Silver-Tipped Justice(12)

Brook snorted, chuckling cruelly. “You actually believed him? Gods, you’re such a dumbass.”

Tim felt the blood drain from his face, making him lightheaded. Anger quickly followed, surging through him. He leaped to his feet. “You bastards!” he screamed. As suddenly as the rage came, it was gone, replaced by panic. “Kontra!”

Getting a twisted look of disgust on his face, Brook snarled, “That fag and his father asked for regular reports on you for years.” He smirked. “Why do you think the alpha supported your decision to go to school in the states?”

“The alpha knew I had a mate out there and he kept that information from me? Why?” Tim’s brows creased as he tried to comprehend why the hell his old alpha would lie about him having a mate. The mate bond was sacred. Didn’t all shifters believe that?

To his surprise, Henri rose, walked around the table, and slapped him on the shoulder. “Awe, it’s not your fault.” He shrugged and settled at the table next to him. “It’s your mom and dad’s. They never should have fallen in love and had you. Mixing magicks is always a recipe for disaster, but they didn’t listen.”

“Magicks?” Even more confusion flooded Tim. “What are you talking about?”

Brook growled low and mean. “Your fucking mother was a witch. The Gods blessed us the day she died giving birth to you.”

“Don’t you talk about my mother that way!” Tim yelled, once more leaping to his feet.

Henri swung his arm, slapping Brook on the stomach. “Shut up, man. She saved our flock from a warlock curse.”

“Oh, right,” Brook muttered, looking away.

“Okay, so my mom was a witch,” Tim said slowly. He wondered just who he could ask for more information on that. He hadn’t heard from his father since before Alpha Pierre’s goons ran him off. Tim scowled. “What the hell does any of that have to do with me?”

Henri crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head. He eyed Tim for a moment, making him think the man wasn’t going to answer. “Well, I guess I may as well tell you. Everyone should know why they’re going to be put to death. Your mother had premonitions, and on her deathbed, she told us that once your mate claimed you, you’d gain your powers.” Henri shook his head. “Sorry, man. Alpha Pierre refuses to allow that to happen.”

Tim shivered, feeling like he’d just been doused with ice water. Even the hot coffee couldn’t warm him. “I’m a witch?” he whispered, thoughts whirling through his brain at all the new information he’d received. Things he’d never known and could never have guessed. Three things kept pushing to the forefront. His mother was a witch. He had a mate. And to keep him from becoming a witch, too, Alpha Pierre planned to execute him.

“But why?” Tim couldn’t stop the question, fear and curiosity eating at him in equal measures. “Why would Alpha Pierre even care?”

Henri shrugged, taking another sip of coffee. “Don’t know. Don’t really care, either.”





Chapter Five


Kontra awoke to the sounds of men talking. Recognizing the voices of Payson, Sam, and Adam, he rolled over and eyed them in the dim light of the hotel room. The shades were drawn, but a crack in the curtains let in just enough morning light for him to make out the men sitting on the bed and chairs.

“Hey,” he muttered, forcing himself to a sitting position.

“Morning, boss,” Payson quipped, his usual chipper self.

Kontra didn’t bother responding to that, instead he nodded to the other two men before rising from the bed and striding to the bathroom. Once he was done with his morning routine, Kontra walked back out and over to his bag. He rummaged through it, finding his last pair of clean jeans and pulling them over his naked ass.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Kontra caught the bagel Adam tossed to him. Before taking a big bite, he added, “You been here long?”

Sam shook his head. “A half hour.” He opened his mouth like he was going to say more, then snapped it shut.

The three men exchanged glances that had Kontra’s eyes narrowing.

“What?”

“We have a problem,” Sam stated softly.

Kontra swallowed his mouthful of bagel and slowly licked his lips. He just knew whatever they were going to say was going to be something he didn’t like and his heart pounded in his chest. “What problem?”

Payson pressed his lips together, clearly uneasy sharing whatever it was. Grimacing, he whispered, “Tim is missing, boss.”

“What?” he roared, leaping to his feet. “What the hell do you mean, missing?”