You stay, is that a f**king gun? Tegan, do you have a permit for that? Sit down!”

“You did what?” She moved to the door. “I’ve can’t believe you’re bringing cops into this. Ben, does the phrase, you’re not the boss of me ring any bells for you? This is my job. I am a trained bodyguard and if I have to be, a killer. No, I don’t have a permit.

The ammo is not legal, or well, it isn’t even on the human radar. You gonna arrest me?

Humans don’t want Weres to have guns. Your laws are pretty clear about that. But I don’t want to have this argument now. We have to get this guy and bring him in. I want to know who he is and what he’s doing.”

“Of course I did. I’m a cop! And I said, sit your ass down! This is my territory and my damned job. I’m not only a cop but the liaison between the Packs and the human authorities. If this is one of Pellini’s people, he needs to be handled correctly.”

“He’s human and you don’t tell me what to do. This is my territory too. And my damned job as well. I’m going out there before your temper fit ends up making us lose him.”

Without another word she headed back out toward the garage and he followed her, grabbing her arm but she shook him off and turned on him, a growl trickling from her lips. “You do not manhandle me, Ben Stoner.”

“I’m not manhandling you, Tegan. I’m trying to protect you.” He followed her out the back door and they both hopped the fence into the next yard easily and quietly.

“Fuck off,” she hissed and stalked out into the alley and headed up, moving to circle around behind the car.

She was fast, faster than he was and he watched, in annoyed awe as she practically ripped the car door off and hauled the dude out, tossing him against the side of the car.

“Who the f**k are you, human?” Her voice was a growl and the hair on his arms and the back of his neck rose as he reached them both.

“What? What’s going on? I was just resting here!” The man’s voice trembled a bit but he shut up quick when she pulled her weapon and pressed the muzzle into his temple.

“I will blow your f**king head off. You’re nothing but meat to me. Understand?

Whoever sent you isn’t here now but I am. And I’ll maim you and take you to someone who makes me look like the f**king fairy godmother. You’re not a Were, your kneecap will not heal up quick when I blow it off.”

“That’s enough. Sir, why don’t you tell me why you’re casing my house and whether you’ve got a permit for the weapon you’re carrying.” He tried to move Tegan out of the way but she wouldn’t budge.

Fortunately, the officer he’d sent for pulled down the street and with a sigh of frustration, Tegan moved back, taking care to conceal her weapon and let him be in charge.

“I’m going to follow to question this bozo. You can borrow my other car all right?

I’ll see you later?” Ben turned to her after the cop had loaded the guy into the back of his car. A tow truck arrived and would take the car to the police impound.

She didn’t speak, instead turning on her heel and stalking off toward his house. Her anger and hurt assaulted his senses through their link.

He expected her to slam inside but she was mainly silent as she gathered her things.

“I have to go down there now to talk to him. If he requests an attorney I’ll never get anything out of him. I know you’re mad but I have to do this by the book.”

“You’re not going to find out shit. He’s already got an attorney alerted. You’ve put my family in danger.” She grabbed her bag and headed for the front door but he intercepted her.

“We’ll work this out tonight. I can’t let you beat suspects up and threaten to kill them, Tegan.”

“I’m just…” she sighed angrily, “…done talking. I’m not borrowing your car, I’ll catch a ride with someone.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I mean you have just let the man go who could have given us answers! You undermined me and went macho but had nothing up your sleeve but his Miranda rights.

Which is great and all but do you think Warren Pellini cares about the Fifth Amendment?

The Pellini Family is trying to harm my Pack! They tried to kill my sister-in-law and brothers. They have a potential bio weapon that could threaten my entire race and yours too. I’d have gotten that information out of him in less than twenty minutes and you will neverget it now.”

“So I should act like a thug?”

“NO! I should act like a werewolf! I am a werewolf. You should have let me handle this our way. I don’t get involved in human affairs, I trust you to do your work. But you threw your dick around and it may very well get one of my family killed.”

“I have to go, Tegan. I’m sorry. I want to continue this but I need to get to the station. I will talk to you later.”

Her two worlds stood in opposition to the other. How could she choose? If she made a mistake could she bear to lose him? But her mistake in telling him had just put her entire Pack in danger. Maybe it was better if she just kept to herself. “Don’t bother.”

“I will bother, Tegan. It’s not that easy to walk away from me. Even if I believed you wanted to. Which I don’t.”

“Don’t threaten me, Ben.”

He couldn’t help it, seeing her so passionate and deadly turned him on. Made his heart race and his c**k throb. He wanted to push her to the carpet and rip her clothes off, f**king her until they both wept with completion. But her change there at the end, as her voice had gone flat and remote, it tore at him.