Chapter 166
[ 1,484 words ]
Ransom
“When was the last time she was seen?” I ask as soon as I see Kiara.
“Twelve hours ago. Ashlynn’s mother said she was on her way to meet up with a few other juveniles. They were all headed to the waterfall today, only she never came home.”
“Have we questioned the juveniles?”
“Not yet. We gathered them in the enforcers building and had them all sitting in separate rooms. Their parents are in the waiting room.’
I drove like a bat outta hell to get here as quickly as I did.
Elliot isn’t going to be happy when he finds out I traveled alone but the safety of our pack comes first.
I know it’s not Kiara’s fault. She was more than capable of holding down the fort when we weren’t here but part of me still feels like it’s my fault.
I should have been here.
“Have you contacted Elliot?”
Kiara’s phone rings as if on cue.
I take it from her and his Griff, cold voice gives me an odd thrill.
“Tell me again what the fuck happened.”
Sigrid’s warning growl rings out behind him. “Tone.”
“Happy to hear from you, too big bad wolf.”
His icy tone melts a fraction. “Princess? Why do you have Kiara’s phone?”
“Because I used my telekinesis to transport it to me, obviously.”
“Very funny. How did you get on pack territory?”
“I drove.” Isn’t it obvious?
I fill him and Sigrid in on everything Kaira told me.
“We won’t make it there for two more hours but I want to be there to question everyone myself.”
“We’ll make them comfortable until you get here.”
“Stay safe for me, babe,” Elliot says.
It’s an honest to God fight to stop the blush that tries to spread on my cheeks. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Elliot’s open, brash affection.
I clear my throat. “Will do.”
“Put Kiara on the phone,” Sigrid says.
I hand her the phone. “It’s your bull.”
She narrows her eyes at me and I smile because I know she hates when I call him that. I can’t help it. I’ve grown quite close with Kiara over the past couple of years. As our beta female and the only other new member of the Nightbane pack we navigated our new roles together.
She has that tough say it like personality I can appreciate and still, underneath it all is a woman who truly cares for others.
While she speaks to her mate to go to the other enforcers and give them orders to bring cots and dinner for the juveniles and let their parents sit in with them while we all wait for Elliot to arrive.
I take up my own spot inside of Elliot’s office in the enforcer building and make myself a cup of coffee while we wait.
I think about the birds.
What if they are using them for all of the packs?
It wouldn’t be hard to attach small cameras somewhere on them?
Is that how they got Ashlynn?
Kiara comes to keep me company and I fill her in on what we found on the Black Ridge pack.
“How the hell do we protect against birds?”
“I’m still trying to work that one out.”
“Fucking bastards. You know I still don’t get the point in all this. Why terrorize people if you can just go after who you really have an issue with,” she crosses her legs and leans back in her chair.
“You would think it would be easier, in fact I’m certain you can argue it would be easier. But if they are going through all of this trouble then there has to be something they are after that makes it worth it.”
The door to the office swings open and my mate prowls inside, his sights laser focused on me.
God, I could watch him walk all day.
“Hello princess,” he says cupping the back of my neck and bringing me in for a controlling, bone melting kiss.
“Finally. I thought I’d have to start handing out high school diplomas by the time you made it back,” I mock, though my voice lacks my signature edge.
It only makes Elliot’s smile broadens.
Behind him Sigrid has an arm around Kiara and gives me a nod. “Are you both ready for this?”
“Yeah let’s get this over with. I don’t want to keep them here longer than they have to be, especially since they just found out about their friend.”
We go into each room one by one getting each juvi les recounting of the things that happened and what they suspected might have happened to Ashlynn on the way to their meet up point.
So far nothing seems out of the ordinary for their age group.
We let them go home hoping to get some time to review their stories while also checking the surrounding area.
When we get back to Elliot’s office they fill Kaira and air out of the meeting and then tell us about what Kade discovered.
When they play the video, my stomach threatens to regurgitate my lunch. It’s like every time we turn around this shit gets worse and worse.
Kiara’s face pales and she looks like she just came to the same conclusion that I did.
What if these sick assholes have Ashlynn.
The need to hunt her down and being her home rides me harder than a bronco during mating season.
I tell them about the crows and what was found getting everyone up to speed.
“If this is what we are up against then we don’t have any time,” Kiara says.
“I’ll go out and put together a search team. We won’t rest until we find out where she is.,”Sigrid says.
“We need our best trackers on it, we might not have much time,” my voice wavers a bit as I think of the heinous thing they could do to her.
Elliot rubs his hands along my shoulder. “I’ll find them and I’ll make them regret the day their mother pushed them out of the womb.”
It isn’t a promise, it is a declaration of intent and I love Elliot a little more because of it.
Sigrid and Kiara excuse themselves to go prepare our best trackers.
The moment they leave, Elliot is pulling me onto his lap to straddle his thighs.
“I’m sorry you have to see that,” he says.
I poke him in the chest. “I think sometimes you conveniently forget I was raised as a hunter. I’ve seen my fair share of messed up shit.”
“Perhaps, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever be okay with putting that look on your face,”
I frown. “What look?”
“You’re hurting and you’re scared for Ashlynn,” he grazes a hard calloused knuckle over my cheek. “My princess cares for his people.”
“Of course I care, she’s a child.” I cross my arms permanently as if it will help save me from his perceptive scrutiny.
“What I mean is that you are fearless, adventurous, and by no means a pushover. You are exactly what this pack needs. You did not fail.”
How the hell does he always know what to say? What I’m thinking, even when I do my best not to share.
My heart feels heavy. “If I were here I could have—”
“Done nothing,” Elliot says with conviction. “Whether you or I or anyone else was here, they would have waited until they had the perfect opportunity to attack.”
“I know that. Logically, I do. But after that video you showed me…”
“We’ll get her,” his wolf flashes in his eyes.
His hands run along my spine, slowly, reverently. It is an action I’ve come to recognize that soothes Elliot as much as it soothes me.
His mouth finds the base of my throat, teeth slotting into place of my mating bite.
Elliot groans as if he’s waited his whole life for this, as if just the action provided the deepest comfort.
He licks over the mark and fire shoots down my spine.
My hormones start to wake and my blood reroutes itself south.
A knock stops the spark from turning into an inferno.
I get off Elliot and he growls in complaint.
Ignoring him, I open the door, surprised to find one of the juveniles and her parents.
“Hey Gita,” I say to the girl.
Her mother clears her throat. “Gita remembered something she thought you should know.”
“Come in,” I step aside and they greet Elliot.
Gita looks between Elliot and I. “Ashlynn was talking to a boy. A human boy. They used to meet up on Saturdays.”
Elliot leans forward in his seat. Do you know the boy’s name?”
“Dante. He worked at the coffee shop in town.”
“Which one?” I ask.
“The golden brew.”
“Thank you for telling us Gita,” Elliot says, letting the rare compassionate side of his character come out.
“You’ll find her right?” Gita asks.
She is looking for a promise. One we can’ give.
Instead of giving the girl false hope he says,“No one will stop searching for her until she is found.”
Gita’s parents say their goodbyes and head out.
“We need to go to that shop in the morning.”
“I hope that this is just a teenage fueled disappearance, an act of first love rebellion,” Elliot says even though he doesn’t look like he believes it is.
“Me too.”
Because if it isn’t, the scope of our enemy has just gotten bigger.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.