Hunted (Pack of Dawn and Destiny, #1)(41)

Greyson watched the hunters with an emotionless mask. “I know.”

Surprised, I turned away from the hunters. “What? How could you know? He told us he was coming to tell you!”

“Pre-Dominant Harka sent me the report as soon as she received it,” Greyson said.

Ahhh yes, that’s hardly surprising considering she practically hand picked him as her replacement.

“So, what do you think?” I asked.

Greyson’s expression was unreadable as he looked out at the chaos I had caused. “I think someone is playing a dangerous game, and gravely underestimates the power of the Northern Lakes Pack.”

His golden eyes seemed to glow as he spoke, and the werewolves—sensitive to the influence of his power—immediately swung around to face him.

He let his arm slide off my shoulders and took a few steps closer to his wolves, making them stand straighter with their chests puffed and their eyes fixed on him.

“Showoff,” I mouthed at Greyson’s back.

He must have sensed my mutinous spirit somehow—even though I didn’t actually say anything—because he abruptly swung around to face me again.

“I’ll take you to the Curia Cloisters when you are called there,” he said. “I can tell them to hold the inquiry over the weekend so you won’t need another day off when you report in.”

I relaxed, gratified that was all he wanted. “I’d appreciate the weekend thing, but you don’t need to drive me. I have a car. I can drive myself. It’s a few hours away, but maybe I’ll spend the weekend there and see if I can visit Chase at the Night Court.”

“You live with my Pack,” Greyson said. “My rules.”

Your rules? Your. Rules? That settles it. I’m asking Aeric to start putting GPS tracking on Greyson’s phones so I can give his exact location to all visiting werewolf females. Maybe I’ll even start advertising it as a travel package—“Are you the Alpha-bachelor’s mate? Find out over a long weekend trip to picturesque northern Wisconsin!” We could merchandise it and make a killing!

Soothed by my plan of action, I was able to keep a pleasant expression on. “So glad to hear that even though you’re a busy Alpha with a lot of responsibilities, you can take time off to drive me—who is perfectly capable of driving myself.”

“You’ll need the backup,” Greyson said. “I won’t pit you against the entire Curia Cloisters on your own.”

Softened by the explanation, I relaxed. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll call the Quillons while I walk home. They’ll have one of their fancy lawyers waiting at the Cloisters for me. They’re supposedly hunters, but I’m pretty sure the lawyers are part fae—or at least get coaching from fae—because they have a way with words that is terrifying.”

Greyson rubbed the five o’clock shadow that stubbled his jawline. “That’s not good enough. I’ll reach out to my contacts. They’ll keep me updated with the process.” He meaningfully looked at Amos, who was holding a tissue to his nose as he shouted over his cellphone.

“Besides,” Greyson said. “I know why you hit him.” His eyes flicked to the werewolves and humans. “The Pack owes you.”

“Oh. Thanks.” I awkwardly cleared my throat.

Greyson watched me for a moment longer, the intensity of his golden eyes making me want to fidget even though I couldn’t feel his compulsive power behind it.

When he turned away to address the wolves, I sagged a little, grateful the moment was over.

It is not fair at all that I’m told I have dog vibes when Greyson—who can actually turn into a wolf—has enough charisma to choke a person.

I slid my thumbs under the canvas straps of my backpack and hiked them farther up, then turned in the direction of my cottage to make my escape.

Behind me, Amos Fletching railed on his phone. “Yes, a report! I was attacked, by a hunter, and I want full charges to be brought against her!”





*



The car ride down to Magiford—which was placed halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago, straddling the state lines of Wisconsin and Illinois—took roughly four and a half hours.

The solo car time with Greyson wasn’t too bad. We got started at about four in the morning, and he let me doze in the back seat as he phoned in to some werewolf Alpha conference call with some of the top Alphas in North America.

It wasn’t until we stopped to pick up coffee for Greyson and hot cocoa for me around seven that he alternated jostling and swerving the car. I got the hint and woke up.

“You know who your arbiter is?” Greyson asked me.

I juggled my mostly drunk hot cocoa as I wiped sleep from my eyes, then unlocked my phone so I could blearily peer at my screen. “Yep. The paperwork just came through. Arbiter Tanaka. My lawyer from the Quillons—Gigi—will meet us at the Arbiter’s office. She’s checking into something.” I wiped dried drool from the corner of my mouth and batted at the heavy presence of Greyson’s powers that hung in the car.

My hunter powers had already kicked in, so it didn’t physically affect me. I could talk, speak, and move just fine. But I still didn’t like it—it was like he was everywhere, even though I’d dragged myself into the back seat, as far away from him as I could get.