Chapter 15
“Something’s wrong,” Lyra said as she shoved Finn’s office door open.
He’d already pushed up from his desk because he’d felt the same thing. A sharp punch to his senses telling him one of his packmates was in trouble. Not just a packmate. His daughter. “Can you talk to her?”
Lyra shook her head, her pale violet eyes filled with worry. “No. I tried to reach her along our psychic link, but nothing. Well not nothing, but I can’t get through. It’s like static.”
Finn knew roughly where she was because of Gabriel, but he didn’t know any of the details of why. He’d always trusted his Guardian and he still did. But… “If we leave now we can get to the outskirts of Judoc McGrath’s territory before daybreak.”
“Let’s go,” his mate said without hesitation. As a vampire Lyra had an aversion to sunlight, but if they took the pack’s private plane, they could be there with enough time to get Lyra somewhere safe. And they’d be close to their daughter in case she was in trouble.
For the briefest moment he wondered if he should just stay and trust his Guardian to do what he promised—protect Vega—but there was no way in hell that was happening. Because Vega was his daughter. Nothing could stop him from going to her if she needed him.
Hell, even if she didn’t want his help, she was getting it. Because he had the sharpest sense that something had happened. And he would do everything in his power to make sure his family was okay.
“She’ll probably be angry with us,” Lyra said as they hurried from the office and down the hallway toward their room.
“Like I care,” Finn growled. Okay, the truth was he did care. He’d spent a couple years trying to get a handle on this whole parent thing. And he still didn’t have a grip on it. Hell, he’d just convinced himself that she was grown and that he was okay with her off on her own. A big lie.
Lyra let out a startled laugh as they reached their door. “Lie to yourself, not me. I don’t care if she’s angry. Something is wrong and we need to be there—and fair warning, if this feeling grows, I’ll invade Judoc’s territory and take down anyone who gets in my way.”
Yeah, and he’d be right next to his mate. No one would keep them from their daughter.
* * *
In wolf form, Carson stumbled through the woods, his mind a haze of images as he tried to keep it together.
He’d meant to get into that bitch’s head, to get her to hurt Gabriel. He’d done it before to former packmates and there was no better feeling in the world than taking what wasn’t his.
He hadn’t expected her. Hadn’t expected what she’d done. He’d tried to escape her grasp, but she’d clawed her way into his mind like a battering ram. No one had ever done that and he wasn’t sure how she had. Maybe once he could think clearly, he’d figure it out.
He slipped on a patch of ice, all his paws going out from under him as if he was a pup learning to walk. His heart pounded out of control as he shoved back to his paws and started running again.
Extraction point. Had to get to it.
He’d promised his pilot a hefty fee if he picked him up anytime, day or night. He’d pressed the panic button on his phone, and called the guy for good measure.
The pilot was on his way, would be there soon. Carson had left his phone and everything back in the room.
Because he’d known that bitch would come for him. Either her or Gabriel. Or both.
He should have done more research on her, found out who she was. He’d assumed she was just a hot piece of ass Gabriel had brought home.
He was so fucking stupid. Maybe Gabriel was working for August. He had to be. Why else would the female have tried to get so deep into his head, to know his secrets? He could never go back to Judoc’s territory, his home. His former home now.
This trip home had been different anyway. He hadn’t been able to get into Judoc’s head like he had when they’d been kids. He’d always kept a tenuous link growing up, but after moving away and living in the world, the bond had more or less broken. And his cousin would certainly believe Gabriel over him.
Gabriel, the fucking wolf who’d always been a thorn in his side. The male who had always seen through him. Pain fractured through Carson as he ran into a tree he tried to avoid but couldn’t move fast enough.
He stumbled back and shook his head. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to try and calm down. He couldn’t keep running blindly like this. He was going to kill himself before he even got to the clearing.
Turning around, he listened but didn’t hear anyone running after him. Maybe he still had time.
A howl rose in the distance, quickly followed by another and then another.
He was out of time.
They were coming for him.
The sound like a starter pistol, he raced off into the woods.