Mate Claimed

“Who? A priest or priestess?” Iona was still a bit fuzzy on Shifter religion. So much to learn.

“A clan leader or Shiftertown leader,” Eric said. “I’m both, but I can’t mate bless myself. Graham’s the equivalent rank for now, but I don’t want him doing it, so I’ll have to bring in outside help. For now…” Eric kissed her again and released her. “Do whatever, but stay near Cass, Diego, Jace, or Nell. They’ll protect you when I’m not here. I hate to leave, but I need to see Graham and talk to some of the wolves that were abducted.”

Yes, he needed to figure out what had happened. Eric was leader, which meant, despite his statements last night that he would rather mate with Iona than anything else, he had plenty to take care of.

“Do whatever,” Cassidy repeated, shaking her head at her brother. “You’re such a male, Eric. Iona has tons to do. We need to move her in here, bring stuff from her house, move Jace’s stuff downstairs, redecorate Jace’s room, and introduce her to all the other females in Shiftertown, since she’ll be their alpha now—”

“Wait, what?” Iona stared at her. “Why will I be their alpha? You’re Eric’s sister—his second-in-command, right?”

“Second in the clan, but you’re top female, and all the other females will respect that,” Cassidy said. “Don’t worry, you’ll catch on.”

Iona hoped so. It was difficult though—she was surprised how difficult it was—to kiss Eric good-bye and watch him walk away between the houses in his nonchalant stroll to return to the business of being leader.

Eric spent his morning talking to the Shifters who’d been abducted. Graham insisted on accompanying him to every interview, stating that the wolves wouldn’t let a strange Feline ask the questions, Shiftertown leader or no. Eric knew the truth of this, so he let Graham precede him and introduce him.

The new Shifters lived in houses vacated by Felines, Lupines, and bears of this Shiftertown as late as yesterday. Most of the new wolves didn’t want Eric inside their homes, indicating with body language, scowls, or outright declarations to Graham that they’d talk to Eric—maybe—but only outside.

The wolves who’d been abducted could tell Eric very little, but one female whose son was in his teenage years did remember some of it.

“The bus pulled off the highway,” the woman said, while her lanky son stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. “It was very late, and most of us were asleep, but I looked out the window, thinking we’d stopped for gas or at a rest area. I was hoping I’d be able to get out and stretch my legs.

“But some men got on the bus—humans. They walked down the row, stopping at every seat. I wasn’t sure at first what they were doing, then I realized they were sticking needles into every Shifter, tranquilizing them. Most of them were already groggy—I think they put something in the water bottles they provided, but I hadn’t drunk from mine. I tried to fight when they came for me—I screamed, but they jabbed my son, and then they got the needle into my neck.”

Her son rubbed her shoulders, his distress scent nearly overwhelming hers. Graham put a hand on the boy’s and nodded for the woman to go on.

“They must not have gotten enough into me, because I came to when they were taking me out of a cage in a hospital room or clinic somewhere,” she said. “They strapped me down to a bed, and I was too weak and sleepy to fight them.

“Then some doctors came. At least, they wore white coats, surgical masks, and sterile caps. I almost peed myself, I was so scared they were going to kill me, but all they did was draw a little blood and scrape some skin into a tube. Then they left me alone. I thought they were prepping me for something, but I was too exhausted to stay awake. I passed out again, and when I woke up, we were on another bus, and he was there.” She pointed at Eric. “But my son was back with me, and everything was fine. Well, as fine as it could be.”

Her son leaned down to embrace her, shutting out Eric and even Graham, his worry and emotion pouring from him.

“They were human, these doctors?” Eric asked.

The woman nodded around her son’s shoulder. “They all smelled human. No Shifter or half Fae or…” She shrugged. “Nothing but human.”

“Dead humans if I find them,” Graham rumbled.

Eric didn’t disagree. He touched both the female and her son on their shoulders. “Thank you,” he said. “We’ll let you rest now.” He gentled his voice as he said a Goddess blessing, and the two Lupines looked startled but grateful.

“We know Kellerman hired the bus to take the Shifters out there,” Eric said to Graham as they left the house. Across the street, the Shiftertown fence had come down, and surveyors were marking the ground with stakes for the new houses. The bus driver had gotten it out of his boss that Kellerman had asked for the bus. The boss had almost bragged that someone so prominent in town had wanted their services.

“But we don’t know why,” Graham said. “I really, really want to find out.”

“We’ve already put Kellerman on the defensive. But I’m thinking someone else on the Shifter council might be easier to crack. Kellerman is the only one not afraid of us. The others are scared witless.”

Graham twined his fingers together and stretched his arms, knuckles cracking. “Let me do it.”

Eric eyed him. “All right.”