September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting when we pulled up to the address Dayne had given me. It was a warehouse, some kind of storage facility or shipping yard from the looks of it.

“I don’t know why, but for some reason I was expecting his home address,” I said, studying the surroundings.

Jenner and I sat in the Charger, watching and waiting for something amiss. The place was deserted, leading me to question whether or not it was abandoned. It seemed like a good private place to pull off something like this. It also seemed like a great way to mislead someone.

“That would be too easy,” Jenner observed. “And too high risk. The last thing you need is a neighbor witnessing something they shouldn’t. Unless you’re willing to kill them too.”

I most certainly was not interested in living out that scenario. The creepy warehouse would have to do.

“I’m going to go take a look around. Can I trust you to have my back?” I met his frozen gaze, seeking a spark of truth. Jenner might be Arys’s brother, but he didn’t like me, with good reason. I wasn’t entirely convinced I could trust him.

“That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?” A chuckle shook him. “I wouldn’t trust me either if I were you, but I’ve already proven that I came to help out a brother. Give me a little credit.”

“No, you proved that you wouldn’t stand by while Arys killed me before it was time. That doesn’t mean you won’t take a shot at it yourself.”

He held my gaze. It made me want to squirm, but I managed to sit still. The familiar energy he exuded was comforting, seeking to draw me in. I shielded hard against it.

“True,” he admitted with a nod of his dark head. “I guess there’s only one way to find out. And that’s by trusting me.”

“After the shit you pulled in Vegas, that’s not likely to happen. Just don’t fuck me over, or I’ll have to kill you. And I really don’t want to explain that to Arys. He didn’t take it so well with Harley.” Throwing Harley’s death in Jenner’s face was low. Still, he needed to be reminded of whom he was dealing with.

A glare made his face ugly and hostile. “Go. I’ll have your back.”

I wanted to say something to smooth over the mess I’d just made of the conversation. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. There was no friendly medium here.

Instead of trying to make friends with a vampire who hated me, I got out of the car and quietly closed the door. I reached out mentally to feel for anyone in the vicinity. Owen’s wolf energy was distant but close enough to be felt. There was another wolf here too. Closer. It had to be my target.

For just a moment I reconsidered. Only the promise of a Doghead alliance kept my feet moving. Silent and stealthy, I crept around the perimeter of the large empty yard.

Coming to the conclusion that my target was inside, I made my way toward a back entry. Dayne must have sent him here. Could he possibly know why?

My senses were lively, taking in metaphysical information at a radical speed. I knew when Jenner had left the car and made his way along the path I’d walked. Owen was still distant, as he’d promised, though I was sure he’d come close enough to survey the place.

There was a squeal of metal as I inched open the back door. So much for approaching on the sly. No matter. He would smell me coming eventually.

The warehouse definitely was abandoned. It stunk to high heaven of mildew and something greasy, possibly rotten. It must have housed food products at some point. Gross.

I came through a small back room that led to the main area. It was wide open with a high ceiling and one dim light burning overhead. I came to an abrupt halt when the werewolf caught my scent and spun to face me from where he stood near the main door.

Shock registered on Stuart’s face. I almost wished I didn’t know his name. Too many personal details made this kind of thing a whole lot harder.

“He sent you? The hybrid?” The first words out of his mouth were followed by a few expletives. “I’m not even good enough for Owen? Ok, I see how it is.”

“Let’s not make this a discussion,” I said, sliding the Dragon Claw from its sheath as I crossed the large room. “I’m here to earn an alliance, and you’re here because you broke one.”

“I didn’t though. Really. The FPA thought they were getting some good shit from me, but I didn’t give them anything they could use. I swear it.” Stuart was frightened, a poor trait in any werewolf. He swiped a hand across his sweaty brow before pushing it through his thinning hair.

“Don’t waste your energy talking. The bottom line is that you spoke to the FPA. That is an absolute no-no among our kind. It makes you a traitor. We all know what happens to traitors.”

The wolf rose up behind his eyes. Perhaps he would fight after all. I wouldn’t feel too great about killing him if he cried the whole time.

“I’m not a traitor,” he insisted. The stink of a lie rolled off him. He knew damn well what he was. Good. That made this easier.