Lynx Northern Shifters 3

quite how to extract himself without causing harm.
The wolf pack had changed the balance of power. Before, Kingley had never had anything to hold over Trey, who’d been careful not to cultivate ties. But Trey had grown to feel responsible for the pack and its members, and Kingley had zeroed in on those feelings. He’d been aware of the pack’s existence, of course. Within the U.S., there were three known to the government. But now Kingley could hold the lives and well-being of these members over Trey’s head.
The government was still extremely uneasy about the existence of werewolves and despite rumors that had spread into the general population, werewolves were generally held to be as real as UFOs at this point.
Kingley threatened to change that and Trey did not want a mob descending upon the pack, turning a confrontation into a bloodbath. He didn’t know if Kingley would truly do such a thing, or if Kingley just liked having Trey under his power. He’d done this work to essentially appease Kingley, but he couldn’t keep it up. Jonah would never forgive him if he didn’t return, and soon. And Jonah didn’t deserve to be left hanging like this—again. Trey dried his hands and put in a call.
“Done,” he said, no preamble. He expected another assignment to be given, and maybe that would suffice and they could declare things even.
“There’s been a development,” said Kingley, in that tone of voice that indicated he was excited. How this would affect Trey, he didn’t yet know, but it didn’t bode well. “Come back in.”
Before this phone call, Trey would have been happy to have his killing spree cut short, but now all he felt was suspicion at this turn of events.
“Where are we meeting?” Trey demanded.
“The usual.”
His wolf balked. Trey didn’t want to return to the compound. One of these days, he would never be allowed to leave. “No.”
“You’ll do as I say.”
That was new. Kingley avoided ultimatums. “A safe house, Shaun.”
“No.”
Monosyllabic negatives on either side wasn’t good. His wolf rose, fighting Kingley’s attempt to back him into a corner. His instincts screamed no. If he lost all leverage with Kingley, he’d be in no position to protect the pack or anyone else. He’d simply be helpless and Kingley could harm anyone he pleased.
Like hell that was going to happen.
“Yes,” answered Trey. “I’ll be at the Birchwood Street house in two days.”
Trey hung up and turned off the phone. As he slipped it into his pocket, he wondered if he’d have to kill Kingley. He didn’t want to, had worked too long with the man, even if a lot of it had been bad.
But he no longer trusted Kingley. Maybe he never had. Still Trey knew when Kingley was making a power move, and this was one.
    “I have someone who wants to see you. Jonah Carvin is his name.” Kingley turned to Jonah as he spoke into the newly dead line. Kingley thought Jonah was human, thought it was a werewolf who had torn Horton’s throat, and Kingley didn’t know that Jonah could hear that Trey was no longer there.
Kingley’s eyebrows lifted as he regarded Jonah. “Trey hung up. He doesn’t want to see you.”
    It was easy to sound uncertain. Jonah would never be a great actor, but he could always sound unsure of himself. “I don’t think that’s true.”
“It’s a reasonable conclusion. Yet you told me you were important to Trey.”
Jonah looked away so his contempt wouldn’t shine through. He had said no such thing, had said little about Trey.
“Well. Trey won’t come here.” There was a certain disgruntlement in Kingley’s smile. “So we will go to Trey.”
Jonah continued to stare at the floor, because now he feared triumph would show in his eyes. The guard, one of two men who had stayed with him 24/7 ever since Jonah had dialed in Trey’s sat phone number, gestured, and Jonah preceded him out the door. Kingley didn’t bother with niceties such as saying hello or goodbye, or even dismissed.
The guard was a problem though. Jonah was only stalking one man, and he didn’t want another harmed during his campaign.
It had been simple to get in touch with Kingley. As soon as Jonah had called the number Veronica had given him, asking for Trey, he’d been transferred to Kingley, who in turn was very interested in anyone who had access to Trey’s private phone number. Jonah had obligingly given out his location—he’d made a point of traveling days away from the town near home. Within hours,