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“Status,” Stoney barks the demand and climbs off the back of his bike scanning the area.
“The whole thing was stupidly thought out,” Horse answers, shaking his head. “Fuckers came into the clubhouse like it was no fuckin’ big deal. There’re two dead women inside.”
“Hector demanded Noelle come with him or he’d kill the women,” Twister adds and explains that Noelle went willingly, but no one wanted her to. However, Raven said to let her.
“Where is Noelle now?” I ask and glance back to the men on the ground, not seeing Hector. “What about Hector?”
“We’ve got Coyote, Venom, and Whip out there looking for Noelle.” Twister jerks his chin toward the woods. “Don’t know where Hector disappeared to, but I know he was wounded by the shot Raven took at him.”
“How was she able to get a shot off on him?” I furrow my brow. I know the woman is a damn good shot and badass when it comes to weapons and working alongside Victoria. Harlow is also known for her skills, but they all left that life behind. It shouldn’t surprise me though, that she or any of them keep in practice.
“The moment the door closed, we started after them, but she was already on it, asked us to wait two minutes and then head out. She went to the roof.” Horse grimaces. “Swear, those women scare the fuck out of me some days.”
“I know what you mean,” I grumble and start toward the woods. “I’m heading after my woman.”
“I’m with you,” Viper mutters, joining me.
“We’ll join you soon as we get these fuckers situated in the Pocket.”
“I will help look for her,” Mateo remarks.
I’d nearly forgotten about him. Nearly.
Nodding, I dart over to the shed, grab a flashlight, and start toward the tree line.
* * *
“How far could she have run?” Viper asks after three hours of us walking through the woods.
A light drizzle started an hour into the search for Noelle, and the temperature dropped, leaving the air frigid.
“I don’t know,” I mutter with a heavy breath. Noelle used to be fast on her feet. She could have been on the track team in school, but she just laughed it off anytime someone told her to join. I stare into the dark woods surrounding us, and I wonder exactly how far she could have gotten and which way she’d have gone.
“If she was running, fearing for her life, her path would have been heavily zigzagged,” Mateo remarks.
I nod, knowing he’s right, but I don’t want to know how he would know this fact. The man is ruthless, though he seems to have a thing about family loyalty.
I push forward and jerk my chin up. “Let’s spread out a little more. If one of you comes across her, yell out. If you find Hector, just shoot the fucker at this point.”
“And take the fun out of making him suffer?” Viper snorts, “I don’t think so. We’ve got things to celebrate, VP.” Clasping my shoulder, he glances at me with a devious grin. “We embark on our new positions by using him as a show of strength and what we’ll do to those who cross us.”
I can’t help but grin. “Don’t have a problem with that, Prez, but first, gotta find my woman. Then I’ll worry about that dickwad.”
Moving forward, eyes on the ground where the light shines, I hope like fuck I find her and she’s okay. The thought of Hector having caught up to her, even wounded, I know he’d take great pleasure in hurting her. Or worse, take her away and hide her somewhere we’ll never find her.
The sounds of a coyote howling into the night fill my ears. I head in the direction of the sound, my gut pulling me that way. Something about the howling seems like a clue, but to who, I’m not sure.Hector having been shot, it could very well be him. The animals would smell the blood on him.
But what if Noelle’s also bleeding?
Pushing through a thicket of vines, the thorns snagging on my jeans, I shine the light up ahead and spot a form on the ground. Just behind it, a coyote standing there, almost like he’s standing guard. The animal’s eyes lock on me and it snarls like it’s about to attack, but it doesn’t. Instead, it drops its snout down and moves closer to the form on the ground. I hold the light up to see it’s not just a form but a body. Noelle.
Watchful of the coyote, I work my way to Noelle, eyes never leaving that damn animal. You’d think the beast would leave, but it doesn’t. Instead, it sniffs and nudges Noelle. It’s almost as if the coyote knows her and thinks of her as one of its own.
I raise my hands and ease down next to Noelle. The coyote snarls, growling at me.
“Easy, yote,” I murmur. “I just want to take care of my woman. Get her where it’s nice and warm.”
As if the coyote understands me, it sniffs and shakes its head, water flying off him. The animal takes a step back, then another, giving me room, but it doesn’t actually leave.
