Page 65 of Tempest

“I’ll say,” she said and shot her dazzling smile at Ore. “From what I hear, you haven’t been staying out of trouble.”

Ore made a soft, squawking noise. “I’m not trouble!”

She laughed again and then shocked his mate by pulling him in a hug too. “I have a feeling you’ve completely wrecked his safe, orderly life.” She leaned back, resting both hands on his shoulders. “For that, you deserve a damn medal.”

Ore’s brows were furrowed slightly, and he gave her a confused half smile. “Thanks, I think.”

“Ignore her,” Cash said. “This one’s a troublemaker.”

“That’s slander,” she exclaimed.

The young guy next to her, probably around the same age actually, laughed hard. “Nah, he’s got your number for sure.” He shouldered the backpack he was carrying and extended his hand. “I’m José.”

“Thanks for coming,” Cash said, shaking his hand and then letting Ore squeeze up against him and reach across his body to give him a handshake as well.

He slid his arm around his shoulders before he could pull away, wanting to keep his mate as close to him as possible. Looking over their heads at the older man still lingering on the steps, he noted his mostly silver hair and clearly human scent.

“You the pilot?”

The man nodded. “I’m going to hang around here. Just let me know when you all are ready to leave.”

Cash thanked him and turned to the small group gathered next to him. Dare was striding toward them from the hangar and posted up next to Nero, arms crossed over his chest.

“Everything good?” Cash asked.

Dare nodded. “Haven’t been tampered with.”

Ore shot him a look but didn’t say anything. Cash gave him a light squeeze before addressing the whole group.

“Alpha Amato is waiting for us back in town, where we’ll come up with a strategy that will hopefully get us in and out of California without having to raise a claw to anyone.”

A couple of people nodded, but Erica frowned at him. “But what if we want to?”

He shook his head and ignored her and the way Nero reached around a few people to fist-bump her.

“He asked me to express his thanks and gratitude as soon as you got here, but I also want to personally thank each and every one of you,” Cash said, the back of his neck heating.

He wasn’t used to talking so openly about his feelings, but what they were doing had the potential for danger, and these people barely knew him. They had no real reason to put themselves on the line. But one look down at Ore’s sweet face and he knew he’d ask his worst enemy for help if it meant keeping his mate safe and in his life.

“I can’t express with words what this means to me, but please know I owe each of you for helping me and my mate.”

Chapter 19

Ore

The plane ride to California was… interesting, to say the least.

Ore ended up perched on Cash's lap since the plane—while luxurious—wasn't actually made for so many people to travel in. Keegan was also on his mate's lap, the two of them murmuring back and forth to each other. Nico's big hands were clasped possessively on his witch.

The vampire, Nero, had offered his lap to Ericka. She laughed and then punched him in the bicep so hard the vampire winced.

Dare, who'd been sitting next to him, snarled at Nero, and then rose and offered his seat to her, before stalking to the back of the plane and closing the door behind him. Ore figured it was probably a bedroom for sleeping on longer flights, but he didn't exactly feel like Dare would welcome him going back and taking a peek.

The Kincaid Pack members mostly kept to themselves, and the same with the Silver Oak Pack, three betas having joined them along with Liam.

The small bit of tension lingering in the air during the flight kept him tense and unable to relax. Even when Cash started gently running his hand up and down the outside of Ore's thighand encouraging him to lean back and get some rest. He did lean into his mate, but resting definitely wasn't an option. Not with so many strange shifters surrounding him who didn't seem like they really got along that well.

They were only about a half an hour from landing when Nico, who'd been talking to the human, Robson, sitting next to him, raised his voice just a little and said, "I am surprised Amato only sent two guys, considering it was his brother who asked for help."

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