Mia held a hand to her stomach. “She needs help. Her child was killed, and Pete did it. There’s some truth to what she said. You can’t kill her, Seth. Please.”
Erik looked from Mia to Claire. “We can’t just turn her over to the authorities, Mia.”
Mia scrambled to find a solution. “What about Lost Asylum? She could actually get help there.”
Seth moved in front of Mia, facing Claire. “You’ve got one shot. We’ll let you plead guilty and go to the Lost Asylum. But if you say one word about wolf shifters, Claire, I’ll kill you myself.”
Mia reached back and pressed her palms against the rough bark of the tree, trying to stay on her feet. “I think that’s fair.”
Chapter41
Erik drove while Seth held Mia on his lap. He couldn’t believe it when he’d heard the truck roar away. He had given a strict order, so he immediately followed on foot with Erik flanking him. He’d had to leave Todd back at the house to cover the FBI agent and the interlopers.
“I don’t think we should’ve left Claire tied to a tree,” Mia protested again, holding a hand to her bruised face. Between the new contusion and the angry marks on her neck from Rodney, Seth’s woman was a mess.
“We called Greg to come fetch her,” Erik said tersely. “We have a situation at home.”
They reached the house, and Seth jumped out of the truck, crossing immediately to the backyard where Yassi was still standing near the tree line with a furious-looking Luna. The shifters were still nude, obviously having run in wolf form to his property. Uninvited.
Erik took three steps beyond the edge of the deck. “Luna, come here,” he ordered.
“She stays right here,” Yassi said.
As if out of nowhere, Jackson Tryne walked from the western tree line.
“Ah, great,” Seth muttered, putting Mia back in the chair. “Stay where I put you this time, would you?” He tried to put levity into his voice, but by the low growl, he knew he’d failed. Even so, she rolled her eyes at him, so at least he hadn’t scared her much. “Jackson, what are you doing here?”
Jackson’s eyebrows rose. “I got a call from you to be here.”
“I didn’t call you,” Seth drawled, moving out to the edge of the deck and completely ignoring his brother when he tried to nudge him out of the line of fire. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he partially turned to the west.
Seconds later, Philip Nightsom strode out with his daughter, flanked by three Enforcers.
“Hi, Emily,” Erik called. “Wasn’t expecting you.”
The tall blonde shrugged, and Seth made a mental note to stare into her eyes and not any lower to her nude body. “You requested our presence.”
“I didn’t call any of you,” Seth snapped.
Kurt sat up straighter, his gaze on Emily. “Forget what I said about the naked problem. Naked is good. I love naked.”
Erik growled.
Jackson snorted. “Come on, Seth. You obviously smelled us coming.”
“I did,” Seth agreed. “But I don’t know why you’re here, and as usual, I’m a mite peeved you didn’t bother with Enforcers, cousin. It’s insulting.”
Jackson shrugged. “We’re family.”
Yassi took Luna’s arm and swung her, throwing her to the ground. She rolled twice and came up, leaves matted in her hair, a couple stuck to her nude body. The little scientist was curvy in all the right places and made no effort to cover herself. Cute.
Erik growled low, and only Seth’s lifted finger kept him from charging.
“She helped you, and she’s a traitor,” Yassi said. “I invited everyone here, acting as you, so everything could be settled and witnessed by all. You’ve got one option here.”
“What’s that?” Seth asked mildly, knowing of at least two options because he could take off the man’s head with little effort.
“She mates you, Volk,” he said to Erik.
