Page 53 of Married into the Mob
TWENTY-ONE
HUNTER
This is so wrong.
That was Flint’s voice in my head. Even though my big brother knew nothing of what was happening.You’re being irresponsible putting your mate in danger.
I rubbed my brow, wanting to mute the imaginary tirade.
You know I don’t agree with your decision either, my wolf echoed my brother’s imaginary voice.
I was squatting in bushes that surrounded Stefan’s house, and my wolf was itching to take his fur and confront him. No human would withstand a ferocious wolf ready to attack.
But his prime motivation and mine was to protect our mate.
How had I been foolish enough to let Odell convince me his madcap scheme was better than my wolf almost taking Stefan’s head off? Maybe the constant desire to prove myself had put my mate in danger. Shit.
But I had to get a better view of the windows so I could catch a glimpse of my mate. I studied my wedding ring and pressed my thumb on it as if I could somehow transmit strength to Odell.
When his lips were on mine and my cock stirred, he was Dellie. Odell was the guy who hated me, didn’t know aboutshifters, had never successfully driven a getaway car and never held a gun.
Dellie was different. He’d always been there, under the surface, but he had an inner strength that outmatched my own. My wolf grumbled, thinking I was referring to him.
But Dellie was for intimate moments, not life-and-death situations and not when around anyone else, including family. Just us.
We’d agreed on fifteen minutes and ear-pulling or not, I’d get in Stefan’s face. My stealthy steps as I got closer to the window would never have been picked up by either my mate or Stefan. As I snuck over the grass, I moved closer to the window, and Odell came into view holding a mug and wearing a big puffy coat that hid his gun. Stefan was cursing out Draven.
What? He was Draven’s uncle and so he was technically part of the Silverbacks. One of his parents had to have been a shifter, though his scent didn’t tell me that. But there was no time to puzzle this out.
The hostility in Stefan’s voice chilled my blood. I had to get in there because a man who harbored hatred for his family would care not a jot for my mate.
He spat out that he’d be head of the Silverbacks as I pulled the gun out and crashed through the front door, still in human form but with my wolf’s claws extended and fur rippling over my arms.
“You are a fool, Hunter Durand. But just the shifter I wanted to see.”
His gun was aimed at my mate while mine was pointed at him.
Odell’s expression gave little away, while if I saw myself in the mirror, I’d be ravaged with guilt, haggard and gray, and fear reflected in my eyes.
“But you played your part, meeting and mating this human. And now it’s my turn to do what fate has been steering me toward my entire life.”
His words made no sense. How did he think he had the upper hand when my shifter reflexes would have a bullet in his brains before he’d pulled his trigger?
“It’s over, Stefan.” I wasn’t certain of the complexity ofit,but if he was connected to the Silverbacks, it was revenge, as I suspected, though Draven had to be the driving force.
“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re relying on your shifter traits to kill me, but I have those same abilities.”
“You’re a wolf!” Odell spoke for the first time since I’d entered the room.
Stefan snarled, not an animal growl, but one similar to how my mate sounded when he was angry.
“I am a shifter.”
Oh gods, I’d made a huge mistake. He must have had a human parent because he scented human. But he wasn’t. That couldn’t be, but as I searched through the tangled ends and beginnings of possibilities, I pulled myself away from the labyrinth and concentrated on getting my mate out of danger.
Odell had to create a diversion. Stefan would shoot first and ask questions later if I did anything that hinted at me trying to overpower him. I’d underestimated him and I’d walked into a trap, not only of Stefan’s making but my own. I’d been so certain that Draven was the instigator, I’d overlooked that weird interaction between the pair at the courthouse.
A flicker of movement to my right told me Odell was up to something, but if I picked it up, so did Stefan. His gaze was directly on my mate.
