“Stop looking at me like that.” She put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot.

“I don’t have time for this shit.” He finally took his attention elsewhere, looking around the room for something. He found it in the corner on a chair and took haste to retrieve it.

Her purse.

He tossed it, catching her a little off guard. “If you’re coming, you’d better at least have some protection.”

The gesture filled her with appreciation. “Thanks. You never know when I might need some Chapstick.”

“This isn’t a joke,” he growled, leading with his shoulder to knock her off balance and push past her to open the door. “There’s a good chance someone could die tonight.”

She prayed it wasn’t him.

The Ducati maneuvered through busy streets quick and easy. It also purred, the sound music to Hugh’s ears because it calmed his nerves. He tried focusing on that as Tess wiggled so snug against his backside he wanted to forget what the hell he needed to do and take her back to his bedroom.

Her closeness made it difficult to think about anything but what had almost happened between them. And how he craved her more than anything now. After tasting her lips, her neck, her breasts, he wanted to lick every inch of her, mark her as his. She needed to stay alive in order for that to happen.

While racing into possible danger, he told himself to stop worrying, stop giving a damn about anything other than finding Trey. Tess was an eliminator with sights on him. Their alliance equaled short term. She didn’t matter—but if anything happened to his young apprentice, he’d never forgive himself.

They headed into the seedier part of town with smaller, unkempt streets. Trash littered the broken sidewalks, bars trimmed windows of mom and pop shops, and a foul stench hung in the air. Cars with flat tires or broken windows appeared every block or so, buildings needed new stucco and paint.

Dane’s call had been about a fight between a couple of Wolf Seekers and Night Runners. Dane was certain the brawl started because the pack members had zeroed in on Trey’s location—and most likely the Wolf Seekers’ home base. They needed to strike, he’d told Hugh, before Trey was moved to a new location.

Slowing his speed, he took a corner and downshifted. Their destination came into view. According to their research, the old deserted public library had remained unoccupied for the better part of two years. Adjacent to it was a small park. Lots of grass, a few trees, a park bench. With tall streetlamps illuminating the area, it still looked like a nice place to relax. A little slice of heaven in a dilapidated setting.

He veered around to the side of the park and brought the bike to a stop beside a large tree trunk. Humidity hung in the air, the temperature warmer than usual for the end of September. With zero breeze, the tree leaves and grass blades didn’t sway in the slightest, yet the smell of charcoal made his nose twitch.

Traffic sounded in the distance, far enough away to guarantee some privacy on the quiet street.

Dane approached, followed by a few other Night Runners. The younger wolfen wore faded scratches on their faces, a few rips in their clothes. Hugh’s gut clenched.

Wolf Seekers knew how to fight Night Runners. They knew where to strike with the mercury knuckle bands they wore. They knew how to shoot a tranquilizer to slow them down.

He watched Tess take in the park and building. She knew exactly where they were and only arched her brows at him when she caught him looking at her. She had actually found Trey. A tip from one of her sources had led them to this location. She spared a glance at Dane before studying the other pack members. By the way she narrowed her eyes, he could tell she was trying to formulate an opinion about something.

“We’ve got confirmation that Trey’s inside,” Dane said. He didn’t acknowledge Tess.

“Good. You and I will go in, get Trey and get out. Boys, you’ll take up the perimeter and give us the signal if anyone else approaches. I don’t want anyone getting hurt if we can help it. Tess, you’ll stay here and watch the bike.”

Now that he knew for certain Trey was inside, he wouldn’t leave without him.

“I’m not—”

Hugh cut her off. “You will watch the bike.”

“I will—”

“Not move from this spot.” He got in her face. “Do you understand me?” He didn’t care that it sounded like a threat. All he cared about was keeping her safe.

She crossed her arms and didn’t say a word. He took that as her acceptance and moved toward the library with his men.

Before they reached the building, however, a group of Wolf Seekers spilled out the front door, looking left and right. When they caught sight of Hugh and his men, they froze. In the middle of their huddle stood Trey.

His mouth was swollen, one eye black and blue. A deep cut bisected his left eyebrow. With no time to waste, Hugh stepped forward and called out to the Wolf Seekers. “Let him go.”

A man Hugh recognized as the ringleader came forth. “You offering to take his place?”

“If that’s what it takes to get this done peacefully.”

The man chuckled. “Since when are Night Runners peaceful?”

To the best of Hugh’s recollection, his pack had never done anything to upset the Wolf Seekers. The Seekers had simply decided to rid Los Angeles of the pack strictly because they hated Veilers. There were groups of Wolf Seekers across the country with the same mission.

Hugh took a few more steps. “Why don’t you enlighten me on what it is you think we’ve done?”

“This is a simple retaliation. You take one of ours, we take one of yours.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’ve never taken one of yours.”

“You not only took him, but we found him dead. Your friend is only alive because we want you to watch him die.”

Fury festered inside Hugh. The asshole didn’t know what he was talking about, and if he thought Hugh would watch his apprentice die, he was delusional.

“I repeat: your accusation is wrong. And if you don’t hand over my friend, we’ll have to take him by any means necessary.”

The man didn’t squirm, didn’t flinch, didn’t move a muscle. “Ahh, what happened to peaceful now?”

“Hand him over.” He was done talking. The idea that the Wolf Seeker might be right stoked an unpleasant flame inside him. Something was wrong. Very wrong. No way could one of his pack be guilty of such an act without Hugh knowing about it.

Right?

Had he been too busy with his helicopter company to notice disobedience? Was he too wrapped up in his own world, too determined to keep distance between himself and others that he’d missed something so important? So detrimental to the pack?

No. Impossible. Trey would have told him. Dane would have told him.

“I can’t do that.”

Hugh counted seven Wolf Seekers. There were six of them, excluding Trey and Tess. He looked over his shoulder toward the bike.

Tess was gone.

Scanning the area for some sign of her, he clenched his fists, tightened his jaw. “What can you do?” Where the hell had she gone?

“As I said before, we’ll execute your man as you watch. Does now suit you?”

“You know I’m not going to stand by and watch.”

As if on cue, the six Wolf Seekers behind the foreman pulled out tranquilizer guns. “No, but maybe you’ll lay.”

In less than a second, Hugh, Dane and the other Night Runners shifted. If the Wolf Seekers wanted a fight, he’d give them a fight.

He knew it was sheer determination, mind over matter that made the Wolf Seekers think they were on an even playing field with wolfen. Sure, they were all over six feet, two hundred pounds, but Hugh didn’t doubt he and his pack mates would take them down.

They spread out and rushed the Wolf Seekers, their speed and agility no match for the overgrown men who ran toward them with guns raised.