Page 2 of The Wolf's Kidnapped Mate

“Wasn’t she the one who came up with Operation Paragon?”

“Yeah, she was the brains. I was the muscle.” He coughed, cleared his throat, made another hacking sound that made it sound like he might have been sick. He spat whatever he’d collected in his mouth into what I hoped was a sink or a toilet. “Should have never taken her to fucking Tehran of all places.”

My shoulders dipped together as I bowed my head. “Yeah, well, we can’t change the past can we?” I drummed the table with the fingers of my left hand. “Anyway, she’s doing alright, Liam. You can rest assured on that.”

“You have to protect her at all costs.”

“All costs?” I lifted my head. “So like, what, marry her?”

He cackled, making the speaker crackle with static. “Not in a million years, my dude. Don’t even dream of it.”

I shrugged. “Well, you saidall costs.”

“Look alive. But don’t you dare marry my sister.”

Those were clear orders. I would respect them within an inch of my life. And considering I didn’t have any romantic plans for Kylie, it was an easy task. “10-4.”

“You should have been the one to come to Tehran. I can’t believe Douglas sacked you.”

“Yeah, well…” Distance grew between us. More than what already existed. And then I felt the urge to run into the greenhouse. “I should get going.”

“Not before we review the plan.”

One massive sigh later, I was leaning back in my chair. “Alright, hit me.”

“I will if you get my sister hurt.”

“Noted. Now, I already got into the pack through Virginia. Blake and Troy know what’s up. I’ve got to talk to their security dude. Some guy named Jermaine.”

Liam whistled. “That guy’s a grumpy-ass bear. Be warned.”

“Twice noted.”

“You’ll go over the basics with Jermaine. I’m sorry I can’t be there. I’m sorry you have to deal with my mess.”

I shook my head. “How long were we the grim dogs?”

“I don’t know. Ten years?”

“And in that time, when have you ever apologized?”

My buddy seemed stunned by the question. Or he was trying to quietly scrape more crap out of his lungs without me being privy to it. Who knew which it would be with him? His reactions weren’t exactly predictable, and it wasn’t like I could see his face right now.

Sometimes, technology could just be a huge pain in the ass.

“Don’t get used to it,” Liam warned in a flat tone. “I need to apologize to Kylie too. But one thing at a time. I’m wrapped up in this shit in Canada and—”

Static crowded the line. I took the phone off its barely functional speaker setting and held the brick to my ear. “And you need someone on the inside. I get it.”

“Bernadetti was spotted in the areas surrounding Beaufort. I don’t have exact coordinates yet. I need you two to draw him out into the light if he happens to go into town. Karla and Cora should already be en route. They’ll stay nearby.”

“Where nearby?”

He coughed. “Irrelevant. You’ll move Kylie into position, yank Bernadetti out of his little hidey-hole, and the Blonde Dalmatians will take him into custody.”

I snorted. “Blonde Dalmatians.”

“Listen, they picked their code names. Not me.”

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