Abandoned (27 page)

Two days later Daniel’s cell rang in the early hours of the morning. He was growing tired of hearing the ring tone. Every time he picked it up it filled him with nothing but stress. He held Allison tighter as he lifted the damn phone to his ear. The clock was ticking. Everyone, including Jerard, agreed it was time for Allison to leave the base. It wasn’t safe for her there. And in spite of Jerard’s promise to give Daniel a few weeks with his new mate, they needed him on active duty ASAP. Every able body was being mobilized in quick order. That included Daniel.

“Hello?” He hadn’t bothered to glance at the caller ID before answering.

Allison made a small noise and squirmed against him.

“Spencer. It’s Jerard.”

Daniel sat up straighter. He’d spoken several times with Jerard, but not usually before the sun came up. He waited.

“The jig is up concerning the chip.”

“Shit. What happened?” Daniel had hoped it would take the Romulus longer to track the moving chip no longer attached to Allison and/or at least longer to care enough to go after her.

“Three of our men placed it in a remote location in the middle of Utah and then surrounded the site and waited. It didn’t take long after they stopped moving for half a dozen men in camouflage to creep up to the house. The Romulus must have been tailing our guys the entire time, just waiting for us to stop moving.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“No. Not NAR anyway. Those six bastards are going to be hurting when they wake up
,
though. Transport is on the way back here with them secured in a detention vehicle. We’ll question their asses first chance we get.”

Daniel waited for the next shoe to fall. “Go on.”

“I spoke with Evan earlier too. A shifter was lurking around the dude ranch again. Evan says his people believe it was the same guy. When that guy reports back, things could get ugly in a hurry.”

“Do you think the ranch is in trouble?”

“It’s possible. I was hoping we would head that off by moving the women who’d been tracked to a secure location. But I don’t trust these guys. You never know what might happen.”

“Why didn’t our men just snag the spy and bring him in?”

“Seemed prudent not to let the Romulus know we were onto them. Instead I sent more troops there to protect your family’s property. Another dozen are en route now.”

Daniel cringed when he glanced down to find Allison staring up at him, her hand over his chest.

“It’s time to move Allison.”

“I know.” He swallowed as he looked into her eyes. He knew she could hear every word Jerard spoke.

“I’m sending a car in fifteen minutes, Daniel. We can’t risk it anymore. We don’t have any idea what the Romulus is capable of
,
and we can’t risk her life to find out.”

“I know,” he muttered. “She’ll be ready.”

“Okay. I know this is hard. We’ll go with the plan you and I discussed yesterday.”

Daniel nodded, even though Jerard couldn’t see him. What mattered most was Allison at this moment, and the fact that he had about thirteen minutes left with her before she left.

“After you see your mate off safely, I think you should head home also. Make sure everyone is safe. I’ll contact you again later.” Jerard hung up.

Daniel set the phone on the bedside table and turned to take Allison in his embrace. For the first time since he’d been a full-grown man
,
he swallowed a lump of aggravation so tight in his throat it threatened tears. He wouldn’t let them fall in front of her
,
of course, but they were just beneath the surface.

“It’s going to be okay,” she mumbled into his chest. She lifted her face to his. “I need to get dressed.”

He nodded but didn’t move to release her. Instead he settled his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply as though without that he might forget her scent as soon as she walked out the door.

Realistically he knew this was the best course of action. He couldn’t keep her safe here. No one could. There was every possibility war would break out right on this base. Besides, he needed his head entirely in the game if that happened. And to do that, he needed to be training alongside everyone else every day. Not hanging out having sex with his woman.

Allison wiggled free of his clutch. She smiled as she scooted to the edge of the bed and dressed quickly. He hated every second that another inch of her skin got covered in clothes. It was cool outside
,
and besides
,
she needed to dress warmly for any eventuality.

Daniel stood on the opposite side of the bed, pulled on his jeans and a T-shirt and grabbed his tennis shoes. His gut clenched as he sat on the edge of the bed to tie the laces. He hated this moment more than any other in his life. It hurt so bad his chest felt tight.

Allison came to his side after she finished dressing. She wrapped her arms around his middle and eased between his legs. She pulled his head to her chest. “I’m going to be fine. And so are you. Just keep yourself alive for me, please.”

Daniel lifted his gaze and grasped her waist tighter than necessary. “Nothing will happen to me. I promise. Please always stay alert. I need to know you’re safe at all times.”

“I will.” She nodded and then kissed his forehead as a knock sounded at the door.

Daniel flinched as though the visitor were unexpected. He took her face in both hands and kissed her soundly before releasing her to stand and step over to the door.

He never let go of her hand, even as he grabbed the bag they’d packed two days ago from beside the door to their room.

When he opened the door to the hall, a somber man in full gear stood outside. They nodded at each other
,
and Daniel followed him down the hall and into the elevator, still grasping Allison with one hand and her duffle with the other.

When they stepped outside, he led her to the awaiting car. The sun was starting to peak over the horizon. Not an unreasonable hour for anyone to be leaving the base. Many cars would leave at the same time, some as decoys to ensure no one possibly watching outside the base could discern any particular pattern.

Daniel kissed Allison briefly beside the car. Neither the man who’d led them outside nor the driver of the vehicle paid them any attention, thankfully giving him a moment with his mate.

“I love you,” he said as he stared into her eyes again.

“I love you too.” A tear slipped from one eye
,
and he wiped it away with his thumb.

Allison didn’t say another word as she climbed into the back seat of the car and then squirmed down onto the floor. The plan was for her to remain out of sight as they drove away so no one would suspect a solitary member of NAR driving a plain car home at the end of his shift.

Daniel shut the back door, his hands shaking. Lord
,
how he wished for another time and place. If the universe would please just open up a rift and let him slide into a different dimension with his mate right now, he’d be grateful.

But he didn’t get his wish, and he stood rigid as he watched the car drive away until it rounded the corner and he could no longer see it.

Only he and Jerard knew where Allison was headed. Even the driver was on a need-to-know basis right then. New York had been totally out of the question. But there were safe houses around the city, and Daniel felt confident they’d made a good choice.

•●•

Tarson gasped to gain his breath as he paused. He’d been running in wolf form for over an hour. He’d known the risk of returning to that fucking ranch was great, but he’d done the job anyway. What other choice did he have
,
really? And his support for the Romulus grew every time he spoke to his superior.

These bitches thought they could run off and leave their mates had a lesson coming to them. Unfortunately he didn’t think anyone higher up the totem pole at the Romulus was going to be pleased to find out how little he knew.

At least he’d escaped their clutches again. He’d remained at a great distance this time, relying heavily on the binoculars he wore in a pack around his neck until he could get close enough to shift and spy on the ranch without being detected.

He waited until he’d reached his car, shifted, dressed, and had put several more miles between him and the ranch before making the call to his superior.

“Tarson. Thank God. I’ve been waiting on you. I was growing concerned.”

“I’m fine.” Though Tarson doubted that was what his superior meant when he said he was concerned.

“What’d you find out?”

“Several of the women seem to have left. Only six remain that I saw.”

“That’s exactly what I suspected.”

“How could you?”

“I have other intel also. Always good to have confirmation, though.”

“Well unless some of them are hiding on the property and never come outside, only six are left.”

“Will you be able to identify which six are still there if I give you pictures?”

“Maybe.”

“How many shifters are still guarding them?”

“Interestingly the same number. It didn’t appear their security was any more lax than last time I went.”

“Good job, Tarson. You’ve done a great service. You’re information is invaluable.”

“That’s all? I’m done?”

“Yep. I’ll get you photos of the women ASAP so you can try to identify them.”

Tarson glanced out the rearview mirror to make sure he wasn’t being followed. He was headed straight out of town. He wouldn’t stop until he reached his hotel and dropped into bed to sleep for twenty hours. He was that exhausted.

•●•

Henry hung up with Tarson and immediately hit the speed dial for his superior.

“Yes.”

“Sir, six of the women are missing.”

“Any idea which ones?”

“No. But I’m sending photos to my man to see if he can identify which ones are still at the ranch and which ones left.” Henry flipped the pen he held in his hand around and around his fingers. When his nerves got the better of him
,
it fell to the desk.

“Shit.” The older man paused, probably thinking.

“Do you suppose we’ve been duped?”

“Oh, I don’t suppose anything. You don’t need to send photos to your man. I know exactly who is on that ranch and who isn’t.”