Chapter 10
GARNER
Ididn’t like leaving my mate. She was curled up in bed where I’d left her, cuddled beneath the blanket, getting some much-needed rest. After showing her my cougar, we spent the rest of yesterday in bed.
I’d explored every inch of her body, sinking inside her sweet pussy over and over again.
Until she finally collapsed into an exhausted heap and drifted off to a deep sleep.
As I pulled on my boots near the front door, I kept my movements quiet so I didn’t wake her. But when I was ready to leave, I couldn’t resist returning to the bedroom one last time. I brushed my knuckles gently along her cheek.
She stirred but didn’t wake, murmuring something soft under her breath that made another notch of my restraint slip loose.
“I’ll be back soon,” I promised, even though she couldn’t hear me.
My cougar bristled at the idea of distance, but I forced him down and walked outside. I didn’t miss the wolf leaning against the bumper of my truck, his arms crossed over his chest.
Booker watched me approach. “You look like you’re headed for trouble.”
“Site check,” I replied. “Been having some trouble on my current project.”
His eyes gleamed with predatory interest. “Keane filled me in. Thought I’d check if you wanted a little help since I’m at loose ends right now.”
I shook my head. “It’s better if you’re here while I’m gone.”
Booker’s gaze flicked to my cabin, and something unreadable crossed his expression before it hardened into focus. “I’ll watch over her.”
“I know you will.” Even though it galled me to admit since my cougar was pushing me to warn the unmated wolf away from my mate. I’d always be possessive over her, but the urge would ride me even harder until I’d solidified our bond by marking her as mine.
“I don’t have a mate. No pups. Nothing pulling my attention elsewhere,” he added, his eyes flashing gold. “If anyone comes too close, they won’t get past me.”
My cougar backed off at the undercurrent of determination in his tone.
I clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed,” he insisted. “We both know you’d do the same for me if I was the one who had found my fated mate while danger was near.”
“Damn straight,” I growled with a nod.
Knowing Elodie had extra protection made the weight in my chest ease just enough to let me breathe a little more easily as I climbed into my car. My truck would be more recognizable to whoever Holt & Crane had sent to fuck with my project since I’d been driving it to the site.
Now it was time to find out who thought they were brave—or stupid—enough to test me. And I didn’t want them to be forewarned when I showed up.
My plan worked because there was a stranger on the site when I pulled up. I knew he didn’t belong the second I spotted him.
He was standing near the new equipment delivery. One hand rested on a crate like he had the right to touch my shit, and the other was tucked into his jacket pocket.
I cut the engine and stepped out of the car.
He startled when he saw me, his shoulders stiffening before he forced a smile. “Hey, I didn’t expect anyone back yet.”
“That makes two of us,” I replied, closing the distance at an unhurried pace. “Who are you?”
The man straightened. He was mid-thirties, with hard eyes and the kind of build that made him look like hired muscle. “Name’s Colin. I was told I could check the site. Just doing a quick look-over.”
“By who?” I asked.
He hesitated half a second too long. “Someone from the main office.”
“That’s interesting.” I planted my fists on my hips. “This is my site, and I haven’t even let a single one of my crew back on it yet. Guys I’ve worked with for years. Men I trust.”
His jaw tightened. “Look, I don’t want trouble. I just—”
“Too late,” I cut in.
The cougar rose beneath my skin, pressing hard, demanding I end this now.
I held him back with iron control, letting only the edge of danger bleed through.
I didn’t need to bare my teeth to make the point.
Humans who had no idea shifters existed were able to sense the power within us, even if they didn’t know where it came from.
The man shifted his weight, his eyes flicking past me toward the tree line. Then he smirked, like he thought he’d found leverage.
“You didn’t bring the girl out here again. Guess you learned your lesson.”
Everything in me went still, and the air seemed to thicken.
My fury was obvious as I growled, “Say that again.”
His smile faltered. “I just meant—”
“I heard you.” I took a step closer. “And now you’re going to listen very carefully.”
He swallowed.
“This land is protected. Professionally. Legally. And in ways you wouldn’t understand.” My gaze remained locked on his. “And the woman you just mentioned? She is completely off-limits.”
A flicker of fear finally cracked through his bravado.
“You don’t want to find out what happens if she gets hurt,” I warned, holding his stare until he nodded jerkily. “Now tell me what you know about Holt & Crane.”
His muscles must’ve been more for show because he didn’t hesitate for more than fifteen seconds to give me what I demanded. “They bring me in when they want to convince someone to sell. Or fuck up a deal because they lost the bid but want the land.”
“How many times have you done shit like this for them?”
He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “A dozen.”
“Fucking hell.” I raked my fingers through my hair, thinking about all the people this guy helped Holt & Crane to successfully screw over. “I want names, dates, and addresses.”
Whatever he saw in my eyes broke whatever of his resistance remained.
After he gave me what I needed, I took a photo of his ID. “Now get off my site. And tell whoever sent you that this ends today.”
He didn’t argue. Just turned and ran off. I watched him disappear into the trees, my cougar pacing now, furious but leashed.
They’d made a mistake. And I would make damn sure it was the last one.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called my dad. He picked up on the second ring.
“What happened?”
“I caught one of Holt & Crane’s guys on-site,” I replied. “Red-handed. He admitted they bring him in when they want to sabotage projects or pressure landowners after losing bids.”
“And?” my dad prompted.
“He knew about Elodie, my fated mate.”
The silence that followed was heavy enough to feel across the distance between us. When my father finally spoke again, his voice was ice-cold. “Say that again.”
“I found her the day before shit started to go down here, which means they were already circling,” I explained, furious that I was sharing the best thing that had ever happened to me in the middle of Holt & Crane’s fucked-up mess.
“She’s human and had a hard life before I found her, so I only recently shared with her what I am and who she is to me. ”
“And what did the bastard say about her?”
“He implied she’d been here before. Which means they’ve been watching the site long enough to notice her and to know she matters to me.”
A low curse sounded through the speaker. “Did you handle it?”
“I got names. Dates. Addresses.” I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “I warned him off. Took his ID. He won’t be back.”
“Holt & Crane doesn’t scare easily.”
“They should,” I growled. “Because if they come anywhere near her again, I won’t stop at warnings.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
I wasn’t surprised by his response. My dad was fiercely protective of my mom.
“This isn’t just a business issue, it’s a family one now. I’ll have legal clampdowns in place by the end of the day. I’ll also hire extra security, shifters who won’t hesitate to neutralize a threat. And if Holt & Crane keeps pushing…”
“They’ll find out what happens when you threaten what’s ours,” I finished.
“Exactly.”
With the threat handled for now, there was only one place I needed to be…back with my mate.