Dana Bell - Cynful

She watched Julian stalk out of the break room and out through the curtain at the front of the shop. “What is he doing?”

“Checking things out, I’d assume.” Micah leaned back against the break table and sighed. “Look, as much as I’d like to get my hands on my dad and kick his ass again, if he’s somewhere with a rifle we won’t get to him before he can take us out. Let me guess. You’ve been playing bait?”

“Yup.” She leaned against the doorjamb. She might not go chasing after her mate, but hell if she was going to cower in the room. “Do you have any idea why your dad would go after Glory and I? If he’s after Tabby, why not just shoot at her?”

“He’s a vindictive son of a bitch. To tell you the truth, I’ve been waiting for him to come after me all this time.” Micah shrugged. “How close are you to Tabby?”

“We’re family.” Cyn shot him a glance. “You’re kidding me. That’s why?”

Micah nodded. “He’ll want her to hurt before he kills her.”

She stared at him, appalled. “He’s done this before.”

“And I found out, took his Pack from him, and Outcast him for it.”

“Why didn’t anyone stop him?”

His answering grin was sour. “He was Alpha . No one was strong enough to stop him. Hell, I’m not sure his Beta wasn’t in on it, but without proof I couldn’t Outcast him. I constantly have to watch him, make sure he isn’t stirring up shit. The Omega was kept constantly drugged, and is just now getting over it with intensive therapy. He’ll never be who he was before he became my dad’s Omega. They broke him. The only thing I can do for him is keep the old Beta away from him, just in case. And the Marshall was a sadistic son of a bitch who died shortly after I Outcast my dad. He challenged me for the Pack and lost.”

“Wow. Makes me glad I’m not a Wolf.”

“Sometimes I wish I wasn’t. Being a Tiger sounds really good some days. No Pack politics, just big-ass teeth and a pissy attitude.” He stood and made his way to the door. “He’s been gone a long time.”

“The front of the shop isn’t that big.”

His brows rose. “Want to check things out?”

“Hell yes.” Cyn pulled aside the curtain and stepped into the main part of the shop. “Julian?”

Julian turned from the front door where he was speaking to one of the cops. “Get back in the break room, Cyn.”

“Did they get him?”

Julian shook his head. “No. They’re following his trail now.” He gestured toward the curtain. “Now get your ass back there, okay?”

“Fine.”

“Yes, it is. It’s a very fine ass. Now keep it behind the curtain.”

Micah snorted a laugh as he followed Cyn back into the break room. “Is he always like that?”

“Nope. He’s having an off day. Usually he’s much worse.” Cyn stared around the break room, restless to be doing something, anything . Fuck, she’d inventory stock if it meant she got to move. “I’m heading in the back for a bit. Let Jules know where I am.” There were no windows back there so Super Bear couldn’t get upset over it.

“Are you sure it’s safe?”

Great. Just what I need. Another over-protective Alpha male. She was the Kodiak. She should be the one out front risking her hide, not Jules. “I think so. There are no windows, and the back door is locked.”

“Maybe I should go back with you.”

Cyn stared at the stubborn set of Micah’s jaw. Nothing she said would dissuade him. “Follow me.” She shook her finger at him as she led him into the stock room. “But I’m putting your ass to work.”

“Fine by me. I’m feeling a little antsy anyway.” He lifted a box off the nearest shelf and peered inside. “I hate sitting and waiting. I’d rather be out and doing.”

“Ditto. I’m supposed to be a sitting duck, but sometimes I wish I was the one duck hunting.”

Micah chuckled. “I know what you mean.” He placed the box back on the shelf and followed Cyn further into the back room. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

Cyn shrugged. “That depends on the question.”

“Does Tabby’s mate treat her well?”

Cyn stared at Micah and started laughing.

“What? It’s a legitimate question.”

“Tabby’s mate is an overprotective Grizzly Bear who adores everything about her. Even the fact that she calls him sugar.”

Micah paled. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Look, I’d leave her one last message and let her decide if she wants to talk to you again. Because if you don’t stop phone stalking her you’re going to get your ass chewed off.”

“Got it.” He rubbed his face wearily. “Nothing is like I thought it was.”

“Tabby had a rough time of it after she was exiled, but she’s finally got her life together. You’re not taking that away from her.”

“I don’t want to. I just want her to understand that she’s got options. Her parents want to speak with her too.”

Cyn frowned and started counting the crimson ink. She’d have to order more soon. “Her parents didn’t say a word when she was kicked out of the Pack.”

“That’s not entirely true. After she left, they tried to find her. Like, almost immediately. They hired a private detective when they realized she wasn’t nearby. But they never found her.”

“Because she spent eight years as a Wolf.” Cyn shook her head. “What would they have done if they found her?”

“Run with her. They wanted to chase after her that night, but the Alpha set some of his men to guard them, to keep them from following her. They’ve hated him from that day forward. Hell, they’re my most vocal supporters, all because I promised I’d bring Tabby home to them.”

Shit. Tabby needed to hear about this. If what Micah was saying was true then Tabby’s parents deserved to repair their relationship with her. “I’ll talk to her.”

She hadn’t realized how tense he was until that moment, when he practically slumped against the shelving. “I’d appreciate that. Even if she never speaks to them again, at least they’d all have closure. I think both sides need that.” He tilted his head, listening. “It’s pretty quiet out there.”

She kicked the shelf, frustrated beyond belief. “He got away again, didn’t he?”

“Probably.” Micah winced and grabbed his shoulder. “Do you think your Julian could finish healing this?”

Cyn rolled her eyes. Like hell she was letting Julian heal anything bigger than a wounded gnat. “I’ll do it.”

He frowned. “I forgot you’re a Bear like him.”

She snorted out a laugh as she placed her hands over his wound. “Trust me. No one is like Julian.” She began concentrating on his wound, calling on Bear to help her out.

Micah frowned. “Cyn?”

“Hmm?” She needed to focus. This healing crap was harder than she thought.

“Do you smell deer?”

Julian thanked the nice officer for telling him that the fucking asshole had gotten away from them. Really. He’d been right there , shooting at Cyn, and they’d lost him?

And they called themselves shifters. He bet a monkey with pneumonia could have sniffed the guy out, but no. He had to get Deputy Fife and Gomer Pyle. He hoped they were able to find they’re fucking patrol car. After all, it was two whole cars down from the front of the shop.

Maybe he wasn’t being fair, but enough was enough. Cyn was done. He wasn’t going to allow her to play bait any longer. He was grabbing her ass and heading for the mountains, where he and Alex could take care of the girls while the Wolves played Marco Polo with the rogue. Let Dennis Boyd be the hunted for once. All he’d find was a couple of Grizzlies eager for a new chew toy.