“Get it over with,” he said aloud, knowing he was procrastinating. He sat on the corner of the huge antique wooden desk, picked up the phone and made the call.
“Are you all right?” Tasha jumped up as he returned to the kitchen. “You’ve been away for ages.”
Rafe checked the clock on the wall above the window. Over a damn hour that old fart Atherton had kept him on the line, going over and over everything. He’d barely managed to stop himself from cursing and hanging up.
“I’m fine.” Rafe reached out, cupping her face and rubbing his thumb over her lips. “Atherton made me tell him everything ten times over and even then he wanted to hear it all again.”
“Oh dear.” Tasha leaned into his touch as she spoke.
“So what’s happening?” Jacy asked and Rafe noticed that his mother was nowhere in sight. He guessed she must’ve gone to Myrtle’s already.
“He’ll be sending a team out to the Pack to deal with burying them and he’s also going to send his top Enforcer to help us.”
Rafe paused, waiting, and it was a mere second before Jacy whistled. “Do you mean Zohar? The almighty and powerful Zohar Drake is coming here?”
The sarcasm hung in the room as Rafe nodded. “Yes, he certainly is.”
“Fuck,” Jacy spat out. “Oh, sorry, Tasha but that guy is . . .”
“Intense is the word you’re looking for, buddy.” Rafe chuckled. “Wanna beer?”
“Hell yes.” Jacy nodded vigorously. “We’ll all need to be on top of our game with Zohar around.”
“Who’s Zohar?” Tasha asked as she went to the massive double door fridge, opened it and grabbed some beers.
“You didn’t need to do that, I would’ve gotten them.” Rafe told her as he sat back down at the head of the table, tossing a beer to Jacy and opening one for himself.
“No worries,” she smiled. “I’m used to getting . . .” she paused, her voice lowering to barely a whisper. “I mean I was used to getting them for my dad.”
“Sorry,” Rafe said up at her, reaching for her arm and pulling her onto his lap where he engulfed her within his embrace. Kissing the top of her head as she took several deep breaths.
“No, it’s all right,” she said quietly. “I sometimes forget, ya know?”
“Yes,” Rafe said somberly. “I remember doing the same when my dad died. It gets better, I promise.”
“Thanks.” She smiled sadly up at him. “Now tell me, who is this guy you’re talking about?”
Jacy snickered as Rafe inhaled, exhaled then started. “Zohar Drake is the Council’s top Enforcer. He deals with their worst cases and he’s rather . . . intense.”
“That’s one word for what he is,” Jacy sneered. “Downright cold, hard and cold. He’s a fucking machine. Pardon my French.”
“Don’t apologize.” Tasha shot Jacy a quick grin. “I can cuss along with the best so no need to worry on my account.”
“Anyway,” Rafe carried on. “Zohar will be meeting us tomorrow and then he’ll be living here until this has been dealt with.”
“Oh goody.” Jacy clapped his hands, his tone as sarcastic as Rafe had ever heard.
“I know, but he is the best and he has some unique abilities that we don’t.”
“Like what?” Tasha asked.
“He can transform quicker than anything I’ve ever seen,” Rafe shook his head. “Damnedest thing to watch but I’ve seen it. That can come in handy at times, especially as his beast is huge.”
“Bigger than yours?” Tasha asked, wide eyed.
“Yes,” Rafe said, hating to admit it.
“Damn, he must be a freak,” Tasha said seriously.
Jacy chuckled. “I agree with you there, sister.”
Rafe noted how at ease she was in Jacy’s company. It actually made him happy now, his jealousy abating with their impending mating. It meant she wouldn’t be scared if he had to leave her in his Beta’s care.
“Anyway,” he carried on. “The Council is as shocked as we are at what’s happened and they’re sending out a ton of other Enforcers, some with magical abilities, to search the area. They’re hoping that we can find who is behind this and stop him repeating this grotesque extermination of a Pack from happening again.”
Jacy’s face was grim as he nodded, Tasha’s was a mixture of sadness, grief and anger.
Rafe understood. As Alpha, his feelings were a combination of all those too but at this moment anger was taking the lead. He couldn’t wait to dole out some justice for the Pack that had been destroyed.
After they’d finished discussing what Atherton Denholm had said, Jacy slid out of his chair, stretching. “I’m going to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
“See you out front just before dawn,” Rafe reminds him.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Jacy disappeared out the back door as Rafe turned to Tasha. She looked nervous and worried, nibbling her bottom lip and picking at the skin on one of her fingers. So much so that she drew blood. What the hell?
“Tasha, are you okay?” Rafe asked quietly.
Her eyes remained downcast, refusing to meet his. “Tash?”
Finally she raised hers and the conflict he saw staring back clenched his stomach tight. “What’s wrong?”
“Promise you won’t be mad at me?” she pleaded softly.
“I won’t be mad,” he assured her.
“Can we wait? You know . . . to seal our mating?” She looked so upset that her words took a moment to sink in.
Dang! Struggling to mask his disappointment and hoping he’d managed as he said, “Of course, baby, if that’s what you want.”
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed, her voice hitching as she fought to stop her tears from falling.
“Don’t.” He reached over, wiping a stray tear from her soft cheek.
“I know you said no earlier and I don’t want to argue, but . . .”
He held up a hand. “Oh shit, any sentence that starts that way usually ends up in an argument.”
“I’m going with you tomorrow.”
Her voice was firm, her eyes locked with Rafe’s as she waited
