I t was nearing his delivery date. Weeks had passed since we spoke with the Reluson pack, and every time I thought about how he handled that day, I feel proud. Steven was working on creating a better program for the hotel .

Our child was bound to be gifted with a strong will and determination along with a quick mind .

Steven was knitting a blanket by the open balcony window. He would glance up at the empty space that was made for our new baby on the way .

“Steven, I see you looking at the nursery, love .”

He sighed and continued knitting the pastel pink blanket. “It’s just so empty .”

“We’re going to fix that. I had the nursery store, Madame Leblu’s, closed to other customers today. We can go there in a few minutes and furnish our child’s nursery .”

“Good, but did you really have to have it squared off for only us ?”

“Of course, dear Steven .”

Steven’s skin glowed under the sunlight that entered through the large glass panels. Eyes that were full of wisdom, wit and love, and lips so pink it was unrealistic. He set down his unfinished blanket and got out of his large plush chair to stretch .

“Mmmm, let’s go. I’ll nap the rest of the day away when we get back .”

“Don’t forget to eat,” I reminded him .

“Do you think it’s possible to forget eating with my crazy appetite ?”

“You never know,” I said, winking .

* * *

M adame Leblu was a Beta herself. She was waiting at the front of her store for our arrival. When she saw my mate and I, she opened the doors and fawned over my mate .

“It’s about time you found someone, Alpha Drake!” she exclaimed. “Now come, I think I have the perfect area for you to start looking at .”

“Are there gold embellishments?” Steven asked .

“Yes, I knew you’d like it, Omega Gryther !”

Steven lifted up his hand to protest. “Call me, Steven .”

We walked over and saw many cribs and beds. Someone knocked at the door, and Steven looked to see who it was .

“Just a second .”

The girl at the door looked over at us and smiled, waving and jumping up and down .

“Hey, I remember her,” Steven said, waddling behind Madame Leblu .

“Who?”

“Her. Penny!” Steven pointed .

When Madame opened the door, this Penny character slipped in and squealed .

“Oh my god, look at you! All knocked up! I told you he was a good Alpha !”

“Penny?” Madame cut in, “The package ?”

“Oh, here. Sorry.” She gave the small box to Madame and turned to Steven. “So, how soon do you think you are to delivering ?”

He rubbed his protruding belly. “Any day now. We’re shopping for the nursery .”

“How adorable,” she said, holding her cheeks .

Steven’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached into his pocket .

“It’s my dad. Excuse me,” Steven said, throwing me a glance. That meant me too .

He slinked off toward the front door and left the store, staying where I could see him. His hand returned to his belly and rubbed it. The way he lit up on the phone told me he was speaking with his father .

“Did you know that he was against the mate thing when he first got into town?” Penny said .

“Really?” I wasn’t surprised .

“Yep. Glad to see he’s settled down with you, Alpha Gryther. I knew he’d like you, but not like this.” She winked and laughed. “Well, I got to go. Happy shopping !”

She skipped out of the store and gave Steven a hug before disappearing around the corner .

“Alpha Gryther,” Madame Leblu said from behind me. “Would you like to continue looking while your mate is on the phone ?”

I met her glance and shook my head. “I’ll wait for him .”

I looked back over to where Steven was standing, and he wasn’t there. He wasn’t on the other side either .

Calm down, I thought to myself. He didn’t leave you. He wouldn’t. But where is he? He knows I can’t help but get worried .

I started to the front door and peeked outside. He wasn’t down either side of the block. My inner wolf didn’t like this .

“Steven? Steven, where are you ?”

No answer .

Penny came around the corner, bolting on her heels. “Alpha Gryther!” she yelled. “Alpha! Steven was taken, he was pulled into a truck!” she cried .

“Where?”

“He was right at this corner, about to walk past the front of the store. He was like, pacing, I guess, and a truck just stopped at the corner and pulled him in back !”

Penny fanned herself, her face flushed from the sudden action. “Oh my god, who’d do that ?”

I went over to where I saw him last and sniffed around. Penny stood behind me, her knees knocking together from the worry that shook her to the core .

“This scent…it’s familiar. Did you say a white truck ?”

“Yeah—”

I followed the scent as it led me down the street. I didn’t know why, but Penny was trying to follow along as well .

Shifting into my wolf form, I continued to track down his scent. The uneven cobblestone battered my paws, but nothing could slow me down .

Penny wasn’t a shifter, but damn did she have fast legs .

“Penny, stay behind this could get dangerous!” I said .

“No, you need me !”

“Why?”

I stopped. The scent, the scent of them just disappeared .

“Because of that .”

“What? The scent? It disappeared. Impossible. Scents don’t vanish so abruptly…unless .”

“Yeah, he must’ve used a scent blocker .”

Penny threw her hands on her hips and huffed .

“That’s right,” Penny agreed, digging into her small purse. “But this is why you need me, because I have this.” She pulled out a mid-sized spray bottle. “You didn’t see me with this by the way,” she said as she spritzed the ground where the scent disappeared .

A glowing blue smoke began to rise, creating a path .

“Well, point proven,” I said, darting off on the path the smoke created .

We followed it all the way until I smelled smoke .

“Do you smell that ?”

“You mean that burning smell? Yeah, there’s smoke up ahead !”

My heart began to beat against my ribs as if it were trying to escape and outrun my own body. My mate couldn’t—he couldn’t be hurt. No !

An image of a wrecked white truck faded into view, obscured by the ribbons of smoke that wafted around it .

“Steven!” I roared, hoping to every god out there that he’d answer .

There was a spark of yellow, and the truck exploded before we could get any closer .

“Down!” I yelled, jumping on top of Penny. Debris and pieces of trees were blown all around us. Scraps of metal even littered the ground .

The smoke was heavy in the air, making it hard to breathe. Penny coughed, covering her mouth and nose from the black smoke .

When everything settled down and no more debris was falling, I ran to the charred remains to sniff around. Penny got up and approached behind me .

The man who was Steven’s boss was still in the truck, his remains were torched from the explosion .

“Oh, eww, oh my god!” Penny cried, covering her mouth .

But there was no sign of Steven. He must’ve gotten away. His feline instincts probably got him to a safe place .

I shifted into my human form. “Penny, I need your phone .”

She yanked it out of her purse and shoved it in my hand. I remembered Steven’s number by heart .

The phone rang .

Each ring made my heart beat .

Louder.

And.

Louder.

Three rings later… “Hello ?”

“Steven! Are you okay? Tell me where you are !”

Hearing his voice made my muscles relax to the point that I nearly collapsed from the release of tension .

“Drake, I’m so glad you called, I tried to call you, but — ”

“Penny said you were kidnapped, I shifted and I guess it fell .”

Penny clasped her hands together, happy that Steven was okay. “How'd you escape? That man’s truck crashed into a tree and exploded. I was scared to death that …”

Steven sighed. “I know. I cut his face and pulled his emergency break. That piece of shit tried to run me over when I got out, but you see how that turned out. I’m not too familiar with Wrendall Town, so I think I’m lost. But there’s a huge buffet where I’m at right now. I’d love it if you came…with money preferably, because that buffet is calling my name .”

“I know exactly where you are, and…” I glanced over at Penny, “I hope you don’t mind me bringing your friend along. She helped a lot .”

“Penny? Sure. Hope she doesn’t mind seeing me eat like a hog though .”

“I doubt she will .”

I hung up and placed the phone back in Penny’s hands. “Thank you again. Consider yourself a part of my pack. I appreciate your dedication to Steven .”

“No problem. He’s tough as nails. He even tried to get a tazer the first day he stepped into the store because of all the heat crazed Alphas and Omegas running around. So where are we off to now?” she asked, tucking her phone back in her bag .

“To the Lin-Ying Buffet Palace .”