Page 52 of Bad Blood Panther

Xander still paced, clenching and unclenching his fists, growling in his throat. “But then Alton became alpha. And went nuts.”

“Yep. I think he can’t have cubs—he’s slept with so many women, and none of them have ever gotten pregnant.”

“So you and Brandon are his badge of manliness?” Xander snorted. “I always knew he was a loser.”

“Yeah, but he’s a crazy, powerful loser,” Jenny said. “The Seer prophesied that Alton’s son would one day be alpha after him, and his line would restore the Broken Hill Clan to glory. That’s important for two reasons. First, to convince the clan they should still follow him. And second—”

“To reassure them that the clan will still be here in twenty years, so he’s not really fucking it all to hell.”

“Right,” Jenny said. “Unless Cindi can convince him that her cub is really his—and Brandon isn’t—then he’ll want Brandon back, as his son and the heir apparent. That’s why I hid him, and why I was so desperate to find you. It wasn’t enough just to leave—Alton would have found us and brought us back. I had to find someone who would protect my son and keep him away from Alton. He wants to raise him to be a killer.”

Xander’s hands flexed, and his claws extended. “Fuck that shit,” he said, growling.

“Will Flynn be willing to protect us? Will the others?”

Xander said, “Believe me, this crew has a thing about shifters being taken away and messed with by crazy evil fuckers. Especially kids. They’d all fight for Brandon until they bled out, if they had to. And I’d be first in line.”

Jenny felt a rush of gratitude and relief. “Okay, then,” she said, nodding. “Okay.”

Xander said, “But we have to tell Flynn. We’ve had enough problems with people not telling him about threats to them and the crew, and it never ends well.” He sat down next to her on the couch. “I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but I’m rooting for Cindi to become Chief Evil Priestess, or whatever the hell she’s trying to do. If it keeps Alton Raines away from Brandon, she can tell him all the fucking lies she wants.”

Jenny leaned up against him and shivered. Cindi was a champion liar. Jenny just hoped she was good enough.