“It’s not that I don’t want your help. I just don’t know how to accept it. I don’t want to live like I have been. To trust you and your clan is asking a lot from me. What happens when you find out my secret? You’ll want nothing to do with me. Then I’ve risked everything and I’m back to square one.” Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall. She tried to hold them back. Her hesitation boiled down to not wanting to be alone, and not wanting to run anymore. She longed to be able to trust Adam, to have him by her side, even after he discovered her secret.
He reached out to her. She wanted to accept his touch yet she refused herself the luxury. Any contact with Adam right now would be the final straw that broke the dam holding back her tears. Taking a step aside, she watched him frown and his hand fell away. She saw the disappointment clear in his eyes.
“Like it or not, I’m your mate. Even though we haven’t completed the mating, we are still bound. It’s my job to keep you safe. I’ll protect you. You’re not getting rid of me, no matter how hard you try. I swear you won’t be alone again. Please let me help you.”
In that instant, she almost told him everything. It would be such a relief to confide in someone. Before she could come clean, his cell phone rang, stealing the moment and once again returning those second thoughts to the forefront.
Adam clipped his cell phone on his belt, watching Robin from the kitchen. If Ty hadn’t called, she would have told him what she was hiding. The delay wouldn’t stop him from getting to the truth. He swallowed a mouthful of water, and then tossed the bottle in the trash before walking into the living room to confront her again.
“Everything okay?” She turned away from the window to face him.
“Who is Eugene German?”
Her face paled more than he thought possible. He was concerned she was going to faint. Her anxiety coursed through him as if it was his own. He wanted to go to her, to tell her that whatever she was hiding she didn’t have to tell him, but he couldn’t offer her that comfort. The clan’s need for this information weighed more than a little discomfort for his mate. Adam couldn’t risk more innocent people dying because his mate didn’t understand the evil they were up against.
“Robin, why does that name instill fear in you? You need to tell me who he is. We don’t have time to play games here. Pierce will kill again. Are you willing to risk someone’s life because of this secret?” He had to get this information before Raja and Bethany stopped by this evening. Raja would definitely not have as much patience, and Adam didn’t want to put his mate through a grueling interrogation.
“He’s dead,” she blurted out.
“I know that. What I need to know is who he is. What is your connection to him?”
She stepped toward the couch, sinking onto it, no longer met his gaze. “He was my father. He died a year ago. What does he have to do with this?”
“Connor found information on him. I want to hear it from you.” He sat beside her, taking her hand in his. He hoped to give her what comfort he could. “Tell me.”
“My father was a scientist. A few months before he died, one of his office assistants came to him, begging for help. She was bit by a shifter and wanted to know if there was a way to reverse the effects. I don’t have any proof. I believe it was Pierce or one of his main people. Bobby said some things about Pierce that led me to believe this. My father wasn’t able to find an immediate cure and didn’t have time to complete his studies, because his car was run off the road. He died at the crash site. I can’t make heads or tails of his notes, but I think Pierce believed my father was close to a discovery that might have cured anyone bitten. He had my father killed.” Tears fell down her cheeks.
“How do you know someone connected to Pierce killed your father?”
“It wasn’t a connection, it
was
Pierce. Damn it! He made Bobby drive the car that ran my father off the road, and I was on the phone when it happened. It was just like the night Pierce killed Bobby. Pierce always wanted me to know, every damn time he had me on the phone.” Talking about Bobby reminded her of the night he was murdered. “Our marriage was over long before that night, but to hear Bobby trade my life for his confirmed the end. The night before Pierce killed Bobby, I reviewed my father’s notes from the tests he ran on his assistant. Bobby told Pierce what I read, making Pierce’s desire to find me even stronger.”
Adam removed his hand from hers and pulled her against him. “I’ll protect you, I promise.”
“You said I don’t know what Pierce is capable of. I do, he killed two people I cared about. I don’t want to be another notch on his belt.” Leaning into his embrace, she rested her head on his chest.
“We’re closing in on him. We just have to find his location.” His hand slid down her arm.
“He’s mainly in Boston. He also has a place in Virginia where he goes often. Bobby met Pierce on one of his trips to Boston. His company had a branch in Boston and he did a lot of work out of Virginia as well.”
He lifted her chin with his finger, titling her head so he could gaze into her eyes. “Do you know the address?”
Nodding, her eyes reflected fear again. “I have Bobby’s calendar. He kept notes on everything. But you can’t go. Pierce will kill you.” Her fingers dug into his shirt, balling it into fists and scratching his skin. “Please, I don’t want to be alone again. Don’t go!”
“Shhh, love. Nothing’s going to happen to me.” He hugged her tight. “I need his calendar, and your father’s notes. Doc might be able to decipher them.”
* * *
An hour later, Adam stood next to Robin in the conference room. Her fear nearly made the air unbreathable. Being surrounded by the Elders and their guards was more than she could handle, so thankfully the Elders understood she wouldn’t be able to tell them what they needed to know if fear controlled her. With that in mind, only Ty, Tabitha, Raja, Bethany, and Felix were present in the room.
“Robin, Doc is going through your father’s notes now, and Connor is searching the addresses in Bobby’s book. Did Bobby ever mention anything particular about any of the places? Maybe Pierce’s favorite stops on his travels, something that might narrow the search down?” Ty sat next to his mate, watching Robin. To Ty’s credit he tried to sound less intimidating, but as the Alpha, it was nearly impossible for him to sound less authoritative than what he was.
Adam sensed ripples of fear running through Robin. Even with his arms around her it wasn’t enough to get her past the panic that hung in the balance He kissed her temple and nuzzled his body against hers. “It’s okay, Love.”
“Adam’s right, there’s nothing to fear. We mean you no harm, Robin. Our goal is to take Pierce and his gang of rogues down. His demise will keep you, our mates, and our clan safe. Once we learn more, you and Adam can go back to his cabin. We’ll do our best to give you the time you need to adjust to your mate, and this whole situation.” Ty leaned forward, placing his hand on the table. Tabitha then laid her hand over his.
Robin shook her head. “I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt. If I tell you where Pierce might be, someone else could be killed.”
“Shapeshifters are a little more resistant than weres that were bitten like Pierce,” Tabitha said. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt, especially from my clan, but if we don’t stop him he
will
kill again. We have to remove Pierce and his gang before more innocent people die.”
“We’d rather take the fight to him, than risk our women and children,” Ty added. “Connor and Lukas are very good at what they do. They’ll narrow the search even without you. However the time you could save us, might prevent another death.”
Adam understood his Alpha’s persistence. Robin’s delay could cost a life. Shifters had benefits over bitten weres. Humans had nothing. They were easy prey. Pierce had already proven he had no quarrels about killing anyone in his way. “Love, we need to know more about Pierce’s location in order to keep you and our clan safe. The longer the delay, the higher the risk is for all of us. We left Pierce’s men back in Texas, but it won’t take long before they realize I brought you to Alaska. Pierce will come up with a plan, sending the rogues here after you and the clan. That will give us some time. I’d rather take him down before he can devise a plan of attack on the compound.”
Adam wasn’t completely sure Pierce wouldn’t risk his men without a plan. Adam kept that thought to himself to keep Robin from being more on edge. He’d protect his mate from the evil of Pierce and the dangers of shifter life as long as he could. She was fragile, never having any experience with shifters until Pierce dragged her into it. Robin had spirit, but everything she had gone through the last few months had taken its toll. She was probably inches away from a complete breakdown. Shifter life wasn’t for the weak. If Robin gained enough confidence, it would make her a stronger woman and a stronger mate.
She let out a deep sigh, and nodded. “I accompanied Bobby to Boston on a business trip, to visit a friend who lived there. The address in Boston is for a warehouse. I had to wait outside for him, so I can’t give you the layout. It’s on the outskirts of town and there’s nothing around. They knew we were coming before we arrived because they called Bobby’s cell to tell me I had to wait in the car at the gate while he went it. The gate was maybe a hundred and fifty feet from the building. They’ll see you first. It will be a death trap. Please, there’s got to be another way.”
“I didn’t say we would attack there, we just need to know about the location. We’ll figure out something that will swing the favor in our direction. I won’t risk my people unless I believe we can kill Pierce.” Ty turned in his chair. “Felix, get Connor on the phone.”
While Felix called Connor on the conference room phone, Raja stepped away from Bethany’s chair. “Was there a set schedule when Pierce would be in Boston over the place in Virginia?”
“Bobby’s travels were the same sometimes. Maybe if you look in his calendar. We didn’t talk about Pierce often. I didn’t even know about him until Bobby got in trouble and went to Pierce to bail him out.” Robin’s body stiffened under Adam’s hands. “There’s a house in Virginia. I believe Bobby said he was there a lot, always alone. That area might be your best course of action if you’re going to attack before Pierce does. It might give you an advantage you won’t have in Boston, but I don’t know if he’s there.”
“Don’t worry, we have scouts to find him and then we’ll get a plan in place,” Ty said, as Felix scooted the phone across the table to him. “Connor, you there?”
“I’m here. I was going through Bobby’s calendar. I think I found a pattern.” The wolf shifter’s voice was rattled from the background noise of computers. Connor’s fingers could be heard speeding across the keyboard. Their geek wolf shifter was always busy on his computer unless he was asleep.
“Good. See if you can figure out if Pierce is in Virginia. If not, then where he might be.” Ty turned to Tabitha when she placed her hand on his.
“Connor, the address in Virginia is Victor’s house. Find out everything you can about it. There was work done. It has a hidden room, and I think there’s someone living in it.” Tabitha frowned.
“Someone is hiding out in that room?” The sound of Connor’s fingers typing on the keyboard stopped, leaving an eerie silence over the phone.
“I saw it in Victor’s thoughts. It didn’t make sense then. Hurry, Connor, I can’t explain why, but I know urgency is a must.” Tabitha squeezed her eyes shut.
“I will. I’ll get Lukas in here to look into Boston so I can focus on the house in Virginia. I’ll contact you as soon as I find anything.” Connor ended the call.
“Tabby, what is it?” Ty wrapped his arm around the back of his mate.
“I can’t put my finger on it. I just know we have to hurry. I need time to put all the pieces together. Everything I saw in Victor’s head is a jumbled mess in my head now.” She leaned her head against Ty’s shoulder.
“I’m going to take Tabitha back to our quarters.” Ty rose, holding Tabitha’s hand. “Robin, if you think of anything, please let us know. Adam, meet me in my quarters eight tonight. If Connor finds information before then, we’ll contact you.” Ty and Tabitha left the room, Felix falling into step behind them.
Bethany rose from her chair and walked to Robin and Adam. “I’m not sure if you remember me or not. I’m Bethany Thompson, now Bethany Harrison. I was a few years ahead of you in school. I knew Bobby. I’m sorry for your loss and for everything you’re dealing with. I know you’re scared to be here, surrounded by so many shifters, but it is the safest place for you.”
“I remember seeing you around school. How did you end up here? Are you…?”
“No, I’m not a shifter. Raja rescued me from the clutches of one of Pierce’s men. I’m mated to Raja and this is my home now.” Bethany slid her arm around Raja’s waist, avoiding the gun sitting in his shoulder holster.
“What about your family? Surely they don’t approve of you being with a shifter. Or aren’t they allowed to know about his second nature?” The astonishment was clear in Robin’s voice.
“Pierce killed my parents and my younger sister, Jamie. If they were alive, they would want me happy, and Raja makes me happy. Being a shifter isn’t something to be ashamed of, or for others to think less of them. I’m proud to have a shifter mate. He stands up for those who can’t. It doesn’t matter if they are shifters or human, Raja and the rest of the Alaskan Tigers will fight for them. I couldn’t have asked for a better man to have by my side.” Bethany smiled at her mate. The love they shared was clear.
Adam had told her that Bethany’s family was one of Pierce’s victims, her words had been heartless. If Robin could get Bethany to see through whatever spell it was that Raja had on her, maybe it wasn’t too late to save her. “What about your future? You’re willing to give up children? A normal life? Everything?”