Ronan leaned in to Marquez. "Here's our counteroffer. You leave town, you let your brother go to prison for what he did, or your life will be a living hell. We'll put word out ahead wherever you go that you shouldn't be bothered, but you'll be watched. You're now on every Shifter's shit list, which is someplace you don't want to be."
Marquez didn't move. "You're Shifters. You're powerless. Shifters are executed for harming humans. You lay a finger on me, the whole bunch of you goes down. I don't even have to ask for a hit. The cops will do it for me."
"That's our offer," Ronan said. "If you want to get out of this alley alive, you'll give us your answer."
Marquez opened his coat to show that he had an automatic in his shoulder holster. "These sweeties will take you out quickly, leaving nothing but dead Shifters behind. You can't move fast enough to dodge bullets, and your Collars mean you can't attack me. So. I'll leave you to make your decision, Ms. Chapman. I understand about family. For your sister's sake, you'll go."
Elizabeth did not like the look of that weapon, but Ronan scarcely seemed to notice it. "Your answer," he said.
Marquez's hand drifted toward his gun, but--so swiftly Elizabeth didn't see him move-- the Shifter who resembled Sean was in front of Marquez, hand on Marquez's wrist.
Marquez's eyes widened as the Shifter put pressure on the wrist, and Elizabeth heard something crackle. Marquez's man reached inside his coat, but Marquez shook his head, though his eyes were nearly bulging. The Shifter's Collar didn't so much as glint, and he said not a word.
Sean spoke without moving his position. "We'll give you a day or two to think about it, lad. Then it's best you go. We'll make sure nothing happens to your brother inside. We know about family too."
The Shifter kept his hold of Marquez's wrist. Marquez looked up into his cold, cold eyes, and finally showed fear.
"Let him go, Dad," Sean said.
The Shifter opened his hand and took a step back. He was very calm, every movement precise and practiced.
Marquez backed a step and cradled his wrist but he gave Elizabeth a cool stare. "You lost yourself a day," he said. "Pack and go."
The second man, who looked white about the mouth, opened the passenger side of the car and let in Marquez. Marquez didn't look at the Shifters as the man went around to the driver's seat, got in and started the Lexus, then slowly pulled forward. Ronan, Spike, Ellison, and the other Shifter moved so the car could pass, but they surrounded it to watch it go, hunters releasing their prey. Their choice. For now.
As soon as the car turned the corner onto the street, Sean joined them and said, "Nice one, Dad."
Elizabeth rounded on them. "Nice one? Are you all insane? All he has to do is report that you threatened him. Criminal or not, you're the ones who'll pay--with your lives. Do me a favor, and don't help me!"
Elizabeth's rage and fear had risen to a breaking point, and all she could do was turn her back on the Shifters, storm inside, and slam the door.
Chapter Ten
Ronan scented Elizabeth's terror as she went, and vowed that Marquez would pay for every bad dream, every shiver of fear, and every tear he'd caused her.
Sean joined his father, whose eyes remained the light blue of his wildcat's. "You scared him good, Dad," Sean said. "But maybe put him on his guard? We don't need a Shifter-human gang war."
"We won't have one." Dylan Morrissey scanned the alley, aware that others could be watching, and started for the back door to Elizabeth's store.
Ronan got ahead of him to walk inside first, but Elizabeth wasn't in her office. Ronan heard the water running in the bathroom, and he left the others to approach her.
He'd lived with females long enough to know that if he knocked first, she'd tell him to go away and leave her alone, and he had no intention of doing that. Elizabeth hadn't locked the door, however, and Ronan opened it to find a small bathroom decorated with rose trellis wallpaper and framed Victorian ads for soap and chocolates. The soft colors made the tiny room easy on the eyes and very feminine.
Elizabeth looked up at him through the reflection of the wooden framed mirror over the sink, her eyes red-rimmed, her face dripping.
"You okay?" Ronan asked.
A long time ago, he'd never had to worry about comforting crying females--crying anybody. But now he had to deal with Cherie with her PTSD, Rebecca's PMS, and the terror dreams of the boys. He'd learned how to pet and hold until the shakes went away, how to gentle his voice to the merest rumble.
"No, I'm not okay," Elizabeth said. "You can't threaten Marquez like that. He's right--he'll have the cops down on you, or he'll tell his boys with machine guns to wipe out all the Shifters. No one cares about Shifters."
"That's true," Ronan said, leaning against the door frame. "No one, except Shifters. What do you plan to do, then? Leave town like he suggested?"
"No!" Elizabeth grabbed a fluffy towel and buried her face in it. When she emerged, her tears were gone. "No, I'm not letting him drive me out. I'll call the cop who arrested Julio Marquez and tell her his brother is threatening me. Pablo Marquez will have a record--they can put a restraining order on him."
"A restraining order will do nothing," Dylan said from behind Ronan. "You need to let us take care of this."
Elizabeth threw down the towel and pushed past Ronan to face Dylan. "Let you take care of it? What does that mean?" She looked up at the tall Shifter, meeting that stern white-blue stare without flinching.
Sean cleared his throat. "Ms. Chapman, let me introduce my dad, Dylan Morrissey."
Elizabeth studied Dylan more closely, taking in the gray at his temples, his stern look that came with his years and experience. "Ah. I've heard about you."
Dylan blinked, his eyes snapping back to human blue. Elizabeth's I've heard about you spoke volumes. His mate, Glory, came into this store a lot, and Glory could be earthily frank. Dylan must be wondering what the hell kinds of things Glory had said.
"What I've heard is that you're used to having your every order obeyed," Elizabeth said, hands on hips. "But I'm not Shifter, and I don't care. I'm keeping this store open. I'm grateful for your help, but I do not want you confronting Marquez. He's dangerous, more dangerous than you are. I'll find a solution. I haven't survived this long by caving in to people like him."
Sean and the other Shifters tensed, watching as Elizabeth, a puny human, stared down one of the top alphas in Shiftertown. Liam was leader now, yes, but Dylan was still plenty dominant.