Taze (Rise of the Pride #11) - Theresa Hissong Page 0,70

the entire pride knew it.

Being away from Calla only hours after their mating was driving him and his panther insane. He’d helped Lucky and Storm build the bonfires around the area to keep the pride warm. The women were rushing in and out of the alpha’s home with food they’d thrown together to feed everyone.

It was ten minutes before midnight when everyone started gathering. He felt her presence before she slid her tiny fingers over his forearm and snuggled close to his side. He knew the other pride members were watching them, but he didn’t even care to look away from her.

Calla’s lips were still a little swollen from their kisses, and he closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent she gave off that was his own aphrodisiac. His panther came to the surface, giving him warmth to bleed into her tiny body.

“Everyone is looking at us,” she whispered. “Maybe we should’ve made an announcement before we were seen together in public.”

“I don’t care,” he replied, turning slightly to cup her face. “The marks upon our skin will be the only announcement we need to make.”

“What about Mal?” she whispered. Her brother would be there any minute, and they both knew the male was unstable when it came to their relationship. He’d set aside his hatred for the betterment of Calla’s anxiety, but seeing them actually touching might send the male into a feral rage.

“Don’t worry about him,” Taze promised. If her brother even thought about disrupting an alpha’s meeting, Malaki would have other things to worry about than the fact that his sister had mated his archnemesis.

A commotion behind him had Taze leaning down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll find you after the meeting.”

Taze reluctantly released her and made his way to the edge of the gathering. As a Guardian, his job was to protect the alpha and pride during his speech. It wasn’t necessarily because the alpha was in danger. The formation of the Guardians had been in place for thousands of years. In the old times, the solstice and equinox runs were done out in the open, and their enemies would attack if they found a pride gathered for their rituals.

Talon exited the main house with his mate in hand. Liberty stood to his left as he took to the raised platform.

“We have gathered here tonight because our enemies are closing in. One of our pride member’s businesses was hit by what we believe are rogues. Landon’s employee, Amaya Bradley, was taken by two males in the early morning hours.” The crowd surged at the news, and Talon sent out a wave of calm to settle everyone so he could continue. “We have every Guardian available searching for her, and I vow we will find her and bring shifter law upon the alpha who sent out the order.”

Talon searched the crowd, his eyes landing on Calla. He gave her a prideful nod and addressed the crowd again. “Some new information has come to us by way of one of our best trackers. Calla Marshall has reason to believe the alpha we’ve been looking for has been living right under our noses this entire time. It is believed the FBI agent, Walter Murdock, is actually the wolf alpha the reformed Gadaí are calling Holden Manzelli.”

A round of curses filled the air, and while Taze already knew the information, he felt anger as if he’d heard it for the first time. Beside him, Storm rocked back on his feet.

“At this time, we are asking the pride to go on lockdown until we have the male in custody. There will be rules set in place for anyone needing to leave our lands.” Talon held his hand out toward his Guardians and Protectors. “If you are to leave the pride, you must take a Guardian or a Protector with you. There will be no exceptions.”

Taze glanced at Calla and saw her take a deep, calming breath. He understood her need to work, but he also wanted her safe. It didn’t matter how much training she had retained, because a group of Gadaí high on Khat could not be defeated by one shifter.

Talon finished the meeting and dismissed everyone to help themselves to the food provided by the women of the pride, reminding everyone they could stay as long as they liked. A few of the teenage pride members shifted and ran through the woods. Talon hadn’t restricted their activities on the land, and Taze was thankful for that, because he