Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

Jaxson and the other animals started out in a wide circle around the fox pack land and slowly worked their way inwards. He had spotted the Sheriff and other deputies standing in the center of a clearing surrounded by trailers. The families inside came out, curious why they were there.

The animals split into small groups and went towards the back of each trailer. They were stealth as they shifted and searched each house, Sinead’s scent was nowhere to be found.

They regrouped by the cars and waited for the police to join them. It didn’t take long for the caravan of cops to pull up near them.

“They weren’t cooperative at first but finally they told us about a cabin that he may be hiding at.” West typed the address into the laptop in his car looking at the map.

“We searched all of his properties so you are saying he doesn’t own the one he’s hiding in?” Jaxson asked impatiently.

“Apparently Frank had fallen for a woman in another pack, they were happy together. He bought the cabin and put it in her name when she met her mate and left him. The pack said he took it hard but they didn’t think he would be a danger to anyone.” Brogan told the group as West pulled one of the rolled up maps out his car and laid it across the hood.

“The cabin is in this area over here,” he pointed to a desolate area a few miles outside of town. “Let’s leave the cars here, shift and close in on him. We don’t know what weapons he may have or if there are any traps in the woods so be careful.”

Jaxson was grateful for every person who nodded and jumped in a car without hesitation. This was what it felt like to have family, he had forgotten was that was like.

It was a frustratingly long drive, Jaxson was sure they were going to find her this time and he was anxious to know she was safe.

They pulled the cars off the road and parked them behind a dense area of bushes. Everyone shifted quickly and spread out. Jaxson inhaled deeply, so far, he hadn’t picked up on her scent, he wasn’t going to let that deter him though.

After a few minutes, the back of a cabin came into view. West relayed to the pack through their link to stop and report back what they saw from their vantage point.

Jaxson listened as each person reported the same thing, there was no movement, no cars, it seemed like the place was deserted. West told them to move in slowly and watch where they stepped.

When they were fifty feet from the cabin a wolf towards the front of the cabin picked up on a car coming down the path and relayed it to the group. Everyone slunk back into the bushes and waited.

Jaxson watched as the old beat up car rolled down the road slowly and stopped in front of the cabin. The hair on his back stood up when he saw the guy get out of the car with flowers in his hand. It took every ounce of restraint he had to not tackle the scumbag to the ground.

West was relaying to the group to stay still while he moved to peak in a window when a howl sounded from inside the cabin. There was a loud crash before the man ran out of the cabin, he jumped in his car, gravel flew through the air as he spun the tires and took off. Jaxson prayed that was a sign that Sinead had escaped.

As soon as the car was out of sight everyone took off for the cabin. Sinead’s scent was strong, some of the wolves had tried to keep him out but Jaxson didn’t care he pushed through. West and Brogan had shifted, they weren’t making eye contact with him. Jaxson shifted and briefly wished he had stayed outside. The smell of her blood drew him to the bathroom. He was thankful he didn’t see massive amounts anywhere, it had been on some of the wash clothes that had been rinsed and thrown on the floor. His blood boiled at the idea of someone making his mate bleed. He could feel his animal fighting to get out, it wanted him to shift and let it loose.

“If she had to lift the bed he must have had her tied to it somehow, this guy is a scumbag.” Brogan shook his head disgusted at the idea of someone doing this to a woman.

For Frank’s sake, he better not have touched her on that bed, if he did he was going to bite his dick off and watch him suffer. Jaxson had never had a mean thought towards anyone before but his mate being in trouble brought out a whole new side that he wasn’t going to control until she was back in his arms.

Jaxson shifted and tracked her scent around the cabin, eventually, he found it leading outside. The rest of the pack fell in behind him and tracked her. He could smell her scent as strongly as he could her blood. Panic had him running, he outpaced everyone else desperate to get to her.

He spotted something white near a tree up ahead, as he neared it he could see the body curled into a ball. A noise from the other direction caught his attention, Frank’s car was speeding from the other direction.

He must have spotted her too, he veered towards the bushes as Jaxson got to her and stood over her. He roared at the little man who was pointing a gun at them.

“I found her first, you don’t get to come in and steal her away from me. She is mine.” Frank’s hand shook as he yelled at Jaxson.

Jaxson could hear the rest of the pack catching up, he didn’t shift just stared down the threat and growled. He tried to focus on Sinead, hoping he would hear her heartbeat but he couldn’t.

“She told me you’re mates. I don’t believe in that bullshit if you leave now I won’t hurt you. Leave us be and you can go back to your own life.” Sweat rolled into Frank’s eyes, he was putting on a good show but Jaxson could smell his fear.

Jaxson roared at him but didn’t move, he was willing to wait for Frank to step closer before he lunged at him.

“You know what, forget it, if I can’t have her either can you.” Frank raised the gun, the shot echoed through the forest. As the pack got to the scene it took them a minute to take in what happened. Frank was on the ground, his neck had deep bite marks on it, his lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. Jaxson’s snow-white fur around his mouth was deep burgundy from biting Frank. Blood was spreading across his back leg, pooling beneath him.

West shifted and ran to Jaxson while Brogan went and checked on Sinead. He was relieved to find her alive, her breathing was shallow but she was still with them. He rolled her into his arms, her eyes fluttered open briefly, she whispered Jaxson’s name before passing out again.