Keaton's Lessons [Brac Village 6] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove), Lynn Hagen [readnow txt] 📗

Maverick was driven forward, his immense body plowing into the hound. He was relieved when he saw the black truck pull from the parking lot, driving quickly away from town. Cecil and his grandson were safe, but that only meant he was going to make the hound pay for going after them in the first place.

He knew he had to shove his claws into the mark behind the hound’s ear. The problem was pinning him down. Swinging his head to the side, Maverick sank his teeth into the beast’s neck, shaking his head furiously from side to side.

“Release him,” Renato shouted as his sword came down hard. Maverick had seconds to move away before the blade sliced through the creature’s head, hitting the mark with deadly accuracy. The hound slumped toward the ground, lifeless. “We’ll take him away from your humans before we burn his body.”

Maverick turned to see the crowd of humans standing there, looking terrified and astonished at the same time.

Goddamn it. This was what he had been trying to avoid for over two hundred years. He knew that eventually his town would find out about the paranormal population. It was bound to happen.

He just wasn’t ready to explain things to them. But he had to. If he wanted Brac Village to remain his peaceful little town, the residents had to be made to see that telling anyone who didn’t already know or the media would ruin not only the shifters’ lives, but the humans’ as well.

Whether he liked it or not, their secret was out. Now Maverick was going to have to call a meeting with the Ultionem and tell them what just happened.

Great, just what he wanted to do on a Saturday, meet with his super-secret club.

* * * *

“How long?” Mrs. Colbert asked as she approached the alpha. She was the sweet old woman who helped out at the local pharmacy. Her light-blue eyes searched Maverick’s face, but she didn’t back down, even though Maverick was freaking huge. “How long has this been going on right under our noses?”

“For a very long time,” Kade answered as he stepped forward. “I’ve known you since I was a small kid, Mrs. Colbert. Has any harm ever come to you? Have you ever seen one of the shifters before this time?”

Keaton could see what his mate was doing. He was trying to convince the town that they were safe, that they didn’t need to fear Maverick or any of the other nonhuman residents.

“Well, yes,” Mrs. Colbert answered honestly and with conviction. “Do you think us daft?” Her eyes narrowed at Maverick. “We’ve known for some time that this town was special. Why do you think we stayed when work was so hard to come by? Why do you think we have thrown ourselves into the rebuilding and additions to this town?”

Keaton glanced at Maverick, but he couldn’t read the wolf’s facial expression.

“We love it here.” Mrs. Colbert turned toward the other residents. “You knew as well, although no one has ever said anything. Tell me you want to turn our town into a media hotspot? Tell me you wouldn’t rather keep the secret that we’ve been keeping all along, letting us enjoy Brac Village?”

“I knew,” Kevin said as he came forward. Keaton was going to beat the snot out of the young man. He was supposed to be hiding inside the center. “I’ve always known.”

Maverick began to back away.

“Is he afraid we’ll tell?” Mrs. Colbert asked.

Kade chuckled. It was a sound Keaton wanted to hear plenty more of. “No, but when he changes back into his human form, he’ll be naked.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Colbert said, her cheeks flaming red. “Then, by all means, go get dressed.” Maverick took off toward the woods and Keaton knew the alpha was heading home.

“I knew there was something strange about this town!”

Keaton turned, but didn’t recognize the man speaking, although from his tone, this wasn’t going to be good. He knew not everyone was going to accept what was going on. He just wasn’t sure how to handle this. How was he supposed to keep the haters quiet—aside from gagging them and locking them away so they couldn’t utter a single word about what they knew?

“Don’t you dare stir up trouble, Mitchel Grace,” Mrs. Colbert warned in a no-nonsense tone. “You are just as happy living here as everyone else.”

“They ain’t right,” Mitchel growled right before he spat some nasty-looking gunk on the ground. Yuk, chewing tobacco. Keaton wanted to dry heave when he glanced down at the splattered mess. “They’re freaks of nature.”

Keaton had to grab Kade’s arm and pull him back. His mate looked feral. He also noticed Kevin take a step back, glancing over toward his father. He was glad to see Kevin’s dad wave his son over to his side.

“Trust me,” Kade snarled at Mitchel. “You don’t want to run your mouth.”

Mitchel spun on Kade, his eyes narrowing to two tiny slits. “What do you know? Didn’t you just get out of prison for murder?”

Keaton felt his temper flare. He had never gotten this mad this quickly in his life. “Don’t go spouting off about things you don’t know about!” he shouted at Mitchel.

“He’s a murderer, what else is there to know? I’m glad to see Brac Village is growing. It seems our esteemed mayor will let anyone live here.”

Keaton wanted to punch the man. He had no idea what he was talking about. True, Kade had killed, but for a good reason. “I’m warning you,” Keaton threatened, trying to remember his language in front of all the children that were present. “Shut your trap.”

“Why?” Mitchel argued. “All I’m telling is the truth. We all just saw what happened here today. A man turned into a wolf. Another man turned into a large dog. Two men were flying up into the air. The dog was killed. How much clearer