Page 73 of Artemis' Bow
“I think this is the indestructible bacon asshole,” Greyson groans.
“It has to be the Erymanthian boar or something just as big and that’s not comforting at all.” I agree.
When we finally pull up to the pack house, several shifters are out front on guard duty with weapons drawn. I jump out of the vehicle before anyone can stop me.
“I know Tristan warned you we were coming. It’s not his style to start an incident between us and his pack when we’re here to help.” I cross my arms over my chest and glare at them.
“You’re the demigoddess?” one of the shifters says, eyeing me up and down with interest.
“You want to keep those eyes?” Jayden snarls, slamming the door to the SUV.
“Jayden, we aren’t here to cause trouble for Tristan.” I sigh.
“I won’t have them disrespecting you by ogling you.” Jayden tugs me into his arms.
“Beth, what the hell?” Raven yells. “We do not hop out of the car that way when surrounded by hostile shifters.”
“They shouldn’t be hostile. Tristan told them we were coming to help. This is the thanks we get.” I flip my hair over my shoulder.
“What is the meaning of this?” A man steps out the front door who’s vaguely familiar. “You’re to be watching for the giant boar, not starting fights you can’t win with our allies.”
“You, Dominic?” I ask.
“Yes. I apologize for the idiots. They are all on edge with the creature terrorizing the city. We all are to be honest.” Dominic scrubs a hand down his face.
“You called it a boar? Are you absolutely sure that’s what it is? Could you have been mistaken?” Raven asks.
“No, it’s a giant rampaging boar with sharp tusks, not horns or antlers,” Dominic says.
“Has anyone successfully injured the creature?” I ask.
Maybe it’s a different giant boar from Ancient Greece. There was more than one, right? I just really don’t want to try to trap that thing again. It wasn’t the worst of what we faced, but he was difficult, still annoying as hell, and the most destructive.
“I think someone said they got a shot at it, but it barely slowed the thing down,” Dominic says.
“Was there blood?” I ask in horror. “Did it get on anyone?”
“It’s not indestructible bacon.” Raven blows out a relieved breath.
“Blood? No, that’s the weird part. Something yellow oozed from it,” Dominic says.
“Shit, shit, shit. I need you to remember very carefully. Did anyone touch the yellow oozing stuff? Did anyone get sprayed with it?” I step forward into his personal space.
A shifter growls at me but Dominic waves a hand at the idiot, stopping him from attacking. I couldn’t care less if he tried right now.
“This is extremely important,” I say. “Greyson, come here, please.”
Greyson steps forward and every wolf in front of me whimpers and bares their throat to him in submission.
“What the fuck?” Dominic whispers. “What is going on here?”
“This is why I need you to think carefully about whether anyone came into contact with the creature’s blood. He could have forced every one of you to show him your belly if he’d wanted to. That kind of power left unchecked or in the wrong hands could be catastrophic for shifters.”
“Shit, you’re right. Where is Derek?” he asks his guys behind him.
“Derek is out on patrol. Do you want me to call him back?”
“Not here,” we all yell in unison, including Dominic.
