“Bethany had made a call to the sheriff, stating that Michael had become violent and she was worried he might return. She said she was taking a walk along the trail by the cliff. The sheriff stopped by to check on her, but when he couldn’t find her at the house, he went down the trail and discovered her body at the bottom of the cliff.”

“Phone records verified the call was made?”

“Yes.”

“What if Ashton had made the call from Bethany’s house, told his father he’d killed her by accident, and his father covered up for him?”

“Truthfully, I don’t think Ashton killed her.” Tessa rubbed her clammy hands on her jeans. “Gut instinct.

I think he really cared for her and if he murdered her in a fit of passion, I don’t think he’d let Michael go to prison for it.”

“Yet, he let him take the rap for minor crimes he was responsible for. On the other hand, what if your brother really did it?”

Tessa glowered at Hunter.

“What if he did? We can’t discount that he might be guilty.”

“He isn’t! What if it’s one of your kind?” Tessa choked on the thought. “You… you couldn’t have a lupus garou convicted, could you? Once the moon appeared, he’d change and you can’t have one incarcerated, can you?” Hell, even Ashton was one now.

“If we find one of them is guilty, we’ll figure out a way.”

She’d figure out a way. If she could just turn into a wolf and bite her brother in prison, the judge would have to have him released.

When they finally reached Hunter’s house, Tessa figured someone would greet them, but nobody did and her heart began to race.

“Stay in the Humvee. Do not leave until I say so,” Hunter ordered, his face dark and threatening.

Before she could respond, he slammed the door shut and strode to the front porch, then disappeared inside. She concentrated on the front door standing wide open and wanted to join him rather than worry about what was happening.

And then his face stormy, he stalked out to the Humvee and jumped in. “Jessup and his pack have taken them.”

She hoped Hunter couldn’t smell her fear, but she couldn’t hide how she was feeling.

“We’re to meet them at that burned out pine tree. I’m to hand you over to Yoloff and they’ll release my sister and the rest.”

Tessa looked behind them, but still didn’t see any sign of the Escort.

“I left directions.” Hunter pulled out of the drive and headed south on the coastal road.

“You can’t face all five of them, Hunter. We should wait.”

“They want us alone. I’ll do what I can.”

Stubborn damn alpha male. He was going to get himself killed and then where would she be? Just when she’d found the man she wanted to love forever. And what about Michael also?

Her skin crawling with anxiety, she looked into the backseat. No weapons. “What about the rifles at the house?”

“They must have taken them. None were there.”

The closer they got to where the pine tree was, the more Tessa felt she could lose Hunter for good. She looked into the backseat again. Nothing. Leidolf was a neat freak. Not even a hint of dust. But what about the trunk? A tire iron?

“No matter what, you’re staying in the vehicle. If they get the best of me, you leave.”

“But your sister, and the others?”

“They won’t harm them until they’re assured they have you. You return to my place, gather the forces, call Leidolf. Hell, have him notify Devlyn of the problem. These guys won’t be able to handle all that heat.”

“But you can’t charge in there and kill them all. Why can’t you wait for the others?” She studied the tension in his face and frowned. “You don’t think Jessup and the others will wait, do you? You think they’ll kill some of them. Rourke and Ashton.”

“I would have left you at my place, but I was afraid that they’d be watching and take you. So do as I say, Tessa. You’re no match for any of them without having a gun.”

They drove the rest of the way in silence and when they reached the designated place, Tessa couldn’t stop shivering. She wasn’t being an alpha, but she couldn’t change into a wolf, which even if she could probably wouldn’t have helped much against them. And without a gun, she was totally defenseless and useless.

Hunter pulled up and stopped. Yoloff and his brother stood as wolves near the burned up pine, watching them, waiting. Jessup stood farther away as a human, unable to shapeshift. He didn’t have a weapon that she could see. Where were Redmond and Butch? Probably guarding Meara and the others somewhere else.

Hunter squeezed Tessa’s hand. “Stay.”

“Who are you targeting first? Jessup? He’s their leader. If you take him out, maybe the others will tuck tail and run.”

“Yoloff and his brother. They’re the most dangerous in their wolf forms.” Hunter opened the door. “Lock it after me.”

Tessa climbed into the driver’s seat and locked the door. Jessup motioned to her to come out of the vehicle, but she ignored him and watched Hunter strip off his clothes, sure of himself, muscular, ready.

Even though Yoloff and his brother stood their ground, she thought they looked a little nervous, their ears flattening and their tails drooping slightly. Hunter didn’t take his eyes off Yoloff the whole time while he removed his clothes. Yoloff would die. She knew Hunter wouldn’t allow him to live this time. Maybe his brother, too. But she was certain Jessup didn’t intend to let Hunter rip him to shreds, if Hunter managed to best the brothers.

And then she saw the rifle leaning against one of the trees. Damn him. What if she could get to it while Jessup watched Hunter’s fight?

Hunter shapeshifted, but no one moved until he targeted Yoloff. Then Jessup made a move toward the Humvee. He motioned for her to get out. Like she’d listen to him. Then she had another idea. Could she run any of them over? Probably not because of all the trees. Jessup could easily duck out of her path, she’d ruin the Humvee, and be stuck.

The tire iron. Surely, Leidolf would have one to use in case he got a flat and had to change a tire. Had to be in the trunk.

Hunter ran at Yoloff and Jessup’s attention switched to the fight. Typical male. Forget the girl when there’s a good fight going on.

She didn’t want to take her eyes off the fight either, but she climbed into the backseat and looked into the trunk. Hell, if there was a tire iron, it must be hidden. She glanced back at the windshield.

Hunter and Yoloff clashed, their teeth bared and connecting, the growls reverberating through the woods. They fell to their pads and separated. Her skin prickled with anxiousness, her heart racing. She thought Yoloff’s brother might attack next, but he seemed to be waiting for the fight to be decided first. He was probably thinking he wouldn’t have to participate if Yoloff killed Hunter first.

But then Hunter did the unexpected. He whipped around and attacked Yoloff’s brother, startling him so badly, he dashed off in the wrong direction, close to the edge of the cliff with nowhere to back up, nowhere to run. Hunter rose on his hind legs, his teeth snapping at the gray and with no room to maneuver, the brother slipped off the cliff with a yelp.

Shocked, Tessa stared out the window. Everyone else seemed as stunned. Yoloff didn’t make a move toward Hunter and Jessup stood frozen in place. Yeah, bastard. After Hunter finishes off Yoloff, you’re next.

She climbed into the trunk and began lifting the carpet, looking for the tire iron she hoped was here.

But then Hunter targeted Yoloff, and Jessup went for the gun. Oh, hell. Not finding a tire iron, Tessa scrambled over the backseat and then into the front and started the Humvee.

As soon as Hunter bit Yoloff in the face, Jessup aimed the rifle. Tessa couldn’t reach him with the Humvee the way he was standing protected between the trees, but if she rammed the pines, she might be able to distract him enough. She threw the vehicle in drive and roared toward Jessup. He swung around and for a moment, she thought he might shoot her. But instead he jumped back, realizing he was protected by the trees, and turned the weapon on Hunter.

“No!” she screamed, and ran the Humvee into the pine. Because of the constant rain in the area, the roots were shallow enough that when she hit the tree, it toppled, but Jessup got off a round right before it fell.

Hunter yelped this time and she saw the blood on his hip. Ohmigod, no, Hunter. If nothing else, she’d wrestle with Jessup until Hunter destroyed— Yoloff bit at Hunter and he retaliated, but they were too close to the cliff’s edge. Back up, back up!

Jessup aimed the rifle again, and Tessa jerked the door open and lunged at him, throwing her body at him, trying to knock him off balance to give Hunter time to take care of Yoloff.

And then her heart nearly gave out when she and Jessup stumbled over the felled pine, falling to their knees as Hunter took another bite at Yoloff’s face. Yoloff suddenly went for Hunter’s leg. They were both too close to the cliff edge! She wanted to warn Hunter away from the drop-off, drag him from the danger herself. But everything happened so fast she couldn’t react quickly enough to do anything.

Yoloff bit into Hunter’s leg, and Hunter snapped at Yoloff’s neck. But Yoloff’s back paws lost purchase on the crumbling soil. He slipped off the edge, pulling Hunter with him.

“Hunter!” Tessa screamed and ran for him, but Jessup grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She kicked and thrashed back and forth, trying to break free, to save Hunter.

“Butch will be pleased,” Jessup darkly said, and jerked her toward the edge of the cliff.

Only when she saw the direction he was going did she go willingly to see Hunter, to ensure he was all right. She prayed he was.

Down below, both Hunter’s and Yoloff’s wolf forms lay still as death. Yoloff’s brother was gone. Her heart splintering, she stifled a sob.

“Come on. Time to clean up the last of the loose ends. You’ll tell us where the gold is hidden on your property, and we’ll let the others go.”