Page 33 of Tempest

Cash

Billy Fucking Mittin.

Cash did his best to rein in his panther, but his anger was boiling inside him, looking for an outlet. Howdarehe talk to Ore like that? He’d known there would be some wariness from pack members who weren’t used to strangers in their territory. But this?

Calling Ore that slur and then threatening to drag him out of their territory?

He wouldn’t stand for it.

Billy struggled against him, and Cash growled louder, his panther right beneath his skin, ready to break free at the slightest provocation.

“Alright, let’s everyone take a breath.”

Cash looked over at Saint, confused for a second as to why he was there. As Billy stopped fighting to be free, his rage started to settle a bit, and he remembered how he’d been talking to his friend next door at the café. Someone had opened the door, and the scent of Ore’s pain had trickled in on the air, pulling him away without a second’s hesitation. He hadn’t even realized Saint had followed him into Ginny’s bookstore.

His friend’s eyes were locked on him, but he was calm, completely in control. His scent was spiked with anger, but Cash knew it wasn’t directed toward him. He wanted to tell him to back off, that he’d handle Billy, but he couldn’t get the words out. His panther was too close to the surface, his fangs and claws fully on display. If he opened his mouth to speak again, all he’d let out would be a roar of anger.

Unlike Saint, he was the furthest thing from in control.

Ginny took a step forward, straightening her glasses as she tiptoed around the mess on the floor. “I’m glad you two are here,” she said. “I asked Billy to leave, and he was refusing.”

“We heard,” Saint assured her, his eyes darting over to Ore, and Cash’s attention followed.

Ore was still standing next to the now empty table, one hand rubbing at his hip. All of the color had leached out of his face, giving him a pale, sickly look as he stared at Cash with wide eyes. Fuck, his fear was still scenting the air, eating at what little grip Cash had left on his cat.

Liam’s nephew, Robbie, was kneeling on the floor, looking confused and pissed as hell. “I don’t know what just happened exactly, but that guy was being a real douchenozzle.”

A hysterical giggle popped out of Ore’s mouth before he slapped a hand over it. That, more than anything, began to lessen the rage boiling inside Cash. The sound was a reminder that while he was freaked-out, Ore was fine. He wasn’t hurt, and he was safe.

“Cash,” Saint said, drawing his attention away from his little bird and back over to him. “Why don’t you let Billy go, and I’ll bring him to Alpha Amato?”

He quirked his eyebrows in a way that said, “Let me handle this before you accidentally rip this guy’s throat out,” and he wasn’t completely wrong. If Billy said one more hateful thing,made one more threat against Ore, then Cash didn’t know what he would do, and that was a little terrifying for him.

Where was his legendary discipline now? He didn’t let his cat control him, and yet the more he was around Ore, the looser his grip on his panther seemed to get.

Saint nodded at him once when he saw that Cash was hesitating and took a step forward. “I got this, brother.”

Reluctantly, Cash removed his hand from Billy’s mouth and then shoved him unceremoniously into Saint. The older lion stumbled and fell against his chest, quickly righting himself.

He whipped around and glared at Cash. “How dare you put your hands on me like that. You really are just like your awful parents, aren’t you?”

He spat the words at Cash, hands fisted at his side, but he didn’t make a move to challenge Cash. Billy knew where he fell in the pack, and it wasn’t anywhere near the top, but the words were like a blow to Cash’s gut. Not being like his parents had been one of his few goals in life, the reason he kept such a tight hold on himself.

Instead of showing that he’d struck a nerve, Cash bared his teeth and released a low, menacing hiss, taking a single step forward.

The lion jerked back so fast he bumped into Saint, who grabbed his arms and turned him toward the door.

“Let’s go, Mittin,” Saint grumbled. “Before you can get yourself into even more trouble.”

As they went out the door of the bookstore, Billy’s raised voice could be heard, complaining about the fact that he was in any trouble at all, claiming he’d done nothing wrong and that he had every right to?—

The door shut behind him, muffling the sound. Thank the goddess. He’d never liked the man that much before, but he’d had no idea just how awful of a person he really was. Now thathe’d shown his true colors, it would be up to Liam to decide what to do with him.

Cash forced himself to take a deep breath in and let it out slowly before he turned back to the trio. Ginny was staring at him with big eyes, her hands wringing in front of her. Robbie had stepped back next to Ore, his stance protective, and it eased a little more of the tension inside Cash, knowing that others could see what a good person Ore was and would be watchful around him.

Though he wasn’t sure what the little human thought he would do against a shifter. Knowing Robbie’s father, he supposed the kid probably had a few tricks up his sleeve.

“Your dad know you’re here?” he asked, his voice barely more than a rumble still.

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