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Chapter One

The store's owner had short and sassy black hair with a few red streaks, a co over the collar of her shirt Her blue eyes right noide as she conteun barrel aimed across the counter at her

Ronan ducked his huge bulk back down behind the aisle partition, where he'd been crouching to examine merchandise on the bottom shelf The robber hadn't noted Ronan, who'd co, almost hidden at the back of the SoCo novelty store Ronan illing to bet that the store's owner, Elizabeth, didn't remember at the moment that he was there either

It was just the three of theun, and Ronan, who startedhis way noiselessly toward the front counter Ronan didn't dare charge while the gun was al move, one sound, and Elizabeth was dead

Wait for it

The robber wasn't e Would be still a cub if he were Shifter Huust He'd have taken down any cub that even conte a store

Elizabeth had her hands flat on the counter Ronan se This was one of the few stores that allowed Shifters inside it, so Ronan knew a little bit about her froularly shopped here The human woman Elizabeth Chaper sister, Mabel The store and the money in it were all they had

Just stall hi stupid

Theon the counter "Put the money in there All of it"

"I only have about two hundred dollars" Elizabeth's voice was shaky, but Ronan heard the desperate edge to it She was going to try to bluff him

"I didn't ask you howThen we'll check your safe"

Give him the cash, Ronan willed silently Lead him back here

"I already ht's deposits," Elizabeth said

"Don't lie to me, chica I knohen youyou Now put the cash in the bag"

Ronan sensed Elizabeth's pounding heart, scented her fear sharpening over the oily s a ht of the store's cameras That meant he didn't care if Elizabeth would be able to identify him later, which meant that either he was overconfident, or he one before any cops arrived

Not gonna happen

Ronan heard rustling as Elizabeth put the cash in the shoulder bag "That's it," Elizabeth said "See?"