“None of the Guardians.” Barrett glared.
Something was off. Way off. Usually Zane knew everything that was going on. As Barrett’s second-in-command, it made sense for him to be included on the details.
“As you know, I’m not exactly an open book when it comes to the Guardians. Whatever you have to tell me is safe.”
“That’s part of why you’re here and no one else.” The muscle in Barrett’s cheek worked as he continued to glare. “Some Arkansas Guardians are missing.”
“What do you mean, missing?” Every muscle in his body tensed.
“They are being captured.” Barrett’s gaze narrowed into slits as a muscle continued to work in his cheek. “Something happened today that confirms my suspicions.”
He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a metal box. The sharp coppery scent of blood made Lucien’s stomach turn. Whatever was inside was not good news.
Barrett flipped open the lid and the overwhelming scent of blood and flesh flooded the room. Barrett’s face twisted in rage as he pulled out something that appeared to be a sheet of leather.
“Fuck me.” Lucien stood and fought back the bile rising in the back of his throat. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Flesh.” Barrett laid out the large piece of skin across his desk. The signature wings and eyes of the Guardian tattoo stared back at them.
“Whose is it?”
“I’m running DNA tests to confirm, but from the looks of the two scars on the lower back, it’s Heimy. Our Guardian in the lower part of Arkansas.”
Heimy was a Guardian in his mid-forties who had never settled down and mated. He’d been with the Arkansas Pack since he’d turned eighteen. He always had a quiet fierceness about him that Lucien respected.
“What the fuck happened?”
“Someone skinned his tattoo from his back.” Barrett fisted his hands, still stained muddy red from the grotesque flesh.
“You mean someone did this to him? On purpose?” Rage boiled up in his chest and spilled into every vein until his body hummed.
“Yeah. And I don’t think he’s the last.” Barrett growled low and deadly. He turned, drew back his arm and pounded his fist into the wall, shaking the room and leaving a large dent in the cinder block.
“Where’s the body?” Lucien forced the words out. The pain Heimy had endured must have been unbearable. Lucien shifted in his seat as his leather jacket slid over his back, reminding him of the pain he’d once suffered.
“Can’t find a body.” Barrett’s low voice hummed with anger.
To kill a Guardian was the severest offense. Punishment involved a slow, tortuous death. To desecrate a Guardian by skinning off his tattoo was unheard of. This went beyond anything Lucien had ever encountered.
“Jesus Christ.” Lucien scrubbed his hand over his face.
“Heimy is the second Guardian within a month to go missing.” Barrett walked over to the bookcase on the wall. “I suspect whoever did this has the other missing Guardian, Mitchell, too.”
“How did you get that tattoo?” Lucien stilled as a shiver ran up his spine.
“It was mailed to me. I had to sign for it at the post office. I thought it was some bullshit paperwork.” Barrett pulled out a book and faced him. Rage flashed behind his eyes despite his otherwise calm expression. He was a storm about to blow in. Lucien knew his Pack Master hid his rage pretty well, but he had no doubt the guy wanted blood and he wanted it now.
“This letter was inside.” Barrett pulled out a soiled sheet of paper from within the book and pushed the document across the desk.
Lucien unfolded the crinkled parchment paper. His nostrils flared at the scent of blood and dirt.
The hunters have become the hunted.
“What the hell does that mean?” Lucien dropped the letter and shoved the disgusting message back across the desk.
“Someone is targeting the Guardians. To take us out.”
“Do you think it’s humans?” Unease raised the hair on the back of his neck. The US government knew about their existence and even employed the most lethal werewolves for their special ops teams in the military. But if the general public knew of the werewolves’ existence, then there would be an all-out witch hunt for every werewolf alive.
“According to my sources at the government, it’s not the humans.” Barrett set his gaze on the Arkansas symbol that decorated his office wall and which promised to protect the Pack. “Feels more like another Pack targeting us.”
“And no other Guardians know about this?”
“You and Ryker. For now.” Barrett turned.
That would explain Ryker’s behavior.