“Derek took down the report word for word. The dealer went to pick up his stash from his supplier, the guy refuses to give Derek the supplier’s name, if you were about to ask. The guy says everything is going according to plan. And then out of nowhere a hooded figure appeared out of thin air, but come to find out the person was standing there all along. He couldn’t get a good look at the person, but his boss seemed afraid of who they were. When his supplier went to give him his regular supply, the hooded figure rested a hand on his boss’s shoulder, stopping him and pulled out a new stash and threw it to him. He was instructed to sell those and exactly who to sell them to. And get this, he was told not to sell it to any humans.”
“Humans, what the hell, Ryland?”
“The dealer’s words, not mine. Anyway, the hooded guy told him what neighborhoods to hit and what to look out for. The dealer was about to tell the hooded figure to ‘fuck off’ but the guy told Derek something more disturbing. The hooded figure waved his hand, and he was thrown from the spot he was standing on to the other side of the room.”
“Shit!” Duncan said. “So one of the other sects are involved. Maybe more than one.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Ryland agreed.
“What the fuck is going on, Ryland, who would want to start a war and why?”
“I don’t know,” Ryland whispered. “The only ones I know able to do shit like that are witches, wizards, and nyxians.”
“Why would any of them get involved, especially now?” Duncan asked. “They turned their backs on our world during the war along with the elfkins.”
“Well, whatever the hell is going on, it seems we are their main targets.”
“I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, Ryland.”
“Me too.”
“We need more information; I hate not knowing what’s happening or what’s coming. I’m going to have to warn the rest of the pack,” Duncan told him.
“We should wait until we have more to go on,” Ryland suggested.
Duncan nodded in agreement. “I need to call a meeting of all the Alphas and other shifter sects. We are going to have to band together and fight whatever is coming our way.”
“I agree,” Ryland said then looked at him pensively.
“What?”
“Not that I’m not happy you found your mate. And I know what I said earlier, but do you think now is the time to claim him?”
“It’s too late for that, Ryland, the mating process has already started.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.”
Chapter Seven
Duncan
Duncan stared down at the contracts in front of him, but his mind was miles away. After his talk with Ryland a few hours earlier regarding the threat to his pack, he doubled down on protection. He did not want to freak out his members, but he needed to keep them safe the best way he knew how.He had Carrie bring over a few contracts that he needed to read over, but his mind was not on the paperwork sitting in front of him. The kids enjoyed their sleepover so much they asked to spend another night with their friends. Seeing as they were with pack members, Duncan had no problem with it. His mind kept coming back to the hooded figure. It was another of those moments where he had no control over what was happening. It was no longer about drugs, if another more powerful sect somehow orchestrated the whole thing.
He didn’t rule out the possibility that they were also working with the hunters. Kallen still refused to give him any information and Duncan was starting to believe Sebastian in thinking that the hunter wanted to be caught.But why?Duncan had to admit the guy was stubborn. His enforcers were not going easy on the man. But Duncan needed to find a way to make Kallen talk. The longer he held out the more his pack would be in danger. There was one thing that Kallen was wrong about, no one had tried to make contact to get him released. Either he was someone who just joined the Blackburn Organization, or he wasn’t important enough to bargain for his life.
Adding to his worries was Jordan, his mate. Knowing that he would not be able to stay away from Jordan, he’d heard when Jordan returned home hours before and was waiting for the right time to talk to him. Once they were mated, Duncan understood his life was going to change in more ways than one. He would have to introduce Jordan to his pack as his mate. Everything owned would also belong to Jordan. He should still be freaking out that he was going to share his life with a man. But he wasn’t, he felt calm and settled. In all his years on earth he never once thought that his mate would turn out to be a man and a human at that. He was taking the first step towards their mating, by staying very close to him.
It wouldn’t stop the discomfort he was feeling because their bond wasn’t complete, but it would help. His skin felt as if he was being burned slowly from the inside out. He had a headache that didn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. He’d lost his appetite already, and he knew that it was all because their bond was incomplete.He threw his pen down on his desk and got up. He had one mission on his mind, he needed to talk with Jordan and tell him everything. It was still early, he and Jordan had the house to themselves. Duncan searched the kitchen and found it empty. He wasn’t going to back down, he and his mate had to get a few things straight. Using his nose as his guide, it led him up the stairs, stopping in front of Jordan’s bedroom. He knocked and waited for Jordan to answer.
“I’ve been expecting you,” Jordan told him the minute he opened the door. “Come in.” He stepped aside, leaving room for Duncan to enter.
The minute he walked into the room, he noticed the large packed bag on the bed. He turned to look at Jordan. “Planning on going somewhere?”
“I can’t stay here,” Jordan said, walking over to his bed, stuffing more things inside. “Not after what I’ve done to you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
