson keep the crowdback,” Mal said as he pushed Tyler and Corey through the opening. He tookTyler’s suitcase and Corey’s backpack. “Move, boys. Quick.”

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