Lawson gripped the steering wheel, his mind on autopilot as he drove Liv’s Jeep to Dunlap. He couldn’t stop thinking about how close he’d come to losing control. When he felt claws extend from his fingertips and watched long hair sprout on his forearms, he panicked. His wolf howled ferociously in his head, and it forced the entity to retreat. That’s when Lawson knew he should shift.

His wolf was more dominant than Lawson realized, and he was grateful for his beast. He wondered if Ryan attempted to shift when he felt the Ravin’s presence. He would have to discuss that with him. Maybe it was a vital component to defeating the transformation to Ravin.

“I can’t wait to see your hometown. Ryan talked nonstop about your family restaurant,” Cassie muttered, pulling Lawson from his ruminations.

“I’m anxious to see the place, too. I haven’t been back since I escaped PRL,” he answered and swallowed against the bitter taste filling his mouth.

PRL was the research facility where he was held as a prisoner for three years. The scientists were determined to force him to shift so they could acquire his shifter blood. Luckily, that never happened, thanks to the beautiful redhead sitting beside him. She was the only good that came from his unyielding torture and countless beatings. She walked into his battered life and immediately brightened his world. He would suffer through the agony again if it meant having Liv in his life. The only part he couldn’t bear repeating was losing his dad. Seeing his dead wolf on the exam table was the worst thing Lawson ever encountered.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Liv said as she reached over and squeezed his hand, drawing Lawson from his memories. “The one time I was here, it was practically a ghost town. I imagine it’s worse now that more pack members have left.”

Lawson nodded his head. His sisters told him the same thing. Said the place was nothing like when they first moved to Dunlap. He couldn’t imagine the town as anything but a happy and thriving community. Well, at least before shifters started going missing.

He took the exit leading to Dunlap and some of the tension riding his shoulders eased. This area of Tennessee was incredibly beautiful with its rolling hills and lush forests. A shifter’s dream.

His father moved his family to the location because of the privacy and freedom it offered. Their town was quiet and quaint, a perfect place to raise a family. How he wished Liv could’ve seen it during his father’s leadership.

“Let’s hope it is secluded because that would be the ideal setting for Ryan. Truth is, if he isn’t here then I have no clue where to look,” Lawson admitted as he drove down Main Street. He glanced from one side of the street to the other, shocked by what he saw.

The windows on the storefronts were boarded up, and weeds were taking over the sidewalks. A few glass doors were broken, while others were left wide open. It was eerie not to see a single soul in sight. They’d entered a ghost town, and it made his skin crawl. It was a symbol of the missing shifters’ ultimate fate.

He remembered the days when the town bustled with activity and energy. Shifters were hard workers and took pride in everything they did. Humans tended to steer clear of shifter communities, but with the Internet and popularity of online shopping, shifter businesses boomed. As was the case with most shifter-owned companies, humans were Lawson’s most prominent customers at Scott Forging. They might be afraid to enter a shifter town, but they knew quality craftsmanship when they saw it and had no problem paying to get it.

Now, the abandoned settlement before him was an utter disgrace. Lawson would be shocked if Ryan was hiding out here. His brother was a total neat-freak and wouldn’t be able to ignore the decay and ruin all around.

A familiar wooden sign came into view, and a sharp pang filled his chest. The Scott Café. His family’s restaurant.

Lawson pulled into the gravel parking lot and killed the engine. He turned in his seat and looked at Liv then Cassie. “Well, this is it. The infamous Scott Café, where on any given day you would see my mom scurrying about the kitchen while Pop manned the barbeque pit. On Saturdays, you could smell his smoker for miles because he would make enough food to feed the whole pack, free of charge. But…only on Saturdays,” he explained with a chuckle.

No, his dad wasn’t one to give discounts or freebies when it came to business. He always said no male got rich by giving stuff away. But, he wanted his pack to unite like a family, so he made an exception one day a week. There was never a more admired or respected alpha than Jacob Scott.

“I wish I could’ve met him. Your mother was such a treasure, and I imagine he was, too,” Liv said and gave him that smile he adored.

It was slightly crooked and tiny lines formed in the crease of her eyes. She was prettiest when she was happy, and Lawson’s heart leaped in his chest every time he saw Liv smile his way.

“Me, too, Babe. He would’ve loved you,” Lawson admitted. “Well, since we’re here, we might as well look around.”

The three scrambled out of the Jeep, and Lawson stretched one leg then the other. It felt good to be out of the Jeep after the three-hour drive from Hollow Rock. He tugged at the neck of his sweater and took a deep breath. The cold air soothed his wolf and immediately chilled the sweat dripping down his back. He adored Liv, but the heater blasting on high wasn’t his idea of a good time. He preferred to keep it set on the cooler side, but Liv was cold-natured and cranked the heat anytime the temperature dipped below sixty.

A jolt blasted through Lawson as they walked toward the building. Setting foot on his stomping grounds sent his nerves through the roof. Not to mention, he was anxious to find Ryan, and his gut told him this was a dead end.

Liv huddled in her jacket and viewed the outside of the restaurant as they approached the building. It broke her heart to see the quaint house in such disrepair. She remembered the first, and only, time she visited the Scott Café. The immaculate landscaping, the welcoming rocking chairs on the front porch, and the delicious aroma wafting through the air.

Now, the weeds were knee-high, along with the overgrown grass. The front door was broken and looked like someone had kicked it in. And, as they entered the establishment, the only scent in the air was urine and feces. Liv covered her mouth and nose when she spotted several piles of animal droppings. Numerous flies buzzed nearby, and she swatted a few that darted towards her face.

“Ahhhhhh!” Cassie suddenly shouted and ran behind Lawson’s back, pointing to the corner of the room. “Fucking rats! I hate those things,” she ranted as she practically crawled up Lawson’s back.

“They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them,” he countered and pried her fingers from his flesh.

“Fine. I’ll be outside if you need me,” Cassie responded and dashed out the front door before Liv could say anything.

“I had no idea she was afraid of mice,” Liv admitted with a shake of her head as she looked around.

Several wooden tables were split in half, and the matching chairs were smashed to pieces. “Who would vandalize this place?” Liv asked incredulously.

Lawson ran a hand through his wavy hair. “I have no fucking idea, but I’d like to get my hands on whoever’s responsible,” he gritted out and kicked a broken chair. It sailed across the room and slammed into a wall.

Liv walked over and placed her hand on his chest. “Don’t do this. Don’t let anyone taint your fond memories of your family’s business. No one can take those away from you.”

Lawson placed his hand over hers. “I know you’re right, but this is fucking bullshit. You know, I wouldn’t doubt if Jim Jensen was somehow behind this. That motherfucker is the root of all my problems,” he growled.

“He’s no longer an issue for us,” she reminded him.

Jim Jensen’s body was burned to ash after she stabbed and killed the despicable man. Liv still couldn’t believe she killed another human. She wasn’t the murderous type. In fact, she couldn’t stand to see anyone hurt or in pain. But, her former boss deserved to die. He was responsible for the death of countless shifters, attacked and almost raped her, held Lawson prisoner for three years, killed Lawson’s father, and shot Lawson. He was a pathetic excuse for a human being.

To hide the evidence of her crime, Ryan burned Jim’s body then drove his car into the lake on the property at Safe Haven.

“I’d give anything to bring him back just so that I could kill him with my bare hands. You didn’t need that burden on your shoulders,” Lawson said with a heavy exhale.

She met his gaze. “I don’t regret what I did. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. He took too much from me, you, and your family.”

A loud scream interrupted their conversation, and Liv and Lawson turned then ran outside. A man and woman encircled Cassie, and the man had a firm grip on Cassie’s arm. From their tall stature, Liv guessed them to be shifters.

“Let go of me, asshole!” Cassie shouted as she tried to jerk from his hold.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” the man barked and shook Cassie with such force Liv feared he would dislocate her shoulder.

“Henry? Annette?” Lawson blurted as he rushed down the steps and wedged himself between Cassie and the couple.

The man glanced to Lawson, and his eyebrows drew together. He stared for several seconds then blurted, “Lawson? Lawson Scott? Shit, I thought you were dead,” he stammered and threw his arms around Lawson, hugging him tightly.

“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Lawson replied and embraced the man then the woman.

They were an attractive couple, Liv thought. Annette had short blonde hair styled in an angled bob. It was very flattering to her heart-shaped face. Liv envied women that pulled off such bold looks. Her red locks were nothing special and typically pulled back in a ponytail. Henry was clean-cut and on the leaner side for shifter men. Most were tall, broad, and intimidating as hell. Not Henry. He wasn’t much bigger than her. Although, Liv was far from normal size when it came to human women. It was another reason she felt comfortable around shifters. For once, she didn’t feel like the Amazon in a group.

“Liv, this is Henry and Annette Packard. I’ve known them since I was about yea big,” Lawson said and positioned his hand a few feet off the ground. “Henry and Annette, this beautiful female is Liv Kimbro, my better half, and that is her troublesome friend, Cassie Burnz.”

Henry Packard reached out and shook hands with Liv and Cassie. She noticed deep scars on Henry’s hand and wondered what happened to the shifter. She knew their kind healed incredibly fast so his injury must’ve been critical to leave such horrific marks.

Liv couldn’t stop the smile when she heard Lawson’s term of endearment. He’d never introduced her as his better half, and she wanted to shout to the world how much that meant to her.

Cassie nudged her arm and Liv’s cheeks heated when her friend murmured, “Bowchikawowwow.”

Lawson tossed them an odd look before turning his attention to his friends. “Annette, how are you? And, where are your good-for-nothing sons?” he said with a wink.

Annette shared a pained look with Henry then replied, “Slate and Blade have been missing for about three months. They’re the reason we haven’t left this place. Still hoping they return,” she explained, and Liv heard the despair in her voice.

Hearing that, Jim Jenson and Primary Research Lab came to mind. Her former boss kidnapped shifters and held them prisoner. Lawson suffered unthinkable acts of torture and cruelty, and Liv feared Slate and Blade might have been his victims, as well. Since Jim’s death, they assumed his laboratories would close. Now, she wondered if someone else was acting on his behalf.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea. Are there any others here?” Lawson asked.

“No. We’re the last of your father’s pack? Whatever happened to him and your brother? And, your mom and sisters? They disappeared overnight, it seemed,” Henry asked as he wrapped an arm around Annette.

Lawson’s shoulders dropped, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Pop and Ryan were kidnapped and held prisoner like me. By the time I got to them…he ummm… well, Pop’s wolf had been drained,” he relayed, and Liv saw him struggle to stave his emotion.

“Oh, no! How awful, Lawson. I’m heartbroken to hear this,” Annette said as she clutched her throat. “How are your sisters holding up?”

Liv knew the deeper meaning behind the woman’s question. Lawson’s parents shared a life force which meant when one died, the other followed shortly after that.

Liv recalled Madeline Scott’s last hours before she passed. It was a beautiful moment shared with her children by her side as they talked about hers and Jacob’s love affair. Liv would be so lucky to have that kind of love. She glanced at Lawson and noticed he was staring her way. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing.

Lawson’s gaze returned to Annette. “They’re doing okay. We’re living in a small town called Hollow Rock. I’ve renovated a hotel, and I’m offering shelter for shifters who’ve lost their homes and families. We’re building a new pack, and I would be honored if you would join us,” Lawson offered Annette and Henry.

“Are you Alpha?” Henry interjected.

“Yes, sir. I’m hoping that everything I learned from Pop pays off,” Lawson replied.

“Good for you, son. I always knew it would be you one day,” Henry said and clapped Lawson on the shoulder.

“So you’ll come then?” Lawson asked.

“I don’t know. How will Blade and Slate find us if we leave?” Annette answered, and Liv watched as the woman’s eyes filled with tears.

Liv couldn’t imagine the horror of not knowing if your children were alive or dead. She wondered about Slate and Blade’s age. Not that it made a difference when it came to worrying about their safety, but she hoped they weren’t young children.

“I understand your concern, but it isn’t safe here. You will be protected at Safe Haven. Isn’t that more important? To be around when Blade and Slate return. I promise that I will do everything I can to find them,” Lawson assured the couple.

“They’re alive,” Annette replied as she clung to her mate. “I can feel it, and we have to be here when they return.”

“I will find them. And, we can leave a message in your home, telling them where you are, should they return here,” Lawson offered.

“We’ll think about your offer,” Henry agreed.

“Listen, I know this might be a long shot, but I have to ask,” Lawson began. “Have you seen Ryan in the past twenty-four hours?”

Liv was relieved he changed the subject. It was difficult not to grab the couple, and shake some sense into their heads. She wasn’t sure if someone had taken over for Jim, but shifters weren’t safe until they found out.

Besides, she didn’t want Lawson giving this couple false hope of their sons’ survival. She’d seen firsthand what Jim Jensen was capable of, and she knew there was a high possibility that Blade and Slate were dead.

“No, we haven’t seen anyone come through here in weeks. Have you checked Deerhead Lake?” Henry suggested.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Ryan loves that place,” Lawson countered with a wide grin. His excitement was infectious, and Liv found she was downright giddy, too. They had a new trail to follow when only moments ago they were at a dead end.

“Are you kidding me? Love would be an understatement. I can’t tell you how many times I saw him in town, boasting about his latest catch,” Henry shared on a chuckle.

“Funny you should mention that. We were just talking a couple weeks ago about stocking the lake on our property. Thank you for the reminder. We’ll head to the lake when we leave here,” Lawson informed them.

“Do you have a place to stay tonight?” Henry asked.

“No. We can grab a hotel room by the lake,” Lawson replied. Liv hadn’t considered where they would stay. Hopefully, they could find a decent place. She didn’t have to be in a four-star resort, but roach-infested dive wasn’t her idea of a good time.

“Good luck with that. Everything is shut down. Tell you what. You can stay at our lake cabin,” Henry suggested and reached into his front pocket and pulled out a set of keys.

“You still have that place?” Lawson asked and gave Liv a reassuring nod.

“Absolutely. We haven’t been there in quite some time, so I apologize if it’s in need of cleaning, but everything should be up and running. There’s plenty of firewood in the shed. You’ll want to stop and grab some food, but everything else you need should be there,” Henry explained as he removed a large brass key from the ring and handed it to Lawson.

“Thank you so much. We truly appreciate your kindness,” Lawson replied.

“Don’t mention it. You’re family,” Annette responded with a warm smile.

“Listen, Henry. I really hope you’ll consider my offer. I meant what I said. It’s not smart to remain in Dunlap. Come to Safe Haven and see what you think. Liv, do you have a pen and paper?” Lawson asked.

“I think so,” she replied and quickly rummaged through her handbag.

She found an old notepad with a few sheets of paper and her favorite gel pen. It was metallic gray and matched her shifter’s eyes. She handed both to Lawson and smiled when he winked at her. It drove her crazy that he could read her so easily.

Lawson jotted down the address to the hotel and gave Henry his cell number. “I’m going to be out of town until I find Ryan, but as soon as I get back, I’m not going to stop bothering you until you at least come for a visit. It was so great seeing both of you,” Lawson added and embraced them once more.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to seeing you at Safe Haven,” Liv said and gave them each a brief hug.

“Yeah, and no hard feelings about the broken arm,” Cassie joked and the group shared a laugh.

As the three made their way to Liv’s jeep, Lawson’s cell phone rang. He reached in his jean pocket and glanced at the screen.

“Fuck, this can’t be good,” he blurted.

“What? Who is it?” Liv asked curiously.

“My resource that was tailing Jensen. Why the hell would he be calling?” Lawson asked as he answered the call.

Liv’s excitement was short-lived as a shudder ran down her spine. Jim Jensen remained a thorn in her side, despite the fact he was dead. And, to make matters worse, the asshole still gave her the chills.