most wouldn't act on it."
A muscle along Knox's jaw twitched. With every word the other alpha said, he was growing more and more defensive. "Look at her. She's a ticking time bomb of tension. If I don't keep her calm, Olivia won't be able to do what she needs to."
"Who the fuck are you kidding?" Gray took a leisurely sip of coffee before continuing. "You know as well as I do that there's no way Olivia is going to find that chip. It took me a whole damn day, and even then, it was by accident. With all the digging Olivia would have to do with that knife, we might as well just cut the beta's arm off."
Josie shot up, the folding chair she'd been sitting on toppling over as she skittered backward. But she stopped when Knox held out his open palm, almost by instinct, as if the communication between them took place at an intuitive level. Though it didn't stop her heart from pounding like a goddamn drum in her chest.
"No one's cutting anyone's arm off," Knox growled.
"Then come up with a better option." Gray didn't appear the least bit intimidated by Knox's menacing tone. "Because there's no way in hell I'm going to dig around for that tracker."
"No fucking way I am, either." Knox shot back vehemently, making Josie wonder if she should be insulted.
"So I guess that leaves us with letting some beta bleed out all over my porch when Oliva accidentally severs her brachial artery."
Josie leaned against the wall of the cabin for support, trying not to hyperventilate. "Um, guys…maybe we should pump the brakes on this whole plan."
"It's okay," Knox told her, his tone instantly softening. "I meant what I said. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
Gray laughed again, but he swallowed whatever he was about to say when Knox shut him down with another menacing growl. Only then did he turn to Olivia.
"There has to be another way."
"Maybe there is," Olivia said slowly. "When I was working in the field, we sometimes came across animals that had been tagged by researchers using microchip technology. We used a universal scanner that cycled through radio frequencies looking for signals."
Now that sounded more like it. "Do you still have one of those?" Josie asked, hopefully.
"No. But I might be able to get one."
"Do you know something I don't?” Gray demanded. “Does Ryder have one of those things lying around in a drawer somewhere?"
"No, but his mate might know someone who could smuggle one in for us."
Instantly, both Gray and Knox shook their heads.
"No offense, Liv," Gray said, "but do you really think that criminal is going to be able to find someone willing to break through the blockade just to deliver us a piece of scientific equipment?"
"Stranger things have happened," Olivia said, unperturbed.
Josie was skeptical. "You said the border guard stretched twenty miles."
"To hear Mari tell it, that won't even slow her friends down, and I believe it," Olivia said with a smile. "If the people she knows have even a tenth of her guts and determination, they'll have no problem getting past the blockade. Especially once she gives them directions to the eastern boundary of our land so they can cross onto it without being disturbed."
"Wait just one goddamn second," Gray roared. "Universal scanner be damned, there's no fucking way I'm letting betas waltz through my land."
Olivia patted his hand. "Calm down, love. I'm sure they won't only bring the scanner. We'll tell them to bring plenty of beer too, enough to restock the roadhouse. The good stuff, not that crap Trace usually serves."
"And maybe some anesthetic for when we finally have to cut this damned thing out of me," Josie added.
"You bet," Olivia agreed with a broad smile.
Gray obviously didn't think much of the plan, but at least he didn't shut it down. "Well, she can't stay here while I wait for my land to become a goddamn black market highway. Too risky."
"She's an unawakened omega in the Boundarylands," Knox snapped. "Anywhere is risky."
"I guess you should have thought of that before you started picking strays up off the side of the road." Gray downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp and heading for the door.
"Hey!" Josie shouted.
"Sorry, lady," Gray said, not even bothering to turn around as he headed up the steps. "But this ain't my circus. And you sure as shit ain't my monkey."
Gray disappeared into the house, and Olivia gave Josie one last reassuring smile before following