“The contract is void, and there can be no comeback.”
“But we were promised?—”
Auden cut off the tiger shifter. “Take that up with those who sold him to you.”
“We need to discuss this,” one of the humans grumbled.
“No, no. This is the discussion, and yes, you do have a choice. 1) you accept my offer or 2) we kill you.” He checked his watch. “Tick-tock. You have one minute to decide.”
Roland leaned on me. “Could it really be this easy?”
I shrugged. I was skeptical, but Auden appeared to think so, and he obviously had Creven’s support.
The poachers were arguing amongst themselves, with the tiger and the humans wanting to fight. But the horses were in favor of killing those who sold them Roland, saying they never mentioned he was now part of a pack.
Auden tapped his watch. “Sounds like that’s a breach of contract on the seller’s part. I wouldn’t let them get away with it.”
“I say we take the deal and get our revenge on the Alpha from the herd.” The tiger was pushing his colleagues to agree.
Roland gripped my arm. That was his alpha father, but he’d never shown his son any love, and he was the one who sent the poachers after my mate.
“I am Roland, the horse Alpha’s son.”
The crowd gasped.
“And though he only has one unicorn son, if you don’t stop him, he will do this to others of my kind or to defenseless children. He lives to make money despite the pain he causes.”
“There you are. You have the son’s blessing.” Auden dangled the money in the translucent bag toward the poachers. “Get him and rip him apart.” He handed the bag to a pack member before miming a tearing motion.
Yikes, I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.
“Are you okay with this?” Telling bad guys to kill your father would have to cause some trauma, and my mate had suffered enough.
“Yes. It will put an end to it. I can look forward to my life with you and [baby] and never look back or check over my shoulder again.”
“What do you say, fellas?” Auden reminded me of an auctioneer.
“We’ll take it.” One of the humans snatched the bag of money, but Auden refused to let go, and Creven held up paperwork.
“You don’t think we’d let you go without signing on the dotted line?”
Pack members passed the paperwork from Creven to Auden, and the latter produced a pen.
“In triplicate, please.” Auden took photos of the horse shifter singing the documents. “In case the signing slips your memory.”
The poachers took their copy and the money, and the security guards shoved them toward the door. One said he was disappointed they’d accepted the deal because he’d wanted to dismember them. The humans squealed and raced for the gate.
“We’re not sorry you’re leaving,” I yelled.
The guards went to close the gate, but Alpha told them to leave it open. “The danger has passed. We should be able to come and go as we please.
Roland and I thanked Alpha and Auden, and they responded that each time someone new joined the pack, they had to put out fires.
“Well, this one is well and truly doused.” I pulled my mate close.
“Go and live your lives.” Creven grinned. “This is a new beginning.”
“Home or should we go to the river creek?” I asked.
