Page 78 of Smoke and Lure

Chanin gave his friend a hard shove in the shoulder.

Bleddyn made a sidestep but his canine ability of balance and sure foot, kept his gait sure and steady.

The camaraderie with the Beta helped Chanin not just focus on facing off with his cousin but relax enough to center himself.Going in there half-cocked wouldn’t be beneficial.He needed answers.He needed to ensure his Pack was safe.

And the preternatural council needed to hear from him that all Lupine threats on the territories had been dealt with—annihilated.

Before the sun set, he’d have everything he needed to give them.

As they left town and crossed the distance to the thick metal box, Chanin saw the men gathered before and around it.Chanin knew the guards had less to do with Boris's belief that the rogue wolf would escape.Hell, no.There was only one way in.

However, because Farkas’s behavior towards other Lupines made him a risk to be attacked or killed, not that Chanin cared for his cousin’s life, one way or the other, but what he cared about was the information Farkas could provide.

The men greeted him and Bleddyn.

“Boris with me and Bleddyn.Fang, you are relieved of duty.”As they began to walk away, Chanin called to one of the wolf warriors.“Faolan.”

Not too far away, Faolan turned his head to glance back at Chanin.“I know.On your mate.Am I right?”

Chanin assessed the stoic man’s features to determine if malice was present.Faolan was the best, and Morlie was everything to Chanin, so ensuring she was guarded right was paramount.“Yes.They’ll be rabbit training in the woods by my house in a couple of hours.”

Faolan gave a short nod.“I’ll handle it.”

He followed up on his order with Faolan, saying, “No duty for you tonight.”

There wasn’t a need for him to get any confirmation that Faolan understood what he was saying to him.Tonight, Faolan needed to hunt down Minsi and mate her.Period.Chanin knew his ex hid from his sight, keeping to her home and the woods, awaiting her opportunity to avenge her pride.Minsi didn’t love him, just like he hadn’t loved her, and her bid to be she-alpha would have made sense if not for Morlie, his mate, showing up.

However, it was time for Minsi to come to heel.If the sun didn’t rise tomorrow with her as Faolan’s mate, Chanin would sniff her out and show her why he was Alpha, taking her down and setting his teeth at the back of her neck before the Pack.

Standing at the door, there was one thing he needed to do before beginning the interrogation.

Mate.

Chanin only had to wait two heart beats before Morlie’s response came through across the distance.

I’m here, Chanin.

Are you alright?

A short sigh came through their mental link.Yes, I’m getting clothes.There are too many, if you ask me.I don’t even know what to do with this much stuff.

Wear it.

Morlie scoffed.Will I see you soon?

Not damn soon enough.Tonight, at the run.Stick with Rudie.

He wasn’t sure how Morlie would take the next part, after he’d smelled her anxiety around Faolan, but he pressed on.Faolan will shadow you today.

There was a long pause, she didn’t object, but instead said,I’d rather have your shadow covering me.

Her voice was a low, seductive pant in his mind.It took all his strength not to let go of the handle to the containment and say fuck Farkas and rush back to Morlie, giving them both some relief.

Behave, little rabbit.

Her response was a few punctuated groans that made him smile.Without any other comments, he turned the long, thick, metal handle in his grip, yanked open the door, and looked in on what was before him.

Well, it's about time you showed up, cousin.

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