Prowl the Night by Crystal Jordan Page A

get better after you got used to being Second, it would get better after the first state visit, it would get better after, after, after.” She rolled her head so she could look at him. “It’s never going to get better, Tomas. There’s always going to be something. I know those somethings are important, but why isn’t what other people value important, too?”
    â€œThe Prides are the most important thing.”
    â€œOkay.” She turned around and walked away, as she did from all their arguments. In the end, what else could she do? They were mated, but they really didn’t understand each other. They knew what was fundamental to the other, but many of those things were at odds. If they changed the very foundations of themselves, they would no longer be who and what they were. If they gave in to the other’s needs, would they still be mates?

5
    T omas was still stewing over their argument three days later. It frustrated him and terrified him at the same time. His mate wasn’t happy. Not with him, not with their marriage, and not with their fate to rule the South American Pride.
    Until now, he’d told himself that she would come to accept her place, that she just needed to adjust, that she just needed to learn about what it meant to lead. After what she’d said, he was no longer so certain. What could he do about it? He was drowning in his own problems, and he just wanted this to work . Was that so much to ask? That one thing go right? Just one?
    Landon poked his head into the office. “I have an update on the Ruizes, if you have a minute.”
    â€œYes. Please, come in.” Tomas motioned the lanky human to the couch against one wall.
    Antonio stepped in behind Landon. “I’d like to hear this as well, if you don’t mind.”
    â€œOf course.” Tomas rose to get them all a glass of whiskey.
    Passing snifters over to the other men, he settled into a chair next to the couch. Landon took a sip of the alcohol and sighed. “That is good stuff.”
    â€œTwenty-five-year-old Glenlivet.” Tomas lifted the glass to admire the deep amber liquid. “A wedding gift from the European Pride.”
    â€œNice.” The human took another swallow, then looked between Antonio and Tomas. “I put my contacts on trying to find out what’s going on with the Ruiz family. I’ve kept light tabs on them as a potential, but unlikely, threat to the Pride. Or so I thought.”
    â€œRight. I agreed with that policy at the time.” Antonio waved a hand. “What have you found?”
    â€œThe mother, Lucia, recently passed away.” The human grimaced. “She was buried in a pauper’s grave.”
    Leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees, Tomas asked, “And that sent the sons over the edge?”
    Landon nodded. “That’s the assumption I’m working with at this point, yes.”
    â€œThank you, Landon.” Antonio settled back in his seat, sighing. “The Ruizes were an influential family in my father’s reign. Lucia was his lover in the last years of his life. When I came into power, they thought they’d get away with defying me. They also decided it was acceptable to harass Solana when she was an outcast and presumed non-shifter. I forbade mistreating her; they disobeyed me and tried to kill her. Roberto Ruiz, specifically, but the younger brothers, Juan and Marcos, had some involvement.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The entire family supported Roberto’s actions, so I cast them all out. We haven’t heard from them since. Until now.”
    â€œThere’s more, sir.” Landon gulped down the last of his scotch.
    â€œTell us.” Tomas made a short motion with his hand. Everything these men were saying got worse and worse, and coldness fisted in his belly.
    â€œMy contacts have traced all three Ruiz sons to San Francisco. They’d been living in Chicago