Hungry Like the Wolf(78)

“I can’t protect you and my pack at the same time, Mackenzie,” Gage said. “You’re still a target. Be careful.”

Gage didn’t wait for a reply, but turned and strode across the clearing toward the police cars. Mac had been a target before and she’d always taken care of herself just fine, but for some stupid reason, knowing he put his pack ahead of her hurt. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing.





Chapter 11


It was almost 0200 hours by the time Gage got to the compound. Between giving a statement to the cops who’d responded to the incident, then the duty captain who’d come out after hearing who Gage was, he’d barely had enough time for a quick call to tell Mike he was okay before Deputy Chief Mason had shown up with a half dozen detectives and Internal Affairs. The newsies hadn’t been far behind. Cops getting called out to a rural farm area about reports of automatic weapons fire was one thing. Finding out that a member of the city’s SWAT team had been targeted and ambushed by seven foreign killers armed with those automatic weapons? That was something completely different, and it drew a lot of attention.

It had taken a long time to answer Internal Affairs’ questions. It was tough making up a story that explained everything that’d happened, especially when he was thinking of Mackenzie and what a damn fool he’d been to trust her. Luckily, the entire department had heard the rumors about Hardy bringing in some hired killers, so they were more than ready to believe the men had come to kill him and Mackenzie. The part they had a hard time believing was how one man—even if he was SWAT—managed to kill seven cold-blooded killers with just his off-duty weapon and his bare hands.

Gage had really outdone himself on that part of the story. He should get a freaking Oscar for his acting skills.

And while they were handing out awards, Mackenzie should get one, too, because she’d really made him believe she gave a damn about him. But all she’d ever wanted was a fucking story, and he’d been so convinced she was The One, he hadn’t even seen it. Fool that he was, he’d thought he might be able to make one last appeal to her after Internal Affairs had finished with him, but Mason told him she’d asked if one of the uniformed officers could take her home.

While he was still mad as hell at Mackenzie, Gage was also worried about her. He hadn’t been making that crap up about her being a target. But as much as he wanted to protect her, his first priority was to his pack. Besides, she’d made her decision. She was probably back at the newsroom going over her video evidence and writing the first draft of a story that’d earn her another award for her wall, and end his life, and those of men who were like brothers to him.

It was his own damn fault. He never should have let her get so close. Hell, he should never have let her into the compound. But he’d been fooled by her smile and her pretty face—and yeah, her sexy body, too—and ignored the fact that she’d been after one thing and one thing only—a story. And when her smile and pretty face hadn’t gotten her anywhere, she’d used her body to get what she wanted. She’d slept with him and made him feel things that weren’t real. And when he’d gotten careless, she’d been there to record the whole thing.

So, why didn’t he hate her? Because he was in love with her. He had to be, right? Why else would he feel as if his soul had been ripped out?

Gage punched his code into the control on the compound’s gate and let himself in. The deputy chief had wanted him to relocate to a protective services safe house immediately, but Gage refused. When Mason insisted, Gage had told his boss he’d quit right there on the spot. That hadn’t earned him any future favors with his division chief, but it had ended the discussion, which was all Gage cared about. After tonight, he wouldn’t be working for the Dallas PD anymore anyway.

Gage closed the gate behind him, then headed for the training building. The guys were waiting for him inside. They looked concerned—and wired.

“Where’s Mac?” Cooper asked. “Is she okay?”

Gage set his duffel bag on the floor. “She’s fine. She’s probably at the Dallas Daily Star working on her story.”

Cooper frowned. “Probably?”

“What story?” Becker asked.

There was no easy way to say it so he might as well rip off the Band-Aid. “The story telling the world that the Dallas SWAT team is made up of werewolves.”

No one said anything. They all stared at him like he’d announced he’d just been abducted and probed by aliens.

“You told her?” Mike asked.