His eyes slid shut at the bitter sweet memory. Flashes of her smile and laughter lit in his mind, forcing a rare smile to grace his lips.
A sudden bout of shouting outside his office ripped him from the pleasant reminiscence. He spun toward the door as it flew open to reveal Dash Leery, father to his estranged mate. The man had his beloved's eyes, espresso brown with stark determination.
"It's your fault." The man pointed at Tristan, aggravating the wolf within him. He was an alpha and deserved respect. "This would have never happened if you had been able to keep it in your damn pants. You forced her away all these years."
His human secretary, Grace, stared at him with large green eyes. "I'm so sorry, Tristan. They wouldn't listen—"
"It's okay, Grace." The female stood tall, but he didn't miss the edge of fear still in her eyes. Being surrounded by so many alpha men scared her, the loss of her shifter mate at the hands of another wolf still fresh in her mind. "Why don't you take a break?"
She nodded. "Thanks. I'll be back in fifteen." She frowned at Dash but dropped her eyes as she scooted by. The door clicked shut behind her.
Tristan's father, Colin, snarled at Dash. "My son told you over and over again, he never betrayed her. Don't blame this on him. She left all on her own."
"Dad, please." Tristan pinched the bridge of his nose.
Colin frowned at his friend. Once as close as brothers, his father and Colin had grown apart due to the whole misunderstanding with Winter. "You have no idea how much he's suffered these years apart from her, Dash. Not being able to claim a mate is torture for a wolf."
"How much he's suffered? He drove my little girl away. His infidelity kept her away and now…" Tears and fury gathered in Dash's eyes.
"Enough!" Tristan shouted. With his heart pounding in his chest and the ache throbbing at his temples, his patience ran thin. He clenched his fists until they shook. "What the fuck is going on with my mate?"
"She's missing," Dash blurted.
Fury rose in him. "What do you mean she's missing?"
Dash scowled. "She never showed up for work. When Aric went to check her apartment, it was empty. The apartment appeared intact, but outside they found…" His father dropped his glowing gaze.
Tristan's body tensed. His gut twisted. He leaped forward and grabbed Dash by the collar. "What did they find, Dash?"
"They found blood on the ground outside. Some belonged to an unknown shifter and…Lord Magnus said another spot of blood not far away belonged to her."
Tristan's wolf roared in his head as an inhuman growl rolled up his chest. He yanked Dash closer. "Where the fuck is my mate?" His anger exploded. Anger at his failure to protect Winter. Anger that someone would dare touch her. She should have been with him, damn it. He never should have allowed her to keep this distance between them for so long.
Colin growled deep. He tried to push his way between Tristan and Dash. Neither would budge. "Calm your wolf." He spoke in Tristan's ear. "Let go of Dash's shirt or I'll drop you like I did when you were an out-of-control pup nipping at my ankles. Focus, your mate is missing."
His father was right. Shit, he almost went feral. He released Dash's shirt so sudden, the witch stumbled back. Tristan took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I …" For the first time in his life, fear consumed him.
Colin cupped his nape and pulled him forward. He leaned his forehead on Tristan's. "I know, son. She's your true mate. How you lasted this long without claiming her…"
He looked up and caught his father's concerned gaze. "I can't lose her. I can't—I won't survive it. If they hurt her…"
A knock at the door preceded the entrance of Grace. "Alpha," she whispered. Her terrified eyes flashed back and forth between Dash and Tristan. "There is a Magnus Blue on line one. He needs to speak to you. He said it's urgent."
Tristan nodded. He tapped line one and put it on videoconferencing. When the flat screen on the wall popped on, it revealed Magnus Blue, vampire lord, and Aric Finley, his top guard. Tristan respected Magnus. He was a good leader who looked after Winter from the very beginning. Aric, on the other hand, made Tristan's shit list the day he found out the man sniffed after Winter.
"Magnus, what news do you have on my mate?"
He purposely called her his mate to stake claim. To assure them, especially Aric, that Winter belonged to him and he would do anything necessary to find her. Both men were often around his female. Too often in his opinion.
In his peripheral vision, he caught Dash rolling his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know Winter was promised. I must have missed the ceremony." The vamp smirked. Aric frowned, yet, remained silent. Tristan knew the vampire mocked him. So he let it slide with nothing more than a growl.
Colin cupped Tristan's shoulder. "What did you learn?"
Aric spoke up this time. Tristan glared at him. "She was taken late last night Sometime before dawn."
Aric…he hated the son of a bitch. Not only did he spend a lot of time with Winter, but if reports were right, they had been more than friends at times. His fists tightened at the thought. He had no right to be angry, but that didn't stop his wolf from wanting the witch's blood. The rumors alone made Tristan want to rip out the man's throat. "How do you know that, Aric?"
"Because, Tristan, that was when I dropped her off." Tristan growled. Aric grinned, shaking his head. His smile suddenly vanished. "I didn't scent anyone else when she went into her place." Anger entered his gaze. "When she failed to show up to her meeting with the animal linguistics department, I went to her place and found a few spots of blood on the walkway outside her door. I have the key, so I went inside her place and checked. Nothing seemed touched in her apartment." Aric's gaze glowed with an eerie silver tint.
"What about her roommate?" asked Tristan. His contacts let him know she had a human roommate named Jane. From what he heard, Winter and the human were inseparable.
"Jane left to visit her family a few days earlier. Winter was home alone."
His fist slammed the desk. "You left her unprotected." Tristan couldn't control the growl rolling up his chest. Magnus had assured him that Winter had been under his protection all these years. Now, he discovered that she's been left alone. How many other times was she left vulnerable?
Aric had the balls to grin. "If you knew Winter at all, you'd know she doesn't respond well to being coddled. Besides, she can take care of herself, I assure you. I did offer to stay the night, but…the poor woman was exhausted. A night of dancing and fun will do that."
Tristan's wolf snarled, pacing behind the walls in his mind. He knew his eyes must have glowed bright amber with his animal, the beast right on the edge. He took a deep breath hoping to calm his fury. The act did little to ease him. He focused on Magnus. "What else can you tell us?"
Magnus's voice grew serious. "I picked up a few other scents in her place when I went to investigate after Aric's call. Scents I didn't recognize. A shifter, maybe wolf, and several vampire scents I haven't encountered before. They smelled newly turned. Their scents still held traces of their human blood. I followed the stench out the door, but lost it at the curb. I called in the best tracker from the local pack, but Levi said the trail disappeared a mile up the road. The icy weather we had these last few weeks made the trail impossible to follow any farther."
"I'm coming to Long Island. I'll be at your base by dusk. Send your location information to my assistant."
"I'm coming too." Dash stared at Tristan as if daring him to object. "I want my mate and family guarded in my absence."
Tristan nodded. "Of course, I'll send a few of my men over immediately."
"I have already anticipated your arrival. My men and I are at your disposal. You also have support of the local pack. Winter had grown close with the alpha's mate of the Peyton pack these last few years. She and the rest of the Peyton pack offer their assistance."
"That doesn't surprise me. Her gift has a way of soothing the beast in any shifter," Dash said.
"And witch,"
Aric added with a warm smile.
Tristan growled. "Be ready to apprise me of the situation when I get there. Bringing my mate home is my top priority." He hung up abruptly, not giving the damn witch the chance to offer any smart-ass response. He glared at his father. "That son of a bitch is asking for a takedown."
Dash frowned. "That son of a bitch as you call him, has done nothing but look after Winter since she arrived there. Aric is dear to her. They have grown close. Very close. I'm positive he would have her as his mate if she accepted."
"She's my true mate. Don't ever forget that, Dash. I will find her and when I do, I'll bring her ass home. For good."
Dash threw Tristan a scowl. "Now you want her, after she's disappeared."
"I've always wanted her." I just didn't think she wanted me.
Dash growled. "There is only one man that has ever come between you and Winter, Tristan. If you want to see him, look in the mirror."
Tristan closed his eyes. "I know you don't believe me. But I never betrayed her. I adored her from the first moment I saw her. Over the years as she grew, that adoration turned to love. I've made mistakes. I know that, and I will make it up to her." Tilting his head, he exposed his throat. A true sign of respect for any shifter, but for an alpha, there was no higher gesture. "I swear to you, I will bring her home. I will make things right between us and I will destroy whoever dared to threaten her. Make no mistake. No one will ever again stand between my mate and me. Ever."
Dash nodded. Showing Tristan he accepted the declaration. "We will bring her home."
Colin grinned. "Better take Grayson with you, too, son. We don't need a war with the witches or Magnus Blue on top of everything else."
Cold lethal gaze landed on his father. "If anyone, including that witch, touched her, a war is exactly what they'll get."
Chapter 3
Another bout of heavy snow and sleet made the roads a freaking ice rink, delaying Tristan by over an hour. Most of the thicker bands of snow died down about a half hour before his arrival, although flurries continued to fall.
Grayson, a Siberian tiger shifter and Tristan's lead guard, jumped out the truck and stretched. The cat within the large shifter loved this chill. Tristan knew, because Grayson mentioned it several times on the ride up.
Winter's father stepped out of the back seat and shivered. He looked to the sky. "More snow is coming."
His wolf agreed. The pressure remained heavy and the surrounding woods stayed silent. "We have to get the trackers out there before the next storm hits."
Tristan could think of nothing else but finding Winter. Fear had branded him.
Reminiscent of the old southern estates, Blue Manor sat on a few dozen acres not far from the Atlantic Ocean beaches. Much of the land in eastern Suffolk County had been purchased by supernaturals over the last few years, mainly due to the proximity to the ocean and woodlands.
Beyond the wide lawn grew a thick forest. All of the land that surrounded the house was protected under the Supernatural Security Act—not to mention heavily safeguarded by powerful spells. No hunting or trespassing were permitted. No exception. If caught doing either, punishment came at the discretion of the local supernatural leader, and Magnus had a bad reputation when it came to punishing hunters and trespassers.
The columns in front of the house rose over eight feet. Wind coming off the ocean howled through the nearby woods. Even in the cold of winter, Tristan scented the salty ocean air.
"Nice place." Grayson lifted his chin and sniffed. "The ocean's not far at all. A short hike."
If the scents of sand and salt weren't enough, the sounds of the crashing waves that carried over the distance let any supernatural know a short hike through the woods would bring you to the shoreline.
Tristan glanced around. He sensed the strong wards shielding the property. Being half witch, and a shifter, made him even more sensitive to magic elements. The energy lifted to allow them both entrance to the porch. It was a spell he was familiar with, one that distinguished the visitor's intent. He weaved the same ward around the exterior of his pack land. If they had meant the coven harm, an invisible wall would have slammed down all around them, imprisoning them until Magnus's men arrived.
Although, even a halfblooded witch like Tristan had the ability to remove the wards if need be. A human, on the other hand, wouldn't have a chance and the way the world had turned these last few years, humans were becoming their biggest threats.
The squeal of the front door drew Tristan's attention to the large ashen colonial rising before them. A tall figure dressed in slacks and a thick sweater stepped out of the doorway and strolled toward them. The vampire's lean muscle and power was evident even beneath the bulky garment.
Magnus Blue had the features of a cover model, not a centuries-old Viking warrior. He'd tied his gold hair back in a thick braid that swept his waist with each step. Slightly darker than his hair, his trimmed beard had tints of red and brown. Cold and void of vibrancy, a vampire's gaze freaked Tristan out. Almost like someone sucked the color out of their irises with a syringe. Magnus's gaze was no different. His ink-black pupils floated in a sea of stainless steel silver.
"Alpha MacGlenn, welcome to Blue Manor." Tristan approached the vampire and took his hand. To his surprise, the man's skin felt warm. "I hope the ride wasn't too treacherous. This time of year can be brutal here on the Island."
"The truck cut through it with ease. This is my top guard, Grayson. Grayson, meet Vampire Lord Magnus Blue." Grayson nodded, but remained silent. The cat didn't trust vampires and for good reason, a vampire clan had gone to war with his pack many years ago. Tristan motioned toward Dash. "And this is—"
"Dash, it's good to see you. Although, I wish it were under better circumstances." The two large men offered a warrior's handshake, clutching each other's forearms tightly. Tristan narrowed his eyes at the exchange.
Of course they know each other. Tristan scowled, his tone sarcastic in his mind. Dash wouldn't have let his daughter go off without knowing who she spent her time with.
"How is Autumn holding up?" Magnus had genuine concern in his eyes. Winter's mother, Autumn, was a strong woman, but her concern for her children tended to take its toll on her.
"The mate's hanging in there. She just wants her baby home…safe."
Magnus cupped Dash's shoulder. "I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to get Winter back into her loving arms."
Tristan growled. To hear his mate's name spoken with such affection on another man's lips didn't sit right with him. It was his right and duty to find her. He didn't care for the vamp jumping into his role, especially with him standing right there.
"We're wasting time. We need to get out there and start looking…now." Tristan brushed past the vampire.
Magnus stopped him.
"Follow me, Alpha. We have a command center set up in the parlor. I'm sorry to say that we have no new leads since we spoke, but this weather is hindering our efforts." As if sparked by the vampire's words, the snow began to pick up again.
They hurried inside.
The house had all the luxury of a human mansion littered with supernatural touches. Like a home you'd expect to read about if you crossed Gone with the Wind with Harry Potter. Southern charm meets magic.
They entered the parlor to find three shifters, two vamps, and a certain witch that made Tristan's fists tighten.
"These men are from the Peyton pack." Magnus gestured toward the trio of shifters. "They have been scouring the more populated section of the area for information." The three shifters stood. Two of them happened to be wolves, judging by their scents. The alpha was a bear shifter. "This is Alpha Niles Peyton, the pack's top guard, Ren, and their tracker, Levi."
"Alpha." Tristan inclined his head. "This is my top guard, Grayson." All the men shook hands. "Thank you all for your help finding my mate."
The shifters glanced at one another in sudden confusion. He caught Aric's smirk from the corner of his eye.
&nb
sp; Levi looked at his alpha, confused. He leaned close and whispered to Niles, "Is there another woman missing? I thought it was just Winter."
Tristan glared at the tracker, his wolf demanding he take a bite out of the man. He restrained. "Winter is my true mate. We've had…problems, but we're going to work it out once I bring her back safe and sound."
Alpha Peyton lifted his brow. "So, you're the one." Tristan cringed before he growled at the alpha. "She's told my mate, Celine, about you but never gave a name."
Tristan scowled at each one of them. "Just so you know. Breeding heat is riding me hard, gentlemen. Be very careful how you handle the subject of my mate and me."
Niles smirked. "I don't envy you, wolf. You have one hell of a fight ahead of you. Winter is quite stubborn." He turned to the vamp, who was still smirking. "I sent one of my men to check out a lead. I'm hoping to hear back from him soon."
Magnus nodded.
Dash greeted each shifter and shook their hands. "I can't thank you enough for helping me find my daughter."
"There is nothing we wouldn't do for that girl," Ren declared.
Magnus turned back to Tristan before signaling toward the other three men in the room. "These are my three best men. You already know Aric." Tristan continued to eye the witch as Magnus introduced the others. "Samuel and Isaac are excellent at gathering intel and tracking."
Tristan didn't dare turn his gaze away from Aric. The witch had balls, he'd give him that. The male didn't cower.
The tall lean vamp, Samuel, stepped forward, snatching Tristan's attention. His sandy hair brushed his shoulders in loose waves. He gave a courtly bow, reminding Tristan of old-world times. "It is an honor to meet you. Isaac and I are ready to help. Winter is more than a comrade; she is a sister to us. Don't hesitate if you need anything."
Darker in look and demeanor, the vampire Isaac, took a cautious step forward. The air surrounding him hung like a midnight thunder cloud, volatile and dangerous, putting Tristan's wolf on immediate alert. Tristan had never seen hair that black. As if someone bathed his locks in a well of liquid onyx. His skin tone, surprisingly bronzed for a vampire made his silver eyes glow even brighter. He didn't come any closer.
Heart of a Wolf: A Wicked Series - Book 2 Page 3
