He was, sadly, too used to that smell but it had been a hell of a long time since he’d had it shoved in his face.
Scent memories were a bitch, far stronger than any other kind, and he’d had way too many experiences with bombs back in the Middle East to want to take a trip down memory lane.
A sigh came from Bailey.“You want to know why I came over to you?”
Shawn frowned.“Huh?”
“I wasn’t supposed to.I’m not lead on this, but I’m a Wolf.I know this is Lion land.”
Well, Shawn hadn’t expected that.Although...Now he thought about it, he’d recognized the ultra-focus of Bailey’s eyes moments before.He’d seen that in his men.There was no avoiding the weird way the Shifters could zoom in on a topic and cling onto it with tooth and claw.
He rubbed his jaw.“Well, that changes things.”
Bailey snorted.“Thought it might.Where’s the Pride leader?”
“He was hit in the blast.”
“He’ll have gone inside then.To heal.If he survived the explosion, that is?”
Shawn grimaced.“I genuinely don’t know if he survived or not.”Guilt speared through him; El would be crushed if Ryan wasn’t okay.
Though the bonds between the mates were still new and fragile, he knew El was already head over heels for the men who’d entered her life only weeks before.
She wouldn’t have slept with them otherwise.“You know about the Triad thing, right?”
Bailey snorted.“Yeah.I do.Different for wolves, but we know how the cats work.”
Interest sparked, Shawn was about to ask how things worked for wolves, but then thought better of it.“So, Ryan’s the leader, Trip and Marc are his brothers.Ryan and Trip were due to head out to Pantera territory today.”
Bailey stiffened at his side.“They were going to Pantera land?”
“Yeah.”
“But they’re enemies.”
Shawn rubbed his jaw again.“Look, you have to scent that I’m human.”
“Yeah.I do.Which is what makes it very interesting you know all the shit going on here.”Baily cut him a piercing look that Shawn ignored.
“You have to know I don’t know how much I can share with you.”He held out a hand.“I can take you to Pride House and let you talk to someone who knows the politics of the situation.”
Bailey snorted.“Why do you think I came to talk to you?The one person in this place who smells of human not cat.I want to know what’s going on.”
“And like I told you, it’s above your pay grade.”
Bailey shook his head.“Not if I can impress my superiors; and if I impress the Pride, they’ll make that happen.They don’t like Wolves, but we’re not enemies.And more paranormals on staff is good for all for us.”
Shawn frowned.“Why are you telling me all this?”
Bailey wriggled his shoulders.“This kind of shit… with these kind of people?It’s an opportunity for advancement I’m not letting up.”
Maybe Shawn shouldn’t have been surprised by the man’s honesty, or his desire for promotion, but he was.
Saying that, his woman’s new home and her lovers had just been targeted by a bomb.
He was allowed to be shaky.
“Why should I help you?”
