Page 55 of Tempest

Cash’s growl began to grow in the crowded room. If the Enforcer made a single threatening move, he was getting his throat ripped out.

“That’s not how it works in our pack, darling, and you know it. Now, be a good boy and go and get your things.”

“Ore, please,” his mom said softly. “Let’s just go.”

Cash kept one eye on Gladstone but turned enough that he could see behind him, unsurprised to see Ore jerking away from his parents and closer to Cash.

“Are you kidding? This guy wasstalkingme. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. That’s why I had to fucking flee our pack and leave you and the girls behind.” Even as he said the words, understanding dawned on Ore’s face. His mouth twisted angrily as he looked at Gladstone and said to his parents, “He has the girls, doesn’t he?”

“Let’s not discuss this in front of strangers,” Gladstone said, taking a step forward, but Cash stopped him, a hand to his chest, before he could move any closer to his mate.

“You’re going to want to stop right there,” he said lowly. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t come in here and make demands like that, especially not from him.”

Gladstone turned his full attention to Cash and eyed him before disgust curled his lips back. “Little slut spread his legs for you, didn’t he?”

Strong arms wrapped around Cash’s chest before he could lunge forward, the scent of his alpha the only thing keeping him from losing his ever-loving shit. “Watch yourfuckingmouth, or you can go home without.”

“You should leave,” Robbie spoke up as he hustled around behind the couch to reach Ore’s side. He was the only human in the room, and yet the look on his face was so fierce Cash just knew he’d learned it from his mobster father. “Now.”

“I’ll leave with my mate and not a second sooner.”

“He’s not your mate, asshole,” Robbie snapped. “He doesn’t have to go with you.” He glanced at his uncle, who was still holding Cash back. “Right? You aren’t going to send him with this piece of shit, are you?”

“He doesn’t have a choice,” Gladstone said, raising his voice. “Shifter law clearly states?—”

“Shifter law is currently being rewritten,” Liam said clearly, speaking for the first time. His grip on Cash didn’t lessen at all though. Smart guy. Rage was still boiling inside him, and if he got the chance, he’d rip off Gladstone’s arm and beat him to death with it. “If you’d like, I can get Rick Kincaid on the phone right now and ask him his opinion on the matter.”

That got Gladstone’s attention, wiping some of the haughtiness off his face. He held his hands up in half-hearted placation. “There’s no reason to get Kincaid involved. Ore and his parents belong in our pack. You can’t keep them here against their will.”

“I would never dream of it,” Liam said smoothly. “However, I’d like to speak to them about what it is they’d actually like to do.” His voice lowered, turning deadly. “Remove yourself from my territory.”

The Enforcer pulled himself up to his fullest height to look down his nose at all of them, but he was still an entire head shorter than Cash and Liam. “You’ll regret this disrespect.”

And then he was storming out, slamming the door behind him.

Ore’s parents immediately turned to him, both trying to explain at once.

“All of the hatchlings are being kept at Alpha Barney’s house,” his mom said, hands fluttering around, revealing just how anxious she and her bird were.

“Right after you left,” his dad chimed in, “Louie rounded them all up, saying it was Alpha’s orders to keep them safe and protected under his house, and he’s refused to let them leave since.”

“We’ve only gotten to see them a couple of times,” Debbie cried, tears streaming down her face. “And that was supervised by another Enforcer. We have no idea if they’re okay or what’s going on inside that house.”

Harold put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes wet as well. Their anguish filled the room, nearly choking him.

Ore’s dark gaze found Cash’s, and as soon as they locked on, Cash ripped himself out of Liam’s hold and darted across the room, enveloping his mate in his arms and holding him close. He was trembling, his hands clutching at Cash’s shirt as his fear and anguish sank beneath his skin. His panther roared inside him, demanding they go after Gladstone and get justice for their mate and his family.

Soon.

“Are you saying he’s doing all of these things without your alpha’s say-so or that Alpha Barney is doing the ordering but leaving all the dirty work to his Enforcers?” Liam clarified, pulling out his phone.

“Alpha Barney is old and weak,” Ore muttered against Cash’s chest. “He’s basically been a figurehead for years, but he doesn’t have any children, so he hasn’t passed the pack on to anybody else.”

“And since Gladstone can run the place as an Enforcer, why bother challenging him,” Cash surmised.

“Exactly,” Ore whispered, arms going around Cash’s waist and clinging to him.

“You’re not going back there,” Cash murmured into his hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.

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