Page 70 of Mating Season

“Mr. McCaw.” Jay Renfro grinned like a Cheshire cat. He might as well be feline since I couldn’t smell his wolf. “The Alpha of the season.”

I sat in the chair across from the show host and tried not to imagine snapping his neck. “Is that what they’re calling me?”

“Come on now,” Jay elbowed the air like we were old friends, “you must’ve known in coming to the show that all the viewers would fan girl over you. The youngest Alpha in recent history. Voted ‘shifter of the year’ inShifter Times. You were season seven’s most eligible bachelor according to the polls this winter. The producers were chomping at the bits when you accepted the invitation.”

“Is that so?” I relaxed back in my seat.

Jay looked to the camera, touching the device in his ear and nodded before saying again, “You were season seven’s most eligible bachelor according to the polls this winter, but it looks like you’re not a bachelor anymore.”

Guess he wasn’t supposed to add that part about the producers or hint at what they’d do to keepme on this show. It didn’t matter. We already had them by the balls. And I planned to make it hurt.

“You’re right. I’m no longer a bachelor.” I folded my arms over my chest and waited for his next comment.

“Cut.” Molly’s voice came from one of the production crew’s headsets. She wasn’t outside with the film crew, but she still had her claws dug in. “Mr. McCaw, we’re going to need more than that to fulfill your end of the bargain.”

The cameraman broke into a sweat, adding, “Please.”

I smirked as all their faces blanched. But it wasn’t the crew’s fault and I wouldn’t take it out on them. I focused on the camera instead. “No, Jay. I’m no longer a bachelor. And I’m grateful for mating season for providing the venue where I met my fated mate.”

Jay’s eyes bulged from their sockets as his grin stretched painfully across his cheeks. “You heard it here first, folks. Mr. McCaw found his fated mate on our very ownMating Seasonwhere matches are made and true love is….”

I stood and walked out of the interview tent. They’d gotten all they needed from me.

Now it was time to ruin them.

*

Kill the traitor.

My beast was growling as he caught the scent of cat in the trees where Aspen stood guarded by the mated males of my pack.

She put her hand on my shoulder as I approached and my beast was instantly soothed. That magic would take some getting used to.

“What are you doing here?” I kept my voice neutral, but enough hate leaked through to let the cheetah stylist know that his days were numbered.

“I thought we were cool.” Jesse’s slitted pupils darted to Aspen.

I growled. “Don’t look at my mate.”

“He’s fine.” Aspen rolled her eyes, stepping between the two of us. “I told you he gave me trap wire and food.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s safe.”I rested my hand possessively on her hip, glancing at Jones.

Be prepared.Jones took a step forward, ready to remove Aspen from the situation if I needed to handle it quickly.

Aspen pushed me off and the little brat stuck out her pink tongue before skipping away. “He’s under my protection now. And besides, you’ll want to hear what he has to say.”

29

Aspen

I hadn’t counted on Jesse keeping documents and knowing the details behind every nefarious act the show committed, but there was something to be said for the stylist/client situationship. He was getting written into my will. If it wasn’t for his eyewitness testimony, the show would’ve continued to drag this out and we’d have ended up in court.

I’d had enough of the cameras and circus for one lifetime. Sitting at the settlement table as they came to a decision was fine by me. Honestly, I hadn’t expected anything from the show, but Ranger insisted we make them pay for what they did. It was the only way to hurt them… legally.

I still think we should just kill them.

“This offer is a joke.” The McCaw legal team was led by a woman with a tongue as sharp as her claws. “We’re not walking away with less than two. You’ve got emotional damage covered, but what about profit in excess earned from the exploitation of my clients on the show? Come back with something worth our time.”