Claiming Her Beasts (Claiming Her Beasts #1) - Dia Cole Page 0,47

have the creature spin around and attack the child’s screaming mother. My intervention had saved both the mother and child, but it was doubtful they’d survive long. They didn’t have a fortified compound to shelter in like Javier.

I turned my gaze south to the Alpha’s fortress. The twenty-foot walls topped with electrified barbed wire were visible in the distance. The place was locked down tighter than the army base.

Maybe I should have let Miguel take Lee there.

I immediately rejected the idea. Jen said special forces teams were currently evacuating civilians. I just had to make sure my dancer made it out of the city with them.

I cleared my throat. “I need someone evacuated.”

Although she couldn’t see me, Jen rolled her eyes in my direction. “Let me guess? The stripper you’re obsessed with?”

When I said nothing, she scoffed. “So predictable. I’ll bet that’s who you ran off to screw while your scanner was being upgraded. Poor girl. Is there anything left of her?”

I stiffened. “I didn’t screw her.” Technically, Reed had. “I saved her from one of Javier’s enforcers.”

Jen shook her head as if she didn’t believe me. “While your self-control was admirable, it was all for nothing. The Colonel isn’t going to send a team to rescue Cherry or Lucious or whatever her name is.”

“Her name is Lee.” Annoyed, I made myself visible. It was taxing to cloak myself, and I needed my energy reserves for the upcoming battle.

Jen blinked as I suddenly came into view. She scanned my naked body with more interest than I was comfortable with. “What did you say?”

“My dancer goes by Lee. Although… Heaven is her first name.” I waited for some sarcastic comment about stripper names, but Jen surprised me by cocking her head to the side. “Her last name isn’t Walker, is it?”

“Yeah.” Something moved in my periphery. I turned to see a lizard darting under the shadowy silhouette of a cactus.

Jen threw back her head and laughed until tears leaked from her eyes. “This whole fucking time… you’ve been obsessing after… after Lee, of all people? Oh man, that’s like the definition of irony right there.”

I felt as if I was missing the punchline of a joke. “How do you know Lee?” It wasn’t like the Colonel allowed her kind much more freedom than they allowed us.

Her smile vanished. “That’s none of your business, but you can relax. Lee and her sister are on the evacuation list.”

Thank fuck. My mate’s safety had been weighing heavily on my mind.

“The Colonel even assigned Dominic to pick them up, so you know they are in expert hands.”

My relief morphed into anger. “So, the fucker is out now.”

Jen gave me a wary look. “I know you’re pissed at him, but you need to let it go.”

Pissed? She had no fucking idea. “How can you defend him after what he did?” When she said nothing, I went for her heart. “He doesn’t love you. You know he was willing to take a demotion to avoid the Colonel’s order to marry you, right?”

Although her expression didn’t change, sadness thrummed through our bond.

I immediately felt like the biggest piece of shit. “Sorry.”

She set her jaw and looked up at the hawk turning lazy circles in the bright blue sky above us. “Love isn’t something we can control. Life would be so much easier if it were.”

I shifted uncomfortably, not knowing how to respond. Jen and I had never been close, not like me and Dom had been back before he’d betrayed me.

As if reading my mind, Jen said, “Dominic may not love me, but he sure as hell cares for you.”

I recoiled at her words. “The fuck he does.”

She gave me a ghost of a smile. “The first thing he asked for when he got out was you.”

I bared my teeth. “I can’t wait for our reunion.” I’m going to tear that motherfucker’s head off.

Guilt pulsed through our bond again. “Hunter, the Colonel is making Dominic your—” The sound of car engines interrupted her.

We both cranked our heads around to see a convoy of black Mercedes approaching.

Jen cursed. “You said there would be four or five enforcers.”

“Luis said there’d be four or five in her escort,” I replied. “I’d assumed that meant enforcers.”

“You know what they say about assumptions.”

I scoffed. “Doesn’t matter how many they have.” I’d kill them all.

Down below, the first Mercedes drove across the spike strip. All four tires blew, causing it to veer into the next lane. Flapping rubber could be heard as it coasted