Page 16 of My Shifty Bodyguard

“They have used a truth mage on every single member of the pack. Male and female.”

“Family members?” I lean back in my chair, scowling. “Would anyone benefit from the deaths of these women?”

Jesse shakes his head. “From what we’ve been told, everyone loves Violet and Drusilla, and also, there’s no motive. Killing them would not benefit anyone financially. Killing Violet’s father wouldn’t benefit anyone financially either. Nobody would inherit. The money and land stays with the pack. I mean, Violet and Drusilla and the Carmichael boys would be cared for for life, but they wouldn’t walk away with any kind of fortune.”

I heave a frustrated sigh. “The attacks on two people that Mr. Carmichael loves the most would seem to be carried out to inflict maximum pain. Someone apparently hates him enough to want him alive, and suffering, rather than directly trying to attack him.”

“Agreed.” Jesse nods.

“But every person with that kind of motivation this is either dead, or in prison, or has been cleared.”

“Also agreed.”

“Well, fucking hell.” I glare at the list as if I can terrorize it into giving me answers somehow.

“How is Violet holding up?” Jesse asks.

“Oh, pretty well. She’s upset that she can’t go into town, but she’s been making the best of it.” I avoid his gaze. I am lying by omission, and I hate it.

“That’s good. By the way, your father has called me. He said something about a mating arrangement, and he just needs your okay to be able to seal the deal, but he can’t get ahold of you? Totally your choice, of course. I would never require a pack member to make a mating arrangement that was not of their choice.”

“Now’s not a good time.” Not now that I’ve met my fated mate.

“Of course, of course. Totally dedicated to your current mission. I appreciate that,” Jesse says gravely. He looks at his brother. “We appreciate that, don’t we?”

“We appreciate it,” Cole agrees. They look more serious than they usually do. They have strange expressions on their face that I can’t interpret. It is rare to see the two of them not joking around with each other.

Well, I have other things on my mind. Specifically, my mate. I leap to my feet. “Speaking of which, I should go fetch Violet now. I do not want to shirk my protection duties. May I be dismissed?”

Jesse nods. “One more thing. You let Violet shift and run the other day, but kept at a close distance, I hear?”

I give him an uneasy glance. “Yes. I…I felt that she needed it. I believe her father is very, very protective of her, sometimes overprotective, and she has not been given the opportunity to develop any kind of independence or self-confidence in her own abilities. She was never in any danger. I stayed upwind of her so she would not scent me, but I always remained close.”

Jesse gives me a serious look. “I know you would never knowingly endanger the woman we have been charged to protect.”

“Never,” I vow.

“You are dismissed. If I hear anything from the Everpeak pack, I will let you know immediately.”

With great relief, I go to fetch my mate.

Chapter Nine

Violet

I’m in Dax’s spare room, where all of my suitcases are taking up most of the available floor space.

Okay, I might have overpacked just a teeny bit. I’ve never travelled before, so I pretty much took everything. Oops.

The door opens and Dax pokes his head in.

“The weather is favorable for a walk today,” he says. “Where should we go?”

“Oh, we can just say in.”

Dax gives me a puzzled look. “We did that yesterday, and the day before. Is your wolf not getting restless?”

Yes, very. Most shifters like to take at least a daily run through the woods. While my wolf is loving being with our fated mate, she’s also clawing at me in a frantic bid for release. She wants our wolves to run through the woods together. Where people might see us together.