Page 38 of The Alpha’s Heir

I almost wanted to shift into my wolf form and shake, dousing him with rain one more time.

That could be fun.

But we were met in the entryway by his mother, and she did not look happy to see us.

“What happened?” Helen demanded.

“Can this wait until after we get dried off?” Justus’s teeth chattered.

“Go, change.” Helen seemed to notice his lips were turning blue and I got a rare glimpse into her no-nonsense maternal side.

Mom would’ve fussed and worried over us if she thought we were sick, even knowing that shifters don’t get sick. I think she just liked the excuse to cuddle.

My wolf whined as a pang of homesickness hit us.

Helen turned on Roman and our protective instincts kicked in.

“Tell me what happened, Lieutenant,” she said.

Gone was his easy demeanor in this house as he snapped up straight while water dripped down his face and trailed off his upper lip.

“They’re saying it was a protest,” Roman explained. “An onlooker outside the restaurant threw a cement block through the window.”

He should’ve let us chase him down, my wolf grumbled.

But that wasn’t what worried me right now.

A protest. I’d heard what they called me on the street. Was that what this was? Could the humans really hate my kind so much? Alpha Kera and Aunt Coral had opened the doors to our territory and established trade with the city of Ethica, but were there really people here that still thought we were mutants?

Gods, the brainwashing went deep.

“And he was caught?” Helen started to pace in front of us, blocking Roman and me from entering deeper into the house, where it was warmer. The cold and wet of my damp shirt soaked into my bones.

Roman stood tall, showing no hint of discomfort. “Reports are that he was apprehended two blocks over. I haven’t gone to investigate it myself.”

“What are you waiting for?” Helen snapped. “Go. Find out if he was working alone or if we’re dealing with another insurgency cell.”

My wolf was growling before I realized I’d stepped in front of Roman.

Helen looked me over. “Is something wrong? Why aren’t you getting changed?”

“Roman did his best to make sure we followed all your plans,” I rushed to defend him.

“Of course he did. That’s his job.” Helen continued to scrutinize me.

“Well, you could say thank you,” I growled, refusing to squirm under her gaze.

She placed her hand over her heart. “Roman knows how deeply indebted this family is to him. Now go get changed.” She glanced past my shoulder. “You’re dismissed, Lieutenant Miller.”

It wasn’t lost on me that Helen had skimmed the issue and not actually thanked Roman for his role today. If she were part of my pack, I wouldn’t let something like this fly.

Not that I had my own pack to lead.

If I ever would.

We don’t have to let it go now, my beast growled. Pack or not, she needs to learn manners.

I had to pull my wolf away before she did something stupid, like teach this human woman a lesson she’d never forget.