Brogan paced the meeting room. The seven other members of the pack sat in silence. No one had spoken a word since he and Quinn had arrived. William was the one to break the quiet.
“There’s no point getting agitated, Sovereign. Marcus should be here soon.”
Brogan glared at him without breaking stride. Every instinct he had screamed at him to return to El. Something wasn’t right. Marcus took every opportunity to undermine his leadership with the eagerness of a teenager getting his first taste of pussy. So where the hell was he?
Something was definitely wrong.
“Five more minutes and we’re leaving,” he growled.
He had to get back to El. He’d left her at the house with Rowan. She should be safe and the time together would be good for El, she could learn a lot from his sister but he wanted to be close by. Needed to be close to her.
There was a ruckus outside the room before the door crashed open. Expecting Marcus to have arrived Brogan turned to find Rowan, red-faced and covered in sweat. Naked as the day she was born, Rowan stood, her chest heaving for breath. Steve slipped into the room behind her.
Quinn was out of his chair, stripping off his jacket and across the room in a second. Like a gunshot, the echo of his chair hitting the floor thundered in the quiet room.
“He took her!” Rowan gasped out.
Every muscle went taut. Every nerve sprang to life and Brogan’s coyote fought to be free.
“What the hell?” Quinn struggled to get Rowan covered. “Let me get my jacket on you.”
“No. He took her,” she repeated taking a step toward Brogan.
“When?” He didn’t need to ask who, it was obvious by his conspicuous absence at this meeting he’d prompted.
Marcus.
I’ll kill him!
“I don’t know how long.” Rowan’s breathing had eased and Quinn lowered her into a chair William pulled over.
“Oh my God! You’re hurt!” Quinn pulled her from the seat, took her place and cradled Rowan in his lap. “You’re bleeding, Rowan.” Color drained from Quinn’s face.
Brogan strode over, pushed William out of the way to get to his sister. “What the hell happened, Rowan? Who hurt you?”
“It’s okay.” Her words were laced with exhaustion. “Just a bump.”
“Like fuck it’s ‘just a bump.’ The damn thing is bleeding down your back.” Quinn’s barely suppressed anger vibrated in his voice.
Brogan lifted the hair from the back of Rowan’s neck and saw the trail of red running from her scalp. Examining the cut on the back of her head, he decided she’d probably need stitches.
“Get Doc,” Brogan barked.
One of the Council members scuttled off to do his bidding and he turned Rowan’s head gently to look at her eyes.
“How long were you out, Rowan?”
“Don’t know,” she murmured.
“Do you know where he took El?” Fear for El clawed at his gut and gave him a harsh tone.
“No, I lost them. They were gone when I came to. I followed their scent through the woods but he had a vehicle waiting about halfway down the drive. I just know he took the road north. He went up the mountain, not down.” Her words were starting to slur and her eyelids drooped then finally closed as she used the last of her energy.
The room around them came to life with the councilmen talking over one another. Doc Munroe hustled in closely followed by two guys pushing a gurney.
“Lay her on the bed, Quinn,” Gordie Munroe ordered.
Indecision flashed in Quinn’s eyes. Brogan knew he’d be torn between getting Rowan the care she needed and not wanting to let her go. Brogan could relate. He’d felt the same when El had been caught in the snowstorm.
Steve stepped close beside him. “Brogan, I think I know where he’s gone.” He kept his voice low so only Brogan would hear.
“Where?”
“I overheard some of the old-timers at the Café. They were talking about Marcus and something he’d said. It rang some bells and with what Rowan just said about him going up the mountain, I think he’s taking her to the canyon. He’s luring you there.”
Rowan moaned as Doc probed her head wound, diverting Brogan’s attention for a minute. Moving to her side, he stood next to Quinn and waited to hear what Gordie found.
“How far along is she?” Gordie asked.
“Two months.” He and Quinn spoke together.
Gordie looked at them and smiled. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about but I want to do an MRI of her head and an ultrasound for the baby just to be sure. We need to get her over to the clinic.”
“Go with her, Quinn. I’ll take Steve and go after El,” Brogan said.
Rowan’s hand shot out and grabbed his forearm. Her nails, not yet fully retracted from coyote form, dug into his flesh.
“No, take Quinn. He’s the best tracker in the pack.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Bring her back.”
“Rowan—” Brogan began.
“Don’t you dare treat me like a delicate female. I just ran all the way from the house after being bashed over the head. I think I can manage to get a couple of scans done. Gordie knows what she’s doing. I couldn’t be in better hands.”
“She’s right. We need Quinn to get us close without being heard and there are no better hands than Gordie’s.” Steve directed a challenging look at Gordie and she visibly bristled.
“Please, Brogan,” Rowan begged.
“Brogan, we need to go get your mate now, we have no idea how long he’s had her or what he’s got planned,” Steve said.
He squeezed his eyes closed, tried to think beyond the need to get his mate and act like sovereign. Rowan was right, she was in the best hands and they did need Quinn to find El. Opening his eyes, he looked at his regal.
“I won’t pull rank, it’s up to you but I will say she’s right. You are the best tracker we have. Doc is more than capable of looking after Rowan and the baby until we get back and it’s unlikely Marcus will try anything in town. I doubt he’d even show his face now that he’s snatched El.”
“Rowan, honey, are you sure?” Quinn leaned in close, brushed his lips over Rowan’s.
“Yes. Go get her and this time he doesn’t get away with it, Quinn.”
Brogan didn’t think there was any worry on that score. Marcus had finally done something he couldn’t cover up. He turned to face William.
“Marcus will be exiled from the pack if he makes it out alive.” As sovereign he could decree the removal of a member with the support of the Council and he had no doubt they would support him on this one.
No coyote messed with another’s mate, least of all the sovereign’s.
The first thing El noticed was the pain lancing her side. She was lying on hard ground, sharp jagged edges digging through her clothes into her ribs and hipbone. The second thing she reacted to was the cold. She shivered as her senses came more awake. Moaning, she tried to move her legs and couldn’t. Something held them together.
Her eyes popped open, her vision unfocused at first but as it cleared she took note of her surroundings. She also took note of the fact her ankles and wrists were tied together with rope. The quiet indicated no one was near and remaining perfectly still, she concentrated on listening for any clue she wasn’t alone.
Nothing.
Not even the raspy sound of breathing.
She had no idea where he’d taken her or where he’d gone. The ground around her had been cleared of snow, small mounds of white sat in front of her and it covered all the trees and shrubs in sight. A rock or stick dug into her thigh as she twisted to look behind her. The view was the same. He’d left her outside, in the forest somewhere.
Urgency grabbed hold. She needed to get away before whoever had taken her came back. El had no idea who the man was or what he wanted but the thought of him returning sent ice rushing through her veins and fear exploding in her gut. If he’d left her here, he’d meant for her to die alone. If not, he planned to come back. El didn’t like either of those ideas.
Clouds covered the sky, blocking out the sun so she couldn’t make out what time it was or which direction he’d taken her. The freezing temperature made her numb, but the rope around her limbs added to the sensation by cutting off her circulation. She wouldn’t be able to get away with her hands and feet tied. How could she get free? The nylon cords were biting into her flesh and she hadn’t tried to loosen them yet.
She needed to think, clear her mind of the panic and fear then work out a way to get untied and back to Rowan. El didn’t know what had happened at the house but she was pretty sure the guy who’d taken her had hurt her friend. Had Brogan and Quinn come back from their meeting and found Rowan hurt and El missing? Were they out here looking for her?
Pain streaked up her arms and pulling them in front of her for a closer look took effort. Biting her lip to stop from crying out, El studied the knots at her wrists. It didn’t look as if she’d be able to undo them. Her abductor hadn’t been kind enough to leave her with a neat bow to loosen them. She pulled the ropes to her mouth and used her teeth to tug at dirt-covered fibers.
They didn’t give and the movement rubbed the raw skin already circling both her arms. She needed something sharp. There was no hope of getting through the thick rope with her teeth. Frustration bubbled and a growl slid up her throat. Muscle and skin stretched and her teeth lengthened.
Her teeth.
With renewed hope, she brought her hands to her mouth and sank her coyote teeth into the knots. El gnawed at the ropes, felt them give a little. She could do this. Wiggling her hands and fingers to bring back the circulation, she bit down harder. One strand snapped, fell from her wrist. It gave her room to move and soon a second and third piece of rope fell away.
El breathed through the pain as blood surged back into her fingers. She shook her hands, clenched and unclenched her fists to try and ease the throb. She gritted her teeth and used her stiff arms to push herself up. The agony in her ribs eased but there would be bruises. The dull ache was manageable and she didn’t appear to have suffered any other injuries. Her legs, numb and weak from lack of blood, hurt but she drew them up to examine her ankle restraints.
She was greeted with bigger and more complicated knots than the ones on her wrists. She growled and bent double, thanking her lucky stars for years of gymnastics and yoga. Flexibility had always been her strong point. Her back and shoulders ached as she stretched to reach the knots with her teeth. Sensing victory within her grasp, El ripped at the ropes with teeth as sharp as a knife.
The last tie gave way and slipped to the ground and El checked her sore, bleeding ankles. The abrasions were covered in dirt but there was no time to tend them. She scanned the area and saw no sign of her attacker. Sniffing the air, she could only pick up a faint trace of him. There hadn’t been time to take note of him when he’d grabbed her at the house but one thing she did know from his scent, he was a coyote shifter.
What he hoped to gain by bringing her out here and leaving her she couldn’t guess but she would not let him win. Logic told her the man Brogan had told her about was behind this. Whether he’d been the one to take her or someone else it didn’t matter, she’d fight for everything she cared about. Rowan, Brogan and the baby she carried inside. She wouldn’t let Marcus take what she’d only just discovered. Whatever his game, she’d do all she could to get back to the house and Rowan.
Or had he left Rowan out here too? Was she bound somewhere nearby?
El struggled to her feet and her knees wobbled before holding firm. On shaky legs, she turned to check for any sign of life. She couldn’t smell anyone else. Felt sure she was out here on her own. There was no trace of Rowan.
The only sign of life was a set of footprints in the snow leading away through the trees. Drawing in a deep breath, El took a tentative step, her stride shaky at first but with each tread her legs grew steadier and she followed the trail in the hope of finding her way out of the forest.
With each footstep El knew she was in trouble. Bare feet and snow didn’t mix. She’d been taken without a coat and her jeans and sweater weren’t enough to keep the cold from sinking all the way down to her bones, their dampness wasn’t helping either. Gingerly she walked through the slush, her toes growing colder by the second. Numbness moved up from her feet and dulled the pain of her abused ankles but that was little comfort when she found herself lost in the middle of an unknown forest for the second time in as many days.
Her best option was to shift. She’d only managed the complete change once but if she wanted to survive she had no choice. Taking coyote form would give her a few important advantages, the best one being her attacker didn’t know she could shift.
El stripped out of her clothes and buried them under a snow drift. No point leaving clues. Her first attempt gave her claws, teeth and a coating of fur. Shivering she tried again but with her body racked by cold she found it hard to concentrate. Sucking in a deep breath she gave the last of her energy to shifting.
This time she slid into it with ease. A pleased rumble filled her chest but she knew not to let it out. She needed to be silent. Using her heightened sense of smell, she followed the trail of human prints, listening for signs she was close to another form of life. Moving off to the side of the tracks, she walked slowly, padding lightly through the snow to make as little noise as possible.
The trail weaved its way through the forest and she was starting to wonder if he was walking in circles to confuse anyone that might follow. Who, other than her, might want to track her kidnapper was easy to work out. If Brogan had discovered her abduction he’d be out looking for her, she knew to the depth of her soul that he’d search until he found her and the man responsible for attacking her.
She hoped the man had left some sort of clue as to where he’d taken her or Brogan could search the Whispering Mountains for days and not find her. Not that she was going to wait around to be rescued. The thought of sitting in the cold snow didn’t appeal even if she was the type to expect someone else to solve her problems.
With renewed determination, El continued to move forward, being careful to listen and smell for any danger that may be lurking nearby. The forest was quiet around her and it felt like she was the only person alive in the whole world. If the situation wasn’t so deadly it would be beautiful. She was quickly learning that looks could be very deceiving. Just look at what she’d become. A mythical creature she’d only ever dreamed of before now.
A shapeshifter.