Free The Werewolf Bodyguard (Moonbound Book 2) by Krystal Shannan, Camryn Rhys Page A

could see. Everything standing in his way was internal. Until he faced that, they could never be together. So really…she had nothing to lose, right?
    Aria held on tight to Marco’s hand. He was Fate’s gift to her and she wasn’t giving up on him, not by a long shot. He could kick and scream and throw a fucking fit and she still intended to show him how much he was missing by being afraid of his wolf. She just had to get him into her hotel suite.
    Her room was just around the corner.
    “Where are we going?”
    “My room. I told you, I need to show you something.” Aria pulled a key card from her back pocket to slip into the slot of the door handle. The phone in her hip pocket buzzed. She released Marco’s hand and pulled it out. The screen flashed with a message from Rain.
    Conference room. Bring Marco.
    Shit. She let the hotel door swing shut.
    “We’ve been summoned.”
    “I’m not going in there if they’re questioning Mary.” Marco crossed his arms and took a step backward.
    “I’ll be there with you. Everything will be fine.” Aria escorted him down the hallway and pulled the conference room door open. She gestured for Marco to enter first. All eyes were on them both as they entered the packed room.
    Aria ran her hand up Marco’s arm, calming the tension she could see tightening the muscles in the back of his neck. A muscle in his jaw twitched and his heart rate soared. He needed time to adjust to all of this. She couldn’t imagine how hard this was for him. Never being around wolves. Not having the grounding connection to an alpha.
    “Breathe,” she whispered. The magick coursing through a room full of alphas was a lot to take, even for her. Mary sat in a large black leather conference chair about midway down the table. The table was full. At least twenty alphas from around the country sat staring at her.
    She recognized the Cavanaugh alpha from Boston –old money and old blood with a side of narcissistic asshole. The Davis alpha from Hollywood. The McConnell and Gallagher alphas were familiar faces too. Most she didn’t recognize and had never met before. Aaron VonBrandt and Francis Dubois sat directly to Mary’s right and Carl Rivera –the Vegas alpha– sat on Mary’s left with Teresa, his mate, standing just behind his chair.
    Damn, they all got here fast. Not only that, none of them looked like they’d ever gone to bed. Numerous paper coffee cups billowed out of the trashcan near the door.
    She glared at Rain where he stood behind Francis’ chair, like the other enforcers. The room was packed. More alphas stood along the walls with their enforcers. Where did they expect her and Marco to stand?
    Francis caught Aria’s questioning gaze. “That was quick. Elise isn’t here yet, but we have a few more questions for Mary. Just wait there.” He turned his attention to Mary again. “We don’t have any knowledge of Elise’s mother,” Francis said, his voice calm and level. “This is why you are so important to us, Mary. Elise was raised in the human foster care system. She was left at a church with a note stating only her name and that she needed a home.”
    “Lupe left her daughter?” A sob shuddered through Mary’s body and tears glistened in the woman’s eyes.
    Aria’s throat closed.
    Francis nodded.
    “She wouldn’t have left her unless… He must have found her, which means he can find the rest of us. Me. Marco. Elise. He’s probably hunting us as we speak.” Her voice rose with each word.
    “Who is he ?” One of the alphas at the table leaned forward with a drawly coastal accent on his tongue.
    Mary’s eyes were wide as she ignored him. “When we left we agreed we would separate and hide for our own protection. Bringing us together only makes it easier for him to locate us.”
    “You called Elise’s mother Lupe. Do you remember her last name?” Francis asked again, ignoring Mary’s frantic behavior. “Focus, Mary. We need you to do this. We can’t protect you,