“Really? That’s allowed? I thought an Alpha could do what he wanted.”
“Yes, and no. An Alpha can run their Pack however they want, so long as there’s not any outlandish abuse being carried out. Let’s be honest, Mari, your old Alpha is fucking nuts and definitely abusive. My contact is the type of Enforcer who revels in taking down these kind of assholes, but I need to ask you first, are you sure? Because once I make the call your old Pack will never be the same. The Alpha will most probably be arrested, and an interim will be put in place by the Council. The Council will run the Pack until it’s being run properly, but that means that other wrongdoers will also be arrested. Are you sure that’s going to sit well with your friends?”
Marissa nodded furiously. “Hell yeah. Not one woman there will argue with that. Trust me, Shade, we were all treated like slaves, or worse. The only ones who will be upset are the kids who happen to be boys, but they need to be taught the right way to be a Shifter. Not the warped way they’ve been brought up so far.”
“All right, I’ll make the call.” Shade leaned over, kissing her. “But I’m sure it can wait for a day or two. I need you, my mate.”
“I need you too, my mate, but . . .”
Shade sighed, reaching for his phone. “You want me to make the call now, don’t you?”
“Yes, please. Hold on and I’ll write down the details.”
Shade held up his hand. “I don’t need those, Mari. I’m calling the Council’s top Enforcer. All I need is your Alpha’s name and Pack, he’ll get any other details from their records.”
“Oh, right,” Marissa gave him a smile before giving him the information he needed.
“I’ll do this in private,” Shade rose, going into the bathroom. “He’s not exactly the friendly sort and he hates returning any favors.”
“Okay,” Marissa nibbled her bottom lip nervously.
Shade dialed the number, noting it took several rings before it was answered. “Hi, Zohar, it’s Shade and I’m calling in that favor you owe me.”
The next few days seemed like a blur filled with amazing loving, interspersed with Shade cooking for Marissa, some long sensual baths, and several hot and steamy showers. Marissa settling down once Shade confirmed his contact was going to deal with her Pack, although it would be a week or two before he could attend to it as he was out on another mission. She was just happy that something was going to happen to change the lives of the women in the Pack, and showed her gratitude in very inventive ways that Shade enjoyed immensely.
Royce and Ash texted several times to update him on Pack news. One of which settling his inner beast when the Evans brother was strong enough to leave and Ash handed him over to the two others and watched as they drove away. His Beta wasn’t satisfied with that though, he’d sent two of his men to follow them all the way out of the damn state. Go Ash.
Shade had just finished serving Marissa breakfast in bed when his phone rang, not chirped with a message, but rang. Snatching it up, Shade answered angrily. “Whoever this is, it better be fucking life or death.”
“It’s Ash, I’m sorry, Alpha, but I need you to come downstairs now. We have a situation here.”
Shade knew his Beta would not have called unless it was important. “I assume I require clothes for this situation?”
“That would be best, yes,” Ash replied calmly. “And, Alpha, just so you know this is about Marissa.”
Shade’s skin rippled, his beast rising at the implied threat to their mate. “I’ll be right down.”
Marissa pushed the tray off her lap, obviously hearing Ash’s side of the conversation. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve no idea but I’ll deal with it. You stay here.”
Shade pulled on jeans and boots, foregoing anything further, and stormed downstairs, his anger barely contained. When he reached his front door it was boiling hot and he tore open the door so hard that the top hinge lost several screws. Shade found Ash standing with four men, one of whom he knew and hated with every fiber of his being . . . Marissa’s father.
He stood with a smug look on his face, arms crossed, and the three other men looked suspiciously like Pack Enforcers. Hell no. Did this cocksucker come onto his land with Enforcers? Was he fucking insane?
Shade stepped outside, growling, his Wolf barely contained. “What the fuck is this about? I warned you once not to come back. Do you have a fucking death-wish, old man?”
Ash held out a piece of paper. “He brought this with him. It’s a letter from his Alpha laying claim to Marissa, saying she was promised to him and that she’s to be returned to him immediately.”
Shade snatched the piece of paper from Ash, ignoring what was written, and slowly ripped it to shreds, then threw the paper in the interloper’s faces. “That’s what I think of that piece of shit. Marissa is going nowhere.”
A soft whimper behind Shade spun him around, Marissa stood quivering with fear rolling off her. “Shade?” she asked, her eyes pleaded with him.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe here, Mari. Do not ever doubt that. Not for a fucking second.” Shade slowly turned back around, allowing his beast to show. “I won’t repeat this again. Marissa is not going anywhere with you. She is staying here, with me, and if you don’t get the fuck off my land I promise this will be the place you will last draw breath.”
One of the large Shifter’s stepped forward, chest puffed out. “We’ve been instructed not to return without her.”
Shade didn’t bother looking in his direction, barely even moved his feet, his arm shooting out to grab the man’s neck in a vice-like grip, crushing viciously briefly before throwing him
