Savage (Wolf Ranch 4)

Selena’d have Becky out fast, but that didn’t make it any better knowing she was there alone right now. And that wouldn’t solve the issue with Donald.

“Get your mate out of there and somewhere you can protect her. I’ll update the council. They’ll want to know about this.” He didn’t release his grip on my shoulder. “Your wolf is still showing,” he said.

My eyes must’ve still been silver. I was growling, too. A low, menacing rumble meant to tell the world to back the fuck away from my mate.

Becky.

Fates, she must be so scared. So traumatized. Her ex, murdered in her own home.

And it was my fucking fault!

I brought this on her.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

“I knew I should’ve stayed away from her, but I just couldn’t help myself, could I?”

“Clint.” Rob gave me an alpha growl, and my mind settled.

“What would you do if this was Willow?”

“You’d tell me the exact same thing,” he countered. “Pull it together, man. Your mate needs you to have a clear head.”

I nodded. Yes. He was right. I sucked in a deep breath through my nostrils and blew it out. “I’m good,” I promised.

He studied me. “Are you? Because I’m not letting you go to the station if you’re gonna go silver there.”

I swallowed. “No, I’m good. I’m good. Let me go.”

Rob released his hold on me. “Keep it together.”

“Yeah. I’m good,” I chanted, opening the truck door. I wasn’t going to kill anyone at the station. Even if I wanted to. I would save it all for Donald Brown. The guy who dared threaten my mate. The guy who entered her fucking house last night.

The guy who was going to die. Very soon. I wasn’t a council enforcer now. I was a mate whose female was in danger.

I got on my phone as I drove into town. “Selena,” I said in a tight voice when she answered. “The police have my mate. Her ex was murdered in her house.”

“Where is she being held?”

“The Cooper Valley station.”

“I’ll meet you there. They aren’t going to let you in, so don’t kick up a fuss when you get there. Tell them her lawyer is on her way. Let me handle things.”

I growled, not thrilled with what she said. “Fine. There’s something else. Something you need to know. Consider it client-attorney privilege.”

“Oh Fates. Tell me you didn’t kill him.”

I gripped the steering wheel until it cracked. “I didn’t. But it was a wolf shifter, for sure. His throat was torn out.”

She sighed. “What else?”

“I’m a council enforcer. I think I brought this on Becky. Someone’s out for revenge, and they’re fucking with my mate to make me sweat.”

“That’s a problem. A very big problem. Because if I can get Becky released from there today—”

“You mean when,” I snarled.

“I’ll do my best. But when I do, you won’t be able to leave town or go into hiding. She’ll need to stay where the police can contact her. If she’s a suspect in this murder case, she won’t be allowed to leave town.”

“Which means we’ll be sitting ducks.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I roared my fury, stepping on the gas. Things couldn’t be any more fucked up. And all I knew was that I had to get Becky into my arms. I had to know she was safe and provided for, or I was going to lose my ever-loving mind.

17

BECKY

“Trash can,” I croaked, hand over my mouth.

Sheriff Duncan shoved it toward me as I lurched from my chair to puke again.

I couldn’t believe Todd was dead. Not just dead. Murdered. In my house!

They seemed to think I’d done it.

My body shook involuntarily, the nerves turning me into a rattling cage. I glanced down at my lavender scrubs. God, they’d come for me at work. I’d been late the other day and now this. No question I’d lose my job, and I’d be getting a call from the nursing board.

“Are you all right?”

I turned my head and glared at the deputy who had a gun on his hip but probably wasn’t old enough to buy himself a drink.

“So, you’re saying you haven’t been to your house at all in the past thirty-six hours?” Sheriff Duncan asked. The room was full of officers—the sheriff from Meade as well as probably every Cooper Valley deputy on duty. It wasn’t as if murder ever happened in this small backwater town. Until now.

I blinked away tears, feeling alone. Scared. I had no idea what to do. Todd had harassed me while he was alive, and he was still messing with me when he was dead. I stood and hugged the trash can to my chest.

“I left right after you took Todd away the night before last,” I explained, for the fourth time, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “Clint took me to his parents’ place for lunch yesterday, and we stayed at Wolf Ranch until around seven. We stayed at Clint’s parents’ rental last night. Together.”