Page 73 of Assisting the Alpha
It takes forever to descend the fourteen floors from Ethan’s flat since everyone else in the building is using the stairs as well. We’re one dizzying spiral of descending in a surprisingly orderly queue.
No one seems to be panicking, so maybe it’s just a drill?
“Is this a test?” I ask my new friend.
“Yeah, everyone got a letter about it.”
Ethan must have forgotten to tell me, what with everything going on. Although I didn’t realise any of Dante’s pack were living in the neutral zone? The man is probably just visiting a friend or something. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful to him for helping me.
We finally reach the bottom and spill out into the central courtyard area between the four skyscrapers that contains all kinds of picnic tables and some green space. My new friend helps me to one of the picnic tables and someone already there stands so I can sit, which is nice of them. Maybe I look as drained as I feel.
“Thank you, I’m okay now,” I say to my new friend. I really don’t want to be any more of a burden to him. “What’s your name?”
“Doesn’t matter, mate.” It strikes me as an odd thing to say right around the time I notice I’m surrounded by supes. There are plenty of humans nearby, of course, but none of them are paying attention. They’re all focused on their phones.
In fact, the person who moved for me is a cat shifter. Why aren’t they at the protest?
Too late, I realise I’ve left myself vulnerable. I try to erect a personal shield, but I’m too slow or too magically burnt out or something, because there’s a prick at my neck, and a moment later the world goes black.
Chapter Twenty-One
ETHAN
Teo and I watch the last of his people board the tram back to Alejo Prowl territory. Teo puts up his hood and shoves his hands into his pockets, not looking at me.
Despite my team’s rapid response, the violence had already started by the time we got here and resulted in the arrests of two of Teo’s prowl. Still, it could have been much worse. It took hours to calm everyone down and disperse the humans who had gathered to see what was happening, including DI Gough who, despite the mayor’s assurances that the human police wouldn’t be involved, wanted to provide assistance and find out why the protest had turned into a riot.
That man is going to be a thorn in our sides, I swear. I sicced Skye on him again to check he didn’t clue into anything he isn’t supposed to know.
By silent agreement, Teo and I turn and start walking through the square towards the town hall, where the mayor has asked to speak to both of us.
I still can’t decide what to make of Teo. While he was right there with his people, leading the protest, he was also instrumental in calming them down after we arrived.
His phone buzzes and he takes it out to check the message, then angles the screen towards me. “Finally got a pic of Xana to send to li’l bro.”
I stop dead and grab his wrist, taking a closer look at the photo of the black jaguar with green eyes. My heart races because we’re back in the running. “We can get her out with this.”
Teo yanks his wrist out of my grasp. “How? And don’t fucking touch me.”
“Ayo’s attacker had amber eyes.”
“You’re sure?”
I give a sharp nod. “He still has nightmares about yellow eyes in the darkness.”
Teo snarls, low enough that nearby humans can’t hear. “That fucker.”
My thoughts exactly. “We already have Ayo’s statement on file. It should be enough to at least get her out of Wargate. Forward this to Lorenzo.”
When I met Ayo’s uncle, he explained how much work he does as a defence solicitor for the supes in this city. He’s the reason Teo’s prowl have such a low conviction rate compared to the number of arrests, and I already know he’s working on getting Xana free. In return, the prowl pay him a high ongoing retainer.
“Don’t order me about.” Teo jabs a finger at my chest, then taps away at his phone anyway.
My wolf and I ignore his posturing as I pull out my own phone to check in with Ayo and tell the team the good news. Ayo has sent a couple of messages on the team group chat so I read those first, not sure what the hell I’m looking at since he’sincluded photographs of the grimoires, but then I see the text underneath saying ‘Found it!’.
Holy shit, this must mean there is a spell that allows a magic-user to shift into an animal. He was right.
I immediately dial Ayo, needing to speak to him now more than ever. I frown when it goes straight to voicemail. “Call me, sweet thing.”
