Page 49 of Frank's Felon
“You still haven’t said what she’s supposedly done.”
“And you have yet to deny that she’s here. So, let’s be clear about this, Mr. Black. If Ms. Matthews isn’t handed over to us by the treaty deadline, then there will be no treaty. Understood?”
“You’d have me hand over a female that has done nothing wrong? Without explanation even? Are these the tactics we’re to expect if we go forward with this treaty?”
“Not tactics. Cold reality.” Gallagher reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a few pages of paper folded in thirds. He held the packet out for Damien who took it.
“If you don’t believe the details, ask the female. I’m guessing as alpha you have the ability or power to compel your shifters to talk.”
Was this asshole actually suggesting Damien should have his enforcer interrogate Delilah? There was no fucking way Frank would let Mason, Damien—and certainly not this agent—touch her.
“I don’t react well to threats, Agent Gallagher.”
“This is most definitely not a threat, Mr. Black. A statement of fact. The U.S. Government will not agree to any treaty until this shifter is brought to justice. This is not some whim or cheap trick to force you into anything. We can’t enter in an agreement with murderers or those who harbor them.”
“Frank,” Damien said. “Escort Agent Gallagher and his group off our land. Now.”
Frank stepped forward, glad to see Damien was getting rid of this piece of trash.
“Is that your way of saying the treaty is off, Mr. Black?”
“You’ll have your answer by the deadline.”
Frank’s alpha was considering turning over Delilah to the DSA. Frank’s wolf raked a gash so wide in his soul that Frank had trouble keeping himself from shifting and lunging at Damien.
“Frank,” Damien called. “Now.” Damien’s growl got Frank moving again.
As Frank escorted the human back down the trail, he fought with his wolf. All those years of waiting for someone to come to him. . .nothing. Now he expected his alpha to protect his female, a shifter who was not part of the pack, not officially. Part of him still believed in Damien, in the alpha who had fought alongside Frank and watched his back growing up as they both trained. That shifter had never failed Frank. This new shifter, the Damien who had left him in prison, now held Delilah’s fate in his hands.
“Your alpha is a suspicious man,” Agent Gallagher said.
“Shifter,” Frank corrected. Whatever issues Frank had with Damien, he certainly wasn’t going to share them with this human.
“Yes, my faux pas. He’s a suspiciousshifter.”
“He has the right to be. We all do. Humans have hunted us for decades.”
“That’s going to end soon enough. Once he hands over the woman, we can start working together, ensuring safety for both shifters and humans alike. No more outbreaks of viruses on either side.”
Frank held his tongue. He didn’t represent or speak for the pack, and he still didn’t know what if any strategy Damien planned. Damien wasn’t one to roll over easily, and Frank had a loyalty to Damien he could not ignore.
As they reached the main gate, Frank pointed to Ethan and Mac. “My guards will escort your group back the way you arrived.”
Frank didn’t miss Agent Gallagher’s smirk as he joined the other humans. The bear shifter was leaning against the gate, whittling a stick with his knife. The shavings were confined to one spot. As Gallagher joined the other humans, and the group started walking down the road, the bear shifter dropped his knife. Dark brown eyes lifted to Frank. The shifter caught Frank’s attention.
“Wolf, tell your alpha to be careful,” the bear shifter said low enough for Frank to hear, but not the humans.
“You’d warn us?”
“You’re not the only ones anti-shifters have targeted.”
“Why are you working for them if you don’t trust them?”
“The DSA is. . .trying. Sloan can be trusted.”
“And Gallagher?”
“I’m not sure yet. Just watch yourselves, wolf. We may not be allies, but we have no desire to see you go down.”
