Free Punished By The Alphas by Willow Wilde Page B

different .
     
    “Define pack .”
     
    “We’ve confirmed three, but we think it might actually be four,” he explained. “They travel as a small clan, and they’ve been causing mischief together in the woods. Maiming hikers and just causing a big old fuss. You’ll have to take care of all of them.”
     
    “Why didn’t you tell them it was four?” I demanded to know, crossing my arms angrily.
     
    “I did! I told them at least the three.” He was nervous now, and he seemed small and pathetic. “I told them to send their best werebear hunter to take out a whole pack.”
     
    “I hate liars.” My eyes were boring into his, and he shrank a little under my angry gaze. “My superiors don’t know a goddamn thing involving multiple targets for this assignment. You could have fucking jeopardized me…and what do you think would have happened to you if these shifters found out you sent a Hunter after them, hmm? You’d be maimed in your goddamn sleep.”
     
    “But they don’t come into the city,” he weakly responded, patting at his sweat again. I became aware again of how small this office was, and this entire police department as a whole. If this backwoods son of a bitch seriously thought he could pull a fast one over a Hunter with over three dozen confirmed were kills, he had another thing coming.
     
    “Funny thing about shifters…they’re a little unpredictable when you seriously piss them off. A botched assassination attempt probably falls into that category, but hey, your funeral. Well, both of ours, if you had your way.”
     
    Silence hung in the room like thick, oppressive humidity. But it didn’t bother me — the fire was directly under his ass.
     
    “So, are you still going to kill ‘em?” He finally asked meekly.
     
    Impatiently eager to wrap things up and get away from this idiot, I sighed and shook my head. “You understand that my rate is for one . If you want me to take out four , it’s gonna cost you. There’s considerable danger in trying to take down an entire pack together…if I’d known this before, I would have called in some backup,” I chided him.
     
    “I know I’ve fucked up, and I’m sorry. If you need to wait for others to show up, then that’s on me. I just want them gone as fast as possible, but I didn’t think you’d be in any more danger than usual. I’m…sorry. I should have thought things through.”
     
    My eyebrow raised as I listened to his pathetic little spiel. With some consideration to my response, I mulled over my thoughts and let him squirm across the desk from me before finally opening my mouth.
     
    “No…I like to work alone. And I’m efficient at what I do. They definitely sent you the best they have…and it’s about time I had a serious challenge. One Hunter against four shifters on their own turf…guarantee me four times my rate for each bear, and a little on top for pissing me off, and I’ll bring you their furs.”
     
    The sheriff peered sideways at me, a frown stretching across his face. “I don’t know if we can afford that, that’s a pretty substantial sum you’re asking for.”
     
    I rose from my chair, extending my hand. “Well, either it’s that, or you figure out this little problem of yours on your own. You’ve already fallen into our bad graces…if you aren’t willing to meet me halfway, then pack up some guns and head out there yourself. Good luck shooting them with regular bullets. It’ll take a lot more than one to take ‘em down…”
     
    He rose up with me, eying my extended hand with some disdain. “How am I supposed to argue with that? I’ll find a way to scrap the money together.”
     
    “See that you do.”
     
    His hand shook mine, and the deal was set.
     
    *              *              *              *
     
    Early the next morning, I paid out at the motel and hit the road again. With the proper preparations set, and confident in the selection of weaponry