Judge thought about the time he had first met Charli. Like with the feds, she had managed to direct him to Nikki’s location from a map in her mind. “Not stuck! She’s holding on to Emily’s location,” Judge explained as he undid the makeshift ties, freeing her hands. “Kitten, can you take us to her?”
“Judge?” Still her eyes were empty, but her voice held hope.
“Yes, mate. I’m here,” he cooed, helping her stand.
“They have Emily.”
“I know. Can you see where?”
Her shoulders slumped as she sagged against his body. “I can see the cabin, but I don’t know the area to say exactly where it is.” Her blank gaze lifted to his once more. “I think I can show you.”
Judge’s gut clenched as his lion hissed. He was faced with placing his mate in danger or leaving Emily in the hands of these assholes. He conceded with no way of contacting Marcus, Charli’s vision was Emily’s only hope. But the idea of endangering his mate didn’t sit well with him.
Looking down at Charli, his heart stammered behind his ribs. Her usually vibrant violet eyes lacked life and the only way he knew to put a sparkle back into them was to bring Emily home. That meant using Charli’s gift. She had already proven what a strong woman she was by remaining several steps ahead of Delgado. He knew she could handle this situation, as well as herself. It didn’t mean he had to like it, though.
“You need to do everything I tell you, do you understand?” Charli nodded in response. “Okay let’s do it,” he said, kissing her clammy forehead before turning to Andrew and Jason. “You two get the SUVs. Jason, you’re with us. Andrew, pick up Ben and the others. And let’s pray that Marcus and Bobby are safe.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they both replied.
Judge guided Charli out of the office, maintaining contact with her at all times. Griping her elbow, he slowly led her down the stairs. She stumbled on the first one because he had forgotten to warn her of its presence. Reminding himself that he was quite literally leading her blind, he verbalized every action that he required from her.
He would have scooped her into his arms, but he wasn’t sure how that would affect her hold on her vision. He’d witnessed her being thrown from a scene on two separate occasions by pain and surprise. He had no way of telling how being lifted might have affected her.
Finally they reached the car Jason was exiting. He jumped into the back while Judge helped Charli into the front passenger seat. Her slight height proved to be a problem when it came to the SUV.
“Kitten, I just need to lift you into the car. I have you. I will always have you,” he vowed, placing his hands on her hips. When she relaxed into his hold and slightly bent her knees, he knew she was acknowledging what he had said. “Okay, on three. One. Two. Three.”
Soon they were on the road. Other than Charli’s monotone voice giving directions, the only noise was Jason in the back, tapping away at his phone. He was guiding Andrew toward them.
“Right,” came another instruction.
Judge looked in the rearview mirror at Jason. They knew of this road and it didn’t bode well for their infiltration of the area. The road led to one of the many abandoned mines located around Lake Mead.
Judge suspected that the cabin Charli had mentioned was an old miner’s home. Old being the operative word. This area hadn’t been mined since the 1930s. The cabin would likely be run-down and unsafe for anyone, especially a six-year-old girl. The state of the cabin wasn’t Judge’s only worry, of course. The reason behind her being in the cabin posed a greater threat to everyone.
“You have to stop,” Charli stated from beside him. Her instruction coincided with his own plan, which had them walking the rest of the way. “It’s too dangerous to drive any further. He could hear us and hurt Emily.”
As he pulled the car to a halt, Judge turned toward his mate. Her eyes were no longer blank. Instead they were filled with fear. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand, giving it a little squeeze.
“We’ll get to her, but remember what I said. Do exactly what I tell you,” Judge reiterated. He received a nod from Charli. Leaning over the center console, he gave her a quick kiss. “Good girl.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The cabin was just as he had expected, dilapidated. The weather-worn outer walls had seen better days. Rotten wooden planks were all that stood between Judge and Emily. Those and the person who had kidnapped her.
Any one of the six mountain lion shifters could have easily jumped through the worn walls to get to Emily, but they risked startling the kidnapper, which could result in Emily getting hurt.
“What’s the plan, Alpha?” Ben asked from just behind him.
Looking over his shoulder at Ben, Judge said, “Have the men scout around the building. I want to know the state of all the windows. They might be our best point of entrance.”
Ben bowed his head, “Yes, Alpha.”
“What about Bobby and Marcus?” Charli asked. “Didn’t you say they should be here somewhere?”
Judge filled his lungs with air before looking back at his mate. “Marcus is coming up from behind us now. As for Bobby, I have no idea where the boy is. I can’t scent him, but that doesn’t mean he’s not here. These old mines are used by many creatures, bats included. I’m sure even you can smell them.”
“Yes. They stink,” she replied, scrunching up her nose. “Do you think he’s hiding?”
“I hope so. I also hope he remains where he is until we can secure this area. I wouldn’t want to save Emily only for this guy to grab Bobby.”
Just then Marcus appeared. He dropped to his knees and bared his throat. “Alpha, I’m sorry for failing you.”
This was one aspect of being alpha that Judge disliked. His pride members threw themselves on his mercy when things went awry, whether it was their own doing or not. He could understand and wouldn’t hesitate to punish those who intentionally went against his directive. But in a situation like this, when it was no one’s doing and just sheer bad luck, he loathed the whole power play involved in his pride members submitting to him.
“Marcus, I hold no one responsible, except the ones who stole what belongs to me. These guys planned this and you were knocked to your ass. I see no fault in your actions, or anyone else’s,” Judge said, placing his hand on his enforcer’s shoulder. “We must learn from this and ensure our kids are driven to and from school until this threat is dealt with. Now will you get off the ground. You’re making my knees ache just looking at you.”
The bulky man rose to tower above Judge’s considerable height. He seemed to take in the scene before them. “What have you got so far?” he asked, turning his gaze toward Judge, his eyes never meeting his alpha’s.
“I’m waiting for Ben to report in,” Judge explained, pulling Charli into his body. “The building looks ready to fall down, so we need to be careful how we proceed. What did you manage to discover?”
“Two men were in the car that took Emily. When they arrived here one of them took Emily into the cabin, while the other one took off in the car. I suspect it was to hide it in one of the caves,” Marcus informed, looking over his shoulder. “The man and the car are about two miles down the road. Both immobile.”
“What about Bobby?” Jason asked quietly. His long strides had him in front of them in no time.
“I went after the car and told him to find a hiding spot. He won’t be far,” Marcus reassured.
Judge watched as Jason’s shoulders visibly slumped. “Thank you, my friend.”
He could understand the man’s sense of relief. Since Emily entered his life, Judge had been feeling more protective than he had previously. He suspected he was experiencing what a father felt toward his children.
That thought brought him back to the situation at hand. “What did you discover, Jason?”
“The windows on the northern side of the cabin have potential. Several panels are missing.” Jason was sharing his information as the other pride members approached. “I was able
to move close enough to the cabin to confirm that only one other person is inside with Emily. Male. He has a gun. She’s tied to a chair in the middle of the main room. Her back is to the window.”
“Andrew?”
“It might be the best option, Alpha. There are no windows on the eastern side and from what I can gather from the others, the only other windows are a little more secure,” Andrew replied as the other pride members nodded their agreement.
A scream sounded from within the cabin. Charli left his arms, her intent obvious. Grabbing her around her waist, he threw her toward Ben. “Protect her with your life!”
With that, he ran toward the cabin. He had been so focused on Charli and Emily he almost missed the warning signs. A slight wind change caught his attention. A scent he was learning as one of his own wafted past his nose. Then a blur raced by him.
A crash sounded, followed by hisses and growls. Judge moved faster. Bobby’s young brain wouldn’t be able to fathom the danger he had just placed himself and Emily in.
Judge followed the same path Bobby had taken. He jumped through the broken panels of the window, carrying even more splinters of wood into the cabin. What he saw in the dimly lit room made him proud. Bobby stood between Emily and her kidnapper, holding him at bay. Blood ran down the kidnapper’s calf from the four long, open wounds on his leg. Jason landed quietly beside his son, offering him aide in his chosen job.
More wood shattered as Marcus slammed his bulky body through one of the fully paneled windows behind the kidnapper. The sound had the kidnapper looking over his shoulder. His impending doom had him dropping the pistol he had aimed at Bobby as he readied himself for impact. Marcus’s lion hip and shoulder hit the man before he landed softly on all four paws. The kidnapper went flying, ending up sprawled on the floor in front of Bobby and Jason.
Moving toward Emily, Judge trusted in his men to deal with the dazed man. His forward motion was halted by one pissed-off juvenile mountain lion.
“Bobby, I need to release Emily,” he said softly, holding his hands out in front of him. Still the boy refused to budge. “Bobby, she’s scared. She needs me.”
On cue, Emily whimpered. Bobby looked toward the girl, offering Judge the opportunity he needed. Moving quickly, he leaped toward her. Only he wasn’t fast enough. Bobby was adamant that Judge was to go nowhere near her. The boy’s resolve was set, and only one thing would have Bobby challenging his alpha.
“Marcus, get that piece of shit out of here,” he ordered before raising his voice slightly. “Ben, as soon as Marcus has cleared the cabin bring my mate in here.”
****
“Alpha Female, once Marcus has moved the prisoner, I have been asked to take you inside,” Ben said quietly from where he was crouched next to Charli.
“Has something happened to Emily?”
“No, but there’s a situation in the cabin that requires your attention.” On her other side, Andrew’s gaze remained on the cabin door. He kept his hand on her upper arm.
“How do you know?” She followed his gaze as Marcus appeared, half dragging a bound man beside him.
“Shifter hearing. Young Bobby is refusing to allow anyone near your sister.”
As Charli rose, desperate to check on Emily, a shot rang through the air. Andrew’s body slammed into her. They fell to the ground, and Andrew’s huge weight hung over her, protecting her. Forcing her jumbled mind to concentrate, she tried to establish what the perceived threat was. She heard crunching coming toward them. Her body tensed even further. Suddenly the burden on her back was lifted. She readied herself for an attack. It wasn’t until hands wrapped around her waist that she relaxed. She was helped to her feet, and immediately strong, safe arms surrounded her.
Her mate’s voice sounded over her head. “Andrew, bring one of the cars as close to the cabin as you can get it. We need to get the kids and Charli out of here. Marcus, Ben, cover us until I get Charli to the cabin and then find that shooter.”
That last word echoed through her mind. It was the only thing that it clung to. “Shooter? Emily?”
“She’s fine, kitten,” he whispered in her ear. “But I have to get you out of here. There’s a sniper hidden out there somewhere. He’s just taken out the kidnapper from out here. My guess is someone didn’t want him talking to us. So when we get closer to the door let me guide you. You don’t need to see him.”
When they started to move, Charli kept her face buried in Judge’s chest. Warmth enveloped her, telling her that she had someone at her back and another to her right. With simple instructions, Judge kept her from falling. His arms tightened around her, and she knew they were nearing the cabin and the body. The body she had no desire to see.
“Okay, kitten. Up you go.” That was all the warning she had before the ground disappeared from below her feet.
As soon as she was in Judge’s arms, she sensed their companions disappear. She knew as soon as they had entered the cabin. The air was stale and Jason could be heard cooing to Bobby.
“Is Bobby okay?”
“Yes, but he’s refusing to allow anyone close enough to Emily to release and check on her.”
“Why?” she asked, stiffening.
She forced her eyes open, blinking until the dust and grit no longer impeded her vision. The first thing she noticed was Emily tied to the chair in the center of the room. Bobby was at her feet, hissing at his father.
“It would seem that you aren’t the only sister to have a mate in the pride,” Judge said, frowning when Bobby connected with Jason’s arm. He lowered her to the ground. “He’s not going to be happy with himself when he realizes the harm he’s causing his own father. I think you’re the only one he’ll listen to. As a female you aren’t a threat to his mating bond.”
“Are you sure about that. I’m not sure I have the strength to hide how I feel about my six-year-old sister being mated.” She stepped out of his grasp.
“Kitten, they’re children. Their mating bond will consist of them needing to be near one another. Plus this protective behavior from Bobby if Emily is threatened,” Judge added, pulling her into his body once more before gently pushing her toward Emily.
Crouching down, she tried to gain Bobby’s attention. “Bobby, do you know who I am?” His gaze met hers before he turned to Emily. “Yes, I’m Emily’s sister. I’m no threat.” She reached out her hand toward him. His tiny nose twitched, sniffing her. “We need to get her to safety. Will you help me?” Again his gaze moved back to Emily, who was still tied to the chair, crying softly. “Can you change back?”
His whole body vibrated and within seconds a young boy stood before her. His gaze shot to Judge. “Oh no, Alpha, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” For the first time, Charli saw evidence of his mother’s abuse that Judge had told her about. She wanted to comfort him but knew only Judge could ease his worry. And Jason. “Dad, did I do that to you?”
“It’s okay, son. I’m okay.” Jason reached for Bobby.
Charli desperately wanted to go to Emily, but something told her to wait. Judge crouched down in front of the boy. “Cub, you did nothing wrong. Don’t feel ashamed about protecting Emily. I’m proud of you.”
“But I attacked you.” He whimpered softly, looking down at his hands.
“You were protecting your mate from the other males,” Judge said before standing to his full height. “But you need to remember. I will be in Emily’s life in the future as her sister’s mate. I am no threat to your bond, nor is your father. Trust in the bond and try to control your reaction. There will be other boys around Emily. You can’t react this way every time. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Alpha,” Bobby replied, not raising his head, though Charli could feel his gaze on her and what she was doing near Emily.
As soon as Charli had Emily free, her little sister flung herself into her arms. One of her tiny hands clung to the back of Charli’s shirt. The other hand seemed to be reaching for something. Charli felt a jerk and knew Emily had thrown the blin
dfold that no longer hindered her sight.
A hand landed on Charli’s shoulder. “Come on, kitten. Andrew’s waiting out the back with the car. We need to get you out of here.”
She rose with Emily in her arms. A small stumble had her nearly landing on her backside, but once again Judge was there to prevent her from falling. With an arm around her waist, he helped her to her feet.
Looking toward Bobby, she sent the boy a reassuring smile. He sent a tentative one back before looking up at his dad, who stood beside him with a hand on his shoulder. Together they all moved toward the back door.
Judge pulled her and Emily into the back of the waiting vehicle, while Jason and Bobby took the front. Before closing the door, Judge ordered, “Andrew, go and secure the guy Marcus knocked out. And be careful out there. The sniper is probably trying to find him before we can get any information out of him.”
“Yes, Alpha.” With that said, the beta disappeared.
“Good, now let’s go home and get the kids settled,” Judge stated, running his fingers through Emily’s hair. “My mate and I have a mating to plan.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Judge stood on his front porch, watching the convoy of cars traveling up the driveway. He waited alone, while Charli stayed with Emily inside the house. The young girl had taken to hiding from unfamiliar cars since her ordeal, until she could ascertain who sat within them. If only the other kidnapper hadn’t been hit by the same fate as his partner, maybe then Judge could have offered Emily some peace of mind. But still they were without answers as to who was attempting to take shifter girls, and why.
The lack of answers didn’t appear to be worrying Emily in that moment. As soon as the first car stopped and the passenger stepped out, the front door to his home flew open.
“Jewel,” Emily shouted, running to his adopted sister and jumping into her awaiting arms. “Is Nikki and Gabby here too?”
Mated to War Page 16
