Page 79 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

“What the hell are you doing here?” His patience was zapped. Maria was healing, but he could still see the angry red mark on her face from yesterday’s attack. “You should be resting, Maria.”

“Tom, I need to talk to you.” She stopped short. “What the hell happened in here?”

“You heard about the fire?” Emmanuel asked her.

“That’s why I’m here,” she said, turning to Tom. “Clarissa’s necklace, didn’t you recognize it?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“There’s a lot more to this than we realized. I think we need to call Thressa.”

Tom blanched, staring at her like she was insane.

“I know you hate witches, but she’s my friend and I think she can help,” Maria said. “Tom, this isn’t random.”

“You’re right, it’s not random,” Tom said. “They’re picking out the members of our pack who are defenseless. The ones who can’t shift to protect themselves. Emmanuel, stick to her like glue, don’t let her leave the mansion.”

“Thomas!” She was furious. He didn’t care.

“Call Sam if you have to and get a hold of Brittaney—she and the other small shifters need to be warned. If they try to flee, the bears will chase them. Get them all at the mansion until this is over.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Emmanuel pulled out a smartphone and started typing.

“Thomas!” Maria yelled. “You need to listen to me!”

“No witches, no leaving the mansion,” he said.

“You can’t keep me here!”

“Yes, I can.”

After storming out of the house, he slammed the door to his car. Speeding to the hospital, he called his second-in-command.

“Sam, you heard what happened?” he asked.

“Yeah, I did, boss,” Sam said.

“The bears are picking off the weak members of the pack, the small shifters and the ones who can’t shift. Maria is on house arrest in the mansion until this is over and Brittaney and her clan are moving in for protection. I got Emmanuel started on it, but I need you to help him.”

“Maria is going to be pissed.”

“She already is, and I don’t care,” Tom said. “The first attack against Maria was a message, the fire at Clarissa’s—they were trying to kill her. I won’t let that happen to either of them. I need you and Tori to reach out, any pack member with a human mate, or who’s pregnant, anyone who can’t shift needs to be warned.”

“Alright, boss. If you aren’t helping Emmanuel, what are you doing now?” Sam asked.

“I’m going to the hospital to get Clarissa, then I’m going hunting.”

“You sure that’s such a good idea, boss?”

“What do you mean?” Tom asked.

“Well, if the bears think you abandoned her, they might leave her alone.”

“I can’t, Sam. I can’t.” He didn’t have the heart to tell Sam he’d already tried that, and he’d snapped after four hours away from her.

“Alright then.” Sam accepted it easier than Tom thought he would. “I’ll pack a bag for Maria and head over to the mansion now. And I’ll call Sara, I’ll get her to coordinate a hunting party. They’ll be waiting for you at the trailer.”

“Sara’s busy playing cop.”