Chapter Two Hundred Twenty
ELDER ROMAN
“I’m going to need you to call my lawyer. These ass backward sheriff’s have me detained here at the station under suspicion of aiding Rose Gruber’s escape,” Matthew spits into the phone.
“Did you do it?” I can’t help it. I have to ask. I need to know where the damn girl went and who the bitch might s
start
talking to.
“What? Of course not! You know what I planned to do, I never even got in to see her. They wouldn’t let me in even after Roosevelt confirmed I was her godfather. They only allowed that damn Aid in there with her.”
My ears perk up. “What damn kid? You didn’t tell me there was a kid.”
“A young man. Apparently he’s the one that saved her. He’s not even family and they had him stationed at her bedside like some kind of bodyguard, Matthew grumbles.
A young man that saved her? From a fucking lion?
“Tell me Matthew… What did the guy look like?**
Matthew sighs, growing frustrated. “What does it matter-
“It does damn it! Just trust me. And speak quietly please… you never know who’s listening,” I warn him.
Okay, alright. Um… he was young, early twenties I’d say, Buff guy, well built. Floppy brown hair, brown beard-”
“Brown beard?”
“Yeah. Brown board. Looked like he might have tattoos on his upper biceps. Some kind of tribal designs.”
The barkeeper. One of the wolf shifters. Well I be damned.
“Got it, Matthew. That’s good enough. I think I’ll be able to handle that particular problem myself. Don’t you worry. As far as Ted is concerned…
“Yes? Do you have him?”
“No. Not yet. But soon. I can’t say any more, you understand? You’re in the belly of the beast. Trust me when I say, the less you speak while there, the better. The place is a 200. Get it?”
He’s silent a moment before he answers. “Got it.”
*T’ll call your lawyer.” Then I hang up.
Turning back to the task at hand, I scan the area to make sure I’m still alone then put on my headphones. Following Ted’s scent this morning wasn’t difficult once I realized he’d been abducted then carted off. But once I realized where he’d been stashed, I knew the task of getting him out would prove much more difficult. I might need to distract them. I probably should have taken Cane up on his offer to join me. In fact, I may need to turn back and go get him. Lions may not be able to scent beyond their own, but they have excellent hearing. It will be close to impossible to get in and out with Ted undetected.
Grabbing my remote switch for the mic 1 planted near the lion den this morning. I hit the ‘activation‘ button.
I’m parked a good half mile away, plenty close enough for an undisrupted feed. I hear the phone call come in on my receiver almost immediately after I flip the switch.
1/4
Chapter Two Hundred Twenty
“What’s up?” One of the lion’s answers, No disgusting the way today’s youth disrespects the common greeting
The voice on the other end of the line is faint and hard to catch, but I
mate.”
…there looking for the hunters, shifter Gaylen
“She’s where??? You’ve got to be fucking kidding met † told her she better not daret She promised me she wouldn’t! What is she saying about him? Don’t tell me she wants him.”
…close…has information we need, he’s my mate’s brother… away with him…your call…”
“Damn it! Fuck! I don’t want her disappearing with him, Quinn. He’s lignan. He can’t possibly protect her.”
…not what he seems…he says Roman is there kinking for Tet,”
of the fuck? How do they even know my name?
What
“That fucker shot her! Hunted her! And now I’m just supposed to forget about it because he turns out to be her mate?”
Hunted her? Who? A Moness?
“…I’m going to tell him…change sides…already wants to…lookout.”
“Will do. I just checked on the little fuck. He’s ready to tell us everything so hurry up and get back.”
I listen for a few more minutes as Gryllin, leader of the lion shifters out in these par
parts, shares what he’s just learned from Quinn with his pride. I almost want to thank him because now I have all the little tidbits of information that I wasn’t able to hear before and my blood bods to a thousand degrees when I realize what has happened.
I should never have left him there alone.
If I hadn’t, they wouldn’t have been able to get to him.
Ifis mate would never have had a chance to woo him…
Dawn it, Cane. I really had high hopes for you. And for your sister.
Now I’m left with only a couple of options and as usual, I choose the one that fits me best.
Chucking off the headphones and saying fuck the ill–fated rescue mission, I start the car and head back to the highway.
CANE
“What d
do you mean he’s a shifter?” I’m floored by this news. It can’t be right, can it? Roman that I’ve known for years. Roman who is the most legendary of hunters in all of Elder Few history. He’s a fucking wolf shifter?
Quinn nods gravely. “I wasn’t entirely certain until I stepped inside this house. Before this, it was only a suspicion. But even then, it made sense. Now that I’m here, it’s obvious. He’s a shifter. I can smell it. His spent is somewhat tainted though. Almost, sour. We believe it’s because he’s a rogue.”
I glance at Gayle, “You didn’t smell a shifter. Did you?”
Gayle blushes, turning away. “Lions can’t scent like wolves do. Our sense of smell isn’t nearly as strong. We can scent our own better than they can though. As well as other feline shifters. But if you want to track a rabbit, call Quinn.”
“Well aren’t you adorable, Quinn snarks.
Chapter Two Hundred Twenty
Gayle laughs, “We can also see better than they can, by far.”
“Bullshit, Quinn fake coughs.
“We can climb too, Gayle snarls. “In both forms.”
Quinn flips her off. “Yeah, fuck you kitty”
“Hey, watch it! Is
I snap, not able to help myself. I look at my sister. “Put a moonde on that one
My phone chimes and 1 pull it out of my pocket to see Roman has just tested. I foreboding washing over me
ELDER ROMAN-
This is going to take longer than I thought. Don’t expect me back for at least another day.
ME
Got it.
But I don’t get it. Because something feels off. Now that I’m aware that Roman a shutter, 1 filter through all die stegs te would this
find Ted. All the shortcuts he could take because he’s a shifter
Then he would have set up some kind of reconnaissance. Be i
SWE
My head darts up a and I leap up from my
“What is it?” Quinn snaps, following my lead and standing at
“The phone call you made to Cayle’s brother – where was he when he answered
“What? Why?”
“Just tell me. Was Ted there? Is that where he was when you called?”
Quinn nods. “Yes, Gryffin has him locked in the basement. But it’s okay. He checked and the lad is still whining like a baby down be What’s wrong?
“Fuck,” I hiss. “I think you need to leave. All of you. Now.”
a minute! Why?” Quinn
Quinn asks.
“Because I know Roman! And now that I know he’s a shifter I know what he would have done perfind Ted. I know that be natural skills and his hunting skills together to free the little jerk. He has access to better equipmves
cool. He just texted me not to expect him back for at least another day. It’s bullshit”
“How do you know it’s bullshit though? Quinn asks. “You can’t know that
I do and even mite
I chuckle, “I can know that. I know that because Roman has no idea when the right time will be for him to strike. He road listening for the perfect in. The perfect time. He couldnt know it was going to take him longer unei in fact take him
You mean, he wouldn’t call and tell you not to expect him unless-“
Chapter Two Hundred Twenty
“Unless it had already been an entire day. Exactly,” I confirm.
“You think he was listening when I called?”
Again, I laugh. “I know he was. It’s what I would do. What we are all trained to do.” I sigh, glancing at Gayle sadly. “I want you all to leave.
Now.
“No!” Gayle says. “We’re not leaving you. You re coming with us.”
I shake my head. “No. He doesn’t know that I know he’s a shifter and there’s a whole fucking shed in the back with silver bullets just for him. Besides, I promised to get your mom back for you, didn’t I?”
Gayle’s eyes fill with tears. “No.”
I nod, pulling her close. “Yes, I’m staying behind. Because I’m going to kill him and then I’m going to mount him on my goddamned wall.”
him?”
“Who?”
“Never mind.” Quinn looks at me, his eyes dark. I know what these are He turns back to the shelves. These are all different kinds of
venom.”
“Venom?” I question. “Like the stuff snakes bite you with? Or spider’s inject you with?”
He shakes his head. “Like the stuff shifters mark their mates with.” Then he gasps, reaching farther in, behind the vials of liquid. The container he pulls out is labeled “RED WOLF and appears to be a large or of mineral oil with a handful of dark grass at the bottom.
“What is that in the glass?” I ask
“Fur,” Quinn answers with a grin. “In this case, Red Wolf fur. This is how he does it. This is how he disguises his scent. He must bathe in this shit before a raid and since he never raids as a wolf, it works for him.”
That’s right. He did mention something to that effect. But he hasn’t taught me how to do that yet. It’s called skunking. At least that’s what he told me. I don’t know what he uses though, Just that it takes a good month to make what he needs for a batch.”
Quinn chuckles. Timeframe checks out.”
“What? The full moon thing, right? Yeah, he told me about that. Funny that no one ever put that together,” I say offhandedly. “No one ever sees him on the night of the full moon.”
Quinn’s eyes sparkle. “Thats because he’s busy in Port Orchard, but not as a wolf.”
“What? Really?” I inquire, surprised. “But how?”
“Tell me this,” Quinn says.
- s. “Where is he from? I mean, where is his family from? Do you know?”
“Sicily,” I say y quickly. “He said his family had trouble there and moved out here when he was a small kid.”
Quinn’s eyes brightened. “Did he tell you
you what b
happened to them?‘
I shake my head. “No. Just that they’re all dead.”
“Yet he remains,” Quinn says.
GAYLE
Im not leaving him here,” I say for the thousandth time.
The four of us are gathered around the side of the house and we are supposed to be saying goodbye, but I refuse to leave. They can’t make
“Gayle,” Quinn says, trying to catch my eye the way he has been for the last five minutes. “Your boyfriend has a plan and our being here is going to ruin it. We have to go.”
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