Savage Silence: A Dire Wolves Mission (The Devil's Dires Book 4) Read Free Page A

like a sarcastic laugh.
    The jackass.
    “It’s not babysitting.” Thaus could no longer remember why he’d stopped running to place this call. He’d been so much calmer in his wolf form, without the added noise of Phego being…well, Phego.
    “Sounds like babysitting to me. Is that really a Dire Wolf type of job? Bartering between two pompous asses over antiquated rules? Why didn’t Dante send out the Feral Breed to handle this?”
    Thaus knew exactly why. “The shewolf’s an Omega.”
    Phego was silent for a long, tense moment before he finally breathed out a quiet, “Shit.”
    “Exactly,” Thaus said, his voice growing louder and filling with the undertone of his growl as he continued. “Some Alpha has it in his head that he can claim her as a mate simply because a two-hundred-year-old piece of paper says he gets to call dibs.”
    “Not happening.” Phego’s declaration was just as loud, just as rumbly. Just as strong as Thaus’ had been. No one fucked with a Dire Wolf, and an Omega was a Dire Wolf to their team. “Dante does realize you won’t really be negotiating shit, right?”
    Thaus almost smiled at that. “He’s not ignorant of my skills. He knew what he was getting when he chose to call me.”
    “Then mount up, brother. I’m heading to Los Angeles to check in on the Hollywood Feral Breed crew.”
    That was almost believable, but Thaus knew the man too well. “You mean, hang out on the beach.”
    “That, too. But seriously. I’ll be close enough to help if you need me.”
    “Affirmative. Enjoy the sun.” Thaus ended the call with a swipe and tucked the phone back into his bag. He’d run all night, racing past trees and over rock croppings most of the way. He still had a few hours to go, though he couldn’t just run past this point without taking a moment to appreciate it. The view practically stole his breath—miles of trees, mountainous foothills, and way far to the north and west, the sliver of blue signifying the ocean he’d been slowly running away from. And down there, deep in the trees and even farther from that faraway ocean, sat the packlands of the Glaxious and Kwauhl. Neighbors in the forests, though how amicable, Thaus had yet to determine. But from his vantage point, everything appeared peaceful and still. He liked that. Liked the idea of being able to enjoy the silence in a group of people. So long as they left that shewolf the fuck alone.
    Time to hike down there.
    Donning the clothes he’d packed, he spent a few minutes getting his head ready for the ridiculousness he was sure to encounter. He would be walking onto the complaining pack’s land first. He’d need to be prepared for attitude and antiquated ideals. He’d need to be prepared for anything.
    What he walked into, though, was not easily prepared for.
    The packlands were definitely quiet and still, though not because of any sense of peace. The pack was struggling to survive. As he walked into their camp, the lingering scents of a robust, thriving pack whispered to him. Like old pictures faded over time, the spirits and energy of members long gone left an imprint. Left the forest scarred by their presence and their loss. This had once been a strong, solid pack.
    But something had changed.
    Thaus could only sense eight or nine shifters on the grounds. That was too small, especially when he considered the only female scent came from a human. One with the energy imprint of someone scared and alone; someone clinging to something she thought was a life raft, but was really sinking her.
    But there was more. Hidden energies and silenced voices. Somewhere close. Thaus felt surrounded, assumed he was being watched. This group was much more dangerous than a small, failing pack. This was also not a true pack; it was a band of shifters up to something very, very wrong.
    “Who the fuck are you, and why are you on my land?” A man full of arrogance and anger—probably the Alpha—stalked over as Thaus walked past two