Page 33 of Alpha's Claim

Stay. Down.

Fuck. The medicine that smells like toxic. I should’ve remembered that.

“Okay. We’ll get your medication. What’s it called? My brother’s a doctor–he can call a prescription in somewhere for you.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not a standard prescription. Dr. Handel compounds it himself. Some kind of proprietary blend.”

My brows slam down. “What is your exact diagnosis?”

“It’s a form of hemophilia.”

“Okay. We’ll get you medicine for it. And we’ll find your sister.” I look around, not liking us being out in the open, especially with a stolen car’s plates visible to anyone who drives by. “Let’s go inside and find something to eat. We will both make better decisions when we’re properly nourished.”

Paloma looks around but finally nods, and my bear eases back on the choke-hold he has on me.

“I’m right behind you–I’m just going to pull the car back in.” I call Kylie Jackson, a cat shifter hacker who lives in Tucson. She’s known in the shifter world as a fixer of sorts.

Paloma has already pulled a box of macaroni and cheese and a can of tuna from the pantry and is heating a pot of water.

“Listen, I need a favor,” I say to her after reminding her who I am. “It’s a matter of life and death. I need help locating a student at a boarding school in Connecticut–one that limits communication with the outside world, so she doesn’t have a cell phone.”

“That shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”

“Well, to add to the dilemma, they’re on a field trip to Ireland.”

“No problem. That means there will be a document trail through customs.”

“You can hack into customs?”

“Of course. What’s the student’s name?”

Paloma stands close to me, listening. “Wren Castillo.”

“Wren Castillo,” Kylie repeats, her shifter hearing picking up Paloma’s voice through the phone. “I’ll see what I can find. And one of my contacts is on the way to drop off groceries and some clothes.”

“Thanks again. I owe you, big time.”

“Yes, you do,” Kylie agrees, but I’m not worried about owing her or her wolf mate a favor.

Wolves aren’t crazy in the head like vampires. Owing a wolf isn’t anything to fear. I’m friendly with her mate Jackson King and the other billionaire wolf shifter, Brick Blackthroat. His cousin Aiden Adalwulf is another story. He’s more of the Thom Thompson kind of creepy.

The water starts to boil, and Paloma empties the box of macaroni into the pot and sets the oven timer for eight minutes.

I step up behind her and rest my hands lightly on her hips. “So, what am I missing, Rapunzel? Thompson is a sex trafficker?” I ask. “Are there other women he’s auctioned off?”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“Just you? Why now? What’s so special about your virginity?”

Paloma turns toward the stove, hiding her face.

I knew there was something else she hadn’t told me. It’s something she doesn’t want to tell me.

I step right up behind her. “What is Thompson up to?” I keep my voice low.

She rotates slowly to face me. Her hands come up to mychest. I’m not sure whether she’s going to push me away or tip her face up for a kiss. She hesitates.

“You can trust me, Paloma–whatever it is. I can help you better if I understand what’s going on.”