Free Deceived By the Others by Jess Haines

wiping down the bar, putting a little more elbow grease into it than was strictly necessary, making it a point to keep her eyes off his. Smart move on her part. Continuing to stare at him could’ve been construed as a challenge.
    Chaz took my hand and led the way toward the back, looking for Mr. Cassidy. I had to admire the way the others simply fell into step behind him, following in silent support of their pack leader. I silently prayed that they’d all make it through the night without shifting in anger. Yes, I had come here to see them shift, but not when they were pissed off. That could lead to bites and scratches and, while your chances of contracting the lycanthropy infection from either one weren’t astronomical, they weren’t small either.
    “Mr. Cassidy! Hello?” Chaz bellowed out as we reached the empty front desk.
    The old man peered through the hallway opposite the dining hall, bushy brows arched high as he and George approached. “No need to shout, sonny, I’m right here. What’s wrong?”
    Chaz glanced down at me, frowning in a mix of worry and preoccupation. “Someone broke into our cabin and destroyed some of our things. It may have been one of mine, and if it was, I’ll see he or she pays for any damages. Is there another cabin we can stay in for now?”
    “Blazes and tarnation, boy! When did this happen?”
    I noted with mild interest that everyone, including Chaz, fell into step behind Mr. Cassidy. He didn’t move as swiftly and smoothly as the others, but there was determination in his pace, and irritation was strong on his features.
    When we got back outside, I huddled against Chaz for warmth. He wrapped an arm around me, but didn’t slow down. Nobody said anything until we got to the cabin. I waited outside and rubbed my arms while Mr. Cassidy, Chaz, and a couple of the guys stepped inside, taking note of the damage. The space was too small for many people to fit comfortably, and I’d already seen as much of the place as I wanted. I studied the trees, careful not to look at the other Weres standing around with me as they muttered quietly to each other. I overheard Paula, who had followed us out here for who knew what reason, and another one saying something about “vamp-bait” to each other—and had to grit my teeth to ignore it. Never a good idea to stare at a riled-up Were, even if they were acting like assholes. Chaz was cursing loudly enough that I could hear him from where I was standing. Even Mr. Cassidy gave voice to a few oaths that would make a dock foreman blush.
    They came back out a minute or two later, shaking their heads. Chaz was holding the burnt up shoe in one hand. With a furious growl, he threw it as far as he could into the woods.
    “They got the scents good and mixed in there, so no hope of figuring out who it was that way. All this rain would have washed away any lingering scent out here, covering their trail. Whoever did this planned it pretty well,” Sean said, putting a hand on Chaz’s shoulder as he seethed silently, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as he scanned the trees lining the path. “It doesn’t seem like Seth’s handiwork. He’s too much of a coward to pull something like this.”
    “I don’t care who the hell it was,” Mr. Cassidy said, wiping one of his hands off on a rag as he stepped out of the cabin. “Somebody’s paying for that mess.”
    “We’ll figure out who it was and make them pay for it,” Nick put in, watching Chaz with concern. I didn’t think he’d shift, but it was so close to the full moon, and his temper was already shot, so there was a chance he might.
    A few other people seemed to be having the same thought, watching him closely, lending a supportive hand or a calming word here and there. Even Paula and the guy she was talking with had quieted down, presumably because they’d figured out that the last thing Chaz needed was more stress and discord in his space. After a little while, he took a deep