“Alyssa, meet Moose.”
Moose looks thrilled to see her. He’s not the only one.
She pets his big head and he licks her face.
“How did you know where to find me?”
She gives me a mischievous grin. “I have my ways.”
“How?”
She laughs. “I got it from Enzo. He texted it to me.”
I guess that man isn’t that bad.
“Come,” I say as I grab her hand. “I want to introduce you to—”
The rumbling sound of motorcycles hits my ears as I’m about to pull her in. No…
It’s low at first, so low that Alyssa can’t even hear it, but it begins to build and build like a crescendo until all I hear is a thunderous roaring of engines.
My brothers hear it too. The three of them are at my side, watching the road as a huge cloud of dust approaches.
“Bailey!” Roman shouts in a panic. “Get upstairs and lock the door!”
“Go with her!” I snap as I grab Alyssa’s wrist and yank her inside.
Bailey pulls out her phone as she runs up the stairs. “I’m calling my brother!”
“I’ll stay here,” Alyssa says as her hands squeeze into fists. “I can fight.”
She’s amazing. She’s already willing to put her life on the line for me. For us.
But I can’t let her do it. “Go upstairs with the girls,” I beg her. “You can protect them.”
She doesn’t want to leave, but the look I give her tells her there will be no compromising. Reluctantly, she kisses my cheek and darts up the stairs.
I turn my attention back outside and see what my brothers are already witnessing. They’re on the porch watching as dozens of motorcycles spill onto the ranch, each with a Lone Wolf Mercenary riding on it.
“I hope you boys ate your Wheaties,” I say as I roll out my shoulders getting ready for action.
“There’s Burton,” Easton says.
I spot him immediately. The old grizzled polar bear shifter winds his motorcycle through the crowd and emerges at the head of the pack.
My jaw clenches as I squeeze my hands into fists. My eyes narrow into tunnel vision as rage pumps through my veins. How dare he come to our place where our mates are. He’s a dead man. Him and every other piece of shit he brought here.
The rumbling lowers as the shifters turn off their engines and get off their bikes. There are so many of them. Too many.
Or, maybe not nearly enough. The one advantage we have is that we’re fighting for our mates and they’re fighting for revenge or money if Burton has to resort to paying them. The odds always favor mates fighting for love over any numbers.
“The Dixon brothers,” Burton says, relishing the moment with an evil grin. “I’ve been eager to see you boys again.”
“How the fuck are you still alive?” Cameron asks with a fierce look.
Burton grins. “Landed in a huge oak tree. Practically split it in two. I survived. It didn’t.”
“So happy to hear that,” Roman says with a sneer.
I can smell my brothers’ bears close to the surface. Mine is hovering close to. We’re going to need them all with all those wolves to contend with.
“So thoughtful of you to come see us so we can finish the job,” I tell him.
“You Dixon boys always were too cocky for your own good.” Burton puffs out his chest and glances over his shoulder at the three dozen shifters behind him. He nods to his men and they start kicking off their boots and slipping their leather cuts off.
One of them to the right bursts into his wolf form. He lowers his head and snarls at us. Another one in the back phases, then another, and another. Soon, they’re all exploding into a sea of wolves. They snarl and growl as they pace around, watching us.
“I hate this,” Easton whispers. “Our girls are inside.”
“Then let’s be sure they don’t make it past us,” I say as I roll my shoulders.
“Bears?” Roman asks.
“Mine is pretty fucking furious right now,” Cameron says. “He’s dying to get out.”
I nod my head. “Mine too. Let’s teach them what happens when they fuck with a Kodiak’s mate.”
“Good plan,” Easton says. “Make sure they never come back.”
Burton smells the air and grins. “Those bears smell familiar.” The fucker is loving this. “Looks like it’s going to be a furry reunion.”
He yanks off his leather cut and begins to swell up. His muscles balloon and then long white fur sprouts from his tight skin. With a loud tear, his furious polar bear explodes out of him with a roar.
Burton’s bear always was a mean one. I always wondered how I would stack up against him in a fight to the death. I guess I’m about to find out.
“I’ll take Burton,” I growl as my eyes are locked on his snarling bear.
“All right,” Cameron says with a nod. “Let’s maim these fucking dogs.”