Page 69 of Tempest

"Nothing, sir. Go on back inside and watch your programs."

"He's been terrorizing the pack," Ore called out. "Him and the rest of the Enforcers."

"What?" Alpha Barney asked, looking shocked. "What do you mean?"

"We'll explain everything," Liam said, clasping Ore on the shoulder and letting him know he would handle it. "I'm going to need you to call the rest of your Enforcers here though."

“Who are you, young man?"

"AlphaLiamAmato," he said, winking at Gladstone.

Ore stopped worrying about Alpha Barney the second a familiar young face filled the doorway. Hannah's hair was as dark as his own, although her skin was lighter, closer to their dad's. She was grinning widely, racing toward him before he had time to do anything but stare at her. She hit him at full speedand only Cash's hand on his back stopped him from tumbling backward.

"Ore, you're here!" she screamed in excitement. "I knew you'd save us."

His eyes prickled with tears as he stared over her head at his other sisters, Savannah and Holly.

Holly was the second oldest, but still almost seven years younger than him. The girls much closer in age than he was to them. She looked tired, her eyes scarily blank as she guided Savannah across the porch and down the steps, keeping herself between her and Gladstone.

As soon as they were close enough, he pulled them into his tight embrace with Hannah.

"Thank the Goddess you're safe," he murmured, running his hands over their heads and backs, unconsciously scenting them after having spent so much time with Cash.

"Where's mom and dad?" Holly asked, a little of her stone facade cracking as she took in the group behind him.

"They're back in Kansas. I've been with a pack there." He nodded toward Liam. "His pack. For about two weeks, they've been taking care of me."

"Taking care of you how?" Savannah asked, staring up at him with her wide, hazel eyes.

"I was pretty hurt when I got there,” he said, rubbing a hand over Hannah's head when she made a soft noise of distress.

"But you're okay now?" she asked.

"I'm okay now." He pointed unsubtly at Cash. "See that man?"

They all nodded, staring at him with round eyes.

"He saved me. And,” he added in a fake whisper, "we’re mates."

Hannah and Savannah clapped their hands together in excitement, and Holly smiled, but it was strained. He didn't takeit personally. He had no idea what they'd been going through after spending weeks and weeks locked in that house with no one but a daft, old alpha and his brutal Enforcers.

"We're going to take you to mom and dad,” he said, meeting each of their eyes, showing them that he was serious.

"We don't have to stay here?" Hannah asked in a hopeful voice. "We're never coming back here again."

He jerked back as Gladstone came storming down the steps, scattering the other hatchlings that had come out but were lingering by the porch, unsure what was happening or where to go.

Ore jerked the girls behind him.

"You piece of shit. You've ruined everything," Gladstone seethed, eyes locked on Ore and filled with hatred. "All you had to do was fall in line like the others. Instead, now I'm going to have to?—"

He didn't get the chance to finish the threat. Before Ore even saw him move, Cash's panther burst forward, shredding his clothes as he lunged at Gladstone, taking him to the ground quickly.

Unlike what Nero had said on the plane, Cash didn't hesitate.

Ore covered the girls' eyes as best he could as his mate ripped the throat out of the man who had ruined so many lives. He didn't linger over his kill, turning and trotting right back over to Ore and rubbing his bloody face against his leg.

He gave his black ears a quick scratch. "Thank you."

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