Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic)

“Mitch told me you guys were mated,” she said, referring to Ken and Ryan. “Do your mates not travel with you?”
    Ken frowned, confused, but Ryan answered, “Kenneth is my mate.”
    “Oh…ohhh.” Tessa blushed.
    “Is that a problem?” Ken asked.
    Mitch held back the urge to growl at Ken’s tone toward his mate. Same-sex matings were rare, but not unheard of. Still, there were a lot of older shifters who had a problem with it. Ken was very defensive when it came to anyone insulting his mate.
    “No. God, no. I didn’t mean any offense. Mitch just said you were both mated, he didn’t say to each other. I was just confused.”
    “It’s okay,” Ryan answered as he rubbed Ken’s arm, trying to soothe him. “We just normally get a negative reaction when people find out we’re together. Hopefully when we find our third things will be different, but I doubt it.”
    “Your third?”
    Mitch answered for Ryan while he continued to soothe Ken. “Baby, neither Ken nor Ryan was gay when they met. They didn’t deny each other, but both believe there is a woman out there meant for the both of them.”
    “Wow.” She covered Nico’s ears before looking over at Ryan. “I can promise that whatever woman you end up with will be very lucky. There is not a woman out there that has not had a fantasy of being sandwiched between two gorgeous men. If they deny it, then they’re lying.”
    Ben laughed. “Yep, I am definitely in love with your mate, Mitch.”
    Mitch growled but laughed to let Ben know that he wasn’t truly mad. He knew he had nothing to worry about when it came to his best friends and his mate. He was happy that Tessa seemed to fit in so well with his family.
    Breakfast went well, and Mitch was starting to notice that Ben and Tessa had the same sense of humor. They easily traded barbs back and forth across the table that ended with everyone cracking up. He didn’t remember ever laughing so hard or so much.
    Unfortunately, all too soon, reality came crashing in. The phone rang, and Mitch’s stomach turned. His gut was telling him not to answer, but Mitch knew he had no choice. He couldn’t deny his job. He stood and walked over to the phone, willing it to stop ringing the whole way there. Of course his wish didn’t come true.
    “Ericson speaking,” he answered.
    “Uh, Enforcer Ericson, this is Detective Reynolds.”
    “What can I do for you, Detective?”
    “Well, I know you were looking into rogue attacks, so I was calling to let you know we had another one last night.”
    “Did you report it to the council?” he asked the detective.
    “I reported like normal, but they didn’t even respond. A containment team wasn’t even sent out.”
    “What do you mean a unit wasn’t sent out?” Mitch couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Did the human police take over the scene? What are their reports saying?”
    “The containment unit was informed of the attack, but just as they were leaving, they received a call telling them to stand down because it was a human matter. That isn’t even the worst of it. The attack itself seems weird.”
    “Weird how?” The detective had the attention of everyone in the room aside from Nico. He knew the others could hear every word of the conversation.
    “Well, I’ve personally looked at the crime scene photos and there is no denying the attack was from a rogue. As a matter of fact, the damage done to the bodies couldn’t have been done by just one rogue. There had to be at least three of them. They decimated a campsite and left no one alive. Ten members of a family including three children were all literally torn apart. The press is already having a field day over this. Somehow, they are attributing the attack to a cult of devil worshipers, but we all know there is someone out there that will start putting the pieces together.”
    Mitch was stunned at what he heard. Rogues never worked together. If they were now, then that meant the problem was bigger than he had imagined. One rogue was enough of a problem to deal with and keep from the public, but a pack working together was something even Mitch didn’t want to ever imagine. He could feel Tessa’s distress at what she was hearing, but he ignored his instinct to hang up and comfort her. He hated that she had to see the dangerous side of his species, but the irony was, it was what brought her to him.
    “Listen, I want you to try your best to run with the devil worshipping story. Do whatever you