“Wait!” he called, using every bit of his supernatural speed to try and reach their attacker before he was peppered with bullets. They needed information, dammit!

He was too late.

Marco was right behind him, grabbing his arm before he accidentally put himself in the line of fire again and sending searing pain through his injured shoulder. It was all he could do not to attack the Alpha instinctively. Marco must’ve realised what he’d done because he held both hands up in placation, stepping back. Vin could hear Angel’s warning growl at the pain Marco had caused him even as far apart as they were. His mate was manhandling a pissed off and scared Luca back toward the packhouse and the relative safety of his suite. At least Angel had enough control not to abandon the man he was supposed to be guarding to defend Vin unnecessarily.

“We needed him alive,” Vin said, turning back to the crumpled dead form of the human on the ground. The guards had riddled him with bullets and there was no chance he was still breathing.

“I know. He probably would’ve died like the others, though,” Marco said, gesturing to the ring on his finger.

Vin knew the man he’d delivered to Marco days earlier had succumbed to the same earth magic that had killed their attacker at the cabin after the shifters tried and failed to remove a similar death ring.

“You need to ask the witches for help questioning them,” Vin said.

“Perhaps. I don’t trust the MC, though. The relationship is tense, and I can’t afford to owe them a favour,” Marco said.

“All the more reason to check Cal out. He’s your best shot if you don’t want to approach the club.”

“If he’s not in on it.”

Vin inclined his head. “Only one way to find out.”

“I’ll stay with Luca. If you and Angelo head over there soon, he’ll be sleeping.”

Vin grinned. “I like the way you think, Sugar. Just let me sort this out and change,” he said, pointing at the shoulder wound that was dripping blood down his arm.

“Don’t get distracted in the shower,” Marco said dryly.

“No promises.”

Vin stared at his mate’s ass in appreciation as he slipped into Cal’s bedroom ahead of him later that day. For such a big guy, his Angel could fade into the background easily and pass unnoticed by anyone except Vin. He would never tire of staring at his mate.

To his credit, the water witch who owned Hex-Rated had awoken and was throwing a magical attack at them before they’d taken more than two steps into the room. Vin expected nothing less.

“It’s me, Sugar,” Vin said. Cal didn’t look reassured, but he stopped the daggers of ice he’d thrown at them mid-air.

“You here to kill me, Corvin?”

His Angel looked at him in surprise, and a not-insignificant surge of possessiveness spiked through their bond.

“He knows who you are? Why did you bother with the scent blocker?” Angel asked.

“The blockers are for my security and staff who don’t know who he is. I’ve used Corvin’s services before, but I need to maintain the club’s rep,” Cal said, sitting up in bed and revealing his heavily muscled, tattooed chest.

Vin barely noticed the naked witch, but he smiled fondly when Angel tried to step between them to block the view.

“Didn’t think you went for the possessive types,” Cal said, looking at Angel with renewed interest.

Vin gripped Angel’s shoulder before he could start growling again and squeezed gently. “Down, boy,” he whispered, pleased to notice the slight shiver in his mate at the words.

He let Angel wrap his arms around him from behind as he turned back to Cal. “He’s my mate,” he explained.

It’s not like it was a secret now that Marco had added him to the pack register, but the news must’ve been slower to get out than he thought, because Cal’s eyes widened in surprise. “Good for you. Congratulations. You’ve been alone too long.”

Vin scoffed. “You can talk. Speaking of which, I’m going to make you. Sorry, not sorry,” he said. Then he sped forward faster than sound and pressed a finger to Cal’s jaw before letting his power flow into the witch. “Did you know who the man we chased in your club was?”

“No,” Cal said, his eyes burning with anger at being forced to speak, but making no effort to pull free.

“Do you know now?” Vin asked.