Free i 743ae055a1ebb037 by J. L. Langley Page A

slid out from under Laine and patted and rubbed his back until Laine settled back down.
    When Laine’s snores started again, Dev got up and went to the bathroom. He picked up the open bottle of lube on the way, fortunately it hadn’t dripped onto the floor.
    He showered, shaved and grabbed a granola bar and orange juice for breakfast. While he ate, he cleaned up the mess Laine had made in the kitchen, then went back to check on Laine.
    Laine was still sound asleep. No way was Dev waking him up. He grabbed the phone and called Cole, arranging for their meeting to take place an hour later. It would give Laine time to sleep before Caroline came and got him to go shopping, and it would give Dev time to get a few things straight with Victor.

Chapter Eight
Page 39
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    Dev jogged down the steps, his truck keys in hand, and almost ran right in to an older man coming up.
    The man stopped, surprised, and glanced up at Laine’s front door. “Are you Devlin Johns?”
    “Yes, sir, I am. Do I know you?” Dev knew he didn’t, but the man obviously knew him, or at least of him.
    “Good, you’re very strong. A powerful wolf.” The man extended his hand. “I’m George Marshal, I’m a friend of Margaret’s.”
    “Who?” Wait, wasn’t George the name of Laine’s old pack Alpha? “You mean Grammy?” He shook the man’s hand.
    The older gentleman nodded his gray head. Dev guessed the man to be somewhere around Grammy’s age, his early to mid-seventies. “Yes, Laine’s grandmother.”
    “If you are wanting to speak to Lainey, he’s—”
    “No. I came to see you, Mr. Johns. It’s about Margaret, er, Laine’s grandmother.”
    “Is she all right?”
    “Victor has Margaret.”
    Dev blinked. “He has Grammy? As in kidnapped Grammy?”
    “Yes. I was on my way to Margaret’s house this morning and saw them putting her in the car. I followed them to Peter’s house. Then I came to get you. We have to go get her.”
    About a million and one things raced into Dev’s head at once. Laine was going to be devastated. He had to tell Laine and he didn’t want to see the hurt on Laine’s face when he told him. He had to go get Grammy. He needed to know where Peter lived. Had George Marshal been sent by Victor to bait Dev?
    Dev didn’t think so, the man seemed to be one of the good guys.
    “I can’t win against Victor, and neither can anyone else in my pack, but you can. I need your help. I have wolves that will help you, but…I need to know what your plans are. If you aren’t going to go after Margaret, then I—”
    “You bet your ass I’m going after Grammy.” Dev winced. He hadn’t meant to shout. “Sorry, Mr.
    Marshal. I’ve just had about all of Victor I can stand. I’d love any help you can offer.”
    Mr. Marshal smiled briefly. “Good, that’s what I like to hear. You’re a strong wolf and Margaret thinks you’d make an excellent Alpha. She had nothing but good things to say about you last night when I talked to her on the phone and that’s good enough for me. I’m sick and tired of seeing the pack I built turn to shit. And please, call me George.”
    “Only if you call me Dev.”
    The older man dipped his head once in acknowledgement.
    “What do you suggest? Is he unstable enough to hurt Grammy? He attacked Laine in the bathroom of Page 40
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    the restaurant last night.”
    “Yes, I heard. No, I don’t think he’ll harm her, at least nothing permanent. He wants something. Laine is my best guess. He’s been after that boy from the get-go.”
    “That would be my guess too, but he isn’t getting Lainey. Nor Grammy for that matter. Let me call my…well I guess if I’m going to be Alpha, then Cole is my Beta.”
    “Margaret mentioned him too. Go ahead and call him.” The older man tried to act like he was in control, but Dev heard the little