Page 27 of Tender Wild

Jared bucked again, this time upending the guy. The hyena threw his arms out to stop from hitting the wall, giving Jared the opportunity to squirm from under him.

As soon as he was on his feet, so was the hyena.

“Fuck you.” Jared’s fist crashed into the man’s face before the hyena could dodge the strike. The guy’s head snapped back, hitting the wall.

Holy shit! He’d actually landed the punch.

Spinning around, Jared took off, racing back toward Miguel. His heart nearly gave out when he saw his mate’s attacker aiming a tranquilizer gun at him. Without thinking, Jared jumped on the man’s back, burying his claws into the bastard’s neck.

Miguel was on his feet, driving his own claws into the other hyena’s gut with a fierce growl. He gripped the gun, aimed at the man’s throat, then fired.

The hyena who’d attacked his mate crumpled, making Jared jump off of him before he went down as well.

“Should’ve never underestimated me, asshole,” Jared spat at the man who’d tried to tranq him.

Miguel yanked his hand free, the second hyena falling to the floor. A sob escaped as Jared turned, clinging to his mate.

“Did he shoot you?” Miguel asked, arms wrapped tightly around Jared.

“No.” He shook his head and pulled back, wiping at his eyes. “You?”

Miguel shook his head then pulled Jared back into his arms.

* * * *

Matias quietly entered through Miguel’s back door, his footsteps almost silent despite his size. Night air clung to his leather jacket as he entered the kitchen, nostrils flaring at the mingled scents—blood, sweat, fear, and something chemical that made his wolf bristle.

His eyes scanned the room, taking in the overturned chairs, scattered utensils, and a knife lodged in the wall.

Two hyenas lay motionless on the floor, one with a dart in his neck, the other with a gaping wound across his abdomen. Matias crouched beside the nearest hyena, examining the dart embedded in his neck. Identical to those used at the warehouse, those fired at Miguel and Diablo on the road. His fingers closed around the man’s jaw, turning his face toward the light.

Not one of the hyenas they’d catalogued. “What happened here?” he asked Miguel, who stood by the entrance to the living room, one shoulder resting against the wall.

“Broke in through the back door,” Miguel said, voice steady despite the adrenaline still evident in his eyes. “Two of them, armed with tranquilizer guns. They entered the wrong house, they met their deaths.”

Matias nodded. “Either of you get hit with a dart?”

“No.” Anger tightened Miguel’s shoulders.

Diablo and Santiago entered, closing the door quietly behind them. “You good?” Diablo asked.

“Yeah.” Miguel ran a hand through his hair. “Didn’t like the fact my mate was here when these ass clowns broke in.”

The side of Diablo’s mouth curled upward. “Mate? Who’s the unlucky guy?”

Matias was glad to know Miguel’s wolf had chosen someone. The male deserved to be happy after all the bullshit he’d been through.

“That would be me.” Jared stepped into the room, no shoes or socks on, while Miguel stood there shirtless. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on. Jared took one look at him and sidestepped, now half-hidden behind Miguel.

Just fucking great. As if Matias’s life wasn’t complicated enough. Now he had to deal with Xavier again. It was bad enough with Kia, Jared’s cousin. He’d spent over an hour on the phone with the alpha about the guy’s nephew.

Now another nephew? His pack needed to go ahead and put him out of his misery. One bullet to the fucking head. Problemed solved.

“No shit.” Santiago chuckled. “Two pussycats in our pack now. Cesar is going to love hearing about this.”

Diablo snorted. “He’s gonna hide all the chicken wings.”

“I did not eat that many,” Jared argued, glanced at Matias, and curled his lips in.

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