Chapter 22

The factory, which Remy had never seen before, was on the outskirts of Marin, technically outside of the town limits. It was an enormous facility right on the river that flowed through Marin.

They parked a half mile away from the facility so they didn’t alert anyone to their presence until they were ready.

Remy had spent the drive watching his phone for news about his mate.

Logan had explained that the stab to his palm and her paw, coupled with the fae spell, had blood-bonded them together.

“When I found Jenna, she was nearly dead from iron poisoning,” Logan said. “I took her to a hospital and there was a fae healer there, and she did that to us, and it saved her life. The blood bond is like the truemate bond on steroids. She’ll feel a little feral around the first full moon after it happens, and you’ll feel extra-strength protective of her. Which means you both need to watch each other’s backs, because you don’t want to freak out on anyone who’s unmated, and since she’s a shifter but not a wolf, she may not understand what she’s feeling.”

“It happened to Luke and Rena too,” Linus said. “When she was poisoned in the fae realm.”

Remy looked at his palm, where a star-shaped scar was now in the center. He’d been so consumed with worry over losing Thyme that he hadn’t really paid attention to what Jenna had done to them.

“So what did she do exactly?”

“It’s a spell that creates a bond between the two of you, it basically transfers your healing power that comes naturally as a shifter to her through fae magic. The spell binds you together in a supernaturally powerful way, that is stronger than being truemates.”

Logan told him how Jenna had argued with Alpha Jason about the way he cooked steaks on the full moon after they’d been blood bonded, and that she had to run through the woods for a couple hours to get out her aggression.

“Just the one full moon, though,” Logan said. “And Thyme’s a shifter so it may not affect her as much. Just wanted to let you know what to expect.”

“Thanks,” Remy said. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Thyme was alive. He could feel her heart beating through their connection and also, he could feel her pain as the venom of Promise and Reika’s bites was healing her. He hoped she understood he had to deal with her assault tonight, before something worse happened.

He couldn’t allow what passed tonight to stand without retribution.

Getting out of the truck, he rolled his neck as his wolf snarled in his head. They met with the others who’d followed them, and Remy took a moment to look at the people with him. Not only his dad and Logan, who he trusted with his life, but the wildcat males who’d proven themselves to be loyal to him and Thyme.

“We’re going to face Jacob and Leif, as well as the others who have sided with them. There are human hunters who injured Thyme, and there may be females like Brilla, who are just as culpable as the males in what’s transpired. They want Leif to take over the pride and they want the pride to stay in Marin, where the ground and water are toxic and the wildlife has fled. Whatever they’re up to, it’s not good for the pride. I will have my vengeance for what was done to Thyme, and we will move forward as a pride, with us as the alpha couple, and the pride thriving in Copper Creek.” He looked at each wildcat male, who stared back at him intently. “You can walk away from this now and leave the pride, and I won’t hold it against you. But if you’re with me tonight, then I’ll count you as a friend.”

The males all nodded and each one pressed his fist to his heart and then lifted their voices with loud calls from their wildcats. Remy and the wolves lent their howls, the sounds echoing in the night.

Tonight he was a wildcat at heart.

The factory came into view ten minutes later, as Remy and his people stayed in the shadows and made their way through the woods.

Remy stared at the large building. There were exterior security lights, and a dozen vehicles in the lot by the main entrance.

He lifted his head and inhaled, sorting through the scents in the air.

He picked up gun powder very lightly on the breeze, and his hackles raised. He saw two males hurrying to a pickup truck in the lot, their shoulders hunched and their voices not carrying to where Remy was.

“Those are the hunters,” Remy said with a low voice. Without another word, he raced forward, silently approaching as fast as possible. He reached the truck just as the males opened the doors.

He caught one around the neck and threw him to the concrete, then jumped onto the hood, sliding over it and slamming the other door shut. The hunter shouted in alarm and backed away, putting his hands up.

“Hold on, hold on!” the male yelled. “What’s happening?”

Remy stalked to him, claws and fangs ready. He slashed his hands through the air as he spoke, his voice rough with his wolf who was ready to shift and handle business. “You shot my mate.”

The male’s face drained of blood, his skin going deathly pale. He looked around wildly and stopped backing up as Remy’s people formed a loose circle around them.

“I…it wasn’t our fault! We were forced to shoot her.”

Remy snarled. “Who forced you?”

The other hunter was brought around by Linus, who had him contained by wrenching his arm behind his back. The male shrieked and begged for mercy.

“It was Jacob Kitter,” the first hunter said. “Don’t hurt my brother, please! We had no choice.” He choked on his tears, and Remy’s upper lip curled in disgust.

“Tell me everything.”

The male nodded. Linus relaxed his grip enough to give the other hunter a chance to breathe. The first one said, “We work at the factory and live in Marin. Jacob came to us and told us that there were wild animals in the woods and he wanted us to kill the pack leader of the animals. He said it was a group of coyotes.”

The other hunter said, “His daughter and her kid, Leif? He’s a psycho. Jacob walked us into the woods and those two said they’d lead us to the leader of the coyotes, and then they shifted. When we realized we were in the wildcat territory and heard their hunting calls, we told Jacob that it was illegal to kill shifters.”

Leif had attacked the males, clawing up the legs of one and sinking his fangs into the side of the other.

The first hunter hung his head. “Jacob said he’d kill our families and us if we didn’t take out the wildcat who was trying to destroy the pride. I’m sorry it was your woman, but my family is everything to me and I did what I had to do.”

Remy stared at the males. He could smell that they were telling the truth, because lies had a bitter scent to shifters, and these males didn’t smell bitter. They just smelled scared and worried. And they should be.

“I believe you,” Remy said. “Go home and take care of your families. If I ever see either of you again, I’ll remember that you nearly killed my mate and I won’t be so forgiving.”

“We’re going home to pack and leave town, I swear,” the first male said.

“Thank you for sparing us,” the other hunter said.

They scrambled into the truck and were gone moments later. Remy stared after them until their taillights were gone, and then he inhaled and rolled his shoulders with a growl.

“We still don’t know why Jacob wanted to take out Thyme,” Linus said.

Remy turned to face the factory. “Somewhere in there is the answer.”

“We’ve got your back,” Marty said with a growl. “Jacob’s been a thorn in the pride’s side for years. Mahn hated him and kept him under control, but once he died, Jacob got so much worse.”

“It ends tonight,” Remy said.

His dad put his hand on his shoulder. “Lead the way, son.”

Remy nodded and walked toward the factory, thoughts of Thyme on his mind.