Pack Law

by Crissy Smith

  He’d have loved to stay with her longer but that was against her rules. Mike glanced over his shoulder at the dark house. When he’d first run into Shelby at his buddy Cooper’s house he’d immediately been attracted to her. Her coffee-colored skin and dark eyes were alluring and he’d gotten hard just seeing her. He’d seen her before when she’d reported on one of his cases but it wasn’t until he really paid attention that he’d seen past the reporter to the beautiful woman. Their previous meetings had always been in a professional setting, so it had been nice to see her around their mutual friends.

  Shelby’s best friend, Julie, was mated with his Pack member Cooper, and the more time that Mike and Shelby had found themselves in each other’s company, the more Mike had noticed the little things about her. Shelby put up a tough front but she cared deeply for those around her. She was also extremely smart, passionate and funny. The perfect combination wrapped up in a gorgeous package. She was also just as career-minded as he.

  Shelby had a plan, being the best and most well-known reporter in the world, and she wasn’t going to let anyone or anything stop her. Her future was bright and he had no doubt that she’d succeed. As many times as Mike had tried to maneuver their relationship into a more serious stage, Shelby had backed off. He didn’t like her running from him but Mike was a patient man. He wanted Shelby and he would eventually claim her as his own.

  As much as he wished he could turn around and carry Shelby to her bed and stay there for the rest of the night, Mike was far from being done with his duties. He really shouldn’t have taken the time to follow Shelby home or make love to her but he hadn’t been able to resist. When she’d confronted him as he’d been leaving his office, she had been gorgeous in all her fury. She’d made his blood pump harder, and his wolf had risen close to the surface.

  Yes, he had to come to see Shelby but now he had Pack business to take care of. His Alpha had ordered him to the main house where they had visitors. Alpha Jeremy was the only other person who had known about the upcoming lawsuit that Mike and his law partner Randy were handling. Jody Norman was a Pack member and it was with Jeremy’s urging that Jody had decided to fight back.

  Mike didn’t know if they’d win but he was sure going to fight for Jody and all the shifters in the world. He was glad he had his Alpha’s support. Not only his support, but Jeremy was also bringing some of the most powerful wolf shifters to town to witness the trial. It was a lot of pressure but Mike knew that this was the most important time of his life.

  With a sigh, he turned back toward the street where he’d parked his BMW then headed toward it. He wished he had time to change clothes but he was already running behind.

  His cell rang as he reached the driver door. He was definitely running behind. He pulled his phone from his back pocket. Instead of his Alpha’s name, the caller ID read Cooper Grainger.

  “Hey, man,” Mike greeted after he’d swiped his finger over the screen to answer.

  “Please tell me you’re on your way,” Cooper spoke quietly.

  “Yeah, I just had to make a stop,” he said.

  Cooper chuckled. “I’m sure.” Cooper was one of the few people who knew about him and Shelby.

  Mike climbed inside his car and started it up. “I’ll be there in less than fifteen minutes. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” Cooper answered quickly. Too quickly.

  “Coop?” Mike pressed.

  His friend cleared his throat. “Really nothing, it’s just…”

  “The visitors?” Mike guessed.

  “Yeah,” Cooper said. “I knew as an Alpha that Jeremy was tough but these guys are just so much more.”

  “Well, when you bring in the most powerful Alpha and the strongest Enforcer, it would be natural to be a little intimidated,” Mike told him.

  “Sure,” Cooper said sarcastically.

  Mike laughed. “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Okay.” Cooper hung up before Mike could say anything else.

  Unlike his friend, Mike was looking forward to meeting Gage and Cain. The stories about the two men and their Packs were like fairytales to other shifters. There was a reason they were the very first who had come out to the world and why Texas and Oklahoma, where their Packs lived, were the two safest states for shifters.

  When Jeremy had told Mike that Gage and Cain were coming to the trials, Mike hadn’t believed that it’d ever actually happen. Who cared about some small town in Missouri? But as word spread throughout the Packs around the States of what Jody was doing, Jeremy had been approached by a lot of shifters who wanted permission to enter their territory. A request was technically only a formality, but it showed respect for the Alpha of the area.

  Out of everyone who planned to come to town, Mike was most interested in meeting Gage and Cain.

  As he sped down the highway that led to the Pack lands, Mike couldn’t help the excitement growing inside him. He pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal. He’d bought his car so that he could enjoy the open road. He was going to take full advantage now.

  The trees flew by at breakneck speed but Mike didn’t slow until he reached the last curve before the turn-off to Jeremy’s house. The road went from smooth tarmac to dirt as he entered Pack territory.

  Mike hit the button to roll down his window and let the fresh air in. It smelled like home, family and comfort. The familiar aroma of where he belonged. He enjoyed living in the middle of Clear Creek but he did miss the freedom of Pack territory. The fresh grass, trees and quiet. But Mike didn’t want to make the drive from Pack lands to his office every day. Maybe he’d finally buy one of the cabins and spend his weekends there. He loved being an attorney but it was a profession full of stress.

  He hadn’t become a lawyer for riches or fame. He’d only followed in his father’s footsteps so that he could take over the small-town law office. There weren’t many criminal cases around here, so Mike and Randy spent most of their time on family law. Now, taking on the biggest corporation in the city, Mike wasn’t ever going to be able to go back to what he’d done before. His life was changing and there was nothing he could do about it. That was the number one reason he’d gone after Shelby earlier. With so much happening, he needed Shelby to calm both him and his wolf down. Being with her was like a balm that soothed him.

  “Shelby,” he whispered her name into the night. Would she ever accept him and his wolf and want to settle down? He didn’t know, but sooner or later he was going to have to confess the fact that he wanted her for more than just a few nights a month.

  There were more vehicles parked around the main house than normal. Even on Pack runs not this many people showed up. He chuckled as he parked to the left away from the majority of the other cars. He didn’t want to get boxed in and unable to leave after his Alpha dismissed him. He had an early morning and needed rest. Plus, he hoped to get a workout in first thing tomorrow and for the immediate future he didn’t know when he’d have another free moment.

  He rolled up the window before he turned off the car and took a deep breath. He’d go in and see if he could speak to Gage and Cain then try to get out of there. Decision made, he pushed open the door.

  Music carried from the back yard along with laughter and screeches. It sounded like the Pack was having a great time. Mike walked up the drive and around the side of the house. The first person he spotted as he turned the corner was Cooper.

  His friend was standing at one of the large grills flipping burgers. Mike could smell the mouthwatering scent of sizzling meat. His stomach growled. He’d been so busy that day that the only thing he’d eaten was a bagel with his morning breakfast. Lunch hadn’t even crossed his mind.

  Mike headed over to Cooper to grab a plate before he got pulled away for something else. Cooper spotted him and grinned then waved the spatula at Mike.

  “’Bout time,” Cooper bitched.

  “Man, I hope one of those is ready because I’m starving,” Mike replied.

  “Not yet, but the ones on the
table are,” Cooper told him.

  “Here.” Garrett Sullivan, Cooper’s brother-in-law, handed him a plate. “Julie gave this to me as soon as she spotted you. Randy told her that the two of you hadn’t eaten lunch.”

  “Oh God!” Mike grabbed the plate. There was a fat burger between two toasted buns, potato salad and chips. “I love your mate,” Mike told Cooper before he took a huge bite.

  “Well, she’s taken so you’ll have to get your own,” Cooper said with a smile.

  Mike nodded. He didn’t even stop chewing to joke back. Garrett was staring at him as he wolfed down his dinner. Mike didn’t blame Garrett, though. As a human, Garrett didn’t need as much sustenance as shifters and Mike was really fucking hungry.

  “Here.” Alpha Jeremy handed him a beer. “Take a drink and slow down.”

  Mike finished chewing the bite he had in his mouth. “Sorry,” he said as he ducked his head at his Alpha.

  “It’s quite all right,” Jeremy said. “Let’s sit so you can enjoy your food.”

  Mike followed Jeremy over to one of the folding tables that had been set up around the yard.

  “You had a busy day,” Jeremy said while he sat across from him. “You doing okay?”

  Now that Mike had finished half his burger, he could think about something other than food. He took a deep drink of his beer as he glanced around. He didn’t spot their two guests.

  “Gage needed to call home and check on his kids and Cain went to the bathroom. You have a few minutes to finish your dinner,” Jeremy told him.

  “Thanks.” Mike was sure that his Alpha had managed to get him the few minutes he needed.

  Jeremy smiled. “Just eat.”

  Sensing that he didn’t have much time, Mike bent over his plate and cleaned it in only a few minutes. Cooper passed by and set down another beer but didn’t stop. Mike had really good people in his corner and he needed to remember that.

  Mike finished his first bottle before he pushed it and the empty plate to the side. With his stomach full, he leaned back in his chair as he held the fresh beer between his hands.

  “Here they come,” Jeremy said with a nod toward the house.

  He took another drink then set his beer down. Mike wiped his hands on his slacks before he stood. The first man was tall but that wasn’t what Mike noticed most. The power that flowed from him was almost too much. This had to be Alpha Gage Wolf.

  “Mr. Riley.” The Alpha held out his hand.

  “Call me Mike, please,” he said as he shook hands and gave the dominant wolf a small bow.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mike. Please call me Gage, and this is Cain,” Gage said.

  Mike turned to Cain, who was just as intimidating as Gage but in an entirely different way. Cain was the most muscular guy that Mike had ever seen. On top of that, Mike got the impression that if he said one wrong word or did anything that Cain might pick up as a threat, Mike would be on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Instead of offering his hand, he dipped his head in respect.

  Both Gage and Cain laughed.

  “He really won’t bite,” Gage said, giving Cain a playful shove.

  Mike didn’t know what to say or how to act.

  “Tone it down,” Gage said to Cain.

  “Sorry.” Cain ducked his head. “Being around all these strange shifters is sometimes difficult.”

  “Sure,” Mike agreed even if he didn’t have a clue what Cain meant. There were times when Mike had been uncomfortable around shifters he didn’t know, but never enough to attack.

  Cain smiled before he offered his hand. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

  Mike took a deep breath but finally managed to put his palm in Cain’s. It was weird that he was more fearful of Cain than he was Gage. How strange was that? “I’ve heard a lot about both of you,” Mike said.

  “Don’t believe all the stories.” Cain released his hand and slapped his back. “We’re really just regular shifters like you.”

  “Well…” Gage winked. “We might be a little special.”

  And Mike was able to relax and laugh. “Join me for a beer?”

  “Sure,” Cain agreed.

  Jeremy returned, holding a couple of bottles. Mike hadn’t even noticed that he’d stepped away. As they settled back at the table that Mike had eaten at, he watched the way the Pack kept glancing over at them. Mike held back a smile.

  “You sure have a lot of people around here interested in you,” Mike commented.

  “And you have even more wanting to meet you,” Gage said. “Are you ready for all this?”

  Mike barked out a laugh. “You know, Randy and I had to decide who would take first chair in this case, and to protect his boy we chose me. I had no idea what I was agreeing to.”

  “The Boltons have been through a lot already,” Jeremy agreed.

  “I read about the kidnapping and assault,” Cain said. “You’ve had a busy year here. It was one of the reasons that we wanted to come and show our support.”

  “We appreciate it,” Jeremy told him. “The hotels are already filling up, and some of the Pack are even opening their homes.”

  “The Wolf Council is sending some representatives that can help protect and police the city since there will be so many new people, humans and shifters, here. I’ve already spoken to the local police department, and they’re happy for the help. Luckily, we have a head start so there should be enough of us to help,” Gage said.

  “You expect trouble.” Mike just realized.

  “There are quite a few human organizations that will come pouring into this town when they hear about the case. Not everyone is happy about us. We need to be ready,” Cain told him.

  And that was why the Council had sent these two powerful shifters. Mike finished off the rest of his beer with a gulp. He decided he needed something a lot stronger as the realization of what he was doing and how this trial could affect more than just their small piece of the world started to sink in.

  “We need to make sure Jody has protection.” He sat up straight. “If there are people coming, someone might try to go after him.”

  “We have it covered,” Jeremy said. He nodded at Gage.

  “I have some friends that have military training. They arrived earlier today and will keep him safe. You’ll meet them tomorrow at your office,” Gage said.

  Mike nodded. “It seems like you have everything under control.”

  “We’ll watch your back,” Cain said. “You concentrate on winning the case and making sure the entire world sees that shifters deserve the same rights as any human.”

  “No pressure,” Mike joked.

  “You can handle this,” Jeremy said. “We’ll do this together.”

  Chapter Two

  Shelby pulled her best dress suit out of the closet and laid it on her bed. It was going to be a big day for the town of Clear Creek, and Shelby planned on having her face in front of the camera as much as possible.

  There was a good chance that she’d get picked up for national news, at least for the first few hours. She glanced at the alarm clock on the side of the bed. It was only five in the morning but she planned on getting to the station early so she could meet up with her cameraman.

  As soon as everyone started to arrive at the courthouse, she would be there to capture it. Shelby had no idea how Mike had managed to get the court papers filed, a judge assigned, and the entire start of the process going without anyone catching wind of the case. It didn’t really matter, though.

  She’d made the decision the night before that she would not use Mike. No matter how much she wanted to get ahead she wouldn’t step on the people that she cared about. When she’d woken up on the couch, covered by a blanket, she’d felt warm and cared for.

  Mike never said much about their relationship but when they were together he did small things that showed that he did have feelings for her. The blanket was only one example. He also remembered when she was working on an important story, gave her small trinkets he’d te
ll her he just picked up, and would simply sit with her after a long day. The realization made her feel like shit. She’d been taking what she wanted from Mike but only on her terms. That wasn’t the kind of woman that she wanted to be.

  So she was going to do her job and do it well.

  She ran her hand over the red jacket that went along with her dress.

  “I like the color.”

  Shelby screeched and jumped. “What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?”

  Mike grinned. “I thought I’d come over and make sure you were okay.”

  “I am,” she said as she took in his appearance. He was dressed in faded jeans and an old sweatshirt, and looked even better than when he was in his full suit. There was just something about him when he was dressed down that made her want to tackle him to get down and dirty. “Don’t you have court today, Counselor?”

  “I’m on my way to the gym. My suit is in the car along with my workout bag,” he told her.

  “And you ended up here because?”

  “I saw your light on,” Mike said.

  Shelby bit her lip. “Why don’t you come closer?”

  He took a step. “Like this?”

  “Another,” she ordered.

  Mike walked halfway to her then stopped. “How about here?”

  Shelby untied her robe and allowed it to fall from her shoulders. “Are you sure that’s as far as you want to come?”

  “On second thought.” Mike pounced her, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around.

  She giggled. “Put me down, you weirdo!”

  They were both laughing by the time Mike put her back on her feet. Before she could catch her breath his mouth was on hers. Shelby gripped his shoulders as she leaned into him.

  “I should get going,” Mike said against her lips.

  “Already?” she teased.

  “I really was on the way to the gym. I have a meeting at my office at six-thirty,” he told her.