Page 36 of Crush's Fall

Trip and Ranger both opened their mouths to retort, but Axle turned around in his chair, and Crush could imagine the no-nonsense glare Axle was giving them when he bit out, “Not. Another. Word.” In response, both of them snapped their mouths shut.Smart.

Lira waved a hand over her shoulder, and her crew stepped forward and lined up. “Let’s sort out these partnerships.”

For the next thirty minutes, Axle and Crush worked with Lira to place champions with members of the Howlers or the Claws and organize the general logistics for the war.

As they left Milhawk Investigations, Crush noticed a bruise on the jaw of her club sister. Halo tried covering it with makeup, but Crush’s shifter sight was able to spot it pretty easily. When they reached the clubhouse, she pulled Halo aside. Standing near the back of the clubhouse in the parking lot, Crush pointed to Halo’s jaw. “Explain.”

Halo let out a sigh. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Then explain.”

After staring back at Crush for a long moment, Halo replied, “I didn’t just take it. He has a matching bruise.”

Crush bit out, “As he should.” She forced herself to take a few deep breaths. Her tiger was demanding she end the prick, but Crush knew better than to blindly follow the orders of her tiger. If she did, the world would be ashes by now. Instead of taking off on her bike to do away with Halo’s boyfriend, she met her club sister’s gaze and asked, “Want me to teach him how to treat you right?”

Halo grinned but shook her head. “Not yet.”

“If you change your mind—”

“I know where to find you.”

As much as it grated on Crush’s moral code, she didn’t go after the man and let Halo decide how to handle the situation. She calmed her tiger by vowing that they wouldn’t let it go next time. No, they would end him and make it painful.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A week later… Axle

Axlehadspentthirtyminutes on the phone with his father, Joker, the former president and now retired member of the Howlers, getting all the flight information for when the retired members would arrive in Michigan. He was worried about the war and needed guidance from his father, but a part of him was also worried about having the retired members returning. Putting even more of his family in danger didn’t sit well with him. He knew better than to push Joker on it, though. His father would be pissed if he suggested they stay out of it.

When Axle took over the club, Joker and the rest of the older members moved to Florida to allow for the younger members to take over management without too much of a power struggle. It had been time for a change, so the older club brothers set up a retired chapter in their new state.

Axle tried again to convince his father to let the Howlers pick them up, but Joker wasn’t having any of it. He told Axle he’d rent a car at the airport. Joker was coming with Griff and Thrash, Dragon and Rebel’s fathers, the following afternoon. Joker had somehow convinced his Ol’ Lady, Tweetie, to stay home with the other Ol’ Ladies. Tweetie wasn’t Axle’s birth mother like she was Trip’s, but she was his mom all the same. He didn’t want her anywhere near Warden’s Pass when there was a biker war going on.

Before he hung up the phone, Axle promised to keep Joker updated as to the movements in the meantime, then he and Crush made their way to the cafeteria where they were meeting with Lira and the other champions. Skull, Pinky, Pike, and Nails were already there.

When they entered the room, Axle was surprised that it was so quiet. Usually, there was talking going on when there were group events in their building. The silence was a bit unnerving to him.

There were four rectangular tables in use, each able to seat six to eight people. Three of the tables were filled with champions. At the fourth table, Lira and Marya sat with Pinky and Skull. Pike and Nails were standing off to the side, watching.

Axle and Crush took the seats between Skull and Pinky. He gave Lira a nod. “Thanks for getting all the champions together.”

“We’re here to help,” Lira responded.

Crush crossed her arms over her chest and relaxed back. “In order to be effective, we need to know what weapons we have at our disposal.”

Lira gave a nod. “That’s understandable. What I need you to know going into this conversation is that each of the champions gets to decide what they are comfortable doing. We will not be forced to use powers we aren’t comfortable using.”

Axle shrugged. “That’s understandable.”

“Great.” Lira took a deep breath and looked behind her. Two women raised their hands. “Along with Marya and myself, Rebekkah and Mezanya are Aileron Aegis champions. That means we serve Colvyr, the God of Stratera — the God of Balance and Calm, usually just referred to as the God of Balance.”

“The guy in the boat shoes that I met.”

Lira faced him again and nodded. “Yes. Our specialty is of the air. We are bird shifters. We have enhanced speed, agility, strength, hearing, and sight.”

“Bird shifters?” Crush sat up and looked intrigued, a slight smile on her face.

“Yes,” Lira chuckled. “Hawks, eagles, and ravens, mostly. Some falcons. We’re a bit larger, just like you guys and your animal forms.”

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