Being a Shifter was pretty fucking cool even if it was a nightmare too.
“They’re claiming they had nothing to do with the blast.But they’re having power struggles among the Council, so they’re not likely to share everything with us at this time anyway.”
“Council challenges or not, that means, as we already surmised, it’s someone in the Pride.”Trip’s tone was grim.
Santiago murmured, “We can’t discern any other outside enemies.Even the people who targeted the Luna in the past… we’ve had access to the files for over a week now and can see no correlation at all.No reason to suspect the bomber is anyone other than Pride.”
Ryan hissed.“That’s news to really wreck my fucking week, and it’s already been pretty fucked up.”She could just imagine how he’d be running his hands through his hair in exasperation; and that she knew that, knew that was how he’d respond warmed her.
These men were hers, and the truth was, she was relieved the bombers were Pride.As horrible as that sounded, she wasn’t sure if she could have stood for the bastards who targeted her to have been behind that horrendous and cowardly attack on the Pride compound.
Especially as she could have lost her two mates were it not for the weird mating habits of Panther females…
She cupped her throat, hating that if she hadn’t met them when she had, and if that bomb had been planned for months, they would be dead now.
Only her presence was the anomaly.The plotters could never have imagined they’d find their mate when they did, and they sure as shit would never have foreseen the fact she was a Panther.
So many coincidences and so many close calls… they made her feel sick with the terror of it.
“Whatabout the data El’s father sent over?”Trip demanded.“Have you found anything in there that could help us narrow down why she’s always under threat?”
Erickson grunted.“Have you scheduled a meeting with the Pantera Council?”
“No.Not yet.”
“I think that’s vital, sir.They’re withholding something, but they’re not willing to pass that kind of intel onto us.However, as the Luna is Panther… they’re more than likely going to be willing to share information with her.”
“Not necessarily,” Ryan argued.“They’ll see her as having infiltrated the Pride and having been stained by us.”
Trip cleared his throat.“I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“Why not?”
“Marc told me something last night.He and Shawn have known for a while, but what with everything...”He hesitated.“El’s mother was the daughter of Elian Rodriguez Garcia.”
A hiss sounded in the room.“And you’re only just telling me this now?Goddammit!”Ryan exploded, and she heard his hand smack down against the desk with enough force to make her ears ring.
She shot Marc a look, and though he was grimacing, he didn’t look scared.But then, why would he be scared of Ryan?Even pissed, she knew he’d never hurt any of them.
Shout at them a lot, sure.But hurt?Nah.
And though stick and stones did break bones, and words were more painful, Ryan never aimed to wound.
He had a temper, but that was because he was under a lot of pressure.It was a wonder he didn’t blow his top more often than he did.
“Marc?Goddammit, are you out there?”
“Yeah, Ryan.I’m here,” he said, his tone more of a grumble than anything else.
“Get your ass in here and tell me why you didn’t inform me El’s the last leader’s granddaughter.”
El swallowed at that, and realizing that her instincts had been bang on the money about something going down, she got to her feet, intending on going in there with Marc.
But, he grabbed her, brought her to a halt just as Ryan demanded, “El, you have to stay in there.”He must have realized he’d boomed the words at her, because, softer now, he murmured, “I’m sorry, baby, but we won’t be able to think with your pheromones all over the place.I can smell you in here and it’s hard to focus.”
Her eyes widened in response to that—her scent was so pungent?Jesus.
But then, as she looked at Marc, she saw his pupils were dilated, and that his cock was, once again, nudging her in the belly.
