Page 51 of Rhett
I nodded. “That’s exactly what I intend to do.”
We pulled up to the motel, and when we both got out of my cruiser, the stench of blood and skunk spray nearly knocked me on my ass.
“This ain’t going to be good,” I told Quinn.
“No. It ain’t,” he agreed.
“Get back,” Mack ordered the crowd of onlookers. “This is a crime scene.”
The area outside of the motel was littered with body parts, blood, and guts.
“He’s dead!” Agnes, Dean’s mate, screamed, with tears running down her face. “Sam killed my mate.”
I strode over to Agnes to console her and to find out what the hell had happened. “Agnes, I’m sorry for your loss. We’re going to find Sam and get you justice.”
“Dean could be an ornery skunk.” She sniffled. “And sometimes he smelled all to hell, but I loved that skunk with all my heart.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Agnes,” Quinn said.
“Thank you, Alpha. Dean and me were mated for forty years. He didn’t deserve to die like that. But he put up a hell of a fight protecting me, giving me enough time to get away.” She sobbed harder. “He was a good skunk.”
“I need to know exactly what transpired,” I demanded.
“Sam came to the motel. His eyes were red like fire, and he was foaming at the mouth. I was so scared.” Her hands trembled. “He was half shifted. Half man, half wolf. I ain’t never seen nothing like that before.” Her eyes widened. “Dean tried to send him away, but Sam started talking gibberish. Sam tried to grab me and said he was going to kill everyone in the motel, starting with me.” Her eyes darted from me to Quinn, then back again. “When he grabbed me, Dean put up such a fight. I ain’t never in our forty years together seen him so spitting mad. But Sam was just plumb crazy and ripped my Dean apart. Dean’s kin tried to help, but Sam was feral and tore them apart too. When he was done, he took off running toward the forest.” She sniffled again. “I will never forget the way Sam looked. He was feral. Protector, you’ve got to catch him. I demand justice for my Dean and his kin.”
I patted her back. “Justice will be swift.”
“Thank you, Protector.”
Quinn and I moved over to the side, allowing the skunk-shifters to collect the remains of their kin.
Quinn’s expression was bleak. “This needs to be taken care of now. Sam’s gone feral.”
I nodded. “Yup. There’s no going back once a shifter turns feral. He’ll continue killing unless he’s stopped.”
CHAPTER15
NOVA
It was unclear whom I blamed more—Imani or Nyx—for my current predicament. But here I was, straddling a mechanical bull in the dimly lit hole-in-the-wall bar called Mama June’s.
“Don’t touch anything,” I ordered the guy in charge of starting the bull. “I’m not ready.”
After watching Nyx and Imani take turns riding the bull, I thought it looked fun and easy. But now that I was sitting astride the monstrosity, I was questioning my decision to give the bull a try.
He scowled. “I ain’t got all night. I’ve got a bunch of women waiting for their turn.”
Ignoring him, I yelled to be heard by Imani and Nyx over the loud music. “How the hell do I ride this bull without looking like a jackass?”
“Grab the handle,” Imani instructed.
“I am,” I said while awkwardly using both hands, holding on for dear life.
Imani and Nyx cackled.
“Stop laughing,” I ordered.
“Grab the handle with your nondominant hand,” Imani answered. “Reach underneath the strap, not over it.”
