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heard a faint voice.
Alpha Mother, help me.
All at once, sound and motion returned. She sat up.
 Nicholas! Her screams echoed with Ashby s and Rebecca s. She turned her head and saw that
they, too, lay on the floor. Kaden was holding Ashby and Aleks hovered franticly over Rebecca.
 Bran, Caleb, Kaden, Beau, Riley, take the men and go! The Grind, save Nic! Hurry! she yelled.
Her voice acted as a release and the men sprang into action. Bran gave her one last look before
standing and running out the door.
Kate tried to crawl to Ashby and Rebecca, but her arms gave out. Gently, Arthur Raymond picked
her up and carried her to where Ashby now lay cuddled next to Rebecca on the floor. Arthur set her
down on the other side and they waited. In the background, she heard Dr. Claybourne barking out
orders to get a second trauma unit prepped to receive Nicholas.
They didn t have to wait long. Less than twenty minutes later, Caleb barreled into the clinic
carrying Nic s unconscious form. Ashby cried out in anguish. Caleb carried Nic back to where the
doctor waited behind the double doors open. A few minutes later, Dr. Claybourne came rushing back
out.
He pointed to Ashby and Rebecca.  You and you come with me. Hurry! They scrambled to get up
and ran into the room. Kate followed without being asked. She walked in as Dr. Claybourne was
explaining his treatment.
 Rebecca, he will benefit from your bond so lie as close to him as possible. He also needs a
blood transfusion. Ashby, surprisingly, you are also O negative. He s lucky. O negative is a universal
donor but can receive only O negative. It s extremely rare among shifters. Lie down and I ll get the
transfusion started.  He pointed to the bear-sized bed where Nicholas lay. Ashby and Rebecca
jumped into bed with Nic. Nic moaned and buried his face into Rebecca s neck. Ashby snuggled up
behind him.
 It s okay, Nic, you re going to be okay, Rebecca said.
 Knew you d come, he whispered.  Knew you would keep me safe. He closed his eyes and
snuggled closer.
Rebecca looked up with tears in her eyes. Aleks lay a hand on Rebecca s back, letting her know
that he was there.
 Kate, find them. Find them and kill the bastard who let them in. Seal the perimeter, Rebecca
said, pushing Nicholas s bangs out of his face. Kate nodded and walked back out into the waiting
room.
Bran stood and walked over.
 How is he? he asked
 He needs a transfusion. Luckily Ashby is a match. But he and Rebecca will probably need to stay
the night with him. The bond we share is helping. She looked around for Caleb.
 He s outside with the men. He pointed to the door. Kate hesitated and then looked back to the
room where Gina and Nic lay unconscious.
 Go, my brothers and I will stand guard, Connor said, stepping forward.
 Thank you. She and Bran walked to the door heading outside. Waiting for her were Beau and
Kaden.
 What are you two up to? she asked, stopping in front of the clinic s doors as Bran made his way
over to Caleb and the men.
 Sticking with you, Kaden said. Beau nodded.
 I d prefer it if you helped Aleks watch over Rebecca, she said.
Kaden snorted.  And I d prefer to keep breathing. Liam said if anything happened to you he d rip
our intestines out through our cocks. It takes a lot to rile a Lewenhart male, but once they are riled,
you stay on their good side. His orders were to protect you. So we re gonna be all over you, darlin .
 Okay, boys, try to keep up, Kate said and then started walking over to where Bran was
coordinating with Riley and Caleb in the open grassy area at the end of the road that the clinic was
on. Just beyond the grass the woods that surrounded the town began.
 Saucy wench, Kaden muttered.
 All day long, Kate said without turning around.
 We ll start east and&  Bran was saying. Kate stepped right into the circle next to him.
 I think I know where they are, Kate said and everyone turned to face her.
 When were you going to share? Bran asked.
 Don t be mad. I kinda just put it together. I think the hyenas are at the Wades house. It s the only
thing that explains why Gina was hurt and where she was. I bet she saw something she wasn t
supposed to and was on her way to the Pack house when they caught up with her. She was too damn
close to home for that deadbeat father not to notice the scent of his daughter s blood. I think he s the
perimeter breach. She looked into Bran s face.
 Okay, men, we know where we re heading, he said.
 Wait! Just like that? Kate asked.
 I doubted you once, Katie Belle. I should have taken Gina s disappearance more seriously, I
won t doubt you again. Besides, it s the best theory anyone s come up with yet. Bran took her hand.
Caleb walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
 Bran, if that s the case, we have a huge problem, Caleb said. Bran frowned then his face paled.
 What s the problem? Kate asked.
 Gina has two younger sisters and two younger brothers. If what you say is true, they are either
already dead or in the most dangerous place in a twenty-five mile radius, Caleb explained.
Kate felt a tightening in her chest. She had never felt so much rage. Her wolf literally burst from
her skin. The men, as one, took a step back.
 Sweetheart? Bran asked.
Kate snarled and snapped at the men, edging them toward the woods.
 She s right. It s time to hunt, Caleb said, his voice sounding deeper.
Kate threw her head back and howled. Caleb then Bran shifted and joined her. Their voices rose in
a harmony so perfect that only nature could have designed it. It was as if the other wolves were
waiting for that unspoken order and they shifted, one right after the other.
 Kate, we re right behind you. We re bringing the truck in case we need to get the munchkins out in
a hurry, Kaden said before he and Beau took off at a dead run to the truck.
Kate swung her head around, bunched up her body, and then her feet took flight and they were
hunting.
Chapter 10
They surrounded the small cabin and started to creep forward. On the side of the house, a mountain
of trash gave the entire area a pungent odor. On the porch they could see ripped screens and broken
boards. Empty beer cans and liquor bottles filled one half of the porch. It was clear that Elias Wade
had been trying to drown himself in alcohol to ease the pain of his mate s passing.
The yard wasn t in any better shape than the small home. Weeds were everywhere and the grass
was high. Kate could see a pile of toys in the back that looked as if they had been thrown out the back
door. These children had so little. How could Elias throw away what little they did have?
What was probably the saddest sight was a single rose bush that looked as though it had been well
tended. It had been tied back with shoestrings and hair ribbons and sat in a pink pot which read [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]