Page 36 of The Alpha’s Heir

I could see it now. The handprint smeared across her shirt from where Justus had held her sleeve and she’d dragged him back. Meg was okay. No scratches. No new bruises or rips or tears.

Everything was the same as it was this morning, except for the shining ring on her finger.

“Stay here,” I barked out the order, motioning for the officer to get Justus. “Rabbit needs a medic.

“Will you stop calling me that, for fucks’ sake?” He hissed as he cradled his hand. “I’m injured.”

“You’re fine,” I said. He’d be screaming worse if it were truly that serious, and I needed to move.

“The two of you follow the officer out back to where Staff Sgt. Marcus is waiting in the vehicle.” I jumped over the broken glass in the window frame.

The perp was already gone. I’d seen him run. The cameras watching above would clock him, and my call would send out an alert to every camera in the vicinity to pick up his profile and digital imprint. We didn’t need to chase him to know where he’d go.

No one can outrun science.

The conveyor belt on the sidewalk had stopped moving, no doubt arranged by the councilwoman to provide the press with the perfect opportunity to snap photos for the media networks.

I cursed again, wishing that any of them would listen to me. I’d said this was a bad idea. Why they thought parading a wolf shifter woman from the wild around the city wouldn’t stir up civil unrest was beyond me.

But I wasn’t getting paid to think. Not like they’d listen to what I had to say anyway.

Officers from the local police unit piled onto the street, surrounding the stunned citizens who’d stayed to watch the aftermath of the destruction.

They’d be questioned, and any visual or audio evidence that didn’t fit the council’s narrative would be wiped from their devices.

“We’ve got an ambulance back here for Rabbit,” Sgt. Marcus spoke through my headset. “Medics are getting him a bandage and a lollipop.”

I couldn’t even smile knowing that nothing had turned out as bad as it could’ve. My heart was still lodged in my throat.

I searched the crowd, wishing that the asshole had stuck around so I could dole out justice myself. But that would’ve been too easy. Now there’d be protocol to follow. He’d be locked somewhere in a dark cell until they decided if he’d stand trial—depending on what the council wanted the headlines to say, of course.

Ethica was a perfectly orchestrated society built on a bed of lies and cultivated truths. And I was powerless in it. Just another cog in the machine.

Glass crunched underfoot behind me.

One of the women being interrogated by the officers on the street gasped. So did another.

A whisper came from the faceless crowd. “That’s the mutant.”

Instinctually, I turned, moving to shield her body with my own. “It’s not safe out here, miss.” I schooled my expression. “Let’s get you off this street.”

“Is everything okay?” Meg ignored me. “Do you need help chasing the guy down? I can try and sniff him out.”

The whispers behind me grew to murmurs, and the officer on the street caught my eye. I didn’t need to hear him to know what he was thinking.

I had to get Meg out of here. She belonged behind glass, but something stronger and more bulletproof than the windows on the streets’ displays.

“I’m going to take you home,” I said, guiding her back toward the restaurant. She was just a mark. A job to do. I needed to remember that.

“Yeah, go home, you mutant freak,” someone bold in the crowd muttered just loud enough for us all to hear.

Meg winced, but her steps didn’t falter, and she forced a smile. She held her chin high as she stepped over the broken glass window and walked back inside.

I turned to the officer in charge of the street cleanup. “Arrest them all. And I want the loudmouth sent to the military brig.”

*

In the kitchen, Meg was talking with the chef.