Page 87 of An Unending Claim

Léo looked hesitant for a moment more, then he nodded, giving us his trust. “What about us?”

“You and I are going for a visit with Xavier Castile.” My tone was dark, my thoughts already playing out all the ways I would make him suffer. However, my mate had made a deal that meant I couldn’t kill him. It had been the right move, but that didn’t mean I was happy about it. “Asher is taking Allison and Lincoln, along with a handful of operatives from KBO, to find the gun range, and if they see an opening, they’ll call in as many as they need to secure the compound where Xavier lives.”

Léo and I decided to drive to Xavier’s compound, figuring we would seem less threatening in human form. My wolf started fighting me again the moment we reached the border of Castile territory. It was harder to hold him back when I understood how he felt and would be just as pissed at being cloistered. He remained just under the surface, and Xavier would probably see him in my eyes, but I had a hunch that he was too cocky to see it for the threat it truly was.

We went through security at the compound without incident, confirming my suspicion that Xavier believed himself to be stronger than me. Overconfidence would be one of his downfalls. Hence our attempt to appear non-threatening.

He stood on the porch of his house, looking down at us as we approached, much like the many rulers I’d known over the centuries who gazed at their subjects like that—right before they were beheaded. He’d even gone so far as to send his bodyguards to the perimeter of the small compound that contained his house and the pack hall.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he sneered.

“Well, for one thing,” I drawled, “I thought a devoted father such as yourself would like to meet the man who fathered a child with your daughter.”

Staying nonchalant was one of the most difficult things I’d ever done. He was holding my mate somewhere and for all I knew, after we’d communicated, Bane had begun his ritual on her. I couldn’t think about that or I’d lose my shit.

Xavier’s face turned purple and mottled when his gaze landed on Léo, but he didn’t speak. After a minute, Xavier regained his composure and grunted, “I knew Peyton looked like you. One of these days, I’ll make sure she doesn’t resemble either one of you.”

“So you’re admitting that you have her?” I kept my voice and posture easy.

“I’m not admitting a damn thing. Just making a point that if I ever do have her, I’m going to give her a new face so she doesn’t remind any of us of my sweet Marissa.” He looked at Léo with disgust. “Or her deplorable feline half.”

My hands clenched so tight that my blunt nails dug into the skin, but I forced myself to remain casual. My wolf wasn’t feeling so patient and he kept bucking inside me, demanding to be let out. “Have you been considering going under the knife?”

There was a cut through one of his eyebrows that had stopped bleeding, but still looked like a freshly opened wound. Usually, once the bleeding stopped on a shifter injury, it was well on its way to being healed.

He raised his hand to touch the slash and revealed a similar slice up his inner arm, not bleeding, but still open to the point where it probably needed stitches. There was only one thing I knew of that would cause injuries like that. Silver. Savannah had come to us with a few of those injuries.

“A minor scuffle,” he snarled, making it clear that it had been anything but.

“Just you and a silver weapon?” I was quickly losing my patience and the comment came out sounding like a taunt.

“More like a crazy pussy who doesn’t know her place,” he snapped. “Needs to be broken and taken down several pegs on the high-and-mighty ladder she’s on.”

“Where is she?” I’d had enough of this bullshit. He’d clearly been insinuating that Peyton had given him those cuts. I didn’t want to play his games when I had no idea what kind of injuries he’d inflicted on Peyton.

“Who?”

Before Xavier realized what was happening, I was in front of him, his feet dangling off the ground with my hand around his neck.

“Where. Is. My. Mate?”

“I”—he stopped to try to suck in some air before choking out the rest—“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying.” A guard had noticed us and was headed our way, so I jerked a head at Léo to indicate we should move inside. Considering how passionate he’d been about taking out Xavier, I was surprised he’d yet to say a word.

One we’d entered the house, I shoved Xavier against a wall, my hand around his throat again, while Léo shut and locked the door. I shot him a curious glance when he set the security alarm.

He shrugged. “What? It never occurred to you that my daughter inherited her skills?”

Xavier gasped and we both turned to look at him. His eyes were glued to Léo. “You,” he hissed.

“Me,” Léo affirmed with a malevolent smile that showed off his panther’s fangs.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

NATHAN

“Care to share?” I barked when the two of them just stared at each other.