Page 34 of Honey Heat
A moment later, Tomas slid into the vacant chair.
Lucio savored another sip of whiskey. The amber liquid caught the light filtering through the tavern’s windows, creating golden patterns across the scarred wooden table.
Ethan and Noel, Tomas’s elegido, appeared at the bar, saying something to Suero, who was helping out behind the counter. Flour dusted Ethan’s cheek, the sight making something tighten in Luca’s chest.
A feeling he was still getting used to.
Suero set a serving tray on the polished wood and began to fill it with glasses of soda.
A sudden hush fell over the tavern as the front door swung open. Matias Salvador entered, his presence commanding attention without a single word spoken. Tall and broad-shouldered, the alpha moved with predatory grace, his dark eyes scanning the room. Behind him, Elijah followed then took off toward the kitchen, wearing a goofy grin.
Matias made his way to the center of the room, pack members parting before him like water around stone. When he reached the middle, he turned slowly, ensuring every eye was on him.
“Earlier today,” Matias began, his voice carrying effortlessly through the silent room, “I received a call from Mrs. Hernandez, who lives on County Road 8. “She was looking out her kitchen window when Chopper was shot. She saw the whole thing.”
The room remained silent, everyone hanging on to his words. Lucio felt his grip tighten around his glass.
Matias’s gaze swept the room. “The shooter was Deputy Gilmore.”
The tavern erupted into snarls and curses. Chairs scraped against the floor as several wolves stood, eyes flashing amber. The scent of rage filled the air, thick enough to taste.
Matias raised a hand, and immediately the snarls subsided to a tense silence.
Lucio exchanged glances with Suero, whose knuckles had gone white around his beer bottle. Raphael’s face had darkened, a muscle jumping in his jaw.
“Chopper’s condition?” Hernán called from the back.
“Stable,” Matias replied. “Martinez says he’ll recover, but it was close. Too close.”
Lucio agreed. He’d visited the brother a few times, but Chopper had yet to regain consciousness.
Lucio stood, feeling every eye in the room turn to him. “There’s more,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “My mate was held captive and tortured for information about the bear clan’s territory. He overheard his captors talking about harvesting biological material from different shifter species.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Lucio continued. “They’re developing something, possibly a serum to enhance hyena abilities or to sell to the highest bidder.”
“And the man in the suit?” Matias asked, his expression revealing nothing.
“Ethan confirmed he’d seen the man from the security footage,” Lucio replied. “He seemed to be in charge, observing everything.”
The pack exchanged worried glances, the implications sinking in. Targeting shifters for their biological traits meant none of them were safe.
“So they’re hunting us for parts,” Suero growled. “Like we’re fucking lab rats.”
“They went from trying to trap our beasts inside of us to trying to steal them,” Santiago said with disgust.
Lucio glanced at Diablo, but the wolf’s expression was unreadable.
“Luca.” Matias nodded toward the mechanic. “You have something to add?”
“We already know Gilmore is working with the hyenas. The same ones who tried to kill me and threatened Darcy. This isn’t a coincidence. It’s a coordinated attack.”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. The air grew heavy with tension as everyone waited for Matias’s response.
When their alpha spoke again, his voice was quiet but carried a deadly edge that made Lucio’s wolf stand at attention.
“For years, I’ve maintained a policy of non-interference with local law enforcement,” Matias said. “Even the corrupt ones. It kept the peace, avoided unnecessary attention.”
He paused, his gaze hardening.
