The shouts increased in volume with a clang of the doors being opened to reveal the empty vault. I lugged my bags across the bridge to where I'd left my car.
Now to figure out how to return the money.
I slowed for a red light when my alter went rabid. I lost control for a moment, and sailed directly into the intersection full of traffic. The airbag deployed, but it didn't help the minivan that T-boned my driver's side door. I lost consciousness moments later, the wails of my alter following me into the darkness.
Lorca
Something bad had happened, and I had a feeling it was my Quad. I'd managed to get a phone and in touch with the Commander again, and he'd only kept saying I needed to meet the teams for news. Trying to find my mate hadn't gone well as of yet, and I was out of options to quickly resolve the situation on my own. Against my better judgment, I met up with the Trio and Quad from HQ.
I'd barely made into the hotel parking lot when my fears were confirmed.
"Enforcer Lorca, you are under arrest for aiding and abetting the thief known as 'Avarice', escaping the Ghost Clan Regent's custody, and desertion of your Quad. You will stand trial with the Therian Council House post haste." The Quad leader didn't appear to enjoy arresting me. It was ingrained in us during training to uphold our duties, but we didn't always have to agree with them.
"Not without my quadmates. We will all face the Council together. Were you able to remand the rest of my Quad or detain Avarice?" I held out hope, small as it was, that my Quad was away from the Regent's reach.
The leader blanked his expression and motioned one of the others to cuff my hands. I evaded him and demanded again, to know where Vaughn and the others were.
"I called for help and you're arresting me. I'll deal with the charges with the Council, just get the others out if that gaol." They didn't understand, they had to get my quadmates out of there.
"I'm sorry to have to bear the news, Lorca." He dropped the formality and let his empathy show. "The Regent has claimed that the other members of your Quad attacked the guards when they arrived at the gaol and sustained extreme injury when they were subdued." He swallowed hard before he finished. "You're the last alive."
The devastation was bad enough that I nearly buckled to the ground, but the Enforcer's held me up. "Did– did you recover their bodies? I'd like to request a proper burial for them." It wouldn't do any good to proclaim their innocence; they were gone and beyond that now. I could only hope our bondmate was alive and I could get to her.
"Rumor is that they all Invoked." A tinge of awe infused the leader’s words. I could understand it as I was shocked myself. Why did they Invoke? What the hell happened in there?
At least I had an exit plan when it was time. I wouldn't leave my Quad brothers. "And Avarice?" I tacked on the last in hopes that he'd have enough sympathy to tell me. "She's our– my, bondmate."
That got his attention. His eyes narrowed on mine, and I could feel the fury emanating from him. "There's some bad shit going down here. She was picked up in a wreck a few hours ago with the gold she stole out of an armored truck bound for the Regent's treasury. She's fine," he answered before I could interrupt. "Seems her alter went crazy while she was driving. If she's your Quad's bondmate– I'd imagine she felt it." The man was pitying now, but so was I.
"We weren't bonded yet. We'd only just found out while she was helping a woman and her daughter leave the area. She was our target." It was a Hail Mary, but maybe I could sway the man. "Is there any way you get her to the Council for trial as well? If she goes to the Regent's gaol, Anassa in-waiting or not, I doubt she'll make it out. Her only chance is for us to bond, otherwise…"
"As a favor for a fellow Enforcer and his bondmate, I'd try. For the circumstances and shady shit going on– we'll make it happen. Right?" He glanced from one Enforcer to the next, gaining agreement from each.
"Thanks, man. Really."
Maybe my bondmate and I could survive. Only time would tell.
The End
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Avarice: House of Mustelid (Wicked Reform School Series) is available now on pre-order!
About the Author
Emma Cole is an indie author that writes across the genre board. Nothing is off limits, so that means mature audiences only. From light and fluffy to down and dirty—if it strikes her fancy and has a story to tell she’s on it.
Want to stalk the author? You can catch her on most platforms here: Stalk Emma
Other Works by Emma Cole
Remington Carter Series
Echoes and Entanglements
Requiem
Clarity
(coming soon)
The Dark Duet
Lark
Nightingale
(coming soon)
Death Dealers- Serial
Episode One
Episode Two
Episode Three
(coming soon)
Wicked Reform School Series
Avarice
Bound to Change: Limited Edition Shifter Spring Collection
(Darkfyre by Emma Cole)
Purr-fect Portrait: A Pet Play Short Story
Hearts of Darkness: A Valentines Bully Romance Anthology (Contains Hit and Run: Part One)
Hit and Run: Part Two
The Freed
A Shifter Prison Prequel Story
May Dawson
About The Freed
No girl can defy the Alpha.
When Saoirse Hunt refuses to marry the man her pack’s Alpha has chosen for her, she becomes one of the “thrown away girls”, sent to prison for the great crime of wanting to choose her own mate.
But first, the two bounty guards who come to collect her have to get her there…
As
