Harry’s hand self-consciously went to his hair. He licked his fingers and smoothed it down with a cheesy grin in Mara’s direction.
It was adorable and so Harry it hurt her heart. That was exactly as she wanted to remember him.
Squaring her shoulders, Mara sucked in a breath when Nina popped open the door.
The face on the other side of it was stoic, reserved, maybe even a little remorseful against the backdrop of the gloomy sky. Cooper Beaman held his hat respectfully in his hands.
Nina grinned, acknowledging one of many she’d defeated at Pack’s annual touch football game. “Cooper? How the fuck are you, dude? You here for a little rematch? How many times I gotta kick your ass before you accept I’m a chick and I rule the field, buddy? Go home and iron your pom-poms.” She slapped him on the back good-naturedly.
Mara watched Cooper, his eyes looking past Nina’s shoulder. Usually, Cooper was all about a good ribbing, especially when it came to his rivalry with Nina. But not today. He cleared his throat. “I’m here for Mara, Nina. Official business.”
Harry was instantly at her side, pushing her behind him before she had the chance to object. “What official business?” he demanded.
Mara let her forehead rest against his broad back for only a moment before she said, “It’s okay, Harry. I knew Cooper was coming.”
Harry whipped around, his eyes searching hers. “For what?”
Nina’s face went from playful to angry in an instant. “What the fuck’s goin’ on, Coop? What official business, dude? Spit it out, or you’re gonna find out what it feels like to be annihilated by a chick, ass sniffer!”
“Pack business,” Cooper said, straightening his spine before pulling a pair of handcuffs from his belt.
“Hold on a minute, Cooper, is it?” Harry stepped between Nina and Cooper, his hand on the man’s chest. “What the hell is this about?”
“Harry!” Mara grabbed his arm, scenting his anger. “It’s okay. Cooper’s here for me. I knew he’d be here. The council gave me twenty-four hours to get my personal affairs in order as consolation for turning myself in. I said I’d go peacefully, and I will.”
Stepping around Harry, Mara held her wrists out. “I’m ready, Cooper.” While she forced her voice to calm, her stomach threatened to empty itself.
“Hold the hell on!” Harry roared, pushing her hands away from Cooper, his eyes angry, his jaw tight. “The hell you’re taking her anywhere. Take your hands off her, or I’ll put mine on you!”
Mara’s heart swelled, hitting her ribs with a hard knock. Her hands shook when she took the handcuffs away from Cooper and slapped them on herself.
“Cooper, I’m gonna beat your ass bloody, motherfucker!” Nina yelled in his face.
“Nina, Harry! Both of you stop!” Mara shouted. “Please stop making this harder than it has to be. I thought you’d both be gone. I didn’t think that Harry and I . . .” she shook her head, fighting back tears. “I didn’t think you’d be here, Harry. I turned myself in the other day. There’s just no other way. Eventually, the pack would have found out you’re not a human anymore. How would you explain that? Should you lie for me? I had to take responsibility before you were considered a conspirator. Add in that someone’s bound to mention Jeff’s been gone from the lab. The Vegas story isn’t going to work a week from now when Jeff’s used up all his vacation time. To make everything so much worse, what if someone in Jeff’s family, or maybe a friend we don’t know about, begins to wonder where Jeff is and contacts the police? You said it yourself, Nina, human interference is always a problem. We can’t keep running behind this broken story, gluing the fallen pieces of it back together only to find more of it has chipped away. The pack will know how to handle both Jeff’s disappearance and the police. But I have to take responsibility for Harry’s turning. It doesn’t matter that it was an accident. It happened and it happened at my hands. Period. The council has to investigate in order to protect everyone. You included, Harry. So, please, please, just let me go with Cooper.”
Nina’s fists clenched and unclenched before her barely contained rage exploded. “Fuck you and your stupid goddamn pack, Cooper!” She flipped up both middle fingers. “You and all your fucking rules and bullshit. Mark my words, Cooper, and tell all your freakishly, old-ass comrades in crap, too, I’m comin’ for her. And when I do, you damn well better hope you’re not in the way,” she snarled down at poor Cooper, making his ruddy face go white.