Midnight Wolf (Shifters Unbound #11)(79)

“I learned to, because if I didn’t, I’d sit down and never get up again. I lost my sister to Shifter hunters. We were close, Angus. I can’t explain how close. And then she was gone. My mother was gone too, locked away. I’d made the decision to run when Shifter Bureau came for us. The price has been losing my sister and never seeing my mother. I don’t want to risk my mother’s relative freedom by trying to contact her—she might be punished with me if I’m caught.”

“Goddess, Tamsin, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.” Tamsin lay down again, resting her head on his shoulder as he continued to stroke her hair. His large hand was strong, warm in the darkness. “And now I don’t want to lose you too. But you’re risking everything staying with me.”

He kissed her forehead. “You let me worry about that, love.”

Tamsin popped her head up. “Sorry, I can’t just forget that you and your cub could be arrested for not going home to Shiftertown like good boys. So what happens? Do you throw off your Collar and run away with me? Or do I lock myself into your Shiftertown and pray Shifter Bureau doesn’t notice me or execute me? And Tiger let slip that if a Shifter disappears from his Shiftertown, its leader is punished, and other Shifters in that Shiftertown might be too.”

Angus’s eyes glittered. “Tiger told you that?”

“He was trying to explain to me why he wouldn’t be missed from the Austin Shiftertown. He doesn’t exist, he said—there’s no true record of him. There’s a fake one if Shifter Bureau does a head count, but the Morrisseys cover for Tiger if he’s off on a mission for them. He explained that if they didn’t cover, the Morrisseys might be punished or removed from power, probably both.”

“Yeah, I believe it.” Angus let out a breath. “When my brother ran off, Spence was called onto the carpet. He was again this year when a Shifter called Brice vanished without a trace, as did a few other Shifters in our and other Shiftertowns. Brice was killed, so at least he’s accounted for. Our Guardian sent him to dust. But Spence had to talk fast to keep his position.”

“So what will he tell them this time?”

Angus cupped her cheek. “I could always pretend to be dead. Have the Guardian show Shifter Bureau a cloth full of dust.”

Tamsin sat up straight. “Fake our own deaths. Oh, that’s—”

“Tamsin.” Angus slid his hand behind her neck. “I wasn’t serious.”

“But it’s a perfect solution. Then we can—”

Her words were cut off as Angus dragged her down to him for a forceful kiss. “We’ll think of something else,” he said in a low voice. “Something not so drastic. All right?”

The kiss more than his words made Tamsin want to cease talking. “Sure. We’ll think of something.”

Tamsin bent to him for another kiss, letting her thoughts scatter as Angus’s hands warmed her back. Tamsin slid over him, finding him hard and ready, and she eased herself down on him, letting intense pleasure fill her as he slid inside.

They could talk of the future later. The now was plenty good at the moment.

Tiger sought Angus the next morning as he worked to set up the pirate swing ride, perfectly repaired and safe now. Tiger waited until Angus told the guys he’d take a break, and they walked away together. Tiger, as usual, got straight to the point.

“It’s there,” he said. “Ben found it. He said to tell you that the ball is now in your court.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE


Angus asked Dante to watch over Ciaran, and Dante agreed. The only one not happy with the arrangement was Ciaran.

“Dad, I want to go with you!”

Ciaran’s panic wound around Angus, making him want to say to hell with Gavan’s mess and Shifter Bureau and the danger the arsenal posed. He wanted to stay put, hold his cub close, stay next to him forever.

He lifted Ciaran into his arms. As a human boy, he was getting too tall to be picked up, but Angus cared nothing for that. He kissed Ciaran’s hair. “I know, son, but you’ll be safer here with Dante. What Tamsin and I have to do is dangerous. I can’t look after both you and her at the same time. You know what trouble she gets herself into.”

Ciaran lifted his head, his stubborn scowl a mirror of Angus’s own. “Then Tamsin has to stay with me. Dante and Celene can look after her too.”

“That’s what I want, believe me, but she won’t listen.”

He and Tamsin had already had a long and loud argument on precisely this topic. Tamsin refused to remain behind. Angus needed protecting, she said, or he’d get himself killed. She would evade capture as she had all her life—she was good at it. Angus, on the other hand, was too slow and lumbering, she claimed, and they’d catch him without a problem.

Angus finally gave in only because he knew Tamsin would do something asshole stupid if he tried to leave her behind, like run off in the night to Shreveport alone or follow him. If they went together, at least Angus could keep an eye on her.

Ciaran, on the other hand, needed to stay well away from Shifter Bureau and Shiftertowns. If Angus and Tamsin were caught, Ciaran would be hidden with Dante, well guarded.

Ciaran’s mulish look didn’t disguise his tears. “What if you don’t come back?”