“We’ve got a problem. Lawrence Hayes is at the gate with his mate and four males and they look ready to storm the place. He wants Lauren.” Derrick’s voice was hushed, as if he didn’t want to be overheard.
Shit. “I’ll be down in a few seconds.” Max was already racing down the stairs as he spoke. He’d been more than surprised Lauren’s pride had sent her here—or at least been okay with it—and that they’d let her stay for a week without an argument. She said she’d convinced them she was safe and he’d just been so damn grateful to have her under his roof that he hadn’t pressed her for details. If Lawrence Hayes was here, that meant trouble. The male had three older daughters yet he’d named Lauren after him. She was the baby of his pride, basically a princess to the male.
And she was missing.
As Max ran, he scented Lauren and that chemical stench in the stairwell, all the way down until he reached the bottom stair. Once outside it seemed to scatter in different directions. His wolf was agitated, scratching at him, telling him find her now.
Before he raced off without having a clue which direction she’d gone in, he needed to talk to her father. If he didn’t, things could get volatile and no one wanted that. He kept up his quick pace as he headed across the pavement. Their condominium only had one main gated entrance for vehicles. Everything else, including the parking lot was walled in. They’d added some extra security when they bought the place so they could maintain privacy from prying human eyes.
But a wall and a gate weren’t going to keep out the Hayes pride.
Max slowed as he neared Derrick and five of his own packmates standing with aggressive postures near the main gate. Behind it, two luxury sedans were parked, the engines off. And next to the vehicles were Lauren’s parents and pridemates.
Tall and muscular with blond hair, Lawrence Hayes was classically handsome. His wife stood next to him, the petite dark-haired female looking a hell of a lot more scary than her mate. Her claws were unsheathed and her jaguar was clear in her eyes. She was barely containing her cat. Even with their angry expressions, Max could see where Lauren had gotten her looks. She was the perfect mix of both her parents.
Her very angry parents.
“Where is my daughter, wolf?” Dominga Hayes snarled, taking a menacing step toward him.
Before Max could respond, Lawrence placed a calming hand on his mate’s arm. “We’ve heard what Lauren did and while this was not something our pride condoned, we’ve come to make compensation. She is young and foolish, but she should not be held prisoner for a mistake. I take full responsibility for my daughter’s actions.”
Though he looked fierce and intimidating standing there, Max could see the fear bleeding into Lawrence’s gaze. He was afraid for his daughter and was trying to remain civil.
Max wondered how much they knew just as he realized there was a lot he needed to explain—like the deal he’d made with Lauren. Because clearly her parents hadn’t even known she was here. But at the moment, there wasn’t time for in-depth explanations. Only quick, cold facts. “Lauren has not been harmed nor will she be. Ever. She’s going to be my mate if she’ll have me.”
There were gasps of surprise and disbelief from the jaguars, but not a sound from his packmates behind him. Yeah, word would have spread by now just how serious he was about Lauren. Before they could respond, he continued. “We had a break-in at our alpha’s place a few hours ago. While I was investigating, Lauren…disappeared. I can’t find her, but I followed her scent trail as far as I could go. You can ask all the questions you want or rip me to shreds later. Now, we need to find her.” He looked over his shoulder at Derrick. “Open the gate.”
At his command, the iron gate began to roll back until nothing separated them.
Worry was clear on both her parent’s faces and he could see the restrained violence lurking in Lawrence’s gaze. Not to mention all the questions. Stepping ahead of his pridemates and into the wolf den, Lawrence gave him a hard stare. “You and I will speak soon. Now where did you lose the scent trail?”
Though panic was still a live wire humming through him, Max was thankful Lauren’s pride was willing to work with them instead of wasting precious seconds fighting or demanding answers. However, he knew that veneer of civility would be stripped the moment Lauren was found.
And he didn’t care. As long as they found her unhurt and alive, he could deal with anything. Including the wrath of her entire pride.
Chapter 8
Lauren opened her eyes and shifted against…a sand covered wood floor. Blinking into the dimness, she shook her head and realized she was in her jaguar form. Her surroundings were much clearer and focused than when she was in human form. As soon as that knowledge slammed into her, so did her last memories and she went completely immobile in case she wasn’t alone.