I twirled a strand of hair around my finger, then let it spin, before tightening it again. Remembering an item on my to-do list, I gave Grant a nudge. Since we were hanging around in the conference room, waiting for Carter to turn up, it’s not like we had anything better to do.

His eyes slid to mine, brows raising a fraction in silent question.

Probably because I’d nudged him a couple more times, just for luck.

“Yes?”

That wasn’t like him at all. No friendly smile or sexy smirk. Grant was one of the easier going ones out of the guys, the one ready to offer a helping hand or flex his muscles for a willing crowd. The guy looking at me was … closed off. Guarded.

“Look, I’m just going to say it straight.” I paused for effect, and to monitor his reaction.

His lips twitched. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Bree.”

See? The old Grant was hiding out underneath all that doom and gloom. Now I just had to grab him by the balls and yank him out of there. I wrinkled my nose. Okay, maybe not his balls. I think a certain alpha wolf might have a problem with me playing with another man’s balls.

“What I wouldn’t give to know what’s going on in that mind of yours,” a low, rumbly voice murmured.

I shushed the alpha wolf where he sat all comfortable in his chair around the table. And, no, he wasn’t being a chauvinistic pig—it was an alpha thing. Us lowly enforcers had to stand against the walls. He’d offered me his lap, but no other guy had their woman perched on them, so I’d declined with my middle finger. “Go away, I’m working,” I hissed, earning a few chuckles.

He rolled his eyes and I recognized it as one of my own favorite traits. So, because I couldn’t exactly roll my eyes back at him, I glared, then nodded in satisfaction when he shook his head at me and turned back to speak to one of the alpha bears sitting next to him.

“Right, where were we?” I rubbed my hands together and Grant’s mouth twitched again. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. Much.”

He looked like he was trying not to laugh, sweeping a hand through his silver flecked dark hair. A nervous gesture, if I’d ever seen one. “Exactly what won’t hurt?”

“When I find your balls.”

The room went silent, all attention turning in my direction.

Whoops.

Owen groaned, but it wasn’t the happy groan I’d been used to hearing from him lately. “Bree, you can’t—”

“What?” I stuck my hands on my hips. “You all have them. You all like playing with them. I’d say they occupy at least—” I tapped my chin “—ninety-nine percent of your brains.”

“Where do you think my balls are, exactly?”

At least Grant didn’t sound too upset, more confused and wondering where I was going with this. And he didn’t deny the whole balls on the brain thing. Errr, no. That’s not what I meant. I shook my head, trying to dislodge that image.

“Now I want to know what’s going on inside her head,” someone shouted.

“Okay, maybe I might have been a bit harsh,” I muttered as Owen proceeded to shut everyone up with a growl, telling them to mind their own damn business. Yay, Owen. I gave him a little mental cheer. “It’s just … you’ve not been yourself recently and we’re worried about you.” I made sure to keep my voice low this time.

“And you thought this would be the perfect time and place for a little heart to heart.” Hmmmm, the sarcasm was strong in this one.

But he kind of did have a point, now that I was thinking it through. “Ooops?” I spread my hands out. “Sorry?”

He shook his head with a chuckle. “I’m fine, Bree. Just working through some shit.”

“Okay.” I deflated against the wall, consigning myself to boredom again.

His nudge was unexpected. “Thanks for having my back.”

My sour mood lifted. “Anytime.” I opened my mouth.

“But I’m not telling you anything.” A glint sparkled in his eyes.

Well, that told me.

* * *

Half an hour later someone I knew very well poked their head in the door, blinking with wide eyes around the room. Heather finally focused her attention on Nate, her mate and the man she was—obviously—most comfortable with. “Carter said to let everyone know he’s been unavoidably delayed. He’ll reschedule.” Seeing me, she waved.

I waved back before she dashed back out of the room. Ah, right. Heather did some work for Carter, some kind of assistant or tech guru.

Grumbles filled the air as everyone rose to their feet, banter flying back and forth.

“Does this kind of thing happen often?”

Grant grunted. “What? Carter making us all hang around for half of the morning for no good reason?” When I nodded, he said, “Nope. Not normally.”

“Next time I’m bringing snacks,” I declared.

An arm looped itself around my shoulder and I stared up into Dylan’s happy face. “As long as you’re not cooking, I’ll eat them.” He let out a whoosh of air, clutching his stomach. “What was that for?”

I shook out my hand, knuckles smarting from connecting with abs apparently made out of steel. “Lucky for you then that I’m not the sharing type.”

“Damn straight she isn’t.” Owen shoved Dylan’s arm off my shoulder and dragged me to him.

“I can fight my own battles, you know.” But I didn’t push his arm away.

He shrugged, leaning down and brushing his lips over mine before we made our way out of the room and down the corridor. “I know.”

No fuss. No explanations. Just a simple statement that told me he understood exactly what I was capable of, but also that I didn’t have to prove myself. Not to him. And didn’t that just make me feel all warm and gooey on the inside?

Catching the hand resting on my shoulder, I linked our fingers together, enjoying the simple pleasure of our hips brushing together as we walked. Well, his hip brushing with my waist. “Where to now?”

“Now I can show you the ropes, introduce you to the rest of our business.”

The other guys had moved on ahead, leaving us to trail behind them. “Normality, eh?”

He blew out a breath. “Normal is hectic enough for me.”

I tugged on his hand. “Hey, I can help out.” For now, I added silently.

“You’ll have enough on your plate with enforcer duties.”

I tugged him to a stop, ignoring the people who flowed around us. “Don’t you do all that stuff too?” I’d thought I’d heard him mention previously that he took shifts along with the rest, pulling duties alongside his pack.

He scratched his head, eyes sliding away from mine. “Sure, but—”

“No buts. I’ll help you.” When he didn’t answer me, I scrambled for something to say. What had I said? “What? Don’t you think I can handle alpha business?”

He swiped at his hair, tugging at the strands. “It’s not that, Bree. It’s just…” He winced and my eyebrows shot up.

“Fine.” I turned on my heel and marched off. If he didn’t want my damn help, I wasn’t going to beg.

“Wait, Bree!” He jogged up beside me, trying to get me to stop, but I wrenched my arm away from him.

“So, I’m good enough to warm your dick but not to help you with pack business?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, hanging his head and scowling at the ground. “Bree, I didn’t mean it like—”

“I’ve had just as much training as you. Probably more. I was groomed for a position like this!” I was hissing now, itching to stretch my wings and fly the hell out of here. Stupid ass egotistical man. “And I’m not talking about bouncing on your—” We burst out of the front door and I suddenly became aware of the many people around us and swallowed my last word with an audible gulp.

“Shit.” Owen wasn’t looking at me anymore, his attention firmly focused on Carter, who stood at the front steps, greeting a group of very well dressed people. “Is that—”

“Oh crap,” I whispered, freezing on the spot.

“—The shifter council?”

I considered darting behind Owen. Or running back inside the building. But they’d be going in there, then I’d be trapped. Maybe if I shifted I could get out of here fast enough? Shit … shit … shit! How did they find me?

“Lucky?” a cultured voice called out and my dragon roared in panic.

Owen’s hand clamped down on mine. To hold me still or to help me flee? Either way, it didn’t matter, my legs weren’t working and I’d been spotted. They were coming closer. I was surrounded. I was—

“Oh, Lucky!” I almost jumped out of my skin when arms scooped me up into a hug that was so familiar, the soft body squishing me tight enough to cut off my breathing while she made soothing sounds and patted my hair. Jasmine surrounded me, the scent automatically calming my racing heartbeat. A muffled sob and my adoptive mother released me, holding me at arm’s length to stare at me as tears tracked messy streaks down her cheeks.

Then I was gathered up into a second set of arms, this time strong and muscular, the scent of wood smoke washing away the lingering jasmine. Hands clasped my face, familiar long fingers cradling my jaw as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “We found you.”

Everything inside of me had ground to a halt, but now it sped back up, whipping through my brain faster than I could keep up, the questions flying as fear thick enough to choke me clawed at my throat. But in the middle of all the confusion one thing stuck out, grounding me and keeping me from spinning out of control.

Owen. His hand still firmly holding mine, standing by my side as steady as a rock. It was obvious he didn’t have a clue what was happening, but he wasn’t going anywhere.

Even when faced with the shifter bogeymen.

Stiffening my spine, I drew myself up straight and looked my adoptive parents in the eye. I’d been on the run long enough. I was married now, registered under Owen’s name and safe from their influence. They couldn’t tell me what to do anymore. Couldn’t lay any claim on me even though they were the shifter bogeymen. “I’m not coming back; I’m staying here.”