Mr. G told the girls to go back inside and get Petal cleaned up but act like nothing had happened. The one bouncer stayed behind and Mr. G handed him the gun and instructed him to keep an eye on Leon.

“Are your people coming?” he asked Astrid when she put the phone down.

“They’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”

His eyes narrowed at her. “Are you going to tell me what happened? And what you are exactly?”

“Uh, I’ll wait until they’re here,” she said. “Please, Mr. G, will you trust me? Everything will be explained, I promise.”

“Girly, I’m not even sure what I saw.” He scratched at his balding head. “But we’ll wait for your guys. You ain’t mob, are you? Cuz I ain’t getting mixed up in that crap.”

I wish. “No, I swear I’m not.”

As they waited in the alley together, Astrid prayed to any and every god and deity she could think of. Please, please. Don’t send her. Anyone but her.

The minutes ticked by, and that dread in her stomach wouldn’t go away. Finally, one of the bouncers walked out into the alley, followed by a familiar figure.

And maybe the gods were watching out for her that night, because when she saw the woman who walked into the alley, she sighed in relief.

“Astrid?” Cady Vrost said in a tentative voice. In the dingy alley, the cool, elegant redhead looked out of place in her Armani wool coat and Louboutin boots. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Cady,” she said. “Uh, long time no see?” Of course they would call Cady. As Human Liaison, it was her job to smooth things over if they ever got into trouble with humans.

“Yes, long time indeed.” Her green eyes shifted over to Mr. G. “You must be Mr. Garavaggio. The owner of this, uh, establishment.”

“Yeah, that’s me.” His brows drew together. “How did you know?”

“It’s my business to know, I’m afraid,” she said. “Now, tell me what—Astrid!”

She barely had time to react. A pair of meaty hands wrapped around her neck and pulled her back. She let out a strangled scream, then the wind knocked right out of her lungs when her back hit the wall.

Shit! Her vision began to turn white at the edges but she could see who it was. Monroe. Damn confounding potion! Magic potions had to be brewed with a specific person in mind, to ensure it works for the right amount of time. The bottle she’d liberated from her father’s cabinet must have been formulated for someone smaller than that hulking giant. She struggled against him, but her arms were feeling limp from the lack of oxygen.

Her vision was fading when she heard a low, animalistic growl. She thought she heard someone say, “get away from her” followed by a loud crash, but she wasn’t sure. She slumped against the wall and slid down, gasping for breath and clawing at her neck.

When she could finally breathe, the scent hit her like a wallop to the nose. It was one of the most delicious things she’d ever smelled. Pine trees and something sweet; like walking in the woods and then being welcomed home with freshly-baked goods. Her she-wolf sniffed the air, breathing in the Christmassy scent, then let out a yowl. It whined with need, practically rolling on the ground from the amazing smell.

She blinked then looked up. Glowing eyes stared right back at her. It took her a few moments for her brain to unscramble but then she realized who it was.

Oh motherfreakin’ fucknuts.

Zachary Vrost was the son the New York clan’s Beta and their human liaison. She and Zac were both born to the clan and attend many of the same functions, but it wasn’t like they were childhood buddies or anything. Zac was not only older by a few years, but he was practically clan royalty. He came from one of the higher-ranking families, and thus he didn’t exactly mingle with the common folk like her, despite their connection.

And, when she was younger—much younger—she might have thought she had a crush on him, but had always admired him from a distance. After all, their orbits were so far away, they might as well have lived on different planets. There was that one time she was foolish enough to think otherwise … well, that was a whole other story. Besides, he was supposed to be living in London, as Fenrir’s COO over there.

Which now begs the question, what the hell was he doing here?

The glow in his eyes began to dissipate, leaving behind a cool pair of ice blue eyes. He blinked and he looked just as surprised as she was. “Uh, Astrid, right?”

His voice was like soft velvet and she found herself unable to speak, so she just nodded. The years had been kind to Zac. No, they had been amazing—he looked like someone beat him up with a freaking handsome-as-sin-and-hot-as-hell stick. Several times. He’d always been tall, like his dad, but his shoulders were much broader, which strained against the suit he wore. He also sported just the right amount of designer scruff on his strong jaw, which added a hint of danger to his already handsome features.

“Are you okay?” He held out his hand. She stared at it for a moment, then took it. A soft gasp escaped her mouth when she felt the electricity zing across her skin when they touched. Did he feel that too? She didn’t have time to check his reaction because he suddenly pulled her up. She was unprepared, so she stumbled forward. Strong arms wound around her to steady her, and she braced her hands on his chest.

Oh, God, were his muscles really that rock hard? Better check again.

“Uh, Astrid?” Zac’s tone was bemused and she quickly stepped away from him when she realized she was caught squeezing his pecs through his shirt.

“Ahem.”

She looked behind Zac. Oh fuck, her night couldn’t possibly get any worse. “Al Doilea.” She bowed her head in respect as she called Nick Vrost by his formal title. “Er, so, how’s it going?”

“How’s it going?” The cutting tone in the Beta’s voice was unmistakable. “Young lady, do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?”

“Dad.” Much to her surprise, Zac put himself between her and his father. “She’s hurt. That man attacked her.”

“That man you sent crashing to the wall?” Nick said.

“He had his hands on her,” Zac replied, his voice tight.

“It was my fault,” Astrid said. “That confounding potion I used wasn’t enough to keep him down.”

Nick ran a hand through his hair. “Confounding potion? So, you not only shifted in front of humans, but you also used a magic potion?” The vein on his neck looked like it was going to pop any second. “Anything else I should know?”

“Well—”

“Astrid!”

She groaned and slapped a hand on her forehead. She was wrong; her night was going to get worse.

“Astrid Ariel Jonasson!” Meredith stopped right in front of her, so they stood toe to toe. With their similar height and features, many people often mistook them for sisters. “What is the meaning of this, young lady?”

Astrid rolled her eyes, a move Meredith hated. “It’s nothing, Mom,” she said.

“Nothing? Nothing?” She waved her hands in the air. “I get a phone call from Nick saying that you had called the Lycan security office for help and that I should rush home. What the hell are you doing here, and why are you dressed like that?”

“I work here.” Oops. She realized she hadn’t changed out of the peignoir, which was now partially open and showing a generous amount of cleavage.

“At a strip club?”

“It’s a gentleman’s club, Mom,” she corrected.

Meredith’s face fell and she looked like she wanted to cry. “Oh. My. God. You know those jokes comedians tell about how when they see a girl dancing on a pole and they think somebody’s daddy fucked up with raising their child? Well, I’m that daddy!”

“Stop being so dramatic, Mom! I’m not a stripper! And they preferred to be called exotic dancers.”

“What will your father say?” Meredith ranted. “And what do you mean you’re not a stripper? Do they not think you’re good enough? You’re a hundred times more beautiful than any of the girls I saw in there.”

“Mom.” Astrid wanted the ground to swallow her up. She was not doing this. Especially not in front of Zac Vrost and his father. “Look, it’s a long story, okay? Are you done with the cleanup?”

“We’re working on it,” Nick said. “Cady’s smoothing things over with the owner, and Daric’s administering the forgetting potion to those who saw you shift.”

“Dad’s here too?”

“We were in Madrid, having these amazing tapas when Nick called us,” Meredith said. “He transported us back right away.”

Nick massaged his temple. “This is one big mess you left us, young lady,” he said. “This is going to require an audience with the Alpha. Get your things and be ready to leave in five minutes.” He turned to leave but stopped. “Zac?”

“Yes, Dad?”

“Are you coming?”

Zac shook his head. “Right. I’ll uh, see you around, Astrid.”

She stared after him as he followed Nick back inside the club. What the hell was Zac Vrost doing here anyway? Last she heard, he’d been living overseas in London. Did he move back to New York?

“Astrid. Astrid, are you listening to me?”

“What?” She whipped around to face her mother.

Meredith’s expression softened. “Astrid, will you tell me what’s going on, please? What happened?”

“I was working—” She suddenly remembered Petal. “Mom! There’s this girl. She was hurt pretty badly.” Panic gripped her. She’d been so preoccupied that she didn’t think about what happened to her friend. “Did they get her help? I told them to bring a doctor because I couldn’t let them call 911 and—”

“That girl?” Meredith said, her expression going dark. “Yeah, I saw her. Don’t worry, Dr. Blake is with her. He’s treating her wounds now.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

Meredith looked over Monroe and Jamal, who had both been secured by members of the Lycan security team. One of the bouncers was leading Leon back into the club. “Did they have something to do with that girl getting beat up?”

Astrid nodded and gave her mother the short version of what happened. Meredith listened intently letting her talk.

When she was done, Meredith wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You did the right thing, sweetie. It was stupid to shift and use your powers, but you were trying to help your friend and protect yourself.”

“I know. But I had no choice.” She bit her lip. “What’s going to happen now?”

“You’ll have to explain your side of the story to the Alpha,” Meredith said. “But I’ll be there to support you. And so will your father.”

Astrid sighed. She was not looking forward to her audience with Grant Anderson.