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Jade rushed across the room "Az! Put him down, you can’t--"

Then she saw the cop’s teeth The too-sharp canines that hung behind his lips Theinto Az’s aro of hi the fellow even higher into the air "Shifter Same scent those other jerks carried"

But she didn’t recognize this guy, and she’d thought that she knew every panther shifter in Brandt’s pack

She rose onto her toes and peered over Az’s shoulder Was this maybe-cop another hunter Brandt had hired?

"Call hionna hurt you"

Like she hadn’t heard that one before Jade scrambled back and found the discarded weapon She checked to make sure it was loaded--oh yes--and then rushed around Az to aim the weapon at the cop "Step back, Az"

After a moment’s hesitation, he did

The shifter fell to the floor, gasping Az had a killer grip

"Who are you?" Jade dehtened "And why the hell are you dressed like a cop?"

His palms flattened on the wooden floor "Because I a a hard, chiseled face--and a wicked smile that flashed his sharp canines "And a shifter"

"Are you working for Brandt?" Because Az had said the guy s to take Dupre down" He said those words with vehe the panthers in Louisiana" Now the stranger rose to his feet "We’re not all psychotic fks, despite what you may think"

"Youthe weapon Jade didn’t trust this guy Sure, cops were supposed to be all good and safe, but the only man she felt safe as--

Az

Az’s gaze darted between her and the cop

The shifter grunted "Look, my name’s Tanner Tanner Chance And I want to stop Dupre just as hly

Az spread his feet a bit and straightened his shoulders, a slight movement that held an aura of menace "How did you find us?" Az wanted to know