Chapter 33

Blaise didn’t like any of it. The atmosphere was all wrong at this new clan. As far as she could tell, there were only a dozen members of it, and all had shady vibes. This was Sloane’s gig, so she let her take the lead, but she stayed alert and her hand didn’t stray far from the gun at her side. Griffin stayed back as she’d requested, and now she was second-guessing that maybe she should have told him to stay in the truck. It was a helluva spot to be in, keep him close and safe or out of sight and hope he was safe.

“I’m here on behalf of the Alliance and King, I need to speak to your Alpha.”

Bonus points for Sloane, she didn’t say Alpha with the sarcasm that Blaise was thinking as she looked around.

After the one she spoke to gave her a good up-and-down look, he pointed to the biggest house in the four that could be seen. They were run down, and she had to wonder who they belonged to before this clan took them over. Many out-of-province clans had small areas set up, for gatherings and meetings, but she didn’t see Maxine just handing clan property to them. Were they even here legally or were they squatters?

She moved over to see who came out the door and keep an eye on the others lurking around watching them with great intent. Glancing at Griffin, she motioned with her head for him to stand at her back so she knew he was close. Without hesitation, he did.

The door opened, and a short man, she’d peg somewhere in his thirties came out. He gave Sloane a cold look and barely glanced at Blaise, but Griffin definitely caught his attention. That didn’t surprise her—all males would be seen as a possible challengers.

“The Alliance sent us to check in.” Sloane kept her tone polite and courteous. Blaise would never be a great ambassador or coordinator, she didn’t do the fake voice or intentions well at all.

“Check in for what?” The fake Alpha asked.

“Part of the agreement made with the Alliance was you would be in touch with names in your clan and other details once you were completely settled.” Sloane looked around. “You need to get in touch with a representative.”

“You’re here, you see, we’re here, so that’s done.” He crossed his arms and stared at her.

“I believe you were given a number; you’ll need to call and speak with them.”

“I lost my phone.” He replied too quickly.

Blaise watched Sloane’s spin stiffen. Her first reaction was to rest her hand on her gun and be ready.

“You’re going to have to get a phone, get in touch, or you will be marked as rogues and the next Alliance reps that come to visit won’t be so friendly.”

Blaise saw the two that had been standing nearby, move to block the path they’d taken to the small building. Her cat was right there with her when the warning bells started to go off in her head. She didn’t want a confrontation, but she had no problem resolving one if it came to that.

“I don’t answer to anyone now.” He motioned his hand in the air, “around here, I’m in charge.”

“Not with me.” Sloane’s tone wasn’t as polite and friendly now. “I only take orders from three people, my Alpha, my team leader, and the King.”

“Well, have him come see me and I’ll report directly to him.”

Sloane looked over at Blaise, she gave a slight shrug, letting her know that she had her back, however, she wanted to play it. She saw Sloane take a deep breath and try to keep her composure. “That’s not how it works. We’re part of the Alliance teams and this visit is just a courtesy before you’re reported as a non-response and tagged as rogue.”

Blaise had to hand it to her, she was definitely trying to get through to the jerk.

Sloane glanced around at a few others, “If you’re not part of an official clan, you are rogue and not protected by the Alliance…”

“Protected?” One of them snarled. “Where was that protection when our clan was on lockdown and not allowed to do anything? If the Alliance was doing its job, none of that would have happened.”

“These guys are assholes.” Griffin whispered behind her. Blaise smirked but didn’t reply. It amazed her that some were so ignorant when it came to the battle everyone in the shifter community was fighting. If they lost, worst case, extinction, and sadly that was also the best outcome because anything between now and that happening was no way to live.

“Restrictions were for safety.” Sloane rested her hand on her gun, and Blaise hoped it was her good hand, because the way things were going, they would need it. “It wasn’t convenient for anyone, but it was necessary.”

“You seem to have the freedom to travel around.”

“I’m on official…”

“Look, lady,” the Alpha stepped off the step and got in her face. “We’ll contact the Alliance when we’re ready. They’re not out here helping us. We’re on our own and don’t have to follow all those rules.”

“You do if you want to…”

“Be protected by the Alliance, yeah, I caught that. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Sloane stood there, nodding her head slowly, and Blaise wasn’t sure which way she was going to go with this until she saw her pull out her phone. “I just have to report to my boss that I did my part.” She shrugged and held up her phone.

“Whatever, just do it somewhere else.” The Alpha turned and opened the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he jerked his chin to the males that were blocking the path.

Blaise glanced back at Griffin. “Stay on my hip all the way to the truck.” He nodded his head once, letting her know he understood.

Sloane took a few steps back, then turned so her back was to Blaise and not the strangers. She saw her typing into her phone, holding it with her bad arm, and still keeping the other one free to do anything required. When she finished, she tucked the phone in her pocket, put her hand on her gun, and began walking. “Someone will be in touch.” Her voice was so pleasant you would have thought she was a customer service rep in a store instead of part of the Alliance’s incursion team.

Blaise wanted to walk backward and keep an eye on them, her cat wanted the same, but she decided it was better just to walk away and not incite anything by snarling at the people watching them leave. Griffin bumped into her, she’d have to explain later that ‘on her hip’ wasn’t meant to be literal.

By the time a gunshot registered in her head, she already had her gun pulled and spun around. The blood drops in the white snow took her a little longer to process. She felt no pain, so Blaise knew it wasn’t from her. Griffin was hunched forward, but still standing. The blood was landing at his feet. She wanted to look at him, but her sight was focused on the man behind them holding a gun.

Sloane stepped between them, her phone in the hand of the arm she shouldn’t be using and her gun in the other aimed at the man.

She knew Sloane was speaking, but no words registered in her ears. Blaise moved over to Griffin and placed her body in front of his, without taking her eyes off the man still stupid enough to be standing there aiming his gun at them. He had about three seconds to lower it before Blaise laid him to rest permanently.

The Alpha bolted out of his shack and went over to the man Sloane was facing off with. He grabbed the man’s gun and forced him to his knees.

When Sloane looked at her, she knew it was safe to look away. With her gun still up, Blaise turned to look at Griffin. From the placement of the blood spot expanding on his jacket, he’d take a bullet to his right shoulder. “Get the jacket off.” He’d been shot while his back was turned. She felt the color drain from her face when she realized he’d nudged her over and taken a shot meant for her.

He struggled with one arm, so she grabbed the material and jerked it down. “Did it go all the way through?” She tugged his shirt up and hissed when she saw the blood rolling down his back.

“Here.”

She turned to see a young woman holding out some white material. Grabbing it, she pressed it against his shoulder.

“Blood on the front.” Griffin grunted.

“Straight through.”

“Eddy didn’t mean it.” the woman said.

Blaise leaned on the clothe and glanced back to see the Alpha holding Eddy by the back of his neck. “Eddy,” Blaise looked at her, “will have to tell that to the security when they get here.” She didn’t like how fast the white clothe was turning red, “Sloane.” She waited for her to look at her, “I have to get him back to the truck. My med bag is there.”

Sloane nodded. “Backup will be here in twenty.” She looked at the Alpha. “Seems cooperation is going to happen now.”

Blaise wanted to shoot the Alpha in the head, and everyone else that watched them. “I’ll patch him up and be right back.”

Sloane put a comm piece in her ear and grimaced as she used her bad arm to put her phone in her pocket. “I’ve got Pasha on the line. She and Tait are closest.”

“Tell Illias to patch me in, my comm bud is in the truck.”

She nodded and turned back to the man, her gun ready if anyone else stepped out of line.

Keeping her gun in her hand, Blaise motioned for Griffin to start walking.

“Are you okay?” He asked in a breathless voice.

Blaise looked up at him, he was very pale. It was probably the first time he’d been shot. “You’re the one leaving a trail in the snow, and you want to know if I’m okay?”

“I turned and saw him with the gun—” he groaned.

She needed him to get to the truck before he passed out. “Just focus on not face-planting on the ground. I don’t think I’d get you up. We’ll discuss your hero badge later.”

He made a sound that was either from pain or a snort, she wasn’t sure. “You have a mouth on you.” He smiled at her, but she could see the pain in his eyes.

Blaise shook her head. “It’s part of my charm.”

Her phone rang as they reached the truck. She answered it and hit the speaker, and set it on the floor mat while she got him to perch in the open door.

“Blaise?”

“I’m here, Kenzo.”

“What the hell is going on?”

The whole front of his shirt was red now. “Griffin got shot.”

“I got that part. How bad?”

She yanked his shirt over his shoulder until the material ripped and gave way. “Right shoulder, straight through.”

“I thought Sloane was just doing a check-in.”

“Hostile, uncooperative, newly proclaimed Alpha.” She knelt by the seat, grabbed her med bag, and dragged it to the floor mat beside her phone.

“The Alpha shot him?”

“I don’t know who the hell the jerk was—” she sucked in a breath and willed herself to stay calm, “they were aiming for my back, and Griffin had a chivalrous moment.”

“Is the situation under control?”

Blaise dosed the back of his shoulder with an antibacterial wash and then paused when he hissed out a breath. “Sorry.” She poured some over the front. “The Alpha found his senses and holds the shooter until Pasha arrives.” Something Blaise wanted to see, but she couldn’t stick around too long.

“Wynter was on a call with Raymond when Sloane called in.”

Ripping the bandage package, she slapped it over the entry point and then did the same with the front. Her cat was going absolutely crazy inside her. Their mate was hurt. She wanted revenge. It took all Blaise had to keep her under control. Going around, she opened the back door and took out a juice from the cooler. She reassured her cat that his care was the priority, and retribution would have to wait. Hurrying around, she handed it to him. “I’m going to hang here until they arrive.”

“Is Griffin all right?”

She pulled the bunched-up jacket from his hand and helped him get his other arm in. “I just patched him up. I’ll leave him in the truck and move to the trail where I can see him and if Sloane is having any trouble.

“Set up with your rifle.” He growled. “If anyone even looks at each other the wrong way, lay them down. Not permanently, just to keep them down until backup is there. I’ll call Shaelan and have her ready for your arrival.”

“Okay. Get Illias to patch me in on the call with Sloane and Pasha.” She helped Griffin get up into the passenger seat. His coloring was not looking good. She heard Kenzo hang up. If she knew him there would be some yelling and snarling in the next few moments.

Opening the backdoor, she pulled out her rifle case and grabbed a few protein bars. Handing the bars to Griffin, she opened the glove box and got her earbud out. Jamming it in her ear, she picked up her phone and waited for the call. “I’ll be right over there.” She pointed to a downed tree at the end of the path to the buildings.

“Don’t shoot them all.” He closed his eyes for a second, then shifted in the seat and got the gun out of the door. Resting it on his lap, he nodded. “Don’t sneak up on me in case I nod off.”

“Try to stay awake.” She looked around, “Watch my back.” She didn’t need him to, but if it was motivation to keep him conscious, she’d use it.

“Okay.”

Her phone rang as she was closing the door. “Yeah,” she tucked it in her pocket and pressed the com button.

“We’re breaking records getting there.” Pasha informed her, “How’s the injured?”

“He’s patched up for now,” she went over to a stump and opened the case.

“Everyone still behaving, Sloane?” She recognized Tait’s voice. Later she’d ask why an Alliance Security and Surveillance team members were together.

Resting her rifle on the case, Blaise dropped to one knee and found the group standing with Sloane.

“We’re good so far.” Blaise saw her turn and look in her direction. “Blaise is on the rifle now in case anyone gets any ideas. Is Griffin okay, Blaise?”

Blaise left her comm switch on whenever she was using her rifle, so she wouldn’t have to refocus after moving. “It went straight through, back to front, right shoulder. He’ll be good for a bit more before I get him to Shaelan.”

“Wait, the Griffin?” Pasha sounded upset.

“Yeah.” Blaise chanced a quick glance to check on him. He was still upright in the seat, so she took that as a good sign.

“Why the hell would they shoot him?” Tait asked.

Checking the group through her scope to make sure none had stupid ideas, she exhaled slowly. “They were aiming for my back, and Griffin nudged me out of the way.”

“Shooter isn’t going to have a good time with my boss.” Pasha chuckled. “Raymond has been in overdrive since he got the information from this Griffin, hell, I might even kiss him if his helping means a win for us across the board.”

Blaise had to clamp down on her cat at the idea of Pasha kissing Griffin. “May not want to stir up anything with him, Pasha.” Did she sound nonchalant, she was trying to. “He’s struggling with his bear that’s been suppressed for fifteen years.”

“Oh. Damn, poor guy—yeah, no lip action for sure. I don’t want to meet his bear unannounced.”

Blaise sneered, that had done it.

“Tait just got word, the whole clan is being brought in.” Pasha laughed. “As I said, the boss doesn’t want anything happening to our golden goose, or bear, in this case, I guess.”

“I’ll wait and let you tell them the good news.” Sloane was still standing steadfast, gun aimed at Eddy.

“Transport is already on the way.” Pasha reported. “See you in five.”