“Knew you’d come,” he whispered. “Knew you would keep me safe.” He closed his eyes and snuggled closer.
Rebecca looked up with tears in her eyes. Aleks lay a hand on Rebecca’s back, letting her know that he was there.
“Kate, find them. Find them and kill the bastard who let them in. Seal the perimeter,” Rebecca said, pushing Nicholas’s bangs out of his face. Kate nodded and walked back out into the waiting room.
Bran stood and walked over.
“How is he?” he asked
“He needs a transfusion. Luckily Ashby is a match. But he and Rebecca will probably need to stay the night with him. The bond we share is helping.” She looked around for Caleb.
“He’s outside with the men.” He pointed to the door. Kate hesitated and then looked back to the room where Gina and Nic lay unconscious.
“Go, my brothers and I will stand guard,” Connor said, stepping forward.
“Thank you.” She and Bran walked to the door heading outside. Waiting for her were Beau and Kaden.
“What are you two up to?” she asked, stopping in front of the clinic’s doors as Bran made his way over to Caleb and the men.
“Sticking with you,” Kaden said. Beau nodded.
“I’d prefer it if you helped Aleks watch over Rebecca,” she said.
Kaden snorted. “And I’d prefer to keep breathing. Liam said if anything happened to you he’d rip our intestines out through our cocks. It takes a lot to rile a Lewenhart male, but once they are riled, you stay on their good side. His orders were to protect you. So we’re gonna be all over you, darlin’.”
“Okay, boys, try to keep up,” Kate said and then started walking over to where Bran was coordinating with Riley and Caleb in the open grassy area at the end of the road that the clinic was on. Just beyond the grass the woods that surrounded the town began.
“Saucy wench,” Kaden muttered.
“All day long,” Kate said without turning around.
“We’ll start east and…” Bran was saying. Kate stepped right into the circle next to him.
“I think I know where they are,” Kate said and everyone turned to face her.
“When were you going to share?” Bran asked.
“Don’t be mad. I kinda just put it together. I think the hyenas are at the Wades’ house. It’s the only thing that explains why Gina was hurt and where she was. I bet she saw something she wasn’t supposed to and was on her way to the Pack house when they caught up with her. She was too damn close to home for that deadbeat father not to notice the scent of his daughter’s blood. I think he’s the perimeter breach.” She looked into Bran’s face.
“Okay, men, we know where we’re heading,” he said.
“Wait! Just like that?” Kate asked.
“I doubted you once, Katie Belle. I should have taken Gina’s disappearance more seriously, I won’t doubt you again. Besides, it’s the best theory anyone’s come up with yet.” Bran took her hand.
Caleb walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Bran, if that’s the case, we have a huge problem,” Caleb said. Bran frowned then his face paled.
“What’s the problem?” Kate asked.
“Gina has two younger sisters and two younger brothers. If what you say is true, they are either already dead or in the most dangerous place in a twenty-five mile radius,” Caleb explained.
Kate felt a tightening in her chest. She had never felt so much rage. Her wolf literally burst from her skin. The men, as one, took a step back.
“Sweetheart?” Bran asked.
Kate snarled and snapped at the men, edging them toward the woods.
“She’s right. It’s time to hunt,” Caleb said, his voice sounding deeper.
Kate threw her head back and howled. Caleb then Bran shifted and joined her. Their voices rose in a harmony so perfect that only nature could have designed it. It was as if the other wolves were waiting for that unspoken order and they shifted, one right after the other.
“Kate, we’re right behind you. We’re bringing the truck in case we need to get the munchkins out in a hurry,” Kaden said before he and Beau took off at a dead run to the truck.
Kate swung her head around, bunched up her body, and then her feet took flight and they were hunting.
Chapter 10
They surrounded the small cabin and started to creep forward. On the side of the house, a mountain of trash gave the entire area a pungent odor. On the porch they could see ripped screens and broken boards. Empty beer cans and liquor bottles filled one half of the porch. It was clear that Elias Wade had been trying to drown himself in alcohol to ease the pain of his mate’s passing.