Page 52 of Enemy Wolf

“Yes,” she said. “He’ll come to Stout & Spirit.”

“I’ll have a team patrol the border around the bar,” Sawyer announced. “He’s probably coming through vampire territory if no one’s spotted him anywhere else.”

“I already have a few cameras placed in the trees around the bar,” I said. “If Sawyer’s team doesn’t spot him first, I can keep an eye out from here.”

“Great. Get your team out there today, Sawyer, in case our scaly friend decides to show up early. Shiloh?” Derric’s expression softened as he looked at my mate. “I don’t want you going to the bar or your apartment until we have this dragon under our roof. I assume you’re okay to stay here?”

“Um, sure.” Shiloh nodded stiffly. “Yes.”

“Good. Please let us know if there’s anything you need.” He nodded at Sawyer. “Get your team together. Everyone else? Be on standby. When the call comes, be ready.”

With that final order, everyone stood and began to disperse. I touched Shiloh’s shoulder as we rose together. “My room is up the stairs to the left. Third door down. Go on up and make yourself at home. I’ll be there in one second, okay?”

“Okay.”

Shiloh’s voice was flat, her eyes unfocused. The poor little witch had to be exhausted. I bent to kiss her, but she abruptly turned and left. It almost seemed like she had dodged my lips, but she probably just wanted to hurry up and rest. I let her go through the throng of people while I hurried to catch up with Sawyer.

“Enforcer,” I called out when I hit the front porch. “Can I get a quick word?”

The other wolf turned slowly, gave me an affirming nod, and walked around to the side of the lodge for privacy. I followed Sawyer to a place out of sight and earshot, watching his movement as he turned to face me. He leaned against the exterior wall, propping one booted foot up behind him. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket, still hiding that dragon’s mark. But he otherwise seemed calm, if even relaxed.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

I considered this wolf more than a packmate. A friend. So I didn’t want to come off as confrontational, but I didn’t know what else to say besides, “What’s up with the dragon mark on your hand?”

“Nothing of your concern,” he answered smoothly. So he wasn’t even going to deny what it was.

“Are you sure? Because I can’t have been the only one who sees the similarities between yours and Shiloh’s.”

“They look to be the same, true. But I promise you our situations are different.”

“Different how?”

“Again, none of your concern.”

“Shiloh’s in danger,” I growled. “The mark was placed upon her as a control tactic. So what does that mean for you? That you willingly made a deal with a dragon? Our enemy?”

“Watch it, Orson.” Sawyer pushed off the wall, leaning into the air between us. “You’re a smart guy, so I know where your brain is going. But the conclusions you’re drawing are not accurate. I’m no traitor to the pack, and I don’t have to prove that to you again.”

“And what if Derric asks you these same questions?”

“I’ll tell him the same things I’m telling you. He knows where my loyalty is.”

“Really?” I scoffed. “You think the alpha is gonna take ‘none of your concern’ as a valid answer for a dragon mark on your skin?”

Sawyer crossed his arms, making himself look even bigger. “Listen, Orson. Shiloh is your mate, right?”

“Yes.” I couldn’t deny the sense of pride, the feeling of rightness making me stand even taller as I answered. “Yes, she’s mine.”

“And you’d do anything to protect her.”

“Of course I would.”

Sawyer pulled his hand from his pocket and hovered it in front of my face. The black mark raised the skin on the back of his palm, making a straight line from his middle finger to his wrist. His skin was dry, flaking, and looked painful to the touch.

“I did what I had to to get my mate out of vampire territory,” Sawyer said. “Am I proud of it? No. But I made a choice, and this is a consequence. Riley is safe and happy, so would I do it again?” Sawyer dropped his hand and leaned in so close that I could hear the growl emanating from his chest. “I’d make deals with ten dragons. Shit, I’d hand myself over to Hellfire MC and get all their fucking marks all over me if that was the price of saving my mate. And Derric understands that.”

Sawyer clapped a large hand down on my shoulder when I said nothing in response, the gesture heavy and a touch too aggressive to be merely friendly. Before heading back to his team, he said, “I hope you learn to understand that too, sooner rather than later.”

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