“Chief Jonson, I can understand your situation, but keeping my shifters locked up in cages is really not a good idea.” Justice continued to try to reason with the stubborn, overworked, under-paid official, but he wasn’t budging.

“Are you threatening me?” The older man sat forward, his bushy gray and black eyebrows going down in a dramatic frown.

“Of course not. I would never do that,” Justice insisted. He felt his sister place her hand on his shoulder.

“Chief Johnson, what Justice means is that caging shifters makes their wolves nervous and scared. Alone and fearful. After too long, the loneliness becomes too much and the shifter will start to lose its human side.”

“This is all too much.” The chief gripped the few strands of hair still on the sides of his head. “Are you saying that I’m going to have wild beasts in my jails if I don’t turn them over to you?”

“I wouldn’t necessarily put it like that,” Alek growled.

Justice looked hard at his brother, warning him not to lose his temper. 

“I didn’t cage anyone. I arrested a gang on my street for breaking the law and I put them in jail, where they belong,” the chief argued from the head of the long table. He was starting to sweat and Justice didn’t know if it was because he was in a small conference room with some very large shifters and only three officers who didn’t look all that confident – even with their firearms. “It’s where they’ll stay until trial.”

Justice leaned forward. “You do not have jurisdiction over my wolves. No state does.”

“As far as my representative informs me, that hasn’t been voted on yet,” the chief said forcefully.

“Which means they are still under my control and I demand their release.” Justice stood to his full height, his brothers following right behind him.

“You freaks of nature don’t scare me. If you try to do anything at all to me, I won’t stop until all of your kind are thrown in goddamn cages. At least the vampire leader guaranteed the vampires that caused the death of one of my officers will pay with their own lives. Each of them. They won’t just get a slap on the wrist… or in your case, paw… and told to be a good boy.”

“You continue to insult my Alpha!” Alek snapped, making the three officers jump back, their hands hovering over their service weapons.

“Calm down, brother,” Mac said, putting his hand on Alek’s shoulder and pushing until he was sitting. Macauley was the one who usually kept a sensible head and insults never ruffled him. Justice was glad he was there to help them because he didn’t like the rude comments or jibes the chief kept throwing at them, as if they were nothing but annoying dogs. “Let’s all sit, please. Nothing will get accomplished this way.”

“Chief Johnson, please sit back down. Tell your officers to relax. It’s okay.” Farica removed the tense aura from the room, her soft blue eyes narrowing in on the chief, who was helpless to look away. The tight lines smoothed around the stocky man’s mouth and eyes, and his jaw wasn’t as stern as before. His sister didn’t have magical powers, it was simply inbred in her to soothe.

The chief finally took his chair with a resigned sigh. “Fine. I’m sorry for saying that. It was unnecessary. But you have to understand my position too, um, Alp... Alpha Ze—”

“You can call me Justice.” Justice stopped the stumbling man.

“Justice. I have terrified citizens afraid to come out of their homes because of your anim—… shifters. I got business owners complaining that their revenue’s declining. I got a grieving widow ringing my phone every hour wanting answers about who’s being held accountable for her husband’s death. If someone took your spouse from you, wouldn’t you want your day in court? How do you expect me to tell this woman that I let her husband’s killers go because they mentally couldn’t handle being behind bars? I’ve heard about your specially designed shifter jail. All the amenities and freedom make the prison completely ineffective.”

Taleb put his hand up and responded before Alek could speak. “I think it’s safe to say that humans don’t handle incarceration or solitary confinement very well, either, Chief. Your city’s violent offender’s recidivism rate rose from forty-two to fifty-nine percent last year. With all due respect, sir, your prisons are not all that effective, either. Please, let Justice take the wolves. His enforcers will escort them personally to our facilities.”

“Give me something, Justice. The vampire leader will be enforcing the death penalty. Did you know they had that?” The chief reared back in his seat, his navy-blue suit jack pulling tight across his thick midsection.

“No, I did not.” Justice was stunned. The death penalty? What kind of leader just killed off his own brotherhood without a second thought? Justice had always heard vampires were cold, vicious beings but he hadn’t wanted to believe nay-sayers since he’d never encountered one personally in his thirty-three years. Justice was reconsidering if collaborating with the head vampire would work. He couldn’t be sure the Vampire King wouldn’t attack him. “I will not kill my wolves. I will discipline them, I give you my word.”

Another officer tapped on the door, simultaneously peeking his head inside. Justice turned and faced the uniformed rookie. He looked excited and a bit scared. “Chief. The Vampire’s leader just arrived with about six other cars. He’s come to get the vampires.”

“You guys certainly don’t travel light do you?” The chief stood and adjusted his tie. “I spoke with this individual on the phone. He’s not what I expected. Maybe you should ask him about his correctional system. Looks like it might be more effective than yours, Alpha. All due respect.” The chief sneered, walking past with his officers, leaving Justice and his pack alone in the room.

“The Vampire King is here? Now?” Alek looked at Justice. “You wanted to meet him, right? Well, now’s your chance.”

Justice stood, his siblings and enforcers watching him closely. He couldn’t appear confused, he had to act surely and quickly. “Yes. Let’s see if we can at least arrange something.”

Alek instructed the two enforcers that accompanied them. “The King is probably here with his entire escort. Peacefully,” Alek stressed, “Approach his number two – I think it’s called his captain – and let them know the Alpha Zenith would like a brief word before he leaves.”

“Yes, Alpha.” One of the large shifters answered Alek respectfully and left to fulfill his task.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Justice?” His little sister asked, standing directly in front of him, her eyes showing more worry than calm. “He just ordered three of his own vampires killed like it was nothing.”

“They have different rules than we do, Farica. Doesn’t make them less than us, and it doesn’t make them our enemy,” Justice reasoned.

His youngest brother Taleb was quiet, patiently waiting. He really didn’t speak unless he had something important to say. Macauley was on his tablet, looking up one of the many things he researched daily for Justice. Right now, Mac was trying to find a higher up in the American government who was willing to step in and help them get their shifters back and into a proper restraint center. Fighting for their rights in Washington D.C. was a tedious, ongoing battle, but they did have allies they could rely on.

Justice put his muscular arms around his sister’s shoulders and pulled her in close to him. She felt fragile, worn, and he could sense the tension for him in her wolf. Justice pushed some of his power to her, making her rub her cheek against his chest, reveling in the comfort only he could give. His wolf rumbled inside him, content to care for his sibling, for his pack.

The two enforcers came back into the room and reported to Alek. “After the Vampire King’s Captain finished securing their vampires, we gave him your request. The King immediately agreed. He’s preparing to come in now.”

“Thank you.” Justice nodded. “Did you see him?”

“No.” The huge shifter grumbled. “Only his captain – which is his third, not his second by the way – and about ten or twelve more vampires.”

“How do they seem to you?” Farica hurried to ask, still standing close to Justice.

“I haven’t encountered many vampires in my day either, so I can’t say what the norm is, but these particular ones seem stiff and very disciplined.”

“Of course, they are.” Justice nodded, trying to reassure his sister. “See. Trust Warren. He’s a good judge of character and sniffing out deceit.”

“Vampires can shield their scent,” Farica argued back.

“Enough,” Justice ordered. “We don’t know if that’s a fact. But what we do know is they have exceptional senses, including hearing. So be mindful of what you say. We want to—” Justice turned towards the door, releasing his sister so abruptly she stumbled back into Alek. Justice’s canines dropped in a blink as he growled at the door like something or someone dangerous was about to come through it. His brothers and enforcers went on full alert.

“What the hell? What’s going on?” Alek was beside Justice, clamping his hand on his shoulder trying to turn him to face him, but Justice couldn’t look away from the door.

His animal growled and snarled inside him. Justice grunted and cursed while he fought to keep his wolf under control. What was wrong with him? What the hell was coming? He could feel it as sure as he could feel his beating heart, his racing pulse and his mighty wolf trying to get out and explore. He’d never had to reign in his animal so fiercely. Justice was finally able to open his eyes, not realizing they were squeezed shut in concentration.

“Justice! You’re forcing a lot of power, man.” Mac’s strong voice cut over the incessant presence trying to reach his mind.

Justice growled again. Something’s in my head. “Clear the room.” Justice’s voice was strained, spitting his words through clenched teeth. His wolf was clawing at him, ripping him apart, wanting out.

“Justice you’re scaring me. I can feel you fighting.”

He could hear his baby sister begging but he couldn’t focus on his siblings when he was barely keeping himself together. It had to be the Vampire King doing something to him. If Justice shifted and went crazy right here in a police headquarters, only the heavens knew what would happen to his people. “Get my family out of here.” Justice grabbed Alek’s arm in an authoritative grip. “Everyone. Out. Now.”

“We’re your betas. We won’t leave you, Justice,” Taleb snarled, looking in the same direction as Justice.

“Alek!” Justice thundered. He needed him to act for him.

“You heard your Alpha, Taleb. Warren, get them in the RV and back on the Humboldt pack lands now! Protect them with your lives,” Alek barked to the enforcers, who immediately began to shuffle Justice’s sister and his younger brothers out of the room and to the safety of their vehicle. Alek watched them down the hall until they turned out of view. His brother looked up and down the corridor before dipping back inside the room and locking the door.

“I think the Vampire King just turned the corner. Is it him doing this to you? I’ll kill him right now,” Alek growled.

“No!” Justice’s voice was sharper and stronger than he intended. He was still leaning hard against the wall farthest from the door for support, holding both clenched fists against his chest as if that alone could keep his wolf from bursting free. Justice closed his eyes and tried to center himself. He needed to breathe, relax. But with each second, the feelings intensified, an all-encompassing entity in his head.

“I can feel you too.”

“Oh shit. Was that you, Alek?” Justice grabbed his brother’s arm and yanked him to face him. “Did you just speak to me?”

“What? No? I am speaking to you now. Justice, goddamnit! You’re pushing too much energy.” Alek released a pained grunt. His brother looked like he wanted to break the window behind them and just get them the hell out of there. He’d never seen Justice behave this way, so out of control, and wasn’t sure what he was about to be faced with, but knew he may have to fight it alone because Justice was in a complete state of disorder.

It was an accented, smooth voice. “Something. Someone just said—” Then he smelled it. That faint, delicious scent that appeared last night was back, only it wasn’t diluted by nature’s elements. This time it was full strength, concentrated, and like nothing he’d ever smelled before. Impressive and so damn compelling. Justice’s thick cock pushed against his loose jeans and his wolf howled inside him, fighting to break free. His animal was so strong. Justice gritted his teeth together and hung on. Oh, Mother… please. Can’t… it just can’t. Justice heard footsteps right outside the door and his body began to shake from effort.

“Justice,” Alek warned. “You gotta tell me what’s going on, brother, so I can help you.”

How the hell was he supposed to explain this?

Justice saw the knob jiggle for a second before it was completely ripped from the door. Neither he nor Alek flinched at the show of strength. They had strength of their own. Justice thought dozens of vampires would storm the room, but only two walked in and Justice knew exactly which one was in his head. The Vampire King. The sexy, beautiful one. But how?