Page 6 of Wild Wicked Mate

Lena was gone, but Theo couldn’t figure out what the hell that had to do with him.

He had driven to the Bar with Phoebe to find the entire town of Maple Hollow up in arms about the missing woman.

He immediately regretted his decision to respond to Rafe’s texts.

Lena’s disappearance shouldn’t have anything to do with him. Ruby was his brother’s Mate and Lena was her sister. And none of them should matter to Theo. He and his brother were no longer part of a pack. They thoroughly broke those bonds a year ago when they ran off. He was a lone wolf for a reason. Mainly that he didn’t want to deal with his family’s shit anymore.

He shouldn’t care that both Bellerose sisters were possible seers, which was kind of a big deal since there hadn’t been a known seer in these woods for as long as Theo had been alive. What did he care about the other denizens of this forest, other than if they wanted to join him in bed? He shouldn’t care that both sisters had been stalked and attacked by wolves this fall. None of that involved him at all, aside from some light babysitting.

But why then did his stomach drop at the thought of either of them in danger? Why did he hate that his brother was upset? Why did he feel compelled to show up here and do something as idiotic as help?

“Are you sure you haven’t seen her?” Ruby’s question to Theo was desperate, her voice cracking around the edges. She had tears in her big, dark eyes, and her nose was pink from crying. Theo felt sorry for her—he really did—but his brother had interrupted his breakfast with Phoebe, and frankly, that was unacceptable.

They were tucked into a booth, Rafe beside Ruby and Fee beside Theo. The rest of the town buzzed excitedly around them. Nothing like a possible tragedy to pull people together.

“I am positive I haven’t seen your sister since she kicked me out of the house weeks ago.” He remembered the moment with a grin, but neither Rafe nor Ruby shared in his amusement. Lena had been pissed when he’d shifted in front of her. She was not nearly as delighted as her sister to learn that werewolves were real.

But he hadn’t seen her since.

“Is it possible she just … you know … went out?” Fee asked and Ruby’s brow furrowed like that wasn’t something she could ever imagine happening.

“She doesn’t really go out … anymore. And she’s been gone since yesterday.”

“Did you try calling her?” Theo asked and Rafe looked at him like he was an idiot.

“She left her phone at the house,” Ruby said, twisting and untwisting a lock of hair around her finger. “She just … she has these episodes and now she’s gone and⁠—”

“It’s the Highlanders. They wanted Ruby and now they must have taken Lena instead. I don’t think they even realize there’s two of them,” Rafe growled. “We have to go there. Get her back.”

Theo laughed in disbelief. “Who’s we? Me and you and this little human are going to waltz into Highland territory and what? Say, sorry my brother killed your wolves, but can we please have our seer back? Ha! That’s a fucking suicide mission.”

Fee nudged him in the side with her elbow.

He tried to soften what he said next. “We don’t have a pack anymore, Rafe. There’s no way we can confront Highlanders on their turf and come out alive. We have to be smarter about this. We have to at the very least confirm that she’s in Highland territory before we go on some insane rescue mission.”

“And in the meantime, we leave Lena with those Highland assholes? No fucking way.” If he hadn’t grown up with him, Rafe’s thunderous scowl and deep rasp would have given Theo pause, but as it was he was unfazed. He was used to the grumpy bastard.

“Why do the Highlanders want you and your sister anyway?” Theo asked, even though he had his own theories.