against her for stealing.
It took time, but they finally heard from the San Francisco police. The letter stated that they had received more than enough evidence from Aric, and they would take care of the rest of the case without any more help from him.
Apparently, receiving one head in a jar was enough to quell the department's ardor for pursuing justice Boundarylands style.
After that, Jocelyn had been able to breathe a little easier. No one was coming to murder her or haul her off to jail…and she still had a giant wad of cash.
It didn't take her long to decide to use it to benefit the community that had helped her when she was at her lowest point. She'd already bought supplies to fix a flooding problem at Zeke's house and a new timing belt for the owner of Evander's Bar. She'd even sent away for a bundle of new toys for all the pups in the Boundarylands to play with during the omega's weekly tea gathering.
None of that had put a dent in the stockpile of cash. Jocelyn figured at this rate, she and Aric would be able to cover any issue, big or small, that popped up in the community for the next fifty years.
Though right now, she'd give every penny away if it meant that she didn't have to listen to Zeke and her omega friend Faith argue about who had won their damned pool game.
"You cheated," Zeke howled, his booming voice turning every head in the bar. "You touched my stick."
"I did not," Faith shot back. For a generally soft-spoken and graceful woman, she could certainly hold her own. "You're lying, and you know it."
"Don't call me a liar."
"And don't accuse my omega of touching your stick," Faith's alpha Troy snarled, inserting himself into the argument with a menacing glare.
"Oh my God, how many times do you think we're going to have to sit through this same argument?" Jocelyn whispered to Aric.
"Until one of them gets a decisive win."
Jocelyn rolled her eyes. Apparently, these two had been battling it out to see who would be the crowned the best pool player in the Boundarylands since the day Jocelyn had arrived. The trouble was that they were so evenly matched that they alternated wins, never managing a lead of more than a single game—and never without an argument. Some imaginary foul would be brought up right at the end, and the whole bar would have to suffer through the argument.
Secretly, Jocelyn had a feeling that Faith and Zeke were better friends than either of them would ever admit.
She was just about to order another beer to help her endure the squabbling when the front door of the bar flew open, and an unfamiliar alpha strode in. He wore his long dirty-blonde hair loose and his beard was untamed and greasy. He had the beginnings of a paunch, an unusual attribute for an alpha.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch. You didn't have to have an alpha's finely tuned senses to notice the simmering fury that propelled the stranger through the room. Jocelyn instinctively moved closer to Aric.
The stranger reached the bar and slammed a hand down on it while the bartender, Ty, looked on warily.
"Name's Sloan," the alpha said, his voice as harsh as his demeanor. "My land's near the northern boundary."
"You're a long way from home," Ty said mildly, but Jocelyn could see the tension in his shoulders. If the man had come looking for a fight, he'd find himself tossed out the door.
"I came 'cause I heard you had omegas here."
Every alpha in the place stiffened, those with mates moving protectively between them and the stranger.
"Calm down, brothers," the stranger said. "I don't want your women. I have my own sorry excuse for one, and I was thinking yours could talk some sense into her."
Jocelyn's attention had been drawn to the stranger's hands. The knuckles bore unmistakable red marks—the kind that came from throwing punches.
Oh, shit. This wasn't good.
The omegas in the room—Faith, Darcy, Mia, and Jocelyn—acknowledged each other silently, united in their concern. They all knew what this meant: one of their own was in trouble.
Big trouble.
"Where is your omega now?" Jocelyn asked.
"Out in the truck," Sloan snarled without sparing her a glance. "Whaddya say, brothers? Mind if I borrow your women long enough to teach mine how a real omega acts?"
A chill ran down Jocelyn's spine as she realized that this must have been how Darcy felt the night she'd discovered her