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“Before they killed him. He tried to get me out of the van but couldn’t. He told me to follow the birds. He didn’t have to say anything else. I knew it would lead to Blythe, wherever she was.”
Ezra nodded. “Good. Anything else you can remember?”
She blinked once. Twice. “You’re not mad I didn’t tell you?”
He placed a hand on her knee. “No. You’re telling us now.”
“Now that we’ve got that settled, we need to prepare to leave, love,” Korren said.
“When are we going?” Brielle asked.
“Tomorrow,” I assured her.
The determination on her face sent a flood of emotions through the bond. I glanced at Korren and Ezra and saw my emotions mirrored in their eyes. We’d do whatever it took to heal her pain and get her answers, but I hoped what we found wouldn’t break her in the process.
Chapter 24
Korren
Our Jeep wove through a ramshackle town in unsanctioned territory. Shabby houses lined the abandoned streets like patches of grass in a dying field, and litter blew across the sidewalks. A slew of homes, stores, and bars with boarded-up windows sat on the outskirts of city limits. Life had not been kind to these shifters.
Without Council-provided supplies, they’d built a community for themselves. They were self-sustained—and wary of outsiders if the looks they gave our vehicle were anything to go by.
We should have left our mate in our den, my wolf grumbled.
She wouldn’t have allowed that.
He huffed but left it alone. He knew he would’ve caved at the first sight of Brielle’s displeasure.
Still, I couldn’t ignore my mounting worry. Having my mate so close to danger put me on edge.
“You remember what we told you,” I said, looking at her in the mirror.
Her nose scrunched as she rolled her eyes. “Yes, daddy. I promise I won’t stray.”
Valor chuckled beside her. “Careful, sweetling. If you talk back, you’ll end up on your knees.”
“Or over mine,” Ezra said casually.
Her face flamed, and the perfume of her lust ribboned through the car. “This is not fair. I’m outnumbered.”
I shrugged. “It might not be fair, but it will be fun.”
She tried to hide her smile, but the corners of her full lips faltered.
“Focus. Where will you be when we’re inside the bar, Brielle?” Ezra asked.
“Next to one of you,” she replied.
“At all times,” Valor added. “We have no idea what’s waiting for us, but these shifters won’t trust us on principle alone. If things go south, we need you close enough to guard.”
“I know.” She placed a hand on his arm, and the tension in his bicep eased.
We pulled up to a bar called the Raven’s Nest. There were cars out front, along with a few loitering shifters. Some chatted in small groups, while others played dice. We exited the vehicle, and Brielle stayed by my side. Valor took his place on her left, and Ezra covered our rear.
The moment we entered the bar, all eyes fixed on us. Patrons cautiously continued their activities, lowering their voices as they tracked our movements. I led us to a table in the back, and we took our seats.
I subtly scanned the area. Male and female shifters—Alphas, Betas, Gammas, and Omegas—were scattered throughout the building. It was a shock to see them in the open. They were doing their best to disguise their scent, but the presence of so many shifters in one room was impossible to overlook. This far into unsanctioned territory, it was common to find a mix of species. Unsanctioned lands had been designated outside the homelands of the five respective races—shifters, witches, elves, wraiths, and vampires—which occupied the continent. It was abnormal to find congregations of one species there. They were typically always intermingled.
