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“Oh, that’s not conceited at all,” I replied, tapping his cheek.
“It’s not conceited if it’s true. Alpha’s have a guiding hand and a firm hand when necessary, but Beta’s hold a different role. We are the enforcers. We ensure the Pack obeys the rules.”
“You have to believe in the rules,” I answered and he nodded.
“We do.” He caught my hand. “Jess, will you talk to Sam? Maybe she’ll tell you what happened, but I’d like my sister back.”
I kissed his knuckles. “I’ll talk to her.”
A knock came on the window just then. “Everyone decent in there? Bit of problem out here.”
I slid off Dom and went to the window in time to see Trent slip out of the shadows.
“What problem?” I asked cautiously.
“I’ve lost your little brother.”
Chapter Nine
“Monster,” I called, knowing it was fruitless. He would have answered by now if he could hear me. Dom and the other shifters combed the woods, their night vision far superior to mine as I squinted in the darkness. The flashlight I held was meant to protect what little night vision I had, but I still had to keep it away from sensitive wolf eyes.
“Where could he have gone?” Dad paused as he caught his breath and I just shook my head. I hadn’t been able to look at him since I’d told him Monster was missing. “Bunny,” he murmured. “It’s not your fault.”
I refused to glance at him and he sighed tiredly.
“It is my fault. I was responsible for him. I should have known he’d try something with Trent. It’s his nature.”
“Bullshit.” Dad’s hands wrapped around my shoulders and my head jerked up as he gave me a hard shake. “Don’t do this to yourself. It could have happened to anyone, myself included. Like you said, it’s his nature to push boundaries.”
“And I know that! So, I should have realized –”
Dad shook me again and my mouth snapped shut as he shouted. “You can see the future now? Hmm? I didn’t realize you were omnipotent.”
“Dad,” I stuttered, taken aback by his anger. “I’m sorry.”
“I know, Bunny. And it’s fine if you’re sorry that you lied and were in your room alone with Dom, but not because Monster ran off. You didn’t tell him to go play outside. You left him with a responsible adult.” His grip eased as he stared at me gently. “Do you blame Trent for losing him?”
“No, he was in the bathroom and Monster took advantage.”
“Exactly. If you don’t blame him, then you can’t blame yourself.”
“Dad,” I swallowed hard to try to prevent the sobs that threatened to break through. “If they have him….”
“They don’t and if they do, we get him back,” Dad answered fiercely, dragging me forward in a tight hug. I clung to him desperately, needing him to be right. I remembered what it was like to be held by the Hanleys and I could only imagine what they’d do to my brother.
Sudden howls startled us and I called out to Dom through our bond. Monster?
We’ve got him. Headed your way now.
“They found him,” I told Dad, as relief flooded though me. I felt the tension drain from him as he tightened his arms around me.
“Thank God,” he murmured as we stumbled back toward the motel in the glow of my flashlight.
A few minutes later, a dark shadow separated from the forest as a large black wolf trotted toward me, Monster clinging to his back. I ran to them as Monster lifted a tear streaked face, snot dripping onto Dom’s fur.
“Sissy,” he cried, arms outstretched as I reached for him. “I’m sorry. I got lost.” I hoisted him up as he wrapped spindly legs around my waist. “I was trying to shift into a wolf.”
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered as Dad wrapped his arms around us both. Thank you. I added as Dom headed back to the cover of the woods. I glimpsed the weaving shadows as the other members of the Pack headed back home. Thank them all for me.
I felt his acknowledgement right before he slipped from the connection. I knew he was probably talking to other members of the Pack and I tightened my arms around Monster.
“You can’t run off like that, Theodore.” His head came up at my use of his real name and I kept my voice firm. “There are bad people who might hurt you. You can’t go wandering the woods by yourself and you definitely can’t go shifting into a wolf by yourself.”
He nodded and I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Let’s get you inside and take a bath. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow telling everyone thank you.”
One bath later and an exhausted little boy slept burrowed in the middle of my bed as I leaned against the open window. Dad had offered to take him, but I wasn’t ready to let the little Monster out of my sight yet. The fear that the Hanleys could have taken him wouldn’t leave me. I thought I’d come to terms with my kidnapping but when Trent had said Monster was missing, it had all rushed back.
