Page 56 of His to Hunt

“Oh, but you said a few days… I didn’t realize…” he stammers. “She’s really that distraught over Joe?”

“She’s no longer your concern. Leave her the hell alone,” I let a threatening tone color my words. “You do that, and I’ll give you everything you need to turn things around here at this diner. Maybe you’ll actually enjoy coming to work for a change.”

Frank seems to be processing it. He’s looking around, probably already imagining what he could do with this diner if he had the money. But I see conflict in his eyes that surprises me. I thought he’d be doing cartwheels.

I’d already sent a message to Saul before I left the suite. He knows people who can turn a failing business around or bury it properly.

“Taryn’s okay, right? You’re not hurting her or… anything?” Frank asks apprehensively. “This isn’t like… trafficking, is it? You’re not… trying to… buy her from me?”

“She’s not yours to sell,” I growl, leaning closer. “Frank, I’ve seen monsters like that. I’ve put them out of business. You’re a terrible fucking host and a horrible boss, but you’re not that evil. That’s why I’m choosing to help you.”

“And that’s what you’re doing for Taryn? Helping her?” he pushes for a little more information he won’t get.

“More than anyone else has,” I snipe. “I appreciate you finally remembering that you have a moral compass in there somewhere, but like I said, Taryn is no longer your concern. She stopped being your concern the moment you knowingly hired a rapist and tried to set her up with him.”

Frank’s face pales again. I think he finally gets the message. I’m here to help him, but I don’t like him. I’d be happier tearing him apart than wasting my hard-earned money on his fucking diner. The main reason he gets to keep breathing is because Taryn feels like she owes him something. I don’t think she owes him a damn thing. He’s the one who owes her. But taking care of my mate sometimes means tempering the beast.

“I’m sorry,” Frank mutters. “I got carried away. I just thought if Taryn had someone…”

“Yeah, you thought she’d stop being your problem if someone took her off your hands,” I can’t help glaring at him. “She has someone now,” I say with clarity, standing up. “You’ll hear from the consultant in a day or two.”

I leave the diner without waiting for him to respond. There’s nothing he could say that I care to hear. It’s a little late for a moral compass, an eye-opening moment, or apologies. Taryn needed those things before I clawed my way into her life. Before Mother Fate was finally able to bring us together.

I’m anxious to be close to my mate again, but I get a call from Saul on the way to the hotel.

“Trouble?” I ask as I answer.

“Possibly,” he replies. “There are Witch Hunters in Covington. They seem to be working as a coordinated group.”

“If Silver Pack hasn’t already torn them apart, then tell me where they are,” I rumble. “I’ll handle it.”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Saul says. “One of them realized Ryker was on their trail and confronted him.”

“Is he okay?” I ask, the hair on the back of my neck standing up.

“Yes, he’s fine. These Witch Hunters seem to be a lot more civilized than the ones we’ve heard about in the past,” Saul reports. “They asked for a meeting. They believe this can be easily resolved without any blood being spilled.”

“I don’t need to meet with them,” I snarl. “If they’re after my mate, they die.”

“They’re being civilized. We should be too,” Saul asserts. “That’s why I’m calling you. I’m on my way to meet with them now, and I think it would best if you joined me.”

“How many of them will be there?” I ask.

“Five,” Saul says. “I told them I wouldn’t bring the entire pack. I figured that would make them a little more comfortable since they’re asking to talk.”

“Five of them would be no match for you,” I chuckle. “Definitely no match for the two of us.”

“They have silver weapons, so they could get lucky,” Saul adds. “But I don’t anticipate trouble. I’ll send you the location.”

Meeting with Witch Hunters? I don’t really want to, especially if they’re a threat to my mate, but I’ll trust Saul’s judgment for now. He’s taken good care of Silver Pack, and I’ve respected him for many years. I’m just naturally more aggressive due to the mating bond. Then again, I’m naturally more aggressive all the time. I just feel like someone cranked the volume up to eleven.

I get the location and notice it’s at a warehouse on the outskirts of Covington. If there’s a fight, we’ll be out of the way. Silver weapons are definitely a problem. They’ll easily pierce my hide and immobilize me. They can even kill me if I get hit too often. But I’ve fought men wielding silver before. They think it’s kryptonite for us, and it can be, but they still have to hit us first. That’s easier said than done. Silver weapons are useless once you no longer have arms to hold them with.

Once I get to the location, I see Saul standing near the door. I assume the other vehicles outside must belong to the Witch Hunters. I wouldn’t have bothered with the Land Rover if I wasn’t already driving it.

“Are they inside?” I ask as I get out of the SUV.

“Yep, they’re waiting for us,” Saul says.