Chapter One
Tobias Black dropped his backpack on the floor and looked around the spacious living room of his new apartment. Clean and efficient was the best way to describe the sight that greeted him. The furniture was inexpensive, functional and well-cared for, and even though the place had been closed up for over two weeks, he caught a whiff of the chemicals used during the last cleaning.
He walked into the bedroom and found the bed stripped of sheets and pillows, the nightstands void of any personal belongings, and the hamper empty. Clothes and shoes occupied one third of the closet, but the rest was empty, and the dresser drawers were only half full.
The bathroom was completely bare of any personal hygiene products, and there were no clean towels hanging on the racks. On his way to the kitchen, he opened a cabinet in the hallway and found all the linens neatly folded and waiting for him as if he were a guest instead of the new resident.
The refrigerator and freezer were empty, and the only thing left in the cupboards were the dishes, pots and pans. Jase, his new brother in-law, hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he hadn’t planned on returning. The apartment had been left sterile and lifeless, ready for a new tenant.
He pulled out his cell-phone and texted Violet, his sister, to let her and her new mate know he’d arrived okay, and then he called his potential new boss, Logan. The man answered on the second ring.
“This is Price.”
“Hey, it’s Tobias,” he said. “I arrived about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Great. How was the trip?” Logan asked, his voice less gruff than before.
“Uneventful. Long, but not too bad.”
“Good. Do you want company for dinner, or would you rather meet up in the morning?”
“Morning, if that’s okay,” he said, hoping Logan didn’t take offense. “This place is bare, and I need to pick up a few things. I’d also like to get a feel for the neighborhood. Anything I need to worry about?”
Luckily, the man seemed to understand his mindset.
“Unless you’re cozy with panthers, you should be fine. Wolves pass through here pretty regularly and there’s never been a problem.”
“Got it,” Tobias acknowledged. “What time tomorrow?”
“Let’s do nine,” Logan said, shuffling some papers around. “I can introduce you to some of the team, give you a detailed tour, and go with you to meet the alpha. Do you want me to send an escort?”
“Nah, I should be good,” Tobias said. “Just text me the address.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow.”
“Later.”
He pressed the off button and nodded to himself as he quickly replayed the conversation in his mind. Jase had filled him in on the unstable treaty between the bears and the panthers, and it reminded him of the battles back home between the wolves and the cougars. Being a hybrid, he’d learned a long time ago to never judge someone solely based on their animal, but some breeds were more trouble than others. The nearby clan of panthers were one of those breeds.
The bears were a different story, however, and he knew he wouldn’t have any trouble fitting in.
Logan seemed like a man of few words, and Tobias liked the fact that his new boss didn’t try to force him into making an appearance at dinner. This new job was a lot different from his usual work, but he’d had a lot of experience with people in powerful positions. Many of his previous clients had a lot of money, and they often forgot they didn’t own him and he wasn’t hired to act as their personal trophy.
He was trained to kill, and he was damn good at it.
He took another look in the fridge, and cursed. He’d been hoping for a hidden beer, or even an unopened bottle of water, but the bright white interior mocked him, and he closed the door.
Fuck!
Suddenly, the long journey caught up to him, and he plopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh. As much as he wanted to pick up the things he needed, the thought of getting back into his
Tobias Black dropped his backpack on the floor and looked around the spacious living room of his new apartment. Clean and efficient was the best way to describe the sight that greeted him. The furniture was inexpensive, functional and well-cared for, and even though the place had been closed up for over two weeks, he caught a whiff of the chemicals used during the last cleaning.
He walked into the bedroom and found the bed stripped of sheets and pillows, the nightstands void of any personal belongings, and the hamper empty. Clothes and shoes occupied one third of the closet, but the rest was empty, and the dresser drawers were only half full.
The bathroom was completely bare of any personal hygiene products, and there were no clean towels hanging on the racks. On his way to the kitchen, he opened a cabinet in the hallway and found all the linens neatly folded and waiting for him as if he were a guest instead of the new resident.
The refrigerator and freezer were empty, and the only thing left in the cupboards were the dishes, pots and pans. Jase, his new brother in-law, hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he hadn’t planned on returning. The apartment had been left sterile and lifeless, ready for a new tenant.
He pulled out his cell-phone and texted Violet, his sister, to let her and her new mate know he’d arrived okay, and then he called his potential new boss, Logan. The man answered on the second ring.
“This is Price.”
“Hey, it’s Tobias,” he said. “I arrived about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Great. How was the trip?” Logan asked, his voice less gruff than before.
“Uneventful. Long, but not too bad.”
“Good. Do you want company for dinner, or would you rather meet up in the morning?”
“Morning, if that’s okay,” he said, hoping Logan didn’t take offense. “This place is bare, and I need to pick up a few things. I’d also like to get a feel for the neighborhood. Anything I need to worry about?”
Luckily, the man seemed to understand his mindset.
“Unless you’re cozy with panthers, you should be fine. Wolves pass through here pretty regularly and there’s never been a problem.”
“Got it,” Tobias acknowledged. “What time tomorrow?”
“Let’s do nine,” Logan said, shuffling some papers around. “I can introduce you to some of the team, give you a detailed tour, and go with you to meet the alpha. Do you want me to send an escort?”
“Nah, I should be good,” Tobias said. “Just text me the address.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow.”
“Later.”
He pressed the off button and nodded to himself as he quickly replayed the conversation in his mind. Jase had filled him in on the unstable treaty between the bears and the panthers, and it reminded him of the battles back home between the wolves and the cougars. Being a hybrid, he’d learned a long time ago to never judge someone solely based on their animal, but some breeds were more trouble than others. The nearby clan of panthers were one of those breeds.
The bears were a different story, however, and he knew he wouldn’t have any trouble fitting in.
Logan seemed like a man of few words, and Tobias liked the fact that his new boss didn’t try to force him into making an appearance at dinner. This new job was a lot different from his usual work, but he’d had a lot of experience with people in powerful positions. Many of his previous clients had a lot of money, and they often forgot they didn’t own him and he wasn’t hired to act as their personal trophy.
He was trained to kill, and he was damn good at it.
He took another look in the fridge, and cursed. He’d been hoping for a hidden beer, or even an unopened bottle of water, but the bright white interior mocked him, and he closed the door.
Fuck!
Suddenly, the long journey caught up to him, and he plopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh. As much as he wanted to pick up the things he needed, the thought of getting back into his
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