My brother’s chuckle sent him bumping into me. We began our descent to the ground, coming in slowly to the rock cave where the two vampires we’d tracked had disappeared into. Opening my senses, I found several other beings inside the cavern, along with the being we came for.
Hitting the ground, my brother and I shifted into our wolven forms when a large net dropped from the tree, trapping us both. Lucas tried to shift back to molecules, quickly realizing the netting was made of silver. His wolf whined as the harsh metal bit into his fur. I rolled out from under the enclosure, only part of my body having been trapped beneath. I lay panting from pain, my dark eyes stared at my brother.
“I will get help.” Lucas tried to get up onto all fours, but the weight of the net, combined with the silver, made it impossible. “Call out to Kellen.” My last sight was of my brother shifting to his human form, and then darkness took me.
I felt the mental knocking again from the Cordell twins. My first thought was to ignore the men. Anger at the bullshit they had given me about their rules of taking the man who had tried to take my mate before their Council ate at me. A vision of an injured wolf trapped beneath a silver netting had me bolting upright.
“The vampire has set a trap. Lucas is injured. If I don’t get him free, he will die.” I couldn’t ignore the plea from Damien any more than I could from one of my own.
“Where are you?” As Damien showed me where they’d flown, my body froze. They were closer to Rowan’s home. Through the pack link, I sent the info to Rowan and Xan, unsure where the men were. I’d been sure all the pack was staying within thecompound, but I’d taken my mate to my home. Now, I wanted to kick myself.
“We are at the club, along with Xan and Breezy. I just checked my security footage, and nothing is showing up, not even a tree has been trampled.” Rowan assured me.
I shook my head, wondering why the man thought trees would be torn down, but didn’t ask. “I want everyone to stay at the club, and don’t let any strangers in. Period. I’m bringing Laikyn back, and then I’m taking Coti and Wyck with me. The Cordells are in trouble.”
“I’ll go with you,” Rowan said.
“No, I need you and Xan to protect our mates.” I held Laikyn closer. “You’re the Alpha, aren’t you more important than me?” My mate whimpered.
“I’m the Alpha, and I make the rules. Protect my mate as you would yours.” I cut the connection with Xan and Rowan.
“I’m going to need you to be the mate to the Alpha and show everyone you’re strong. You need to lead the women, like I lead the men. Can you do that for me, Mon Chaton?”
“It’s not fair. We just got together. What if…” she stopped on a cry.
“Have you so little faith in me?” I lifted her into my arms, striding out to the garage and my XV, wishing I had time to reassure her.
Laikyn wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “No, I just hate that I brought this here. It’s my fault.”
I placed my mate in the passenger seat, gripping her chin in my fingers. “When I get you back home, I’m going to have to teach you a lesson on placing blame where it belongs.” I bent and took her mouth in a hard kiss. Her flavor exploded in my mouth, making my wolf demand more.
“Promises, promises,” Laikyn whispered when I let her up for air.
“Buckle up, baby.” I shut the door, then hurried around to the driver’s side.
I could have shifted and reached the vampires quicker, but I wasn’t leaving my mate unprotected. The drive to the club was made in silence, my hand holding Laikyn’s. Wyck and Coti stood outside, their bodies tense. I pulled close to the door and was pleased when my mate waited for me to come around to her side.
“I love you. When I close my eyes, it’s you I see. You’re in my soul. Without you, I’d wither up and die. Stay safe for me, Laikyn.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “You are a romantic at heart, Kellen Styles.”
“Only for you. Now, if you don’t get your fine ass in that building and stay safe, I will turn you over my knee, and you won’t be able to sit for days without thinking of me.” I opened the door.
“Great, now everyone is gonna smell my arousal.” She laughed, wiping a stray tear.
“Go on. I’d rather them smell that than your sadness.” I tapped her heart-shaped ass. She gave a little yelp, turning at the door to glare at Coti and Wyck.
“Keep your Alpha safe above all else.” The two large men nodded, then we all shifted seamlessly.
“I love you, Kellen.” I trotted over and butted her until she was inside with Rowan at the door, making sure he shut and locked them inside.
No words were needed. Although in human form, both Coti and Wyck were much bigger than I was. In our shifted forms, I was actually larger than all of them. I didn’t question the semantics, assuming it was due to me being the Alpha, but racing off with the two largest wolves of my pack, Kellen knew we were a force to be reckoned with. Our paws ate up the ground, ears and eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.
I knew the woods surrounding my land like the back of my hand. Nearing the spot Damien had shown us, we slowed a few miles out, smells filtering through our senses. My nose was the first to pick up on the rotting foliage, something that shouldn’t be happening in such a lush environment. I indicated through our link to both men to slow and then stop, showing what I saw. In our wolven form, colors weren’t as vivid, so I shifted back to human while Coti and Wyck kept guard.
I didn’t have to walk far before finding what was causing the smell. Several bodies lay discarded, drained of blood. “These look like fresh kills,” I said. “Why do they smell like rotten eggs?” Wyck’s tone was one of disgust. I had no answer and didn’t want to stick around to find out.
“Don’t disturb the bodies. Let’s circle around them. The Cordells are about a half mile from here.” I showed them the caves in our minds in case we had to split up. I shifted back, leading the way around the dozen dead men who’d been the vampires’ meal.
