Page 114 of Hawke

But no, that would have been too easy for her to shift out in the open in nature. Luck was never on our side since going rabid. And if stress was the major factor for humans to shift, then today was going to be the day Delilah would shift. Because I was staring at the back of Shane’s head.

How the fuck did he get in here?

Shane’s suit fit him snugly across the back, presumably due to him crossing his arms and standing up in a very tall and imposing manner in front of Bram. His men surrounded Bram, hands sitting on either of Bram’s shoulders, pushing him down into a chair. Bram’s fingers pulsed on either side of the seat, spouts of electricity pulsing through his fingertips.

“They aren’t here, Shane. Now get the fuck out.” Bram’s tone was flat, unamused while staring up into the human’s eyes.

I couldn’t imagine what Bram was thinking. A warlock, one of the most powerful in his prime, and now he was sitting beneath a human.

Bram’s eyes glowed red, the lightning beneath his finger tips growing with each passing moment.

Did he want to get caught using his powers now?

“I think we both know I’m not going anywhere. And your little firework show has died out. Now tell me, when will they be returning?” Shane pulled his sleeve over his watch and tapped it several times. “I’ve got a private jet waiting close by, and I need her back in New York for the infusion.”

“And what makes you think she will go willingly? Delilah is free from you. She’s got Hawke. She’s got a family now. She isn’t alone anymore, and her family won’t put up with your shit any–”

Shane pulled his arm back, his black leather glove tightening before he punched Bram straight in the face. Bram didn’t flinch when he saw the fist coming. He took the brunt force to the cheek.

Despite Bram being a Warlock and still stronger than a human, his head slumped to the left at the impact. The men that held him in the chair let go, letting Bram fall to the floor. Shane chuckled, nursing his hand with the other as his henchmen pulled Bram from the floor.

Bram was thrown back into the chair. His cheek was obviously broken, a bruise already forming and blood streaming from a cut.

“Not right,” Tyr snarled.

It wasn’t, none of it was. Shane was a human. A punch to the face could not cause that much damage even to a broken soul of a warlock.

What was so damn different?

I took large, deep breaths through the cracked window. No unfamiliar smells, no hints of any other supernaturals inside the room. Shane smelled human. The rest of the men searching the cabin smelled human as well.

I moved cautiously, ducking low as I rounded the cabin. Men surrounded the front, no vehicles or quick getaways were in sight. Just hordes of men lining the walkways and coming in and out of the veil. At this rate, civilians and tourists could see men disappearing and reappearing from a random spot in the forest.

I had to shut this down, fast.

“While you’re naked?” Tyr snorted.

I rolled my eyes, hunching my back, and let Tyr contort our body into our wolf form. We were larger than the average wolf, but this was the great redwood forest. Everything was fucking huge here.

As I took steady steps around the cabin, I counted how many I needed to take down. They all held weapons, including machine guns Beretta would be jealous of. They were recently cleaned, shining black and glistening in the sunlight as they talked amongst themselves.

“Don’t know why he still wants her. He could have anyone he wants,” one of the suited monkeys said.

Another pushed him in the shoulder, grunting. “Don’t fucking say that. You don’t talk about the boss’s woman.”

“Unless you want to get drained.” Another elbowed his companion.

“Yeah, she’s gorgeous and actually nice. He practically raised her to be the woman he wanted. I can see why he’s hunted for her, it’s hard to break in a new woman. She’s a marvelous piece of ass, and once he does that fancy infusion with her”—he whistled—“you know, frozen in time and all that?”

They all agreed, holding their guns closer to their bodies.

“Vampire?” Tyr asked.

I internally shook my head. “He didn’t smell like a vamp.”

Vamps had that recently dead smell that a lot of wolves couldn’t stand. With my tracker nose, It stuck out horribly. I would have smelled vampire blood in him if Shane had been bitten and turned.

I lifted one paw, ready to step forward and take out the small group in front of me and bring them around the cabin away from the sight of the larger group.

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