Page 7 of Alpha's Touch
It was as if Zeppelin was trying to out-bro him so hard that Preston would trip over his own denial.
“Stop!” Preston kicked the back door closed then walked a few feet away, ready to punch Zeppelin in his stupidly handsome face.
* * * *
Chase slid into Zeppelin’s abandoned seat across from Vaughn. “Did I hear our alpha say mate?”
That had stunned Vaughn as well. He’d seen the two checking each other out at the stoplight but hadn’t thought anything of it.
Honestly, Vaughn didn’t think any of them would find their mate since they lived in such a remote area.
That’s what he’d thought, until Zeppelin had homed in on the little bartender like no one else in the world existed.
It had been fascinating to watch and gave Vaughn hope that his mate would fall out of the sky and land in his lap.
“Yeah. Let the others know the blond’s his mate.” That way the entire pack could keep an eye on Preston. There would be times when Zeppelin couldn’t be with the human, and it would be up to the rest of them to ensure Preston’s safety.
Chase nodded but didn’t move from his seat. “Quinn and I are about to head out on patrol. Wade said he overheard two panthers talking about cornering a vampire who got away.”
All vampires weren’t a menace. Most just wanted to live a peaceful life. Hell, there were vampire residents in Crimson Hollow.
But the three remaining troublemakers were pissing Vaughn off. There was already one human death because of them.
Even Sheriff Owen, a lion shifter, couldn’t track them down. His department was working just as hard as Zeppelin and their pack to end those sons of bitches.
“Do you know where they were cornered? What side of town?”
Chase shook his head. “They were in the coffee shop. Panthers split before Wade could question them.”
Cyril’s Café stayed busy. With so many humans around, Wade had been correct not to approach the panthers inside the shop.
“Keep your head on a swivel while you’re on patrol,” Vaughn told him. “Call me if something happens.”
Chase nodded and finally walked away, clapping Quinn on the shoulder.
With Zeppelin finding his mate, the stakes had just gotten a helluva lot higher.
* * * *
“So, I swapped out the stock exhaust for a Flowmaster,” Quinn said, gesturing with his hands as if Chase could see the modifications he’d made. “The sound is fucking incredible. Like a goddamn beast waking up when I turn the key.”
The crisp evening air filled Chase’s lungs as he and Quinn made their way down Main Street. Streetlamps cast pools of soft light against the sidewalk, creating shadows that stretched and receded with each step. His boots scuffed against the concrete, the sound mingling with the night insects buzzing in the bushes nearby.
“And the lift kit gives me another three inches of clearance, which means I can finally take it up to—”
Chase raised his hand suddenly, stopping Quinn mid-sentence. His ears picked up a sound from the alley ahead. A soft whimper followed by what might have been a moan. Not the good kind.
“What?” Quinn whispered, instantly alert.
“Listen.” Chase tilted his head.
The sound came again, followed by a low, satisfied hum that made the hair on Chase’s arms stand up. He’d heard that sound before. A vampire feeding.
“Ten o’clock,” Chase whispered, pointing toward the narrow passage between the old bookstore and Swirls and Pearls bakery.
Quinn nodded, immediately dropping into a crouch. Their footsteps made no sound as they crept forward, staying close to the wall where the shadows were deepest.
At the mouth of the alley, Chase peered around the corner. The scent of blood grew stronger, making his wolf stir. Twenty feet in, he spotted them. A tall figure in dark clothing had a woman pressed against the brick wall. Her head lolled to the side, exposing her neck where the vampire’s mouth was latched on. The woman’s arms hung limply at her sides, her purse dangling from slack fingers. Tiny sucking sounds filled the otherwise silent alley, making Chase’s stomach turn.
