Chapter Six
RHETT FUCKING MARKED her.
Sure, it was temporary. Wouldn’t last long once she showered, maybe a week. But the point was, it was a deliberate move. He separated them, and was close enough to touch her. Purposely scared her.
The bastard would die slowly for that. He’d rip out that fucking tongue he’d dared to touch her skin with.
He was probably holding her hand way too tight as he pulled her along, keeping his senses alert for the scent of any more Blackmoors. When they finally reached the shop, he yanked the door open and pushed her in first.
“What happened?” Noah asked, looking up from where Misty and Penny were talking as soon as he’d seen his face.
“Caity?” Penny came to her sister, cupped her face in her hands. He refused to let go of her though, and she didn’t try to pull away.
“Rhett,” he muttered.
“Here?” Misty asked, her nostrils flaring. “What did they want?”
“They separated us. Jax and the clan stood ahead of where we walked. I got a sudden whiff of them, now I realize they must have planted something. Maybe on the seat there of the grassy area. When I saw them, it didn’t occur to me that Rhett wasn’t present.
I told Caitlin to wait there in the public spot while I confronted them.
He came up behind her while I was busy. Marked her. ”
Fury roiled over Noah’s expression and Misty crushed the rose within her fist.
“I didn’t even know. I walked back to her and saw her frozen with terror.”
“I’m okay,” Caitlin said, mostly to Penny, but then she turned his way. “I was scared. But I’m not hurt.”
Penny was stroking her sister’s bangs back from her face.
If she had been changed instead of as human as Caitlin, she’d be furious too.
She’d smell his stench possessively wafting from Caitlin’s skin like he owned her.
As it was, Caitlin didn’t understand the insult. He wasn’t sure Penny fully understood.
“We can’t go after them,” Misty murmured. “That’s what they want.”
“What do you mean?” Noah said.
Penny twisted around to pay attention.
“Think about it. Turn Limitations just passed. We have both the governor’s daughters here. The same man who refused Penny’s request to reject it. The Blackmoors are up to something.”
“No matter what they’re up to,” Penny said, “all that their game plan will prove in the end is that humans are right. Shifters are dangerous. Shifters fight amongst themselves.”
“It’s not a coincidence that they knew who Penny was. Seeing me with her? It was probably the perfect scenario that dropped into their laps,” Caitlin said.
“They’ve never seen me interested in a female like I am you.”
The comical frozen expressions on everyone’s faces would be funny except they were all stunned to silence. Isaac took the opportunity to bark out commands.
“Misty, did you carpool with Joaquin?”
She nodded.
“Make sure he knows to be careful. I want the two of you to close up a half hour early. Be together at all times.”
“I will.”
“Okay.” He turned to Noah. “We’ll get these two back to our territory.”
“Do you think they’ll be safe?” Caitlin asked, gesturing toward Misty as they left.
“My pack knows how to fight. Misty will keep Joaquin safe.” Noah winked over his shoulder at Misty.
“Oh, God, with everything going on, I didn’t even introduce you! Misty is Noah’s sister. You’ll see her later at home,” Penny said.
Caitlin glanced over her shoulder and waved.
“Come on,” Isaac snapped. The door swung shut behind her. He tugged her impatiently, pulling her further outside the store.
“Are… are you mad at me?” she asked in a small voice.
“What? No!” he barked, making Noah and Penny turn around as he stopped her right on the sidewalk facing the windows.
He pulled her to him, butted her sweet body right up against his hardness so he could peer down into her face.
“I’m not mad at you, Cait. I’m mad at me. I let the Blackmoors distract me with a rookie move. Never once wondered where their alpha was and the whole time? He was right there with you, while my goddamn back was toward the woman I should be protecting. He touched you.”
“But I’m okay. I’m not hurt.”
“I know. But his scent is on you and it’s a constant reminder of how close he came.”
“It’s a psychological game,” Noah said. “What if? What if Rhett had taken you? Hurt you? Bit you? He had every chance.”
And that amazing woman looked into Isaac’s eyes when she said, “But he won’t get that chance again. You’ll protect me.”
Right there, in front of her sister, in front of his second, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, fighting his wolf’s flinch at the scent that invaded his nose. “I’m sorry I let him get that close to you.”
But then their moment was over and with a nod to the other two, he pulled her along to the parking lot. His instincts were on overdrive from the scare. He just wanted to get her the fuck out of there.
She tossed the keys to Noah as soon as he opened his mouth. He caught them with a grin. That was good. Despite her smell, he wanted to cuddle his mate in the backseat.
Not his mate, he corrected his wolf.
By the time they pulled up at his cabin, the others in the pack had arrived. Cars lined up in the driveway next to his.
“This is your place?” Caitlin asked, eyes upward as she peered out the car window. “It’s huge.”
“That’s what she said,” Noah joked, as he turned off the engine.
“I’m the alpha,” Isaac reminded her. “My place has to be big enough for meetings. To house the others if something should happen.”
“Like what?” she asked, her brows knitted.
He shrugged. “Like someone falls ill, needs someplace to stay. Or if their home needs remodeling. In Noah’s case, he didn’t want to live away from me.”
“Whatever,” Noah muttered, opening the driver’s side door to step out.
The pack, minus Misty and Joaquin, were already in the living room when they entered.
“Who’s this?” Alex asked, nose twitching. His voice was deeper than usual and he shuddered like his skin crawled. They’d gotten a whiff of her, then.
“This is Penny’s sister. Caitlin.”
“What is she doing here?” Amos’s voice was a growl.
And then everyone was twitchy, growling under their breath, eyes darkening, others glowing with the shade of their wolf. Cait stood straight, refusing to cower.
“She’s under our protection,” he snarled. “Same as Penny.”
“She reeks.”
“Marked by Rhett less than an hour ago. At the Outlets.”
“He targeted her?”
Isaac nodded. “He’s growing bold. He knew who she was and of course, knows that both of them are the daughters of Governor Montgomery. From now on, we leave the territory in twos. Be on your toes. No surprises.”
“Why don’t we go after the bastards?”
“We think they have an ulterior motive. So, we won’t play into their hands and do what they’d expect. But trust me, they enter our territory and it’s a free for all. Here, we can bury the bodies.”
He was barely aware of Noah bringing a package of wipes for Caitlin. She took one, Penny took one, and they began dabbing her neck. Under her breath, Penny was explaining that all the males were riled up because they could smell the enemy.
The scent wouldn’t entirely go away but it would lighten enough that the wolves weren’t in a constant state of impending change.
“There’s no way he could have known we were at the Outlets today. It wasn’t a planned trip. Which means… we’re bugged.”
There were whispered mumblings throughout the room.
“The only house he could have had access to is the one Penny rented at the border of the property. It’s also where we made our plans.
Alex, I’m gonna have you and Joaquin sweep the place as soon as he gets here with Misty.
Amos, look up the property records and see if we can find out who the owner is. ”
“If it’s an LLC?”
“Get me the details. Dates when it was opened, the registered address. I want to make sure the rental is neutral, especially since it’s on the edge of our domain.”
It probably wasn’t the best idea to bring Caitlin and Penelope to the meeting, but Penny was about to be a wolf soon. And he couldn’t bear to leave Caitlin anywhere alone, not with what had just happened. Besides, her being here was useful.
Right now, Caitlin—Cait—was the perfect Blackmoor bait.