by Crissy Smith
Kenny’s panicked voice came over the line. “Alpha! I found Todd’s vehicle but there is no sign of him or Mike. I’ve got Ryan and Adam out here but the scent is at least a couple hours old. There…there are signs of struggle.”
Her dad’s eyes met hers. “Where?”
Kenny gave him directions and her dad hung up and motioned for her to follow him. “Let’s go.”
Tears blurred her eyes but she raced out of the house behind him.
This can’t be happening.
* * * *
Becca paced in front of the window in her dad’s office. They’d spread out and searched the area for over two hours. Mike’s scent covered a wide area so Becca figured he had been in his wolf form at some point. Todd’s scent was only located close to his SUV.
Now everyone was bent over the table in the corner of her dad’s office planning their next move.
A light knock on the office door drew the room’s attention.
“Sir, I have a couple of shifters at the door asking for Mike and Becca,” the guard addressed her dad. Since the alert had gone out, and with Mike and Todd missing, her dad wasn’t taking any chances. Every guard in the pack was on duty.
Her dad glanced at her and she shrugged. She didn’t have any idea who would be looking for her and Mike.
“What’s their names?” her dad demanded.
Kenny and Eric straightened and tensed.
“RJ Cross and Nikki Stratton,” the guard replied.
Becca cried out and raced from the room. She heard her dad call her name but she was almost to the door. She yanked the door open and launched herself at her friend.
Nikki caught her and laughed. They hugged and Becca felt the anxiety of the last few hours catch up with her. She sobbed onto her friend’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Nikki asked with concern.
Becca shook her head unable to speak.
“Hey.” Nikki drew her back. “What is it?”
“Mike’s missing,” she blurted out.
“What?” RJ demanded.
Nikki shushed him as a commotion at the door caught their attention. Becca’s dad, Eric and Kenny had caught up to her.
“Jim Nelson,” her dad introduced himself.
RJ grasped his hand. “Sir. RJ Cross. And I believe you’ve met my mate, Nikki Stratton.”
Nikki accepted a hug from Jim. “Let’s bring this inside,” he ordered and led the way back to his office.
Introductions were made around the room before RJ interrupted. “I’m sorry, sir, but what is this about Mike missing?”
Kenny stepped forward. “Let’s get you caught up.”
Becca sat on the couch next to Nikki and RJ. Many of the others in the room took the opportunity to head into the kitchen and get some food. Only Eric, Kenny and her dad remained in the office with them.
Kenny explained to them what they had found out. Once he was done, RJ slumped back and ran his hands over his face roughly.
“Damn.”
“We’re not sure when they were taken. It looked like they got Todd by the vehicle but Mike’s scent just sort of disappears,” Kenny explained.
RJ nodded. “That doesn’t mean he was taken, though. We got really good at hiding our scent in the military.”
Becca perked up. “You mean he may be out there okay?”
RJ grinned at her. “I would bet on it. Mike’s good. One of the best in his animal form. If he was shifted when they attacked, there is no way they got the upper hand.”
“But Todd!” Kenny exclaimed.
RJ held up a hand. “If he saw Todd taken he would have followed them. He would not leave someone in danger. Not even to get help.”
“We need to find him,” Kenny shouted. “He may need us.”
RJ scanned the room. “I know how Mike works.” He turned his attention to her dad. “With your permission, sir.”
Her dad nodded. “Kenny, get hold of Kurt. They are still searching for Todd and Mike. Set up a meet and go get our boys.”
Becca jumped up as Kenny called his brother. “I’m going with you.”
RJ opened his mouth and Nikki smacked his shoulder. “Don’t start. We’re going.”
Eric looked back and forth between RJ and Nikki. RJ shrugged. “Let’s go then.”
Becca, RJ and Nikki rode with Kenny to where they were meeting Kurt. Kurt was already waiting when they pulled up next to Todd’s SUV.
Becca jumped out and ran over to him. “Any word?” she asked hopefully.
Kurt shook his head. “No, I’m sorry.”
Becca’s shoulders slumped. Damn it, they needed to find Todd and Mike quickly. Nikki came up beside her and threw her arm around her neck. “We’ll find them.”
“We damn sure will,” Kenny muttered joining them with RJ.
“RJ Cross.” RJ held his hand out to Kurt.
“Kurt Moore, I’ve heard good things about you,” Kurt greeted.
RJ raised an eyebrow.
“We have mutual friends and mutual training,” Kurt shared.
“Ah, well, then we’re happy to have you along. I want to take a quick look before we all go out,” RJ said.
Kurt jerked his head to the side and the two men walked off. RJ was only a few feet away when he started to pull his shirt over his head. Becca looked away quickly. It didn’t seem right to see Mike’s friend in the buff. Even under the circumstances.
“Let’s look around,” Nikki suggested and started towards Todd’s ride. Mike’s clothes were still locked inside.
Kenny was pacing in front of the spot where Todd had been taken.
“This just doesn’t make sense,” Kenny murmured. “If Todd was looking out for Mike, why would he let anyone get this close to him?”
Becca had the same question. “It had to be someone he knew,” she guessed.
Kenny shook his head. “He knew the possibility of someone from the Pack being involved.”
Becca placed her hand in his. “We’ll find him.”
Kenny sighed. “He’s put up with so much. Waiting on me when I had to take my position with the Pack. Having to hide our relationship. I love him.”
Becca had known how Kenny felt but was glad he had finally said it out loud. “He knows that,” she assured him.
“I hope so,” Kenny whispered. He straightened his shoulders when RJ, in wolf form, came back with Kurt.
“This way.” Kurt waved them over. The three of them hurried to him. “Clint’s already in wolf form ahead of us. We’ll shift and let RJ see if he can figure out where Mike would have gone. I think his theory that he followed the others makes sense. And shifted he wouldn’t have the ability to get help.”
Becca smiled. “He won’t leave Todd.”
Kurt shook his head. “No, not if Todd is in trouble.”
“Let’s go then,” Kenny demanded and started forward.
Kurt grabbed his shoulder. “I know this is hard for you but we will find him.”
Kenny jerked away and squinted at him. “What do you mean?”
Kurt shrugged. “Do you think I don’t know about yours and Todd’s relationship?”
Kenny paled and stepped back farther.
Kurt’s face fell. “Don’t—”
“I don’t… What… I mean…”
Kurt moved quickly, wrapping his hands around Kenny’s upper arms. “It’s okay. I like Todd. I’m glad you found someone to love.”
Kenny’s mouth opened and closed like he didn’t know what to say.
Kurt glanced over at Becca with raw emotion in his eyes. She swallowed hard, realising it looked like regret.
“We should all have what you and Todd do. You’re a very lucky man. Don’t throw that away.”
Becca looked away because Kurt had been staring at her and it confused her.
Kenny grabbed his brother and hugged him tight. “Thanks.”
Kurt patted his back. “So let’s go get him.”
They moved quietly to the covered area so they co
uld shift. Kurt dropped behind to walk with Becca.
“I’ll find him for you,” he whispered.
Becca frowned. “What’s going on, Kurt?”
Kurt just shook his head. “Nothing. I just want you to know I will get Mike back to you.”
Becca reached for his hand but he easily sidestepped her and jogged to the front. RJ looked over his shoulder at Becca. She didn’t know what that had been about so she avoided eye contact with him as they all moved to a secluded spot to begin to strip.
Once in wolf form, Becca stretched her legs, happy with the release. She wiggled and pawed the ground.
Kurt’s big tan wolf came up to her and laid his head against hers. She looked into his blue eyes and saw sadness. Then he was bounding away, racing deep into the trees.
They followed as a group, keeping their senses open to the area around them.
After ten minutes, by Becca’s guess, they came upon a beautiful large white wolf. Pure white, his fur glistened in the sunlight, and Becca was impressed.
Kurt shifted back to human form at the same time as Clint did.
“Clint, any sign of them?”
Clint shook his head. “I lost his scent here. It’s so strange since there is nothing around. No way he could have been picked up without leaving a trail.”
RJ sniffed the ground and huffed. In just a few moments he was in human form also.
“He’s hiding his scent. But if you know what you’re looking for he is also leaving clues. We’ve been through this before,” he informed him.
Becca, Nikki and Kenny were in animal form still, so she was glad when Clint asked what the rest must be wondering.
“How is that possible? I've never heard of anyone hiding their scent before. I thought we had the same training?”
RJ grinned and waved to the tree. “We learnt it from the felines. It’s actually easy to master.” RJ shifted again and went over to a tree. He scratched and rubbed himself against the wood, then buried his head into the grass around the base.
It seemed to take forever and RJ covered every piece of ground around him, rolling around like a kid playing.
When he trotted back to the group, he lay down in the middle of them.
Becca drew a deep breath and yes! While she could still smell some of RJ, if she wasn’t concentrating, she mostly scented nature around them.
That was why Mike’s trail seemed so old. He was burying himself beneath what was already around.
Getting excited, she scratched at the dirt trying to tell the others she understood.
Clint and Kurt looked at RJ in amazement.
“Damn.” Clint cleared his throat. “That’s awesome.”
RJ climbed back up to his four feet and shook.
“We’ll follow you,” Kurt told RJ. Kurt and Clint shifted back one more time.
As wolves, they followed quietly behind RJ. Becca could barely contain her own animal need to race forward and just find the men.
They moved slowly, RJ crossing over his own scent several times, before heading north and picking up speed.
Clint stayed by Nikki and Kenny, while Becca and Kurt matched RJ’s pace.
She didn’t know how much ground they covered but Becca was really starting to tire when RJ slowed and ducked his head.
She and Kurt fell back and let him take the lead.
They wove around trees and fallen branches until an old metal shed came into view. RJ crouched and the other five took cover a few feet away.
Becca lay on the ground and panted, trying to listen carefully for any sounds of Mike or Todd.
The sound of a twig breaking had her head shooting up and she turned and looked across from her. The shadow moved and she saw the big form heading quietly to her. She wiggled, unsure what to do.
Her legs braced—she was ready to launch herself up.
The wolf stopped and she shook.
She would know those eyes anywhere.
Chapter Ten
Mike had heard the fast moving Pack getting close to his location and had braced himself for attack.
He used every ounce of stealth he had to cross over his trail to come up behind them. When they stopped, he crouched and moved closer.
He needed to get help, but he didn’t want to leave Todd. He’d heard Todd’s shout, the warning, before the sound of struggle had reached him. Todd had warned him off but Mike couldn’t leave the man to fend for himself. Now he wasn’t sure if he had been spotted or not.
The sun was starting to set and he knew Becca would be going crazy now that so much time had passed and he and Todd had not checked in.
His first instinct when following the men who had taken Todd had been to cover his scent. It was something he had been taught back in the military.
He hoped that wouldn’t keep anyone from looking for them.
Mike wished he could contact Kenny, or Kurt and his men, and especially Becca but he knew he couldn’t take the chance of them moving Todd, and him not knowing where they went.
As he’d followed the van, he’d expected them to head to the cabin that was under surveillance. They hadn’t—instead they had gone south and ended up at an old metal building that was almost falling down.
They’d carried Todd out of the van and inside. Mike wanted to get a closer look but needed the cover of night to be sure he wasn’t seen.
Now there were wolves close to his location.
He knew they wouldn’t be there for him and Todd. Not yet anyway. Even as good as Kurt and his men probably were, they wouldn’t be able to follow the clues. Only someone who’d been trained could do that.
He was hoping Becca would be worried enough to contact Nikki and RJ. RJ would know what he was doing.
He figured they would be there early the next afternoon. He just had to make sure Todd stayed okay for that long.
He crawled on his belly until he could see the first of the Pack.
A twig crunched under his paw and he froze.
A head popped up and he met the frightened gaze of another shifter.
She wiggled and looked ready to pounce. He lowered his head and crept forward.
One of the big males noticed him and placed his body over hers. Mike couldn’t tell who it was but he didn’t like it at all.
She squirmed under the weight and whined while the male bared his teeth at him.
Mike growled deep in his throat.
“Stop!” the sharp order was quiet but still commanding.
Mike froze and glanced at the speaker. His mouth dropped. A naked RJ Cross stood between him and the other wolves.
Damn, guess I’m rescued after all.
He started his shift and once he was human again stood to his full height. The male had moved off Becca, who had started to change back herself. The others followed suit.
Once Becca was standing in front of him, he opened his arms and she rushed to him. He wrapped his arms around her while she buried her face in his chest.
She pulled away and peered up at him. “Are you okay?”
He nodded and kissed her forehead.
He looked over at the others. RJ and Nikki stood with smiles on their faces watching them. Kenny and Clint were there, and Kurt, the male who had covered Nikki in protection, looked embarrassed.
Mike was grateful he would protect Becca.
With his arm still wrapped around Becca’s shoulder, he walked over to the group.
RJ clasped hands with him and pulled him away from Becca and into a hug. “Good to see you, man.”
Mike grinned. “That was quick. I didn’t expect anyone to contact you so soon after I went missing.”
RJ chuckled. “We were already here. Left last night to come down.” He glanced over at his mate. “Nikki was sure it would be worth the trip.”
Mike looked over at Nikki in question. The woman just beamed at him.
“It’s not every day my friend calls to weasel information out of me about some handsome guy,” she teased.
He looked
down at Becca and saw her blush. He kissed the top of her head. “Well, it’s good to see you all. Truly.”
He shook RJ’s hand again, kissed Nikki’s cheek, and moved to shake with Clint and Kurt. Kurt looked surprised but relieved.
Then he walked over to Kenny and lowered his voice even more. “Todd’s not hurt. I think they knocked him out or something but I didn’t see or smell any blood. Haven’t heard anything since they went inside so I think he’s still probably out.”
Kenny relaxed a bit. “Thanks, man.”
Mike waved everyone over into a circle. “Okay, I’m pretty sure that the other cabin of humans was just a distraction. From what I’ve seen, there are eight men here—all humans—along with two wolves that are helping.”
“Two?” Kenny questioned.
Mike nodded. “Sorry, man, but it’s the young guard from the house. I forget his name. Black hair, black goatee, with the big nose?”
“Barry?” Becca gasped. “No way Barry is involved.”
“He is,” Mike guaranteed her. “He drove up to Todd and rolled his window down. Todd was suspicious and kept his distance. He got hit with a dart from the back seat. Owen.”
Kenny cursed and balled his hands into fists. “I’ll take them apart.”
Kurt patted his brother’s shoulder. “I’ll help.”
Mike nodded with approval. “And right after they took Todd in, Dan Carter left and hasn’t been back.”
“So he is involved,” Kurt confirmed. “These have to be his followers then.”
“Yeah, I think they are using the group we found as a cover. Owen would know we were watching them. No one knew about this group. Or why they are here.”
Kenny shared the council’s concern about the Pack being closest to their location and the chance that this was a means to get to them.
Mike dropped his head into his hands. “What a fucking mess,” he mumbled.
“So what’s the plan?” Kenny asked looking back at the building that held his man.
Kurt grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Wait the couple hours till dark and hit them hard,” he suggested.
RJ laughed softly. “Love it.”
Nikki rolled her eyes but she was also smiling. “They just want to fight.”
RJ stuck his bottom lip out in the worst pout ever. “It’s been so long, baby.”
