Page 106 of Finlay

He shrugged, unbothered about me calling him out. “I had hoped it might bring Reid back of his own accord, but I appear to have miscalculated. He’s always been a stubborn fool.”

“If by ‘stubborn fool’ you mean ‘smart enough to keep himself safe,’ then I think I’d have to agree.”

“And now he has his little pack of wolves guarding him around the clock,” Clyde mused. He lifted a hand and ran a nail down my cheek. Revulsion went through me at the touch, but I refused to let it show. “Pity they didn’t think to guard you too. Really, it’s taken all the fun out of it.”

Run. Run. Run.My brain was screaming the words at me, but my feet didn’t move. What was the point? Clyde would catch me before I made it to the edge of my property. I didn’t need to see him in action to know his speed and strength outstripped my own.

That was both the blessing and the curse of understanding shifters a little better. It demonstrated how capable Finn and the others were of keeping Reid safe. Butit had also taught me how easily a shifter could take down a human should they so choose.

From the cruel grin Clyde wore, that was precisely what he was choosing. But if he thought he could chase me down, that fear would make me flee, he could fuck off.

If I was going down, it’d be on my terms.

“Finn will be here any minute,” I bluffed. In reality, Finn wouldn’t be by for hours.See, this is where the mating bond would’ve come in handy.Not only would Finn know something was wrong, but Clyde would have difficulty killing me.

Fuck, I was suddenly regretting holding out. Thanks, brain, for having this realisation far too fucking late.

Still, I continued. “Finn won’t like you coming to my home like this.”

“It’s a free country,” Clyde said smoothly. “I can go where I please, thanks to those treaties.”

I’d heard enough about that to argue back. Funny how a few months ago I wouldn’t have said boo to a goose, but here I was, toe to toe with someone trying to break me.

“But you can’t hurt me,” I said forcefully. “Or kidnap me. That would violate the treaty. Finn’s clan would destroy yours.”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frightened. I was terrified. More than that though, I was pissed. Pissed that this dude was trying to intimidate me to get to his son. His son who he’dabused. That he was threatening me, knowing it would send Finn into a tailspin.

Anger was better than fear. I grabbed it with both hands and held tight.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong,” Clyde said, his hand going to my throat and squeezing lightly. My breath tried to come faster, but I willed it to stay steady. “Finn will be sobusy negotiating to save your life that he won’t doanything.”

He pouted mockingly. “You’d think his clan would’ve learned better by now. Danny lost his love because they weren’t mated, and here’s Finn taking the same risk with you.”

Fool. Stupid, stupid fool.

It was one thing for Finn to tell me how dangerous it was to be with a supe while not mated. Experiencing it was a different matter entirely.

“Finn won’t hand Reid over,” I said steadily. “It doesn’t matter what you do to me. They protect the innocent, unlike you.”

“The innocent,” Clyde spat, his eyes narrowing. “You mean theunnatural,because that’s what Reid is. It doesn’t matter anyway. Reid ismyproperty.”

My nostrils flared. “Humans aren’t property.”

Clyde chuckled, his hand tightening. “That’s where you’re wrong, Chester. You’re as much Finn’s property as Reid is mine. And we’re about to learn what he’s willing to pay to get you back.”

“I’m not going to pay anything.” I almost fainted at the sound of Finn’s voice. He was behind me, coming from the woods. “Because yer going to let Chester go right now.”

Clyde spun me, keeping his hand on my throat. In this position, I was facing Finn. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, his bones cracking in quick succession. He was completely nude, meaning he’d shifted to run here.

How had he known?

I didn’t give a shit about that right now, I was just fucking grateful he was here.

The murderous ice in his gaze softened as it met mine. “It’s all going to be okay, m’eudail. Keep your eyes on me.”

Clyde laughed in my ear, sending a chill down my spine. “You might be good, but you’re not that good, Finlay. Take one step towards me and I’ll snap your boy’s neck.”

More cracking came from Finn’s direction, but he didn’t shift. “Clyde, Chester has nothing to do with this. Let him go. This is your final warning.”

---