She peeked back at Mike, who was acting like he wasn’t paying attention to them. She knew, though, that he could still hear every word, just like Eric and Kenny. But the other men in the room were doing their best to give her and her dad privacy.
“I think I would have,” she admitted. “I really do.”
He father beamed down at her. “I’m so happy! I am happy, right?”
She laughed. “Yes, yes, you’re happy, Dad.”
He hugged her tight again. They let go of each other and her dad walked over to Mike. He held out his hand. When Mike accepted the handshake, her dad murmured, “Just take care of my girl.”
Mike smiled. “I will.”
That taken care of, her dad turned back into the Alpha. “We have a lot to discuss.”
Everyone took a seat—her dad behind the desk, Eric and Kenny in the two chairs in front of him, and Becca and Mike side by side on the couch.
Eric updated everyone on the fire to her cottage. Mike shared his concern about someone in the Pack hiding Owen. And Kenny informed them that the cabin the humans were staying in was still under surveillance and they hadn’t moved. Also there was no sign of Owen near there.
“The humans may not be involved,” Eric noted.
Mike shook his head. “With the timing of them showing up and what has been overheard, I can’t see them not being involved.”
Kenny nodded. “I agree with Mike.”
Her dad leant back in his chair. “I want Owen found. Let’s keep an eye on the humans but Owen is our priority. I don’t know if he knew whether or not Becca was home but…” He shook his head.
Becca shivered just thinking of the possibility that she could have been home alone.
“I saw him at the diner last night,” Mike mentioned.
“I don’t remember seeing him,” Kenny said with a frown. “Damn, that makes me think he did believe Becca was home. And maybe you were with her.”
“Seems you may be making someone nervous,” Eric added.
“Yeah,” Mike agreed.
“Send out the men to look for Owen. I want him located today. I need to call the council and give them an update. Becca, we have to go through the cottage today.”
Everyone nodded.
Mike’s cell phone rang and he looked at the screen. He nodded towards her dad. “I need to take this.”
Her dad waved him off. “Go ahead.”
Mike walked out of the room and Becca couldn’t help but let her gaze follow him. Once he’d walked out of the door, she looked back around and saw the three men watching her with amusement.
“Oh, shut up,” she said with a laugh that broke the tension the previous conversation had brought to the room.
Mike answered Brandon’s call as he stepped into the hallway. “Hello.”
“Hey, man,” Brandon Stratton’s voice came through. “I got your message. I did a search on your guy. He doesn’t have a criminal background but I expected that since he’s a cop. But I did find something interesting.”
“What?” Mike asked, excited at the chance of having a lead.
“He was raised by a human mother. Didn’t join a Pack until he was in his mid-twenties. Five years ago in fact,” Brandon told him.
“Well, that’s different,” Mike observed. It was rare for a child shifter to grow up outside a Pack. He had met shifters who had gone Rogue once they were adults but it was unusual for a child to be without Pack. They needed the security and closeness other shifters offered while going through puberty.
“Yeah,” Brandon agreed. “I did a search on the rest of the family. Seems like Owen’s mom and dad were never married. Can’t find much more on the dad other than a name on a birth certificate. It’s like he just disappeared.”
Mike hummed.
Interesting
.
“The mom, however, did marry when Owen was five. Had two more children over the years,” Brandon provided. “But here is where it gets really interesting.”
Mike leaned against the wall of the hallway. Becca and Kenny walked out of the office and she stopped next to him. He pulled her close to his side. “Go on.”
“Owen’s step-father is Dan Carter,” Brandon announced.
“Carter? The preacher?” Mike asked, shocked. Becca stiffened beside him and Kenny frowned.
“Yes, that Carter,” Brandon confirmed. “So if Owen is involved you can almost be guaranteed his followers are also.”
“Damn,” Mike groaned. “This just got a whole lot more complicated.”
Dan Carter was the preacher of a religious organisation that was very vocal about how shifters were conceived from hell, how they were abominations, evil, and creatures that were a threat to humans.
“Watch your back,” Brandon said seriously. “Let me know if you need help.”
“Will do,” Mike promised. “Thanks, man.” He placed his phone in his back pocket.
“Dan Carter?” Kenny questioned.
Mike ran his hands over his face and looked up. Todd had come into the hallway from the kitchen and Alpha Nelson and Eric were now standing in the office doorway.
“We’ve got a huge problem,” Mike told them, and explained what Brandon had learnt.
Alpha Nelson started barking orders and placed the Pack on high alert. Mike admired the way the man thought and dealt with issues. Kenny was sent to update Kurt and the other men. Todd and Mike were to join the search for Owen—the need to get to him quickly now even more urgent. Becca and Eric would start informing the Pack about the alert, and Alpha Nelson would contact the council.
Mike kissed Becca quickly and followed Todd out to his SUV. He could tell that the younger shifter wasn’t exactly thrilled with being partnered with him for the day but Mike didn’t care.
There was no way he was going to let the crazy humans attack or hurt anyone else. He’d worked side by side with humans in the military for several years. He still remained friends with most of them. Even though they hadn’t been part of his unit, they had saved his ass a few times.
When the Packs had become public, several humans he had met over the years had reached out to him in support. For the most part, the majority of humans had been excited about the news.
It was a shame that one small group of humans could cause so much distrust and tension between the shifters and the rest of the people.
Todd started the truck and glanced over at him.
Mike had planned to ignore Todd but he’d had enough. “What exactly is your problem with me?” he asked bluntly.
Todd shook his head. “No problem,” he murmured.
“Yeah, right,” Mike scoffed.
Todd glared at him. “I’ve been friends with Becca all my life,” he finally said.
So the man was protective of his friend. Mike could appreciate that.
“Kenny has had to give up a lot for the Pack. He had to take his brother’s place when Kurt decided not to stay,” Todd went on.
“Okay,” Mike responded, not sure now where Todd was going.
Todd turned to him. Mike could see the strong emotions in his eyes. “I don’t to want to see my friend hurt. Becca’s been left behind before. It’s not fair to her.” Todd dropped his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. “Man, I haven’t seen her into anyone like this since…well, ever.”
The confession made Mike feel good. Made his blood pump and the wolf inside him stretch with contentment.
“I want to see her happy,” Todd finished.
“Hey, man,” Mike said earnestly, “I’m not here to hurt her. Becca… Becca was unexpected. But I wouldn’t have gotten involved with her if I didn’t think it could go somewhere. I can’t tell you where yet. I’m just not sure. But I can guarantee I will not hurt her on purpose.”
Todd nodded. “I guess that’s all I can ask for.”
Mike was glad Todd accepted his explanation. His relationship with Becca was moving fast but he wasn’t sure where that would lead.
“The thing is, Kenny found out about the two of you and started looking to the future. Excited for the first time in months,” Todd stated.
Mike wasn’t sure what that meant. “I don’t understand…”
Todd sighed. “He’d kill me for telling you but Kenny is hoping you stay around.”
Mike shrugged. He hadn’t thought about it but if things progressed with Becca it would have to be a possibility.
“Kenny never wanted to be head of security for the Pack. He likes his position but he doesn’t feel that is his true place.”
Mike remembered what Becca had told him and Todd’s words started to make sense. “He wants me to take over?” he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.
Todd bit his lip in worry. The action showed how young the man really was—at least ten years his junior. This had to be hard for him. “Just…maybe think about it.”
Mike reached over and grasped his shoulder. “You’re a good friend and a good…boyfriend?”
Todd chuckled. “Yeah,” he admitted, dropping his head. “Does that bother you?”
Mike patted his shoulder. “Nah, man. I think it’s great. As long as you’re good to each other and are committed. We should all be so lucky.”
Todd blew out a breath. “Alpha Nelson knows. So do a few others. We haven’t told the entire Pack, though. It shouldn’t be a problem.” He shrugged. “But you never know.”
“I understand. But I have several friends that are involved in same sex relationships. My unit leader is even mated to another man,” he told Todd. He just didn’t mention that Casey’s mate was also the feline Prince. “People are more accepting than you would think. And if they have a problem with it? Fuck them.”
Todd grinned. “Yeah.”
“Now let’s find this asshole so we can get back,” Mike declared.
“You got it, man. I thought we would look close to the humans. If Owen is related to them he might not be with them, but I would bet he is staying pretty close to the only support he has left.”
“I like it,” Mike approved.
They started off while Todd filled him in on several places that he wanted to check out. They would stay in town since Kurt and his men had the outside pretty much covered.
It took twenty minutes to get to the first location.
“I would like to shift,” Mike decided. They were far enough that he shouldn’t be spotted by any humans.
“Good idea,” Todd agreed.
Mike opened his door and started to strip. He left his boots and socks on the floorboard and yanked off his shirt. He stood beside the SUV and shucked his jeans.
Todd stood at the back of the vehicle keeping an eye out.
Mike dropped to his knees and started his shift.
Once in his animal form, he felt freed. He trotted over to Todd.
“Ready?” Todd asked.
Mike butted his head against Todd’s side then took off, determined to end this game with Owen.
Chapter Nine
It had been a hard afternoon but Becca knew the calls she’d made had needed to be done. She stood and stretched her arms over her head.
She glanced at her watch—it was almost dinner time. She hoped the teams that had headed out to search for Owen had some luck. Becca was honestly scared now that they’d learnt Preacher Carter and his followers were involved. The unknown of what Carter wanted terrified her. Her family had been targeted and the Pack needed to be careful.
She left the living room that she had taken over to get her calls made and walked to her dad’s office. The door was closed so she knocked until she heard his command to enter.
He glanced up at her when she walked in and although he looked tired, he smiled at her.
“How’s it going, Dad?” she asked moving around the desk to hug him.
He sighed. “Better now.”
She grinned at him before taking a seat in the chair in front of him. “Did you talk to the council?”
“Yes, they are very worried about what Carter and his congregation’s connection means. And why we were targeted when there are bigger and more public Packs out there,” he shared.
“Do they have a theory?” she asked.
If anyone could figure it out, it had to be the council, eight powerful, dominant wolves that at one time had been Alphas of their own territories.
The experience and knowledge that the council brought to the Packs was undeniable. The wolves were lucky to have the support.
The several shifter species had different ways to support and govern themselves. It was one of the reasons they had received such support by the world’s leaders. They had existed in secret for so long because they followed laws of their species.
The felines followed a royal line, the bears and most water species had a dominance order, and the birds were fashioned after the military. Most, however, had a small group of leaders. Like the wolves’ Alpha council.
“Their fear is that as we’re the Pack closest to the council, they may be the ultimate target,” her dad informed her.
She couldn’t contain her gasp. “They wouldn’t really go after the council, would they?”
Her dad’s shoulders drooped. “I believe they would. The council has already gotten involved by asking for help for us. That’s why Mike is here.”
“So if something were to happen to Mike…” She trailed off not able to finish the thought. “Oh God, Dad!”
He nodded. “I know. I sent Kenny to find Mike and Todd and get them back here. We need to come up with a better plan.”
Becca’s pulse picked up and she felt her wolf scratching to get out and protect Mike. She fisted her hands and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.
She’d just found Mike. The chance that he could be hurt…or worse?
A hand gripped hers and she opened her eyes to see her dad kneeling in front of her.
“Calm down, sweetie. It will be okay,” he soothed her.
It took several minutes but she finally got herself under control.
“Good girl,” he praised.
“I won’t let anything happen to him,” she told her dad.
He smiled. “No, we won’t.”
The phone on the desk rang and her dad rose to answer it. “Hello?”
Kenny’s panicked voice came over the line. “Alpha! I found Todd’s vehicle but there is no sign of him or Mike. I’ve got Ryan and Adam out here but the scent is at least a couple hours old. There…there are signs of struggle.”
Her dad’s eyes met hers. “Where?”
Kenny gave him directions and her dad hung up and motioned for her to follow him. “Let’s go.”
Tears blurred her eyes but she raced out of the house behind him.