Page 31 of Targeted By Love

“I fear someone is trying to start a mafia war.”

Alphas who headed their packs, clans, and dens weren’t easily scared or shocked, but that one sentence resulted in an audible inhale of breath.

I had their attention, but I had to navigate this without giving away that I was the hitman. But my Alpha wasn’t so easily spooked.

His even tone wasn’t any different that his usual gruffness, though his wolf was in his gaze.

“And why do you think that?”

I gripped the edge of the table. “It has come to my attention that a hit was arranged on an old school friend, but he wasn’t the real target. This was payback to his brother who I suspect had been messing around on the fringes of various criminal organizations.”

Germaine, the Alpha of the largest bear den in the city, responded. “And what does that have to do with us?”

Heads bobbed, and there were murmured agreements. Some of the Alphas were probably thinking I was talking out of my ass.

How does that?—?

Not now,I snapped at my beast, aware I’d have to apologize later.

Severus, the only dragon present, shrugged. “Low-life criminals offing one another is not our concern. My beast singed a guy who disobeyed me. The pain he’s experiencing will teach him a lesson.”

I warned my wolf not to react but goosebumps paraded over me, their pointed heads erupting on my skin. This wasn’t because of the men in the room. It was Rhodes. I was sensing something happening to him. Our bond was stronger than I anticipated. It wasn’t unusual for shifter mates to experience this sensation, but I hadn’t expected it with Rhodes being human. He was unwell or scared. Not that the latter was surprising because his life was in turmoil. But us mating should have eased some of his fears.

“The hit wasn’t carried out.”

“Why not?” Alpha pushed his chair back. “Hitmen who don’t follow through become a target themselves.”

I grimaced, as I experienced a sharp pain. “The target was human, and his brother’s car was blown up!”

Now the room was in an uproar. Everyone was demanding why they’d been dragged here when it wasn’t a shifter concern.

“You know more than you’re saying, Maynard,” Alpha growled. He wasn’t known for his patience, and whatever was left wasgrowing thin. His steely gaze would have had me trembling but my focus was on Rhodes.

“A shifter’s scent was combined with the accelerant.” I glanced around the table. “I couldn’t identify it..”

“A war. Someone is trying to start a war. But why?” Alpha stood.

My beast was paying attention to each Alpha, noting who was objecting and who was wringing their hands. Many of them were exhibiting traits linked to their beasts.

The dragon’s fiery temper was on display as he slammed his fist on the table and his face grew red, while the eagle Alpha’s eyes darted from face to face, and the snake shifter glided around the room, saying little.

The bear!

My gaze followed my beast’s, though the pain wracking my body was so intense I wanted to curl into a ball. The bear shifter, Germaine, was checking his watch and fidgeting with his cufflinks. Bear shifters, like their wild cousins, were usually patient. I’d encountered the guy at mafia functions over the years and his behavior today wasn’t typical.

His demeanor wasn’t proof he was involved, but it gave me enough reason to investigate.

But nothing more could be done now without exposing myself and showing that I suspected him.

“I have to go! I’ll keep you informed, but please keep tabs on what your members are saying, if they have any grievances, and ensure that no resentment boils over.”

What I was offering was a band-aid when war might be on the horizon. They were right to be dissatisfied, as if I had whipped a rug from under their feet. I ducked low as I raced out of the room, fearing the dragon’s wrath.

As I got in my car, Boaz bounded in front of the vehicle, his expression not one of brotherly love.

“What the fuck was that, Maynard? Alpha will have my ass. You didn’t tell him about your extracurricular activities. And you didn’t take him aside and say you’d mated a human!”

Ignoring the mating aspect of his question because that was something to be said to Alpha only, I asked, “Think back to what happened in there. Did you observe anyone who was acting out of character?”