2

What did that mean?

Brutus said, “I don’t know. We can figure it out later.”

We made more plans with our allies. I’d have to tell Uncle Bjourn we’d burned more aliases. I should just run a credit with Gunner and Micah at this point. Not that they’d charge me, but I felt I was taking up a lot of their time creating identities for us.

I rubbed my face in annoyance. Why didn’t this group want our help? What were they so afraid of? Alexander sat by me. I frowned, “Mom has a point. They don’t want us specifically to know them. Or even just one of them.”

Alexander sighed, “I want a goddamn fucking name. I want to know what this symbol means to them. You’ve made the inquiries before, brother. I’ll try this time. We need to know.”

Something prickled at the back of my mind. He had a different sniper. What if mom was right and he made our sniper nervous? Did they like him? Brutus snorted, “If he makes inquiries and gets answers I’d say that a massive sign that they do like him.”

He was right.

I nodded saying out loud, “You might as well. I’m getting nowhere. I feel like a failure.”

Elise rubbed my arm, “You’re not a failure. No one can figure this out.”

I shrugged. Alexander agreed, “She’s right and you know it.” I nodded and took Elise to bed.

She started giving me a backrub. Elise whispered, “EJ, talk to me.”

I groaned, “I feel like my dad would’ve had this figured out already.”

Elise kissed my shoulder, “In case you hadn’t noticed, your dad doesn’t know either. I think it’s actually driving him crazy.” She was right.

The bond told me how frustrated he was. We’d all been working all our contacts. This group was hard to get in with. Anytime we thought we’d found a member, they’d turn out to be a red herring who had no idea what we were even talking about.

The Ring and my allies were the only ones who’d seen this symbol. The Ring was a guess but since they left it there at sites they hit, it stood to reason they saw it. So, we were in an exclusive group. This group wanted those two groups of people to know they were working against the Ring.

This group wanted the Ring to know they were out there and coming for them. The strange thing was they wanted us to know too. Not everyone though. Outside our allies this was not common information. What the HELL was going on?

I sighed, “I know that it’s driving my dad crazy too. I just feel like the answer is right there, and I can’t grasp it. Like there’s something staring at me, and I’m not seeing it.”

Elise kissed me, a welcome distraction. We lost ourselves in each other for hours. We fell asleep well after the sun had risen.

The next two weeks were crazy. The regular sniper was still missing in action. I was actually beginning to get worried about someone I’d never met. My thoughts spiraled again. Was the sniper hurt? The other snipers weren’t as good, but they could pull a disappearing act just as fast.

We couldn’t pop to them either, but we could get closer to them than our “personal”

sniper. Alexander seemed to have a dedicated sniper that was better than the other snipers we now had at other meets. They all had their own style. It was weird. Brutus said, “What’s weird is I want the trigger happy sniper back.”

It wasn’t weird, we all did. It just wasn’t something we’d thought we’d be saying.

Toby burst into my office cutting off our conversation. My dad, Elise, Alexander, Preston, Genevieve and Caleb looked up at him. He smiled but didn’t say anything. Finally, I asked, “What’s up, Toby?”

He shrugged, “Phil linked me jazzed about some news he had. We are waiting for him. Whatever it is I’d advise you all to be excited about it.”

I snorted, “Alexander, he’s your Beta. That means you have to be excited no matter what. I do not have to be.”

Alexander rolled his eyes. Caleb laughed then raised an eyebrow when my uncles walked in. I laughed, “Did Phil tell you guys to come in here too?”

Max and Micah popped in next.

My Uncle Jackson answered, “Yes, he did. I’ve literally never heard him so excited about anything.”

Phil literally hopped into the room, “You guys WILL NOT believe this!”

Alexander asked, “We won’t believe what?” Phil smiled, “That Black Path Pack has a new Female Lead Warrior.” I looked at Elise in surprise.

My dad actually looked intrigued. The bond told me he was excited and hoped they were becoming more progressive, but that was a small hope he held. Their current Female Lead Warrior was a figurehead that did nothing.

We didn’t have a relationship with them since Black Path Pack had caused a few problems when Lexi Daniels came into the picture with Alpha Chase. He’d killed their Gamma over something involving her.

The Gamma’s sister’s son, Booker, took over when he was quite young.

Alpha Davis, the Alpha at the time, was now retired. His son was the Alpha now and he just as gutless as his dad has been. They only started having Female Lead Warriors when the Werewolf Council mandated that all packs had to have one. Nashville was full of sexist shitheads that we avoided wherever possible.

I asked, “How do you know that?”

They didn’t exactly want us to know their gossip first. We couldn’t get a source down there to save our lives. Phil snorted, “Because it’s going to be THE gossip of Werewolf world since it all went down. I, being the fabulous Beta I am, have made friends with a Warrior down in a pack we don’t actively hate. He just called me with the news Nashville is buzzing about.”

My eyes jolted to him. That was HUGE! My dad had been trying to get sources down there since before I was born. I asked, “How did you get this source?”

He grinned, “I am in charge of posting Alexander’s workout videos out to the general Werewolf community. He reached out to me and I jumped on and declared us buddies.”

That was awesome! I praised, “Great job, Phil.” He winked at me.

Alexander asked, “We care about this new Female Lead Warrior because?”

Phil smiled answering, “Because their Female Lead Warrior is a sixteen year old girl.”

We gaped at him. Phil clapped delightedly, “Guys, it gets better. She’s wolf less.” My eyes widened, “I’m sorry. What?!” Brutus said, “That’s very impressive.” It was. Almost unbelievably so for someone trained in Nashville to accomplish.

Elise jumped in, “Wait. So a sixteen year old, wolf less girl beat all the other Female Warriors AND the ranked wolves?”

Phil nodded, “Badly. She kicked their asses. Because Nashville is a suck fest who did not adhere to Cousin Haley, Emmaline, and Aunt Lexi’s bill to make all werewolf bloods equal in the tournament she had to fight the current AND future pack leadership.”

My mom had championed that bill with my cousin Emmaline and Aunt Lexi after the first few Female Lead Warrior tournaments and learned that wolf less had to fight pack leadership and no one else did. They were right about it though.

Phil continued, “The ONLY person she didn’t beat was the future Alpha. They fought for four hours before it was declared a draw. She fought them in human form, then again against their wolves. She beat them in their human AND wolves. THIS TEENAGER TOOK DOWN AN ALPHA WOLF! I LIVE YOU GUYS! What’s the best part you ask? I know before Beta Dylan. I can’t wait to tell him! Go ahead Alexander, tell me how awesome I am. Eric, you know you want to gloat. I know before Dylan.”

We were all still in shock.

Phil goaded, “Come on! Someone, praise me!”

Glee filled my bond with my dad. He smirked, “I’ll give you half a million dollars if you let me be in the room when you call Dylan.”

Phil did a dance, “That’s what I’m talking about!” My dad added, “If you have Haley pop you in with me then I’ll give you two million dollars to see his face.” I snickered while Phil rubbed his hands together like an evil villain in a movie.

Alexander praised, “Good work, Phil. What’s her name?”

Phil smiled, “Umm hold on. I wrote that down.”

He checked a note on his phone and said, “Ashley Griffen.” Elise and Alexander spoke in unison, “What?” I looked at them both feeling their shock. They took the note to read it.

I asked, “Do you know her?”

Elise said, “Yes, well no. Not exactly. Well no, not at all. Mel’s going to die and want to be this girl’s best friend.”

What? Before I could ask Micah commented, “Ashley’s a good fighter.” We all turned to face him.

Alexander cleared his throat, “Come again?”

Micah blushed, “I’ve met her. She’s been teaching the girls in the area down there how to fight. She’s pretty good.”

I snorted, “She’d have to be. The question is where she learned how to fight because it wasn’t in Nashville. What do we know about her?”

Phil told us, “I’ve got nothing. Ya know, other than she’s the Lead Female Warrior at sixteen who’s wolf less. I am DISTRAUGHT we will never meet her. Do you think Alpha Chase will let this whole grudge with her pack go for ONE measly little Summit so we could meet her?”

My dad answered, “He won’t.”

Phil threw a file, “Oh come on! I want to meet her! Don’t any of you lie and say you don’t. I want to buy her a drink. No, I want to buy her so many drinks.”

My dad reasoned, “She could get a solo invitation. She might have enough metal to show up since she did just take down pack leadership.” Phil grinned and rubbed his hands together again.

I asked, “Micah, what do you know about her?”

Micah frowned, “She’s an orphan. Her parents and older brother died two years ago. Her other brother needs a kick in the ass, but I digress.”

I didn’t think he did digress. I could kick ass. I might need to after my swirling thoughts of where the trigger happy sniper was.

He continued, “She’s kind of made her own family. She basically lost her living family when her parents and older brother died. She’s nice but, clearly angry. She’s got every right to be though. The girl under all the cracks shines through though. I like her. She’s a little prickly, but I’m positive we are close to being friends. It’s like she fights herself about it. She wants to be my friend, but she holds herself back.”

That was ten different kinds of weird.

My dad asked, “And how does a sixteen year old have time to be a Female Lead Warrior?”

Micah a answered, “She’s crazy smart. She got a GED when she was fourteen. We talk code sometimes. She even fixed a problem I was having with my code.”

Max asked, “And when did you meet her?”

Micah blushed, “Last year.”

Max tilted his head, “So, you met this girl last year. Which happens to be when I felt concerning things from you when you were near Nashville then all the sudden you were fine. Would it happen to be around that same time you met her?”

Micah answered carefully, “She helped me out of a jam. I can’t really give the mission specifics. Like I said, she’s cool. I told her she should come here. That pack is shit and we all know it. She just shrugged and told me she deserved to be there. That it was her penance, and she’d found her purpose on top of her penance.”

Elise was concerned, “Penance? For what?”

Micah admitted, “I don’t know. She shuts down whenever I ask and changes the subject. She has a lot of words that come out of her. I actually haven't heard from her in like a month. Phil said she’s wolf less though.”

Phil nodded, “Definitely wolf less.”

He winced, “She was probably devastated. She was really excited to meet her wolf. To find out she didn’t have one probably crushed her. I’m guessing that was hard.”

I winced knowing it was.

I’d consoled several pack members that were devastated when nothing happened at midnight on their sixteenth birthday. There wasn’t really rhyme or reason we could pin down to why some partials got wolves and others didn’t.

Max sighed, “Maybe you should meet up with her.”

Phil encouraged him, “Yeah and take a selfie with her. Then I will put her on my wall. She will have a shrine.”

We stared at him. He asked, “What? She’s Werewolf history. She deserves a shrine.” Micah snorted, “I’ll reach out. She’s always busy though and will be more so now than before.” I laughed, “If she likes coding, I’m sure you’ll find something to talk about.”

Micah smiled, “Actually, we’ve been working on this new algorithm. It’s wicked sweet.”

Max kissed him, “You are so adorable when you get excited about algorithms.”

I told my brother in law, “Make sure she knows she can always come here if need be. We are already getting an influx.” Micah snorted, “I noticed.” Everyone left the office after that.

Alexander was frowning. I asked him, “What’s going on in your head?”

Alexander shrugged, “A lot. The influx groups got me thinking. Has anyone said who referred them to our allies other than giving us the card with the circle with a line through it?”

We’d been getting new people here. They were scared. They’d just hand us a card. It had the blue circle, and it said:

They are vouched for. Take care of them. They need it.

It rotated between all our allies' territories. A lot were she wolves. They said they were being mistreated in their former packs. Some were sent a letter of where to go. Others were even given bus tickets. Then there were actual families. Fathers clearly moving out place in fear for their pups. Saying the drugs or shady things were happening.

The severe cases were always sent to our pack specifically no matter which pack’s turn it was. We’d picked up on their pattern. I knew it was because someone was bringing them to my mom. She took them all under her wing and helped them, taking everything at their pace.

This circle group had been sending us women and men from the Ring. Slowly and systematically. My mom was in a unique spot to offer them help. They had their own special group therapy sessions. It helped them all. Some were still quite shy. They were leery of my brothers and me. Elise and my mom, they were fine with. Even Buttercup. It was men they feared.

Only a few had opened up about where they came from. My mom didn't want to rush them or force them. When we’d go in, we’d find the place stripped bare. There would always be a blue circle with a line through it.

I asked Alexander, “Any news on the name?”

Alexander shook his head, “Not yet.”

Two more weeks passed with nothing new. It was maddening, the lack of progress we were making. How was this organization, this group, making such huge, progressive strides and I felt like I was at square one? They had to have inside information, but why the HELL wouldn't they just let us help them?

Elise had been a little too quiet, so I decided to take her on a date. She was surprised which told me I needed to do this more often. Once we’d settled at the restaurant, I’d had shut down for us to have privacy.

After we ordered I asked her, “What’s going on in that pretty head?”

Elise sighed, “It’s just that girl. Ashley.”

I frowned, “What about her?” Elise shrugged, “It just got me thinking about Mel.” I was thrown. Brutus said, “I have no clues on that, but Rhea agrees.” Interesting.

I asked her, “Why? Because they are close in age? Or because she’s a good fighter?”

Those felt like solid reasons. Elise laughed admitting, “Both but mostly because of her name.”

I told her, “You lost me. Melanie and Ashley are not similar.”

Elise smiled, “Ashleigh Griffen is the main character in Melanie’s favorite book series. Ashley’s name is spelled differently, but it makes me think of Melanie every time. I just miss her. This whole not visiting so she can focus on Julliard is strange.”

“I’m worried about her. What she’s doing is not healthy. That school is cutting her off from everyone she loves.”

She waved her arms frantically, “Hell, they already cut her off from us. The McAlister’s are only agreeing because they feel guilty, thinking they held Mel back when she was a pup. Mel begs them to let this play out saying it will only be for a little while. I just know she’s being manipulated. I’m supposed to protect her from things like this, but she just doesn't hear me.”

Elise sighed then added, “This Ashley girl and her story makes my heart ache. I just want to help her.”

Rhea took over, “No, that’s not it. We need to. We just don’t know why.”

I sat back thinking my mate had a huge heart. For her wolf to agree they needed this was odd. Maybe Ashley was important to someone in her life. Maybe she was Dalton or Dakota’s mate.

I encouraged her, “I think you should follow your instincts. You have a big heart, and I love that about you. I have to admit I want to help her too. She has a position within her pack now. It actually sounds like she’s doing Nashville some good. Maybe we can actually respect some more packs around there if she whips them into shape.”

Elise sighed, “She’s an orphan all alone down there. I just know she just needs some love and we know she won’t get it there. We would be better for her.”

I nodded, “I agree but unless she wants to come to us, there’s not much I can do.”

Her face fell and her heartbreak filled the bond.

I grabbed her hand, “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Elise sighed, “Get a message to her through Micah. Or get her on the phone.”

I agreed, “Ok, I’ll tell Micah.” I’d already sent a message, but I would do it again for her. I shot a text to him on my phone immediately. She smiled, “Thanks, EJ.”

I told her, “Ashley aside whatever is going on with Ladybug is not your fault.”

She sighed, “I know. I just…”

My phone rang. Elise sent me her feelings to take the call. I gave her a look. She urged, “No one would call if it wasn’t urgent.” I shrugged, “It doesn’t matter. What were you about to say?” She shook her head. I shrugged, “You are the most important thing to me. I want to make sure you’re ok.”

A pop sounded. I was surprised my youngest sister was here. Angela’s eyes were wide and she felt pure panic in the bond. She yelled, “Something’s wrong, EJ!”

I grabbed her, “What do you mean?”

She frowned, “This path just hit me. We need to find Everly and Julianna. Their paths are suddenly blurry. I’m really worried.”

Elise said, “EJ, we can continue this later. We need to find them.”

I nodded and grabbed Elise’s arm and held onto Angela’s hand. I popped us to my office. I ordered Alexander, “Get everyone on the damn phone. You track down Everly McAlister.”

I took out my phone and called my Uncle Aiden.

He answered, “Hello, EJ.”

I didn’t waste time on pleasantries, “Where’s Julianna?”

Uncle Aiden answered, “Visiting her family in the human realm. Why?” I didn’t have a good feeling about this. I told Toby, “Get Jayden and Finn on the damn phone. Right fucking now!”

I asked my uncle, “When did you last see her?”

Uncle Aiden popped to me. He asked, “What’s going on?”

Jayden and Finn came up on the screen. I asked them frantically, “Where’s Julianna?” Jayden frowned, “With Fegle in Faerie.” Uncle Aiden argued, “No, she’s with you.”

Red Run came online with Tristan swearing up a storm. Alexander explained, “Everly was supposed to be in California with her family. Her plane landed twenty minutes ago, but she wasn’t on it.”

Jayden popped then was thrown back hard, screaming in pain.

Lucas and Emmaline popped in with Jade and Jacob. They clearly weren’t with Jayden and Finn. Alexander was already gone. He healed our cousin and popped them all back to us. I linked Jayden, “Are you ok?”

He answered, “No, but physically I’m fine. Where is my sister?”

I answered, “We don’t know.”

I linked my dad, “Get to the office right now! Julianna and Everly have been kidnapped and we can’t pop to them. Jayden got hurt trying.”

I heard my dad’s snarl of anger from the open door. Alexander must have been working with it open.

My dad burst into the room with my uncles. Mom popped in so we filled her in. She surmised, “Jayden, you tried to get to Julianna, right?”

Jayden nodded, “Yes.”

My mom said, “Well then, I’ll try to pop to Everly.” I yelled, “NO!” At the same time as all my siblings and my dad.

My mom popped as my dad and I lunged for her. Blade materialized a second too late and he was golden eyed pissed about it. He was the fastest at getting to her when she did this. He was one of her guards, but he was family to us.

Aiden sighed, “It is moments like this I miss Arion. This was what he was meant for.”

My mom’s pain hit us in the bond before she was thrown back. She wasn’t as badly burned as Jayden had been though. Brutus howled in my head hating her in pain.

She sighed and healed herself. Tristan’s terse voice came over the line, “Thank you for trying, Mrs. Conners.”

My mom snorted, “You WILL call me Haley. Calling me Mrs. is almost as fucking bad as ma’am is. You make me sound fucking ancient.”

My dad wrapped his arms around her.

She assured us, “I’m fine you worrying Walter’s.”

Elise laughed, “It’s warts. Worry Warts.”

My mom rolled her eyes, “Warts can’t worry! That’s absurd!” Micah ran into the room. He put up a surveillance video. We watched as Everly was grabbed at her car outside the airport.

Tristan growled, “DALTON!”

Dalton frowned, “There were supposed to be Warriors on her.”

I grabbed Alexander and popped to the car lot at the airport. Micah would take care of the video. I smelled blood and took off with Alexander on my tail.

We popped the trunk of an SUV open and found the Warriors who’d been guarding Everly. They’d been shot and stuffed inside. They were near death. Alexander frowned, “We need mom. I can’t heal them alone. They’ve been bleeding here for hours.”

I looked around, “We are good to go.”

We jumped in and closed the trunk and popped it back home. Alexander explained, “I can’t heal them alone.”

My mom popped over to him. Together it took them twenty minutes. We all waited with bated breath for answers. I sent Julian and William to see if they could catch Everly’s trail from the airport.

Micah groaned, “Uh oh.”

I growled, “There is no saying uh oh.”

Micah winced, “Everly texted Julianna. That has to be how they got her.” Tristan argued, “She wouldn’t! How the HELL do I not feel anything from Everly?” I answered, “They must have blocked your bond.”

My mom sighed, “Or they muted it like they did mine as a child with my Hackura family. The mate bond for wolves isn’t as strong as our connection. If they could mute that one, then they can mute your connection with Everly.”

Beta Bond’s pack came online. He and Everly’s brother were irate. I was certain her other siblings and her mom had been kept out of the meeting. Knowing Tabitha Bond, she was on the ground looking for her daughter.

Once the Warriors woke from being healed we asked what happened. They were very upset. They’d tried to get Everly back into the car. They felt something off but were shot themselves right after that. They said she was fighting after they were hurt. Tristan was pissed.

Julian linked, “We are still tracking but this trail is going cold fast.”

I told him, “It was a long shot in the first place.”

He replied, “They switched cars three times to throw us off, but we haven’t come on the forth yet.” FUCK!

Finn yelled, “We’re getting a call!”

Micah grabbed Finn’s computer and projected the video call to the wall. I linked Micah, “Trace it.”

Micah was already swearing, “Fuckers are bouncing it to hell and fucking back!”

Jayden answered the call angrily, “Where is she? And don’t you dare fucking say you don’t have my damn sister! I WANT HER BACK NOW!”

I didn’t recognize the man on the other end but unfortunately, I recognized the symbol on his hand. I closed my eyes knowing he was a Hunter.

Brutus snarled, “If they touch a HAIR on her head we will rip them to pieces.”

I wholeheartedly agreed and knew we’d do just that.

The man laughed, “Now that I have your attention, I thought we should chat. I assume Red Run is on the phone too.”

Tristan snarled, “WHERE IS MY MATE!”

I heard a pop and Fegle burst through the door. He shouted, “WHERE IS SHE?!”

Jayden answered, “That guy has her.”

My mom walked over to Fegle and healed him. He’d tried to pop to Julianna knowing he couldn’t and had been injured. I understood the inclination he had. I’d do the same in his position.

Alexander, Preston, Wesley, and I snapped mom food. She rolled her eyes at us but sat down to eat. Uncle Aiden winked at me. We were trying to keep everything light, but we were worried.

Jayden snarled, “What do you want?”

The man laughed, “I want so many things. The eradication of your kind for starters.”

I shot back, “You didn’t call us to tell us to off ourselves.” The man smiled, “That’s true. I called to be nice. I thought you would want to see these two for the last time.”

The camera whirled around, and we all snarled. Julianna had some iron bracelets on that wrapped around her wrists like a snake. Everly was covered in silver chains. They were both crying, but despite her fear, Everly looked pissed.

Lucas snarled, “LET THEM GO NOW!”

The man laughed, “I don’t….”

He looked off the left trailing off. He hissed, “Seriously?! You all are a bunch of incompetent fools!” He ran out of view. We all looked around.

I spoke with urgency, “Julianna? Everly? Where are you? We can’t pop to you.”

Everly answered, “We don’t know. I woke up and Julianna was here. There’s a really big lake outside this place, but that’s all I see. Tristan, I love you. So much”

A single tear trailed down her face.

Tristan growled, “I love you too and you’re coming home.”

Julianna whispered, “I love you so much, Fegle.”

Fegle said, “I love you more than words express. I echo that angry Beta wolf’s sentiments. You are coming home to me.” She nodded, not looking like she believed that.

Alexander and I locked eyes and I knew what knowledge flowed between our communication. Everly was glowing. My mom inhaled her food with blazing eyes. Brutus linked, “They have been since she heard about the situation.”

I needed to stay sharper right now because I’d missed that detail.

A door banged open and both women gaped at whoever walked in. I asked, “Who is that?”

Someone with a distorted voice said, “SHUSH! Or they will hear us!”

A figure with a bullet proof vest who was seriously strapped down with weapons came on the screen wearing a ski mask over their face. Their eyes were a weird shade of blue, almost as if they were fake.

I glanced over when Alexander stiffened. I couldn’t make sense of his feelings in the bond because he didn’t even understand them. Everly asked the person, “Who are you?”

Said person didn’t answer, but quickly took the chains off Everly.

They turned to Julianna and lamented, “Seriously?! I can never get a break… and I really think I should… I’m pretty sure I’ve earned it.. when you think about all the things I did to get here…and previously…I am a GOOD PERSON!”

Everly snickered along with a few people on our side.

Phil linked, “I mean having a sense of humor in crisis is key.”

It was also a Beta trait. I locked eyes with all the Alpha’s around knowing we had the same thought. The person took off their bullet proof vest.

Brutus commented, “Well, the person is clearly a woman.”

I retorted, “Well, I know that now.”

He said, “I knew that before.” I snarked, “Smart ass. Share your information next time.” He chuckled, “Sure thing.”

The woman quickly handed the vest to Everly. She ordered, “Put this on.”

Everly did so without question. The woman knelt beside Julianna. She winced then said, “This is going to hurt, but when I get these off…and I’m sorry about that…the whole perfection process wasn’t perfected…Hunters suck…along with their timing…right? That’s a thing that you think too…because…well…yeah you just pop Everly and yourself the heck out of here Julianna.”

We all stared at the screen shocked.