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“THIS IS THE PLACE YOU wanted to come?” Razor, a descendant of Grandfather and a guest of Silas, asked his mate, Trista. “There are a lot of full-bloods and breeds here.” He stood behind her looking at the huge building that housed a large number of stores.

“Yes, I want to buy some clothes and a few things for the house to go with the furniture,” she said turning to face him. “Is this difficult for you? We can order things online if you prefer.”

Jarcee had been assigned to help the new pack members acclimate to the area and pack life. He had warned Razor about this before they left the compound. Newly mated pairs didn’t venture into places like this; his beast would not allow anyone brushing against her, no matter how innocent. If they persisted he would call La Patron before allowing them to go inside. For now, he stood a short distance and hoped sane minds prevailed.

“This isn’t a good idea, there are too many people, my beast is uneasy,” Razor said drawing her close. “I understand now what our friend tried to explain earlier, it’s too soon.”

Trista looked at the mall and then nodded. “Okay. There is a store near home, we can stop and order what we want.”

Or you can go home, turn on the computer and order anything just as easily, Jarcee thought but didn’t say anything.

“That is a good compromise, don’t you agree?” Razor looked at Jarcee.

“Yes, it is,” Jarcee said looking around searching for the sound he heard. He held up his finger and started walking away from the car. The sound grew louder. It was a child.

Jarcee walked faster and stopped at a car with a couple kids sitting in the back seat. One child was crying and the other sat looking out the other window.

“Are you alright?” Jarcee asked.

The child looking out the other window jerked and stared wide-eyed at him.

“Are you alright?” Jarcee asked again, slowly so not to scare either of them.

The kid nodded. The one crying stopped and stared at him. “He always cries when my mom leaves us in the car. She had to go to the store, she’ll be back soon.” The kid shrugged as if sitting in a locked car in the middle of the mall parking lot was the most natural thing in the world.

“Okay.” Jarcee turned and headed back to his vehicle. “Sir?”

“Jarcee? Is everything alright?” Silas said.

“Is it normal for humans to leave their children locked in cars in parking lots at the mall?” He was confused. It seemed negligent to him, he would never have done it with any child left in his care.

“One second.” A few moments later, he returned. “Jasmine says it’s not normal and if she were there she would call the police. Is Razor and Trista with you? At a mall?”

“Yes. They’ve decided there are too many people to go inside, we were leaving when I heard the child crying.”

“Crying?”

Jarcee gave a full explanation.

“Good thing Jasmine isn’t there. Wait around a bit, if the mother doesn’t return in 10 - 15 minutes call it in. If you don’t my mate will try and drive out there.” He sighed. “Who does that to their kids?”

Jarcee had no answer and didn’t respond. He returned to his vehicle, explained what happened to Razor and Trista and leaned against the truck to wait. The child had started crying again. The pitiful sound tugged on Jarcee’s heart reminding him of the days when the pups were smaller in the nursery and he’d stood guard. It always bothered him when they cried, even for a short period before their nurses or Mistress took care of them.

Someone else, a black woman with a short haircut, walked over to the car. Jarcee wondered if she were their mother but doubted it because she came from another part of the parking lot. Like him, she asked questions, looked around and then pulled out her phone. He could feel her frustration and aggravation. Feisty thing, he thought, watching her. She stood around 5’6 or 5’7, nice curves, smooth skin. If he was alone he would say hello.

Jarcee smiled. The woman called the police. He decided to wait and make sure before leaving, just in case she hadn’t called the cops, but someone else.

Losing Sarita to kidnappers was never far from his thoughts; he’d been extremely vigilant over his charges since then. A few minutes later a police car drove past them. The woman with the short hair waved to stop them.

The police car pulled up behind the vehicle with the children. The officer walked over and talked to them before looking around. He took the kids out and placed them in the back seat of the police car where it was cooler. Jarcee hadn’t thought of that when he spoke with them. They had to be uncomfortable in this warm weather.

The woman and the cop talked a little longer, and then she walked off. Something about her called to his wolf. She smelled divine and walked with her head high, facing forward. She looked classy like Mistress and dressed really nice.

“Police are here,” Trista said.

Jarcee continued staring at the woman until she entered the mall. What was it about her that attracted his beast?

Jarcee nodded and returned to the driver’s seat. He’d just started the car when a woman ran behind them yelling and waving her hand. “Where are my babies?” she asked the police officer.

“In the air condition of my car,” the officer said.

The woman started explaining; claiming she was only inside for a minute or two, but the cop didn’t buy it. Good for him, Jarcee thought as they drove by. Some people weren’t cut out to have pups. He looked in the rear-view mirror at Razor and Trista. Would they make good parents? Probably. Trista was a natural nurturer, which worked well for her mate.

“Stop! Hey!” the kid yelled out the window.

The police turned and waved for Jarcee to stop.

“Sir, the police just stopped me,” Jarcee said.

“What? Why?” Silas asked.

Jarcee rolled down his window and smiled at the kid in the back seat.

“Hi,” the little boy said. “Are you going home?”

Jarcee nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at the officer who walked over to him.

“You know these boys?” the cop asked.

“Not really. I heard the little one crying about 10 minutes ago and checked on them.” He glanced at the red-faced woman who was talking on the phone wiping tears.

“That was 10 minutes ago?” the cop said looking at the woman.

Jarcee shrugged and looked at the boys.

“Were the windows rolled up or down?” the cop asked.

“Down a little, not all the way up or down.”

“You said the little one was crying?” the officer looked at Razor and Trista in the back before returning to Jarcee.

“Yes, I heard him across the parking lot.”

“Do you know why he was crying?” the cop asked.

Jarcee hadn’t asked. “No. The older one said he always cried when she left them in the car.”

The cop looked at the woman again and then at Jarcee. “Can I have your name and number, we may need you to come in and provide a statement.”

“Sure,” Jarcee gave him the information. “Just so you know I was going to call it in but I saw the lady walk over to them and she beat me to it.”

“Why didn’t you call it in immediately?” the cop asked.

Jarcee didn’t want to get involved but that happened anyway. “I thought she had just run in and was coming right out, that’s the way the older one made it seem.”

“Sounds like this is a pattern,” the cop murmured as he continued typing on his tablet.

Jarcee looked at the boys again and smiled. The older one looked at him and then at his mom, and then at the cop. He seemed too young to look that worried. Maybe this had happened before.

“Thank you for your time,” the officer said stepping away. Another car pulled up behind the police car. A woman stepped out and identified herself as someone from Social Services. The mother started crying in earnest as Jarcee drove off. He updated La Patron who was glad the cop didn’t want much else.

“Which store are we going to?” Jarcee asked them as he pulled onto the highway and headed toward the compound.

“The place with the furniture,” Trista said. “I’ll look in the book and order towels and linens, that kind of thing. Good thing we bought groceries yesterday.” She looked at Razor.

“I’m still hungry,” he said before kissing her forehead. “We can eat while we’re out.” He looked at Jarcee. “Do you have time for that?”

Jarcee nodded. “I have to be back by seven tonight, so we’re good.”

Trista relaxed and leaned against Razor. No one would guess a few months ago her sister tried to kill her and take Razor as her mate. Trista had been sold into servitude in Mexico with an uncertain fate until Renee and Storm, her mate, arrived. Trista’s luck started changing on that day. She was like a child living in wonderland, wanting to see and try everything at least once.