29. Ryan

Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bond with Mai—little spikes of fear and pain—but our bond was too new for me to know anything more than that. I"d cut short our last visit. We"d only just started trying to track down Ava, one of Jem"s better enforcers, but she"d gone into hiding and we"d need to talk to her friends and colleagues to get an idea of where she might be. Instead of going to her workplace, I"d turned the car around and headed for Thomas" house.

The air was cool, the breeze carrying the faint scent of pine, but it was the coppery smell of blood that drew my attention as we neared the house. I stiffened, my senses heightened. Mason, ever alert, paused, following my gaze.

I moved, desperate now. As we ran in the back door, the sight was jarring. The familiar space was turned into a battlefield. Bodies of unconscious werewolves, most of whom I recognized as being followers of Brock's, were splayed around the room in an untidy sprawl like discarded dolls. Mai was kneeling in the midst of it all, Jase crouched down beside her.

I rushed over to Mai, my heart pounding as I took in her disheveled appearance. Her dark hair was wild, her brown eyes were glinting with a stubborn defiance, but it was the crimson stain on her shoulder that drew my immediate concern.

"How bad?"

"It's okay. No need to worry."

"Sam?"

"Still out. He's fine. The fight didn't get past this room," she replied.

"Let me see." I gently took her arm in my hands. I felt her wince. It wasn't deep, but it needed tending. "You need to stop getting injured."

"That would be nice."

"I mean it," I growled. I felt so fucking helpless. I was her mate; I was supposed to protect her. "Elise's attack, the car crash, and fucking Korrin. Now this. Enough. I have a safe house down south. I can send you there tonight—"

She touched my face with her fingertips. "Ryan, you were right. We're Alphas. We're going to take our Pack back. But to do that, we have to work as a team, you and me. You can't lock me away until this is all over. I have to do this. I have to fight for our family, our Pack. Yes, I'm going to get hurt, but I'll heal. Shutting me out of this fight is not something I will be able to get over, though."

"Jase, help me secure these fuckers," Mason growled, roughly picking up an unconscious man by his arm and dragging him across the floor, his head bumping along the ground in regular thumps.

Jase did as he was asked and went to grab another man.

I used a torn piece of cloth to bandage Mai's shoulder. I needed to stop the bleeding. I could feel her watching me, her gaze steady and unwavering.

"I didn't feel it through our bond. Just a sense of unease, small flashes that you were scared," I said, keeping my eyes on what I was doing. My wolf was fucking raging right now, wanting to kill all these fuckers here, but I didn't understand why I hadn't had a clear warning that my mate was in danger.

Mai tilted her head to one side. "The bond is still new. It's growing as we grow. We both have a lot to learn about the bond, as well as being Alphas."

It was taking all my effort just to keep my anger under control.

Once I wrapped the cloth tightly and told her to put pressure on it, I got Jase to sit down while I helped Mason with the rest of the group.

It had been close this time. Nowhere was safe anymore. We were being hunted, and next time, maybe we wouldn't be so lucky. Rage filled me. No one attacked my mate, my Pack.

"Ryan," Mai's voice cut through my thoughts. "We have to move. It's not safe here."

"I need to find out what they know first." I nodded to Brock's enforcers, now all tied up and thrown in a heap on the corner.

I strode toward them, my eyes scanning them, sizing them up. One of them, a burly guy with dark sideburns running down his cheeks, seemed less dazed than the rest.

"Bring him," I commanded. I knew if I touched any of them, they would not live.

Mason hauled him into the dining room and dumped him into one of the chairs. My wolf wanted to rip his head off. To kill them all for daring to touch my Mai. I agreed with him, but we needed information. I had to think about protecting Mai from further attacks.

The man glowered at us, his eyes a defiant shade of emerald, but I could smell his fear masked behind a facade of bravado.

I kept my voice calm. "It's Paulo, isn't it?"

He hesitated, then nodded.

"Jem got you that job at Sunny's hardware store. Sunny didn't want a werewolf working in the store, but Jem convinced him that you might look scary but you'd be a good worker. Sunny promoted you to manager last year, if I remember right?"

"Jem's dead, Ryan. It's no use being loyal to a dead man."

"No? How about his sister? How about his Beta? We're the true Alpha pair. We're here to take back what is rightfully ours."

"Rya—"

"Who sent you here?" I interrupted, my voice a low growl. I didn't want to hear his excuses.

He was silent.

I leaned in, my face mere inches from his. "You'll find it's in your best interests to tell me. Brock may be unhappy with you, but you're the one who just attacked my mate. Your one chance of getting out of here still breathing is to tell me what I want to know."

I don't know what Paulo saw in my eyes, but he started talking.

"I saw Sofia leaving here this morning. I was driving past on my way to the compound. Haven't seen her since Jem … well … you know. Figured it was worth mentioning in the morning briefing."

"And?" I leaned closer, my voice tinged with barely suppressed fury.

"There's a new wolf. Tristan. He's working with Brock. He was there." Paulo swallowed hard.

"Ah, Tristan," I sneered. "You sold out your own Pack members for a traitor from the Bridgetown Pack."

"My Alphas trust him."

"Your Alphas? You mean Brock and Hayley? And you say that with a straight face?"

"You weren't here, Ryan. You'd disappeared, Jem was dead, and Hayley was saying that Brock was the true Alpha, the pure one. I did what I had to so I could protect my family."

I stared at him, my anger curling around the room. Paulo's face paled. I'd get nowhere if I scared Paulo too much. I pulled my anger back before asking, "What did Tristan say about Sofia being here?"

Paulo hesitated before continuing, "He knew Brock had called Thomas to the compound. He saw it as an opportunity to order a raid to see who else might be hanging around here."

"You thought you'd find Sofia's pals? Her book club?" I challenged.

"We knew Sofia would be helping you. It's no secret she's Mai's best friend. We thought we could round up anyone else who was here, try to find out what they knew. We had no idea you or Mai would be here, I swear to the Goddess," he stammered. "Our sources had you both pegged for being in Bridgetown. If we'd known, we'd have sent a fuckload more people."

I gritted my teeth at the thought of how close we'd come to disaster.

"Look, man. There's stuff going on in the Pack. New rules, people getting roughed up if they don't fall into line. I gotta protect my family, Ryan."

I nodded. We weren't going to get anything else out of him. I slammed my fist into his head, knocking him out.

The door groaned on its hinges as I closed it behind me. My gaze slid across the living room before it anchored on Mai.

"They were looking for Sofia. They don't know about us being here. Not yet, anyway. But this place is compromised," I said, forcing the words out through gritted teeth. "You're right; we've got to get out of here."

Mai was up on her feet immediately, her dark eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination. "We can't move Sam without Thomas …"

I gave a curt nod. "We'll secure this place as best we can and wait for Thomas. Sofia should be back any moment."

Mai glanced at the clock on the counter. "Anyone heard from Sofia? She should have been back a while ago." Mai's gaze darted between Mason and me, her concern clear.

The shake of our heads was answer enough. Mai's hand flew to her phone. I watched as she dialed, then waited for a response … nothing.

"Something isn't right," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

A noise had me spinning for the door, but I backed off when I scented who it was. Thomas and Wally stumbled in, shock lining their faces as they took in the wrecked living room. But it was Thomas's grim expression that had me narrowing my eyes.

"They've got Sofia," he managed to get out. "Tristan tracked her down. She fought him but …" Thomas trailed off.

I saw Jase freeze, his muscles bunched up in rage and fear for his sister. Sofia didn't stand a chance against Tristan, and we all knew it. She was a barista not a fighter.

"Where is she now?" I asked.

"Tristan took her up to the compound. I was there when she was brought in. I managed to stabilize her, she's not in any immediate danger from her wounds."

Then Thomas looked straight at Mai. "There's more," he began. "They don't know you're here yet, but Brock knows I can get in contact with you. He gave me an ultimatum to pass on. Ten hours to hand you over, Mai, or Sofia dies."