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Jeremiah, who was sitting next to Adam, put his hand on his shoulder, but said nothing. Adam closed his eyes and ran his thumb along the underside of the engagement ring that was still on his pinky finger. It helped him feel a little connected to her in spite of the circumstances, as if he could touch her through the metal.
“We’re going to make changes to ensure Dani’s safety. We’ll do whatever we need to so you both can rest easy. I’ve already called my partner Lucian, and he’s coming in to help me set up safety protocols for your property,” Malachi said.
Adam didn’t know much about Malachi’s human partner except that he worked for the military. He wasn’t even sure he’d ever seen the male around town. Adam sighed as he thought about security cameras on the fence, and perimeter alarms, and who knew what else Malachi and Lucian would suggest. He didn’t want Dani to feel like she was living in a prison, constantly monitored and fearful.
“I can see where your train of thought is going and you need to put the brakes on. Dani’s safety is paramount to anything else now.” Acksel said. “Do you think I enjoyed knowing that Brynn was tortured because of me? That I couldn’t keep her safe?”
“Nila was taken right in front of me,” Malachi said.
“Honey and I were both kidnapped and nearly killed,” Jeremiah said.
Acksel shook his head. “I never realized how many of our mates have been hurt because of their association with us.” He blew out a breath. “But the important thing is that Dani’s safe.Allour mates are. Wounds heal, memories fade, bad guys get dead. That you can hold Dani in your arms is what you need to focus on.”
“I might kill my father,” Adam said. The words popped out of his mouth before he could censor them.
“We’ll cross that bridge with you when you come to it. You’re not alone here, Adam; the whole pack is behind you. Mates are precious and to be protected at all costs. What your father did is inexcusable.”
Adam turned his attention to the window and watched as the scenery blurred by. Dani had been away from him for hours. His arms actually ached to hold her, to touch her soft skin and look into her beautiful blue eyes. She’d become an integral part of his life so quickly, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to survive if something happened to her.
It felt like an eternity before he finally saw the sign for Little Lambs Petting Zoo in the distance. The entrance had been blocked off by several vehicles, and large males wearing ill-fitting Little Lambs security uniforms stood in front of the vehicles.
Acksel rolled his window down. “We’re here for Dancer.”
One of the males pressed a communication device in his ear and said, “The wolves are here, Sire.” After a brief moment, he gestured to the left and said, “Park there and we’ll escort you inside.”
Adam’s heart was pounding as they pulled into the parking lot and got out, following the males through the gates and into the park. Under any other circumstances, Adam might have been amused by the cheerful decorations, but all he could think about was that his father had engineered all of this to pay a debt.
Earlier, when he’d gotten his grandmother on the phone, he’d been surprised by her response.
“I was expecting to hear from you,” she said.
“You were?”
“Your father came here a few days ago and he was pretty beat up. He wouldn’t tell us who did it, but we can guess.” She sighed deeply, the sound of a mother wondering where she’d gone wrong.
“I believe he had my mate drugged and kidnapped,” Adam said, a vice squeezing his chest as he wondered what Dani was going through. “I need to find him so I can find her.”
“Oh, Adam, I’m so sorry.” She sounded genuinely upset, but Adam couldn’t think past how they’d enabled his dad to be such a mess for such a long time.
There was the sound of the phone being covered, some whispered conversation, and then she said, “I’m texting you the address of our car.”
“What?” He shook his head, wondering if he’d heard wrong.
“A few months ago, your dad gave our car to some lowlife to get out of getting his legs broken for a bad bet. Your grandfather got a locator installed when we got it back after paying off the debt. It disappeared last night. We were hoping he would bring it home today, but so far he hasn’t. It’s in Crowley.” There was a brief pause, and she said, “I know you think that we screwed up with your dad, and you took the brunt of the fallout. I know we failed you as grandparents, but there’s just something about having your only child crying and pleading for his life that we couldn’t ignore.”
Adam’s lip curled, and his wolf rumbled in anger. “If my mate’s hurt…”
“Just don’t leave us in the dark, whatever happens,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “I’m sorry for all you suffered, Adam. I hope you get your mate back, and I hope that someday you can forgive us.”
The snow crunched under his boots, bringing him back to the present. It was easy to blame his grandparents for the current situation, for his shitty childhood and the bad luck of the draw he’d gotten in his dad, but the truth was that he’d failed Dani. It was all on him that someone had drugged her in their own damn backyard and he didn’t know if he’d ever get over the sight of her falling to the ground, helpless.
A door creaked, and Adam saw Dani as she raced toward him, calling his name.
* * *
Dani thought Adam would never arrive. Time seemed to slow to a snail’s pace as she stared through the window toward the gate. After the reindeer were finished dousing every building with accelerant, they changed into security uniforms they’d found and stood at the barred front gates to deter anyone who happened by.
She saw the gate open and the uniformed guards walk through with a small group, and she knew it was Adam and the pack. Without a word, she opened the door and rushed outside. The scent of gasoline hit her full force; the air was saturated with it. Her eyes watered, but she ignored the sting and screamed Adam’s name.
