Chapter Twenty-Five
There was no way he’d let Griffin leave his side ever again.
That was why he took the chance and let Griffin go with him to the meeting with Bobby Ball.
Well, that need for close proximity and the fact that all of Griffin’s family were hidden in various places throughout the park across from Toby’s apartment.
Toby’s new friend Gus and his mate were also there.
Toby should feel safe enough, but he knew something was off. He just wasn’t sure what it was. It was good to know the sheriff was so close by, watching Bobby Ball approach them.
Griffin squeezed his hand. “Are you okay?”
Toby shook his head. “I just don’t like the unknown.”
“This whole thing isn’t right, is it?”
“Definitely not.”
Bobby and his son resembled each other, even from a distance. When they grew closer, Bobby Sr. smirked, and Bobby Jr. seemed as if he wanted to be anywhere else but standing in front of Toby. Junior stood just behind Senior.
Senior stopped in front of them. “I see you brought your mate. Hello, Griffin.”
Griffin just raised his eyebrows and didn’t say a word. Not at first. Instead, he let the silence stretch between them.
Bobby was a used-car salesperson, so he was used to filling the silence. “I appreciate your making Ransome disappear. He’s standing in my way of becoming alpha.”
“So that’s your motivation. I wondered if that wasn’t it.” It was the first time Griffin had spoken, and it was clear Griffin knew Bobby better than Toby did. So Toby stayed quiet.
Bobby held out an envelope to Toby.
“Don’t take it,” Griffin said without taking his gaze off Bobby.
Bobby shrugged.
“You burned down my brother’s bakery.” Griffin was getting him to talk about all the things he had done. Was he recording the conversation, wanting him to confess so that they had direct evidence of his crime?
“It was necessary. How else would I show the Magic Council what a menace your mate is?”
Toby stiffened. His instinct was to challenge Bobby for the alpha spot, but he let Griffin lead—for the time being.
Griffin smiled. “He saved our lives. He wasn’t the menace that night.”
“He killed Kinnison.” Boss Dickwad smiled. “He seems like a menace to me.”
Toby thought that might be the incentive he needed to bring Kinnison back to Fortune Falls. He thought about him, lying in a hotel room, bored out of his mind, watching television.
Toby brought him back to the park, but he made sure he showed up next to Iven, so Griffin had time to work Bobby into a corner.
Toby panicked when he saw a woman and two men approach them from the parking lot. It was obvious they were the people from the Magic Council. Their magic was so strong, Toby felt it from a distance.
Griffin had the opposite reaction. He sighed as if in relief. He lost all the tension in his body.
Toby’s instinct was to get them out of there before the magic council representatives found out about his abilities.
Griffin let go of Toby’s hand and hugged the woman first. “How’s the bathroom treating you? Is everything still good?”
“It’s perfect. I want to talk to you about renovating the bedroom. I want to get an estimate for installing an ensuite. But maybe after”—she waved her hand toward Bobby Ball—“he tells us why we’re here.”
She didn’t like Bobby if the curl of her lips was any indication.
Griffin shook the hands of both men, addressing them by name and asking about something he must have had a hand in fixing. One guy had a minor plumbing problem, and the other had a major car issue. Griffin used the word transmission.
Bobby winced. “I didn’t realize you knew so many people, Griffin.”
Griffin went to Toby again, pulling him to his side. He smiled. “I help a lot of people. My mate and I have that in common.”
Bobby growled. “He killed Kinnison Ransome with magic.”
It was the woman who scowled and pointed to something behind Griffin and Toby. “Isn’t that Mr. Ransone with the sheriff right there?”
People came out of every nook and cranny in the park. More people than Toby was aware of.
Toby realized they were the reason he was so on edge. Cass and Riley led the large group toward them.
Everyone stood behind Griffin and Toby. That was when Toby finally relaxed. “They’re pack.”
Griffin nodded. “They came to support the wolf shifter who saved the sheriff and his family from burning to death in a fire. A fire Bobby Ball set.”
The woman addressed Kinnison. “Did this young man hurt you with his magic?”
“No, ma’am. He saved my life by getting me out of the area. Bobby Ball tried to blackmail him into killing me, but he refused.” Kinnison put a hand on Toby’s shoulder. “He’s not using his magic to hurt people. But if there’s a concern, his family can vouch for him.”
Riley nodded. “I’ll be the first.”
“Toby isn’t the one we have to worry about.” The sheriff helped Cass arrest Bobby Balls and the rest of the dickwads.
For the first time since the meeting began, Toby took charge. The first thing he did was hand Iven the envelope Wolf Dickwad had given him when they’d first tried to blackmail him. That felt like a lifetime ago.
“There’s a wolf shifter who did all their dirty work.
Griffin and I are pretty sure his name is Jackson Polk.
He handed it to me when they first tried to blackmail me.
I don’t know what’s in it. And there has to be some sort of magic user, too, because the bakery had a ward or something attached to it. I don’t know who they are, though.”
Iven took the envelope. His gaze went from Toby to Griffin and then back again. “Good job. Both of you.”
The dickwads protested, and Cass called it resisting arrest, which meant an extra charge, Toby was guessing.
“Do you need us anymore, Dad?”
“Nope. We’ve got it from here.”
Griffin led him down the path toward Toby’s apartment.
Kinnison called his name.
Toby stopped and turned, meeting his gaze.
“Come to the next pack meeting. It’s this Friday.”
Toby nodded. “Will do. Alpha.”
“I’ll be calling you that if I get my way.” And with that, Kinnison turned back to watch the dickwads as Cass and Iven put them into the sheriff’s vehicle.
Griffin kissed him on his temple. “You’ll make a good alpha. You’ll be fair to everyone. But I don’t want you to think you have to fix the pack’s issues by yourself.”
“That’s why you took the lead, isn’t it?”
Griffin pulled his shirt back, showing Toby the wire. “That and we wanted a confession.”
Toby wanted to be mad at Griffin for keeping it from him, but he couldn’t. By taking care of the dickwads, Griffin let Toby know he wasn’t alone anymore.
Toby made Griffin stop and then jumped onto his back. Griffin caught him. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“We get to have another marathon.” Toby wanted to get started immediately.