by Leilani Love
Both boys regarded him with skepticism. “What did she say about Hunter?” Dominic asked.
Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “She told me the witches put a spell on him. He will do anything they ask, and after a while, he will lose his mind. Based on the little bit of information she gave, I get the feeling that is how they have kept her captive and that those they have used before your brother…”
Liam’s voice trailed off, unable to say they had all died. He couldn’t image anything like that for his son. They had to save him.
Talon snorted. “I have a hard time believing any of this. There hasn’t been a witch around here in at least a hundred years, and you want to tell me that woman, who maybe weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet, managed to escape with our brother watching her?”
“Not only did she escape, but she didn’t seem surprised I found her. She acts like she was expecting me. My bear knew where to find her and is chomping at the bit to claim her.”
“Do you think she knows she is your mate? It’s rare for a human to mate to one of our kind—let alone two different shifters,” Dominic pointed out.
“She talks of leaving, so I doubt it. Since she was mated to a wolf, she would know leaving is not an option,” Liam said, realizing not only did he need to find his son, but he also needed to do so before she tried to leave. Holding her against her will was not something he could do to her. She had been through a great deal, and Liam wanted to win her over, have her fall in love with him—wanted her to love him the way she obviously loved her husband before him.
“Are you sure she didn’t make up the whole thing and put a spell on you?” Talon asked, not even trying to hide his disbelief.
“It would have been a hell of a way to orchestrate it. I need you both to help me. We need to find your brother—fast.”
Dominic and Talon both stood straighter, nodding. Despite their carefree attitudes, the three brothers had always been very close, and these two were worried about their brother. Talon reached up and pushed his hair off his face. “Why don’t we ask her a few questions to see if we can narrow down where she was? The two of us can go look for him on our own while you stay with her.”
There was a moment of silence before Liam opened the door to go back in the house. Emily was sitting at the table, staring at her sandwich almost wistfully. She’d eaten less than a quarter of it.
“Is it not to your liking?”
Emily jumped, her eyes wide as she swung around and looked at him, her cheeks slightly pink. “No, it is the best thing I’ve eaten in a very long time.” She smiled. “It is also the biggest thing I’ve eaten in a very long time. My stomach is apparently a lot smaller than my eyes.”
Liam took a seat across from her, and his boys stood at the foot of the table. “Emily, I know you have been through a lot, but I was wondering if you could tell me more about where you were being held.”
The room was silent, all eyes on her as she wiped crumbs from her lips. Liam’s heart tightened and rose in his chest as he waited for her to break the silence.
“I am not sure how much help I can be. Your son was close at one point, and I fell down a hill. Something told me to go to the river. I knew the best thing for me to do was to cut across the water to the other side. I was hoping that would be enough for your son to lose my scent. But I lost my footing, and I’m not sure how far down the river I was pulled before I was able to finally get to the other side. There’s a good chance if the witches have come back…they would have wiped my scent clean from the cabin. Part of keeping me secret is making sure no one knows where I have been.”
Everyone was silent, and Liam had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her. Tearing his gaze from her, he looked at Dominic, who was staring intently at Emily. Liam tried to see her through his son’s eyes. She had dark bags under her eyes, and her cheeks had sunken in. She was barely more than skin and bones. At first glance, she could have been a homeless woman who had gotten lost in the woods. It would be easy to dismiss her story, but rope burns still littered her wrists from where she was held, and she spoke with intelligence.
“Emily,” Dominic said, his voice breaking the silence. “What, exactly, did the witches want with you?”
There was a long pause, and Liam’s chest tightened with each second that ticked by.
“Blood magic is a very powerful thing. Who you get the blood from can make it even more so. I am bonded to a wolf pack, making my blood even more appealing.”
Her words rang true, but she was not saying everything. Before Dominic could press the issue, Liam interrupted. “Do you think they will move on now that they no longer hold you?”
Emily shook her head. “No. I think they’ll try to find me and bring me back. It’s harder to work in the shadows when people know you are out there. I will be safe once I am with my family.”
Liam looked at his two boys. “Emily, I hate to ask this of you, but we need you to help us save my son from these witches and break the spell. Please. You are the only one who can help us. I can’t take him to a regular doctor.”
Emily’s eyes searched his before she let out a soft sigh and agreed. “I will do what I can to help before I have to leave to be with my children.”
Chapter 7
The brothers looked like they wanted to argue, but the stern look from their father stopped them in their tracks.
"Thank you, Emily. We know how much you want to get to your family. Your help is greatly appreciated, " Liam said, his voice soft, reassuring.
Unable to help herself, she reached out and took his hand. "I promise to help you, but you need to be prepared for what we find. He will not be as you remember him. He will fight you to stay with the witch who has cast a spell on him, and even if we do manage to break the ties that bind him, he won’t be the boy you remember."
Liam squeezed her hand and stared deep into her eyes. "I understand. But I have to try. I know you would do the same for yours."
The intensity of his stare sent a shiver straight through her. She knew he would find his son and save him no matter what the cost, but she feared what might happen when they did.
Her stomach being fuller than it had been in months made it pop out. She leaned back and put her hand on her happy belly. Her eyes closed, and she covered her mouth and tried her best to suppress a yawn.
Liam stood. "You need to get some rest. You can sleep in my bed for now."
Without another word, he helped her out of the chair. She could feel the eyes of both boys on her and felt their distrust, making her very uneasy and careful with her words. "I know you have no reason to believe me, but I promise I will do everything I can to help you save your brother."
Dominic looked her over, intensely scrutinizing, before finally nodding. "Thank you."
Talon followed his brother’s lead and gave her a genuine smile. "Get some rest."
Walking next to Liam toward his room, Emily was aware of the heat from his body. Despite him towering over her, she felt the safest she had since she was taken from her own family. He opened the door and stood aside to give her room to pass him.
Liam took her hand, stopping her in her tracks. "I know you are worried about the state my son will be in when we find him, but I cannot leave him with those witches."
As a mother, she understood the lengths one would go to to keep their children safe. With his hand on her and him looking into her eyes, she tried to see what was to come of him and his son, but she couldn't feel anything. She gently tried to pull her hand from his grasp as she nodded. "There is nothing we won’t do for our children."
Liam didn't release her hand right away. Instead, he brought it to his mouth and brushed his lips against the back. The touch was so light, she would have thought she imagined it if not for the almost electric shiver of pleasure that hit her, rocking her to her very core. His pupils dilated and his nostrils flared, and she looked away, embarrassed he could sense her arousal at his touch.
"Get some rest," Liam said, his
voice husky.
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded before stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. Letting out a long sigh, she leaned against the door. A single tear slid down her cheek. It had been so long since her mate had passed, she was surprised by the guilt she felt at reacting to another’s touch.
She pushed herself off the door and walked to the queen bed. The room was very manly, with dark brown furniture and navy sheets. A few pictures of Liam’s sons littered the space, but a lone picture of a beautiful woman smiling at the camera caught her eye. She picked it up and sat on the bed, her thumb brushing the frame. This must have been his wife. She was stunning, with long chestnut brown hair and bright hazel eyes, more green than brown.
Emily put it down carefully and found herself whispering, "I will help find your son and do whatever I can to heal him."
Putting those words out there, she felt relief as she laid down on the bed. Her body melted against the soft pillow and mattress as her eyes closed. Liam’s scent surrounded her—man and nature combined into an intoxicating scent that made her sigh in content and inhale deeply. As Emily drifted off to sleep, a sense of peace washed over her.
Chapter 8
Liam stood outside the door listening to her move around the room. When he heard the creak of the bed, he found himself imagining what it would be like to curl up with her as she drifted off to sleep. The innocent image caused his cock to jump. He had to remind himself he was a grown man with kids, not some young cub who had never been with a woman. Shaking his head, he walked back down the hall and entered the kitchen where both his sons still sat at the table, patiently waiting for him to return.
"What are you going to do if she insists on going home before we find and rescue our brother? You can't keep her against her will," Dominic pointed out as their eyes met.
"We need to get to him sooner rather than later. If what she is saying is true, then every minute he is with that witch, our chances of saving him and bringing back the man we know get lower and lower." Liam paced back and forth in front of the table.
"Do you think it’s possible she’s working with the witches?" Talon asked, stopping Liam dead in his tracks.
Without even thinking about it, Liam shook his head. "The bruises on her wrists and ankles look to be from years of being restrained. Plus, when I found her on the shore and picked her up, I could feel every bone. It would have to be the most elaborate trap, and one they have been working on for months. Even years.”
They both nodded. Talon stood up. "Why don't you two go and see if there’s anything at the spot where you found Emily? I’ll stay here with her."
Liam pressed his lips together. Love for his son and the need to make sure the seer in his bed stayed safe warred with each other. With a heavy heart, he realized he would have to trust her not to leave. "If she wakes up before we return, make sure she eats small meals—not just chips and pizza. And offer her something besides beer to drink."
Talon grinned. "Poor thing looks like she could use a good beer."
Liam let out a small growl as he glared at his son. "Keep her safe and don't scare her off. We need her help."
"That’s not all you need," Dominic teased with a smirk.
"Lord save my children from the beating they think they are too big to get," Liam mumbled under his breath as he went into the living room to grab his boots.
Once he was ready to go, Liam went outside to find Dominic leaning against the truck. If someone who didn’t know saw him standing there, they would think he didn’t have a care in the world. Slouched against the tailgate, one leg bent, with his foot propped against the bumper, he almost looked like he was posing for a picture. But the brown in his hazel eyes practically glowed as they darted around the yard, and his index finger incessantly tapped against his hip, giving him away.
“Get in,” Liam said as he walked passed his son and around the truck to get in on the driver’s side.
It would take about two hours to get to where he’d found Emily. They could only drive so far into the woods. Since she actually swam across the river, they would need to start on the opposite bank.
Sitting in silence, an old country song playing on the radio, Liam found himself wondering how to handle the fact that fate had gifted him with a second mate—only for his son to be hunting her.
"Do you think he’ll still be there?" Dominic asked, looking out the window.
Liam's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "I hope so, but part of me feels like he might already be gone."
He could feel his son's eyes on him. "What are you going to do if Hunter comes after your mate?"
"Find a way to protect them both."
They fell back into silence until they stopped. Liam knew they would need to hike in. "I’m not sure how far downstream she made it from where I found her, but we should see signs where she went in. From there, we should be able to trace her movements back up to the cabin they were using."
The two of them exited the vehicle. Liam’s bear was close to the surface. He inhaled deeply. Frowning, he looked at his son, who seemed as confused as he was. There was no hint of any human or bear in the area.
"Are you sure she was up here?" Dominic asked as he continued to scan the area.
Annoyed, Liam growled. "I know you don’t want to believe her, but did you detect even a hint of a lie?"
"Just because I didn’t detect it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Or maybe she’s just confused."
Fighting the urge to yell at his son, Liam walked away from the truck, heading toward the river. “Maybe she went farther downstream than I thought. Let’s just go upstream a bit.”
Liam didn’t have to look back at Dominic to know he was watching carefully. A twig snapped under his boot, and the sound echoed in the unnaturally quiet woods. No sound of animals running or birds scattering, just the running water of the river.
They were across from where he’d found her. Liam pointed to the other side of the river. “She was there. She pulled herself out of the water just enough to keep from drowning. I doubt she was strong enough to swim too far down the river.”
Dominic had one eyebrow raised and a smirk that made Liam wonder if there was an age when your kids were technically too old to smack. The river was large but not so big that they shouldn’t have been able to detect either of their scents—especially since he was in bear form when he found her.
“I know that’s where she was,” he grumbled, and Dominic wisely kept his mouth shut.
After almost a mile of walking upstream, Liam found one bare footprint in the muddy area next to the river. Without saying a word, he bent to his knee. "This impression has to be hers."
Searching for a scent or clue, he took a deep breath. There was nothing. Barely a hint of the smell of grass and wildflowers surrounded the area, let alone a human’s.
Lost in his own thoughts for a few minutes, he finally looked up to see Dominic walking in the direction Emily would have had to come from for her print to be facing the way it was. "Did you find the trail?"
"There’s nothing. Some disturbed dirt and grass that’s pressed down, but I can't find any trace of the person who left that. It’s like they fell from the sky and left only one footprint before jumping to the other side."
"We know she came from that direction on this side of the river. Let’s fan out and head that way. Meet back at the truck in three hours." Liam gave his son a pointed look. "Be safe."
Dominic nodded. "I'm always safe. You’re the one who came home with a strange woman you found in the woods."
“Yeah, ’cause it’s always safer for you to go to theirs,” Liam mumbled. Dominic laughed before walking farther upstream.
Liam shook his head and brought his bear close enough to the surface that a fine layer of hair broke out all over his body and his muscles lengthened. All his senses heightened. He took off at a jog, running away from the river in what felt like the direction that footprint would have come from.
; After several miles with no sign of anything, Liam’s bear let out a low growl as he stopped to look around. His ears practically twitched as they strained to hear any sounds of the animals that should have been surrounding them.
Narrowing his eyes, it struck Liam again how odd it was not to see any squirrels darting through the trees. A gentle breeze kicked up, and a flash of white caught his attention.
Time almost stopped as he approached the tree and reached out to grab the white material sticking to the rough bark. Despite the fact that there wasn’t a detectable scent, he knew the piece of fabric was part of the threadbare shirt he had found Emily in.
Tucking the swatch in a pocket, he glanced at his watch to see how much time had passed. With less than an hour left before he was to meet with Dominic, he scanned the area so he could note it on the map. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that he needed to get back to Emily.
Chapter 9
Emily felt herself smile as she stretched in the soft bed, inhaling Liam’s scent. It reminded her of the smell of the woods after the rain and made her feel safe. Snuggling herself deeper into the blankets, she blinked open her eyes and was surprised to see sunlight peeking through the windows.
Her body's needs demanded attention. She slipped from the bed and into the bathroom, taking care of business before splashing water on her face and looking at her reflection. The dark bags had all but disappeared, and her skin almost looked healthy since getting regular water and food.
The thought of food made her stomach grumble. The noise was so loud, she wondered if anyone else had heard it. Whether they had or not, she had no doubt the second she started wandering around the house, they would hear her. Even with that knowledge, she still found herself quietly exiting the room. The two bedroom doors across from Liam's were cracked open, and the loud snoring from within made her smile.
The rising sun colored the living room in lovely shades of pink. Soft snores from the couch drew her attention to Liam, who was partially covered by a blanket. Emily stopped in the doorway, admiring the body of the man who had saved her. One arm was flung over his head, causing his muscles to stretch. His chest was full of springy dark hair with sprinkles of silver that made her itch to touch it. Her eyes continued lower, down to where a blanket rested just below his belly button. She wondered if he was wearing anything at all.
