Page 23 of Locke

Tajah’s magic had grown and strengthened with the human technology, just as Idris continued to yield his witches and warlocks to his cause. Emm would see the recording now, but later…she will be one pissed-off female when she realizes it will all be erased.

Good thing I like my female feisty.

My mate had also spent time at the bar. My intuition told me she liked it there, being around our club, but part of it was she was hoping to have them trust her enough, so she could find out where I was.

They wouldn’t tell her, or they would at least give her a run-around answer, until I had my way of dealing with her.

I was fond of her tenaciousness. She was trying to protect her family, wherever the fuck they were. With the intruder in her home, I knew she worried about her family more now. I snorted. She won’t have to worry for long once I take care of it. My mate will see me as a complete asshole once she realizes what I’ve done.

Like most people do, but that is no loss there.

Currently, she was at a table with Bones, asking boring-ass questions about what he does for the club as he nursed his drink. There was tiredness in his eyes. He’s got more white in his beard. My mate smiled at him. It only fueled a deep, primal aggression inside me. To rip Bones apart, to dig into his chest and eat out his heart. I let out a snarl and Grim set his hand on the side of my furless body.

“I get it,” Grim grumbled. “But you can’t let her know you’re here, and I’d prefer not to find another doc. He’s actually pretty good.”

I grumbled and set my enormous head on the table. The darkness at the back table, where I normally sat in my human form, is dark enough that a human would have trouble seeing, but the members knew I was here.

The bar was busy. Glasses clinked, laughter echoed over the shouts, balls at the pool table smacked together. It was still hard to zone into Bones and my mate’s conversation with all the background noise. It was like I was a fucking pup all over again.

“Duke Idris hasn’t moved since you’d gone rabid. No new humans in or out of the mansion in New York. Delilah and Nadiaput together a map of all the hidden passages. I assume Idris knows about them, but then again, he may not. There is one that leads in and out of the mansion that comes out by a river. That was completed four years ago and left off any blueprints. Delilah’s ex-husband ordered the people, who constructed the passageway, to be shot once they completed it. All evidence destroyed.”

Yeah, Delilah’s ex-husband, Shane, was an absolute prick. Her stepbrother made her marry him into the family mafia business on the eastside of the country. Duke Idris, the Dark Fae, took control of Shane’s estate, after Shane was ripped to pieces by Delilah, Grim, Hawke and myself, before we finally beheaded him. The aftermath has been a mess since then.

I licked my maw and continued to stare at my mate making small talk across the bar. The smoke haze made me crave for a cigarette, but my wolf heaved, not liking the idea.

Fuck, he’s back, so now that means I have to give up my vices.

I grunted and nudged Grim to continue. He chuckled toward my mate and took a drink of his beer.

“Anyway, we got in touch with a coven. We have partnered with them and they are willing to help.”

I lifted my lip, showing my fang in disgust.

“I know you don’t like it. Most blood suckers don’t like us, but apparently, Idris stole some of their own. Besides, this coven came to Earth to start fresh, not to live the old ways of Elysian with fighting and bickering. They came to Earth for peace; a do-over.”

I raised a brow at that. Were more and more supernaturals leaving the Elysian realm? Has it gotten that out of control? The Royal Council have always been pricks, but it was usually those who were in higher ranks that got the short end of the stick.

“Anyway, the elves plan on doing a stealth mission, with some of the mated shifters and the Heaven’s Raiders Coven, to bringthe innocent back here. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving, but if you feel in control?”

I nodded my head once. I was more than capable.

And, what the hell? Heaven’s Raiders Coven? That was a stupid name.

“Hawke and Dede are staying, obviously, because of the pup. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was knocked up again, already.”

I chuckled. The bastard would. And without Delilah knowing too.

It isn’t a horrible idea, either.

My mate laughed again, and I took my enormous paw and stepped forward. Grim thrust his hand in front of me and placed it on my chest to pull me back. “Easy, man. Easy. You got this.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised he hasn’t ripped Bones up, yet. He’s being a complete douche. He knows Locke is back here.” Hawke strode up with a beer in his hand. “Hey, Fluffy, how you doing?” Hawke chuckled, and I stuck my tail out.

Hawke didn’t pay attention since he was taking a sip, and fell forward. He tumbled onto the ground, and I couldn’t help but snicker at the sight of my brother struggling to catch his breath, the beer spilling out of his mouth.

Grim pulled me back, and shook his head. “Easy, Locke. We don’t want to draw attention.”

I glanced at my mate and Bones, still engaged in conversation. They were both too focused on their discussion to notice the commotion at our end of the bar.

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