Page 6 of Shifter Situations

Gods.

How many times had Vaughn erased or locked memories from Novak’s mind to protect him?

How many times had Blaire compelled law enforcement so that Novak could keep Vaughn safe?

As the questions stacked up, I pulled out of Vaughn’s mind completely. I felt like they’d barely skimmed the surface of what they’d done for each other. But it was enough for me to understand Novak’s past and why he was so worried.

Even if they arrested him, I wouldn’t let him sit in any cell. I would keep my promise to my vampire; I’d always be his alibi. I’d compel the whole damn building if I had to.

That was the least that I would do, though I’d go so much further for my mates without a second thought.

I had been the harbinger of death to hundreds—if not thousands—of supernatural creatures in my short lifetime. I’d use those skills to keep the people I cared about safe.

My body count meant nothing to me.

Vaughn’s mother was going to die too. Her crimes continued to stack up, pissing me off more with every shred of information I learned about her.

The twisted parts of my soul demanded her head, and I’d never felt so in sync with my demon and wolf alters at the same time.

“Okay,” I drawled, trying to contain my homicidal thoughts.

I rocked back onto my heels as I stared at the two of them. I wasn’t sure where to start yet, but I could—and would—fix what was happening. Or I would kill everyone conspiring against my mates.

“We need to make sure we keep you both separate if it comes to an investigation within the pack. I doubt it will get that far, though. This is just an attempt to sidetrack us. Someone in the pack is doing something they don’t want us to know about.

“The house call was them trying to ensure that we wouldn’t show up, or maybe they were hoping that only a few of you guys would come. Either way, I’m guessing it has something to do with my dad asking for help.”

I gazed at my vampire and my fae. “I promise you both; I will stop at nothing to keep bad shit from happening to you guys. You’re not going to jail, Novak. And your mother is on limited time, Vaughn. I’m not even sorry about that.”

“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep,” Novak muttered with a sad smile playing across his lips.

I frowned at him. “I don’t make promises lightly. And I don’t make them if I don’t intend to keep them. I’d be upset with you if you knew me better.”

My hushed voice sounded like a gunshot in the quiet room, but my words had never been more true.

I knew trust had to be earned, but he’d come pretty close to hurting my feelings. He had nothing to worry about; I was confident enough to prove that to him. I wouldn’t stand around and let anything happen to any of my mates.

“You’ll see,” I swore, standing to walk away.

I stopped by the doorframe, watching as Briggs hovered between Vaughn and Novak. He seemed so in his depth as he comforted them. That wasn’t something I could easily give them, but I had other things to offer.

They needed their fight back.

To know that it wasn’t them against the world anymore.

Allies came in all shapes and sizes, and I was full of surprises.

I wasn’t just a pretty face; I was a ruthless protector, a restless mind with a savage spirit. I would destroy the world for them. And they needed to know that, above all, I was a possessive mate.

No one was going to hurt them anymore. I would not allow it. They were done running from their pasts, living in fear, or hiding from heartbreak. As soon as all this saving the supernatural world was done, everything was going to be glitter and godsdamn rainbows.

It was no longer just the five—or six—of them.

There were seven of us, and we were going to build a fucking army.

“I think you guys forget that we haven’t known each other very long. You’ve all been together for years, so you know what the others are capable of. I know what I can and can’t do. There are plenty of things that I’ve never tried to do before, but fixing this isn’t one of those things.”

Sighing, I turned my back to the three of them, twisting my head as I let uncomfortable emotions wash over me for them to feel.