“Where is she?” Lorenzo bellowed. “Hope!”
The feral sound of a father’s roar penetrated through the walls and forced me out of my chair. I backed up toward William and Trevor, and they stepped closer. Lorenzo would never harm us, but the instinct to protect my unborn child made me more defensive than ever before.
Edward rose up and fell back a step.
The door crashed in and hit the wall. Lorenzo obviously hadn’t even put on a coat, because all I saw were his bare arms all the way up to the shoulders. His muscles flexed as he stalked toward the couch, brows drawn together in an angry slant, energy crackling around him.
When he reached the edge of the sofa, he dropped to his knees, where he cradled her head and spoke in his native tongue.
“You must be the father,” Edward said, his voice respectful and filled with compassion. “I’m the Relic summoned to treat her, and she’s in the best of hands. If I could just stitch up her wounds before she wakes—”
“Who. Did. This?” Lorenzo said in slow, menacing words. He turned his head and gave us a look so baleful that a chill raced up my spine.
“A rogue,” I answered.
“And where is he?”
“Here.” Wheeler appeared in the doorway. A dead wolf slid off his shoulders and hit the floor with a thud. He stood naked, with only his tattoos dressing his skin. “My wolf picked up his scent. He was on Weston land, so his ass was mine.”
Lorenzo nodded in approval, a swath of long hair slipping in front of his eyes. “Wrap the body. I want to hang him on my property line as a warning.”
“You got it.” Wheeler grabbed the wolf’s hind leg and dragged him out of the room.
Lorenzo turned his attention back to Hope, placing a petal-soft kiss on her cheek. I couldn’t imagine his anguish to have come so close to losing his only child—his beloved daughter who had awakened a side of Lorenzo I’d never known.
Edward placed his hand on Lorenzo’s shoulder. “Let me care for your daughter. There will be plenty of time for conversation later.”
Chapter 10
Austin shouldered his way through the busy crowd at the Blue Door. Normally Howlers was his hangout spot, but when private meetings away from nosy packmates were needed, he went to the upscale clubs because of the soundproofed rooms in the back.
The crowd parted when they observed three formidable Packmasters walking together, energy pulsing off them like a warning.
Austin closed the door to their private room, turning his attention to Prince and Church. “This situation is out of control.”
“You don’t need to tell me this,” Church said, heading straight for the bar. He slammed a short glass on the hard surface and impatiently poured whiskey, spilling it everywhere. “I received a call today that a wolf attacked my only child. Her wounds will heal, but that terror will forever stain her memories. A father’s job is to protect his child from suffering and mental anguish.” He began to take a sip, but then he suddenly threw the glass against the wall, and it shattered. When he turned, the cords of muscle in his neck strained against his turquoise choker. Church wiped his wet hand against his black shirt. “And tell me, Cole, what were the girls doing wandering out of your sight?”
Austin strode across the room and sat in a swivel chair. “The same thing they do on your property, Church. They feel protected because wolves pay attention to territorial lines and don’t attack children. This could have happened anywhere, and you better believe I’m mad as hell it happened on my land.”
Prince eased into the chair across from Austin, his dark hair tightly bound at his nape. He held the highest rank in their territory and looked the part in a blue dress shirt and dark slacks. He steepled his fingers, eyes downcast. “You’ve all heard of Katarina Kozlov. She has many connections as a former bounty hunter. I’ve spoken to her about the Council’s proposal. I can’t delegate my men to unstable packs who will flip on a dime and fight alongside the Northerners. My territory is substantial, and there’s no doubt they’ll target me with their strongest men. Kat believes they’re testing the weaknesses of the middle packs to figure out how many men they need to win that territory. Children tend to wander. These rogues want to see how closely you’re guarding your land, how many wolves respond, what you do in terms of beefing up security, et cetera. The more organized you are, the more men they’ll need.”
Austin widened his legs. “No more of this bullshit. I’ve got two packmates guarding the property at all times now. That’s all I can afford. This could go on for months or years, and I have to make sure everyone continues to earn their wages. My second-in-command is responsible for organizing the patrol and coordinating work schedules. The kids aren’t allowed outside without supervision.”