Wicked Bite (Realm Enforcers #5)(101)

"Logan is the best. I figured he could backup your search." The world swirled in, rushing through Bear's head. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. "The human prospects. The kids who overdosed."

Lucas showed his teeth. "Yes."

Holy fuck. "You've been distributing Apollo through the Grizzly MC?" Bear's voice shook he was so furious. His people. Used.

Lucas lifted a broad shoulder. "You made it so easy by putting me in charge and then disappearing for three months. The distribution took a month to set up, but we've made millions since. Or I should say that I've made millions." He moved slightly to the side to take better aim.

Bear fought his body's demand to shift. The second he shimmered, Luke would shoot-not only him, but probably the men in the cells. None of this made sense. He clicked facts into order, but betrayal burned like a lit match through him and fuzzed his thoughts.

Lucas waved a hand. "Don't worry about the human prospects that dealt for me. When you kicked them out, I had them taken care of. They won't tell the DEA on me."

Bear's stomach lurched. "You had those kids killed?"

Lucas shrugged. "Why do you think the DEA hasn't been back? They can't find any witnesses."

Shit. Bear would have to deal with that guilt later. "Wait a minute." His head lifted. The hair on his nape rose. "You're the manufacturer of Apollo, too." It had to be somebody local with good connections. And a lot of money. Bear had made plenty of money for Lucas through the decades.

"Bingo," Lucas snarled. "We have a winner."



       
         
       
        

"Jesus Christ, why?" Bear snapped. "Why, Lucas?"

Lucas sighed. "You are so obtuse. They killed my parents. Left me an orphan, alone in this psychotic world."

Bear frowned. "Witches killed your parents?"

"Yeah. The Coven Nine convicted my parents of smuggling, and the sentence was death," Lucas said, his pupils contracting.

"What were they smuggling?" Bear hissed.

Boondock cleared his throat. "About a century ago?"

"Yes," Bear snapped.

"Young female witches." Boondock finally approached the bars. "I was still with the Guard, and I worked the case. They were kidnappers and slavers, not smugglers." He studied Lucas. "At the turn of the century, a group of truly evil people kidnapped female witch children to force them into servitude. Not only servitude, but sexual slavery. The kidnappers had a small but well-funded group of monsters they served."

Bear stumbled back. "What?"

Boondock nodded. "Aye. The Guard hunted them down, and the Coven Nine declared a sentence. I didn't know that any of the criminals had offspring."

"Or I'd be dead, too," Lucas muttered.

"Possibly," Boondock agreed. "At the very least, we would've watched you."

That would've been nice. Bear shook his head. "You've been planning this for decades. The entire time we've been friends."

"I almost brought you in," Lucas said, smiling. "But then you mated her. One of them. Of course, I can relate. I may have had a dalliance with a witch, too."

"Grace Sadler," Bear said slowly.

"Yes. I tracked her down, and she was more than happy to help me take down the Coven Nine. And she's been a good fuck. At least for a while. Until her sons both died during this campaign and she realized the scope of change I had planned."

Bile rose in Bear's throat, and he swallowed it down. "You tried to kill me, too."

"Yes. I moved up my timeline, and you had to go."

Bear coughed, his breath on fire. "Last night at the wolf bar. I was supposed to die."

"Yes," Lucas snapped, his face turning an ugly red. "Then that demon kid woke up and rammed the building with a truck. I had to nearly break my own head to look like I was attacked."

Rage clawed through Bear, and fur emerged on his arms. He made it recede. "Before that, you hired those wolves. You sent forces here to attack your own people."

"Oh, yeah. That witch you mated is going to die, and painfully." Lucas growled. "Along with half of the witch nation. The plan is already in motion." 

Bear ducked his head, fury consuming him.

"Too late." Lucas fired three shots into Bear's neck and then aimed up. Pain exploded in Bear's head as he partially turned, taking the last bullet to the temple.

He was out cold before he hit the ground.





Chapter 32

Nessa finished adding the last red dot to the world board. "We have all Alpha Level witch members identified by location, and lockdowns are commencing." She looked at Simone. "Including you."