After one of the Pack doctors left the cabin, Garrett took in the sight of the resilient, beautiful woman on his bed. Autumn surprised him in more ways than one. Something he didn’t tell her the other day when she had been asking so many questions about his love life and sex life was that ever since that painful breakup ten years ago, he rarely dated human women—women who wouldn’t understand his nature. And in the case of Autumn, his mating and possessive urges.

While bringing Autumn to his home, Garrett realized that he wanted to keep her safe more than he wanted to complete his assignment. After all, he’d let his prime target get away so that he could get her help for her injuries. She hadn’t opened her eyes since he pulled her from the vehicle. Even now, he missed her giving him the ninth degree on his wolf anatomy and the sound of her voice.

Garrett took a lock of her hair between his fingers while she slept peacefully and lifted the strands to his nose. Her scent would not leave him. It was somehow ingrained in his memory and even if he wanted to he couldn’t possibly forget it.

His phone vibrated on his hip. He reached down to view the caller ID. Dane Magnus. It was the call he’d been waiting for.

He pulled the covers up over Autumn’s chest, exited the room quietly, and took the call.

He was outside on the back porch before he spoke a word. “Hey, brother.”

“Garrett? What’s going on? I tried to call you last night but the phone went straight to voicemail. We have a mission we kind of need your help on.”

“Yeah. Understood. I’ll do what I can. Since the last time we talked I kind of got myself in a bind.”

“Yeah, I heard. Edward’s sister has been calling me all afternoon about her brother being shot and bitten during the attack near County Line Road. I had to ensure her that our Packs weren’t at war. In fact, I’m still considering Benjamin’s offer. I have no gripes with the Cross City Wolf Pack, I just need time to weigh these things. What the hell kind of trouble did you guys cause in a matter of days?”

Garrett dragged his fingers back through his hair. “There was a setback in my plans. I was escorting someone out of the city when Simon—the Beta of the Cross City Wolf Pack—followed and attacked us. He killed the driver that Johnston arranged to meet us by the time we got there. Words were exchanged between Simon and me, and we got into it. Edward and I made it out, but we had to flee the scene on foot. Simon had an Omega from his Pack with him who put a bullet in Edward. Needless to say, I ripped out his throat after he shot me in the shoulder while I was fighting Simon. If I hadn’t dived out of the way, the wound could have been fatal for me. ”

“You fought with the Cross City Pack Beta? Montague’s the last name, right? Isn’t this the same guy you’re supposed to apprehend?”

“Yes. The woman that I’m helping turns out to be their Beta’s arranged mate. He came after her. Quite frankly, I don’t even think he knows that I’m the one his Pack leaders hired to capture him. He thinks that I came onto his territory to ruin the chances of him going through with his claim on Autumn.”

“Shit! And you let him get away. Seriously?”

“When Simon realized that he couldn’t get to her, he bit Autumn and took off in a truck. I had to choose between running him down and helping the injured. Edward was healing, but I couldn’t leave her in the ditch. That wasn’t the first time they’ve tried to take her.”

“Are you home now?”

“Yes.”

“With the woman?”

“Yes.”

“He’s bitten her and you know what th—.”

“I know. The bite will allow him to track her anywhere.”

“Track him…and you now that you’ve got her,” Dane added.

“If he steps a foot on my property or lays another hand on Autumn, I’ll kill him. There’ll be no live capture or reversion of the target to Benjamin. If he comes here, he’ll be a dead man on site.”

Dane scoffed into the phone. “He killed one of our Pack members. I’m not forgiving that. I have some of my Enforcers and about a dozen others monitoring our borders. He won’t be able to slip pass anyway. If he comes near them, you’re damn right he’ll be a dead man on site. I’ve already given the orders.”

“I hope you’re right because I don’t want to commit another murder if I don’t have to,” Garrett replied. “The only reason I haven’t gone back to maul that bastard to death is because I’m watching over Autumn. As soon as I know that she’s safe and well enough to be on her own, I’m heading out again.”

“I can send some wolves out to your house if you need some extra security,” Dane offered.

“Thank you, brother. I’d appreciate that.”

“In the meantime, I need you to be thinking about taking on one of the Head Enforcer positions. I’ve been looking into it, and if I accept Benjamin’s deal, that means more property and an increase in our population. There aren’t many who are qualified to do what I need them to do, but you are.”

Garrett paced the floor. Dane knew damn good and well that becoming an Enforcer meant giving up his famed outlaw belt and settling down in his Pack.

“Now’s a fine time for you to bring this matter up,” he said.

“I am the little brother, after all, and you swore to protect me,” Dane said.

Garrett could see him grinning on the other end of the phone right now.

Dane continued, “I need the help. I trust my family above all others with important matters. Besides, father always wanted us to run the Pack together. That’s why he tried to keep his sons together. Even though he couldn’t rule as long as he wanted, he succeeded. Even with our differences of opinions, we’ve always looked after each other.”

“Indeed. We have.” Garrett nodded. “I’ve gotta job to complete and if the pay is right, I’ll entertain your offer when I get back.”

Dane chuckled. “I’ll be prepared for negotiations.”

Garrett grinned. “Ditto. Bring your A-game.”

“Well, let me get back to work. You’re not the only one in a bind,” Dane said. “I’ve got a possible solution to stop the eminent domain takeover planned on one of our tracts of land. Soon as that’s done, I’ll give old Benjamin a call.

“Talk to you later, brother.”