Bas opened the door and Tuck stormed in, saying, "It's about time fucker."  Tuck brushed passed him, knocking him in the shoulder as he moved past.  The asshole went right to Sky.  She had stood up when Bas went to open the door.  Bas couldn't stop looking at the two of them together. Tuck had said that there wasn't anything going on between them, well, he hadn't actually said those words.  Just that Sky was Club, but didn't that mean she was his.  They seemed comfortable with each other, and that really bothered Bas. It was a familiarity that had grown through time and he wanted that with Sky.  When the fucker hugged, her Bas wanted to rip her right out of his arms and demand that he didn’t touch her again.  His feelings were becoming more and more irrational and intense the longer he was around her.

Tuck pushed Sky back from the hug and looked her in the eyes, "You okay, Pix?"

"Yeah, I’ll be okay, Tuck. You don’t need to worry about me." 

Sky was anything but fine, but if she showed Tuck one ounce of indecision or vulnerability, he would take her away.  That would put him and the rest of the RBMC in danger. Sky wasn’t going to allow that to happen, so she played him by standing strong and sure.

"Shit Pix, you’re family. We take care of our own. You know that, honey."

"I know, Tuck, but really, I’m fine. And before you ask, I am going with Bas.  This is my choice, not his.  He has some answers that I need, and he is going to take care of Shelby’s body.  I need to take care of arrangements for her and get her back to Chicago so she can be laid to rest with her parents.  Please understand I need to do this." 

"Damn Pix, the club could take care of that stuff for you, but I won't stop you if this is what you want.  Are you sure he didn’t influence your decision? I don’t like the idea of you being forced to do something you don’t want to do.  You don’t even know him."

Sky put her hand on Tuck's cheek. "Tuck, I don’t understand any of this, but I need to go with him.  It’s safer that way for everyone.  Please just let me go.  I promise to call you when all this gets settled. After all, you owe me a pretty big payment," Sky said smiling as she attempted to lighten the mood by gently jabbing him in his side with her finger.

It must have worked because he half-heartedly smiled back.  "Yeah, you will get that as soon as I make sure your work is up to snuff.  Be safe, Pixie, and call if you need any of us." 

"I will, Tuck."

"Okay, enough of this mushy stuff. I need to talk to Bas for a minute.  You go hang out in here for a while. It shouldn’t take long."

"Yeah, Tuck, believe me please, I'm fine.  Do what you need to do."

Bas stepped out in the hall and waited for Tuck.  Tuck followed after him. At least now he wasn’t touching Sky and Bas could breathe a little easier.  Once he got Sky sorted and safe, he was going to have to Shift.  His beast was quiet while in her presence, but as soon as she was out of sight, the fucker started clawing.  Bas rubbed his chest. It felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside out.

"Your crew came and picked up the guy in the Shed.  Senior called and okayed the transport.  He also said that others went to the apartment for cleanup.  They took Shelby’s body, but the snake was gone.  Fuck man, we are gonna to have to call animal control or something because I can’t have that big fucker slithering around Defiance." 

“What do you mean the snake was gone?” Bas demanded.  “Shit, weren't your boys supposed to be watching the place?” 

“Fuck yeah, they were watching the place. It was locked up tight.  The only way that thing could have gotten out was to slither its slimy ass down the building.”

“Did you check all the vents, windows, and cabinets?” 

“No, we didn't, your people did,” Tuck said. “The only thing left open in that place was a small window in the bathroom.  Like I said, unless that thing developed hands and feet and carried a rope in its ass and somehow learned to climb, it didn't get out that way.” 

Shit, Bas knew they weren’t ever going to find that snake because the fucker did, in fact, have hands and feet. Additionally, a Shifter wouldn't have needed a rope to jump down from a second story window without any damage.  No way was he going to let Tuck in on any of that, though. If he wanted to believe a snake was running wild in Defiance, more power to him.  Maybe it would distract the RBMC enough to make them ignore some of the other shit that had been going on.

"Sounds good, man,” Bas replied.  “You heard Sky, she is willing to go with me back to NAC.  I would like to get that show on the road as soon as possible.  But I’m going to need to make a couple of phone calls first.  Can you have one of your boys gather up her shit?  I don’t want her to have to go back to the apartment."

"You don't have to worry about that. Pix wasn’t staying with her cousin at the apartment.  I think most of her stuff is out in the garage.  I will send a Prospect over to pick it up. But you’re not getting off that easy, man. She agreed, and I will accept that, but there is more you need to know.   I sent my guys out to check around.  As of twenty minutes ago, there are six more men that have shown up at the same motel your detainee was holding up in." 

Tuck continued, "These guys are all dressed for combat and carting heavy artillery.  They haven’t mobilized yet and seem to be waiting for something.  What that is, I don’t know, but I’m sure neither of us wants to find out.  My guys are staying under the radar but have orders to call me if any of them move.  If Pix is going with you, I think that needs to happen sooner rather than later.  If you can’t get her to safety, then I will take her somewhere I know is safe."

Bas didn’t like Tuck questioning his abilities or intentions with Sky. The only thing holding him back from beating the shit out the RBMC President was the woman currently behind the closed door.  Bas knew she wouldn’t be happy with the blood he so desperately wanted to spill at the moment.  Shit, neither would his brothers.  So, with gritted teeth, Bas said, “I will keep her safe. You don’t need to worry about that.” 

"Be sure that you do, asshole, or you will have more people to answer to than just Senior and Jacks," Tuck warned.

Tuck walked away, and Bas made the call he had been avoiding for the last few minutes.  Bas didn't give the man a chance start the conversation stating, “Talk to me.”

Senior didn’t disappoint and instantly started in with a sit-rep.  "Your new packages have been picked up, and the scene has been contained and cleaned.  The unknown is a Shifter, cat family.  No identification or electronic devices found on his body.  The deceased victim is being transported back to Urban Oaks for further testing.  Once that is complete, Sky can let us know what type of burial arrangements she wants.  The snake was not found in or around the premises. That means the fucker is still at large." 

Senior continued, "You need to bring in your witness.  She mentioned Lloyd Thomas as being her father.  That name is a known alias for Tobias Straight.  He has been unaccounted for since 1990.  But his name has been flagged for desertion from the Clan.  Tobias was connected to Dean Summerfield, the possible snake Shifter that the RBMC saw at the apartment.  We are just starting to put the pieces together, but Summerfield is believed to be the leader of The Association.  We cannot ignore the connection between the two men or Tobias’s deflection.  We don’t have confirmation, but the puzzle pieces are adding up to bad things for your witness.  Get her out and get her safe."

"That might be easier said than done, Senior,” Bas stated. “Tuck just informed that me six more unknowns have entered the territory.  Could be connected, could not be, but I don’t like the coincidence.  He also said they were geared up and ready for action." 

"You are closest to Echo, but I would recommend heading back up North.  Alpha is secluded, and your systems recently upgraded.  It might be that safest place for her right now or at least until we get the answer we need." 

"Do you think Sky is one of Franklins?" Bas questioned. 

"No Son, I suspect your Sky is much more than that.  Through our interrogations, we have learned some things.  The Association has been waiting for someone, their holy grail so to speak.  If these Shifters are willing to put them out in front of human eyes just to get their hands on her, then her problems could be bigger than we know.  Lock it down and keep her safe.  We won’t know anything with certainty until we get her to one of the bases.  If you even have the slightest unease and feel that they are on to you, shift course.  Your top priority is to bring her in safely."

"Understood,” Bas affirmed. “I’m going to go radio silent from here on out.  I don’t know what kind of tech these guys have and I don’t want to take any unneeded risks.  We will be heading out soon."

Bas didn’t like what he had just learned. Sure, he suspected it, but having even this little bit of confirmation turned his stomach.  His Sky was in more danger than either of them could have possibly predicted.  Going up against humans, even with tranquilizers guns was bad, but going up against Shifters with the same tranquilizers was a nightmare.  He was only one man and Bas had to wonder if he could keep her safe until they reached the others.  Fuck, he wished his team were here.

He knew that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. Shit, he would do that for any person in need. But with a random person, if he failed in his mission, he might feel bad, whereas with Sky, it would destroy what was left of his sanity. His bear was attaching himself to her, and Bas could feel the bond like it was a tangible thing.  What was happening between the two of them was nothing like the mated men on his team had explained.  He was attracted to her in a visceral way, but he was also connected to her, and they hadn't shared more than a few touches.  If he concentrated hard enough, he felt her within his soul. 

None of that should be possible unless, or until, they had fucked.  Damn, he wanted that too. His dick was as hard as iron and had been since seeing her for the first time in the bar.  In the short period of time that he had known Skylar Thomas, the fucker never once went down. Bas was pretty sure that his zipper was turning it into hamburger.  Talking to her in the office while keeping separate was a test of his control.  He had wanted to jump over the damn desk, strip her bare, lay her down on the desk, and ravish her.  He wanted to feel her wet heat and bath himself in the sticky liquid, imprinting her scent on his skin.  But mostly he wanted that honeysuckle and vanilla scent coating his face, fingers, and cock.

Adjusting himself, he tried to think of horrible things like dead baby kittens in the road to calm the beast taking up residence in his pants.   She wasn’t a fated mate if she wasn’t one of Franklin's creations, and he wasn’t in any shape to offer her anything other than a quick fuck.  He wouldn’t do that to her.  Tuck was right; Sky was a beautiful person, inside and out.  She took care of the people she loved and never once placed herself first. That was evident on how she carted Shelby around and cared for her all these years.  She was loyal to a fault. The other evidence of her character was her reputation with the Clubs.  Those men didn't fool easily.  If she were anything but what she appeared to be, all of them would have called her out, and Link would have told him.   

If he acted on the attraction, where would that leave either of them?  He couldn’t see her being the type to have a one or two-night stand.  She was a keeper; the kind of girl you held on to with both hands, and he couldn’t offer her that.  Bas didn't even want to think of what would happen if he went rogue and tried to hurt her.  Or worse yet, what would happen if he came across his fated mate sometime down the road. Sky would be left in the dust, hurt and broken. He refused ever to let that happen to her. She had already been through too much.

He was a protector. It was his job to keep her safe, even if that meant keeping her safe from him.  He never wanted to see her broken like he had seen his mother and many others. 

Tuck came back into the hall and said, "Jordan is getting her stuff together. You sure about all this, man?  Something more seems to be going on between the two of you.  I'm not going to ask any questions, but now is not the time to think with your dick.” 

Fuck, if it were all that simple Bas would have Sky pushed up against the wall, pants down. and his cock inserted so fast she would be screaming his name.  The problem was, it wasn't that simple. Other things were going on here besides lust, even if he didn't want to admit that even to himself.

“It's not like that, man,” Bas assured, “but I'm not going into it either. I’m going to make some calls so that I can come up with our next step.  Are you going to come in and talk with Sky some more?”

“Yeah, right behind you,” Tuck responded.