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Lying on the grass among tall, weathered trees, Alex peered over a fallen log as he scanned the massive clearing a short distance away. “This has to be the place,” he said quietly to his uncles and pride mates. “The smell of hyena is faint, but it’s here.” Not even the scents of wild mint, sweet cedar, and pine needles could conceal it.
“The border must start a few meters ahead of us,” said Sergei. “You can see trip wires from here. They probably surround entire perimeter.”
The wires didn’t worry Alex. He’d penetrated high-security defenses a thousand times before. He could easily bypass any locks, alarms, sensors, and other security measures.
He drew in a breath as more adrenaline buzzed through him, heightening his senses, readying him. He felt no fear or unease. His beast was all pumped up and raring to go.
“I’m betting that rickety barn at the side of the clearing is where they keep their vehicles—” Vinnie cut off at the sound of a crunch. He frowned at Dimitri. “Are you seriously eating right now?”
The wolverine shrugged and showed them a handful of berries. “I am hungry. They were on bush.”
“Anyway,” began Tate, “now we just need to find the entrance to the underground tunnels. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s in that barn. It makes sense that they’d want to be able to get to their vehicles quickly.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” said Vinnie. “They’ll probably have landmines and traps everywhere. You sure you want to do this alone, Alex? We have no way of knowing how many hyenas are in that den or just how far down the network of tunnels goes.”
“I’m doing it, I just need to …” Alex trailed off as shock slammed into him, making his heartbeat stutter and his body tighten. He couldn’t move. Felt stuck to the spot.
Vinnie touched his arm. “Alex, you all right?”
Anger washed through him, thick and fast, freeing his muscles. Alex wanted to lunge, bite, maul … someone. His heart pounded so hard in his chest it almost hurt.
A sense of wooziness stole over him, smudging his vision, clouding his mind, and weakening his body. The world just seemed to get hazier and hazier and hazier as his body just kept getting lighter and lighter and lighter.
He tried to talk. Couldn’t. Everything went dark—so fucking dark. And then he snapped out of it, sucking in a harsh breath.
“Alex, what the fuck?” demanded Vinnie.
He didn’t answer. Just kept on gulping in air like a man who’d almost drowned.
“Seriously, what just happened?”
“Something’s wrong with Bree,” said Alex, a knot of dread forming in the pit of his stomach. “I can feel her through the bond, but I’m not getting any emotions from her. I think she’s out cold.” Hoping he was wrong, he whipped his cell out of his pocket with a shaky hand and called her. Nothing. He dialed Greg’s number. Again, nothing. His beast just about lost his mind—roaring, raging, viciously clawing at air.
“Luke, I need you to go check on Bree,” Vinnie said into his own phone. “She’s at the daycare center with Dani.”
“Tell him she’ll be in the break room,” said Alex.
“She’ll be in the break room. Greg’s supposed to be watching her … Good, be fast.” Vinnie rang off. “Luke will call us back.”
“What exactly did you sense from Breasha?” asked Isaak.
“Shock. Anger. Alarm. And then wooziness. Like she’d been drugged.” For the first time in his life, Alex felt fear. Real, honest to God fear. He could taste it on his tongue, thick and metallic. “Paxton might have come back for her.”
“Not necessarily,” said Vinnie.
“It’d be just like him to take her while I’m not with her,” Alex pointed out, his fingers retracting like claws. “He’s an opportunist. You know that.”
Hinges creaked as the barn doors were pushed open by two males who were speaking rapidly. They were too far away for Alex to understand the words.
“There is movement up ahead,” said Dimitri. “I see several cars lined up inside barn. All are empty except for one. A man sits in driver’s seat.”
Even as he again redialed Greg’s number, Alex watched the scene unfold with little interest. He narrowed his eyes as four familiar males strode purposefully toward the idling car. The one in front was speaking into his phone.
“There’s Dale Bray and the men he took with him to the mediation meeting,” said Tate. “Seems like they’re in a rush to be somewhere.”
Vinnie’s cell began to vibrate. The Alpha glanced at the screen. “It’s Luke,” he told Alex. He brushed his thumb across the screen and asked, “Did you find her?”
Alex stilled, watching his Alpha closely; watching as his eyes hardened to stone. His beast froze, beyond panicked. “What is it?” Alex ground out.
Vinnie lowered the phone to his lap. “I need you to stay calm, Alex.”
