Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Relieved she’d agreed to hang back, Isaiah palmed her neck, giving her a pointed look. “I promise you.”
“Do we tell the Crimson Pride Alphas about the kidnapping?” asked Bailey. “I mean, as Raya and Lori’s Alphas, they have a right to know. Not that I care they have that right, just asking.”
“It would be fair to notify them,” Tate allowed, “but they wouldn’t work with us. Especially not Zaire. I honestly wouldn’t trust him not to cause problems just to push Isaiah’s buttons so they finally end up having that brawl he wants. We don’t need those kind of distractions. Raya and Lori don’t need them, more to the point.”
Everyone murmured their agreement, including Quinley.
Tate’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, peeked at the screen, and then quickly answered, “I was beginning to wonder if you three were still alive … Okay, no need to take that tone … I’m not home, I’m in the house next-door; Isaiah’s place … Right.” He lowered his cell. “That was Sergei.”
Isaiah had figured it was one of Alex’s uncles, since Tate had said “you three.”
“Have they found the pack?” asked Havana, her hands joined.
“I don’t know yet. He hung up before I could ask.” Tate pocketed his phone as he left the room. Moments later, the front door hinges squeaked and Tate again spoke, “I called and called. None of you answered your phone.”
“We were on hunt,” said Sergei, his voice indignant. “We do not use phone when hunting.”
The front door slammed shut. “You said you’d keep me updated regularly,” Tate griped.
“I did not.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Then I lied.”
Tate reappeared, grumbling something beneath his breath. The uncles came in behind them.
Dimitri immediately went to the fridge as he announced, “We found Vercetti Pack.”
“Where?” asked Isaiah, his cat going still.
“Burned-out compound near old textile factory,” said Isaak.
Camden cocked his head. “The one that used to house human anti-shifter extremists?”
“Yes.” Isaak planted fists on his hips. “It is derelict now.”
Camden’s mouth tightened. “I searched that area and found nothing.”
Dimitri pulled a pear from the fridge. “Of course you found nothing. You are not wolverine.”
Quinley leaned into Isaiah. “We have pears?”
Apparently so.
“The pack uses old mine tunnels beneath compound,” Sergei told them.
Aspen looked at Camden. “If they’re hiding underground, that’ll be why you didn’t realize they were in that area.”
Dimitri scowled. “No, it is because he is not wolverine.”
“Right,” Aspen drawled. “Anyway, I wouldn’t be surprised if whatever humans own the building are aware that the pack’s using the mines.”
“It is probable,” Isaak decided. “I think extremists once used tunnels to traffic weapons. They have done it before in other locations.”
Sergei cricked his neck. “Scramblers were used outside to mask scents so no one would pick up trail to follow.”
Tate looked at Camden. “That’ll be why your nose didn’t lead you to them.”
Another scowl from Dimitri. “No, it is because he is not—”
“Wolverine,” Tate finished. “Whatever.” He swept his gaze over everyone. “This changes our plans. I say we invade the mines and rescue Raya and Lori rather than scope out the train station.”
“Makes more sense,” Havana agreed. “Camden was right that they’ll probably choose to do a drive-by shooting, so it’d be hard to catch them anyway.”
Deke’s gaze bounced from wolverine to wolverine. “How did you find the pack?”
Dimitri gave an easy, arrogant shrug. “It was not so hard.”
“Then what took you so long?” Deke challenged, a brow inching up.
Dimitri narrowed his eyes and chucked the rest of the pear in his mouth, core and all. “Do not annoy me, dumb cat. I am too hungry to argue. I would only eat your head, and then you would scream like babe.”
“Without a head, I can’t scream,” Deke calmly pointed out.
“I said, do not annoy me.”
Quinley twisted on her stool to better face the uncles. “When were you last at the compound?”
“A few hours ago,” Isaak told her. “We came straight here when we were sure it was their hidey hole.”
“Did you see the pack take any females inside? They’ve kidnapped my sister and her mate.”
Isaak’s eyes rounded. “Ah, I thought those two looked familiar. They were at your party, yes?” He turned to Sergei. “Did I not say we had met them before? I was so sure, but I could not remember where.”
Quinley grasped her knees tight. “They’re alive?”
“They were,” said Isaak. “I do not know if that is still so.”
“We’ll find out once we’re inside the mines,” Tate piped up. “On that note …”
His simple prompt had everyone readying themselves to leave.
Isaiah kissed Quinley on the temple. “I won’t be long.”
She squeezed his lower arm. “You come back to me.”
The anxiety in her expression was killing both him and his cat. Neither wanted to leave her, but taking her along was not an option. “Nothing could stop me from coming back to you.” His concern was that he wouldn’t be able to return with good news about her loved ones. “Raya and Lori—”