Anger coursed through her system, burning Juliette from the inside out, making her act before she could think, but she’d had enough of Shark and his games.

She was about to release her she-wolf when the shack’s door opened and Sheriff Smith entered, towing along a naked Renault by his elbow.

“Look who I just found skulking at the edge of the forest, heading this way. His skinny wolf couldn’t run fast enough to throw me off his scent.” Smith shoved Renault toward the center of the room.

“You were supposed to stop him, not the other way around,” Shark hissed, giving Renault a disgusted look.

Renault remained silent, but his eyes gleamed with hatred.

Shark focused on Smith next. “Sheriff, I’d stay out of this if I were you.”

“You know I can’t.” Smith had one hand on the transmitter attached to his shoulder, and the other on the holster at his waist. “Don’t force me to use the silver on you.” He nudged the gun toward Shark.

“The Council isn’t going to do anything. I am the victim here,” Shark said.

Juliette’s temper snapped the moment she entered the cabin and discovered Nicky and Devon weren’t there, but now that the sheriff had arrived, she couldn’t go on a rampage without clear provocation. Shark knew it and was toying with her. The man had inherited his father’s more successful traits, his penchant for brutality and the smarts to get away with it more often than not.

“You were never a victim.” Juliette wouldn’t say out loud that she had been one, his victim, so many years ago, when he entered the dormitory room she shared with three girls, and sent them away. Two goons stood aside the door as he pushed her to the thin mattress, silencing her screams with his dirty hand. She could still feel his breath fanning over her skin, but she had been prepared. Her hand snaked under her pillow and retrieved the serrated blade she never slept without. Her only regret was that she didn’t cut him through, but only wounded him. At the time, Shark was already so large that it wasn’t easy to find her target. He learned his lesson though.

“You killed my father and went after me,” Shark said, reopening a wound that had never completely healed.

“A mistake,” Juliette said through gritted teeth.

After challenging and killing the piece of shit that had terrorized the women of the pack, Juliette’s rage was still too raw, and she went after Shark. She thought he would challenge her next to regain the alpha seat. Only, the coward didn’t appeal for his right as the direct blood descendent to the dead. No, Shark waited for her to charge first. Later, during the Council’s hearing, he witnessed as the wronged party. Judged by a congregation made up entirely by male werewolves, Juliette was appointed as the new alpha, but on probation. Those alpha pricks never truly believed she had won fair and square. During the hearing, they asked several times what she had fed the alpha before the fight to make him weak. They all took for granted that she couldn’t win by herself.

And there she was, playing the Council’s games once again, forced to follow rules that only benefited bastards like Shark because he was born with a penis.

“Shark, I was having a nice dinner and I’d like to return to the camp. I don’t want any problems tonight. Be reasonable and tell us where you have the kids.” Sheriff Smith opened the holster.

“What kids?” Shark smiled at the officer and shrugged. “I don’t know anything about any kids.”

“You called me—” Juliette’s hands ached to pummel the bastard to a pulp.

“To invite you here.” Shark pointed at the shack. “To have a nice, private evening to rekindle our affection.”

Juliette had never said a word about what happened that night when he tried to violate her. The old alpha told her that he would spare her life if she kept quiet, and she knew that she was too young and too small at the time to defy Shark’s father. Only later did she understand that the alpha meant for her a far worse punishment than death by giving her to his cruel, perverted son.

“I was ever respectful to you, wasn’t I?” Shark taunted her.

It was true. Resisting his attack only made her precious to him. Plus, Social Services had finally started looking into the complaints of the few lucky women who escaped Honolulu Wolves with tales of abuses against minors. They never found proof of any wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the old alpha commanded Shark to wait until Juliette was of age, but she took care of things before he would force her to mate.

“When I called earlier and you agreed to come here, I thought you’d finally come to your senses.” Shark’s voice had a pleading quality. “I was so happy, but then you showed up with that thug in tow, telling lies—”

I’ll kill you if you don’t shut up, was on Juliette’s lips, but she gulped the words down, forcing herself to keep her hands still and her wolf at bay.

At her side, Kendall’s body radiated fury. “Talk shit again and you’ll pick your teeth off the floor.”

Juliette placed a hand on Kendall’s arm, staying him.

“See?” Shark’s eyes widened, and he swiveled his head toward Smith, his topknot coming undone and whipping the shaved sides of his temples. “That’s what I’m talking about. I try to be nice and am repaid with nasty remarks.” He set his attention on Juliette once again. “When are you going to accept that we belong together? I’ve been in love with you since we were kids. We could do so much for the Honolulu Wolves together—”

Smith stepped forward to stop Kendall from attacking Shark, and gave Juliette a shake of his head before she would act as well. “That’s sweet, but if you had in mind to woo Juliette, why would you need Renault to keep guard outside?” he asked Shark. “Not counting these two inside.” He pointed his chin at the wolves, who sat still. “It seems to me that it’s a bit crowded here for an intimate evening.” He popped his gun out. “I think we’ve wasted enough time. Release the kids, and we’ll go from there.”

“Juliette has an incredible imagination.” Shark opened his hands before him. “I’ve never even heard of those kids before she mentioned them, but I know she’s having problems managing her pack. You—” he pointed his fat finger at the sheriff “—know it better than anyone else. I’ve been told that keeping track of the Honolulu Wolves’ youth has become a full-time job for you, and that you spend more time at the camp than at the precinct, trying to fix her problems.” He gave Juliette a long stare, the glint of a satisfied smile curving his thin lips.

Juliette wanted to erase that grin, but remembered that Nicky and Devon were somewhere out there, and that if she attacked that sorry excuse for a wolf, she would never rescue them in time because Shark would make sure she paid for it.