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"Riley and I are bears," Zack said, and Mo grinned.

"Wow."

"Wolves are the most common type, but we've managed a few surprises over the years," Zack added.

Mo shrugged. “I’ve definitely never done that. How do you know about my mom?”

“Because part of my job is dealing with crimes committed by or against, shifters. A lot of missing person reports involving shifters come to me. Your mom’s sister, Janelle, reported her missing six years ago.”

“What?” Mo gasped.

“You didn’t know she had been reported missing?” Daniel asked.

“No, well, yes I suppose, but what I mean is I didn’t know Mom had a sister. She told me she grew up in foster homes.” Victor could feel the bewilderment and hurt coming off Mo in waves and cautiously moved his chair closer so they were touching. He took back his hand. Zack did the same.

“She ran away from her pack when she met your dad. Her pack didn’t approve of mixed mating.”

“With humans, you mean?”

Daniel nodded, but Victor knew he also meant different shifter species. He was glad no one was dumping that information on Mo right that minute, he had enough to deal with. “I’m getting the reports sent over so as soon as I have their details I will let you know.”

Mo nodded, let go of their hands, and hugged himself. “I need a phone.”

Victor met Zack’s worried gaze, knowing he felt just as useless. “We can do that,” Victor said. That was the easiest thing. Daniel’s phone buzzed then, and he looked down.

He read whatever message he’d received then looked back at Mo.

“As soon as I have any more information, I will tell you. I should be able to take over the case from Detective Pauley.”

Mo scrunched his nose up.

“What is it?” Victor asked.

“Pauley’s the one that basically told me Khloe going missing was what she deserved because she was a junkie.”

Daniel stood. “I’m going to request all the case notes so I can see exactly what happened, plus look into your dad’s conviction. It will take me a few days.”

Mo nodded. “You know where I live.”

“Absolutely not,” Victor snapped out. “There’s no way you’re going home alone while those goons are after you.”

Mo’s eyebrows shot up. “And where do you suggest I go?”

Victor immediately looked at Zack and Mo noticed. “No,” he said, standing up. “There’s like a million kids here. I’m not giving those guys any excuse to come looking.”

“And for the same reason you will have to miss school, at least until we find out what’s going on,” Daniel said.

Victor gazed at Zack. Mo couldn’t just leave, and Victor couldn’t take him to the pack house. Zack had a son. “Then I’ll come with you,” he told Mo.

“I don’t want you at your home either Mo,” Daniel chimed in. “At least not for a couple of days.

“Let me call my alpha,” Victor said. They had a lot of outlying cottages and he knew at least two were empty. Raschid would offer help immediately, but the rest of the pack wouldn’t be happy, especially when they found out Mo wasn’t even a hybrid. But he’d sort that out if and when it came up. For now, he had to concentrate on keeping Mo safe and figuring out what this thing was with Zack, if he felt the same, and what the hell to do about all of it.

Chapter Six

Andofcourse,becausehis alpha was exactly that, Raschid arrived practically before Victor had finished his coffee. Mo looked startled at yet another new face, and Victor didn’t blame him. It had taken him a few months to get them all straight in his head. He could smell every different scent, of course, but he wasn’t like Raschid, who could immediately put a name to each one. Not that Victor wasn’t just as much an alpha as Raschid, but he wasn’t the pack’s alpha, so he didn’t have a physiological or emotional connection with them.

And what was he going to do about Zack? Victor had never heard of mates not knowing they were mates until they were in their shifted form. Mo didn’t have an animal, and Victor had known he was his mate the second he smelled him. Then he realized he’d started calling the bear by his name. Shit. He’d called him just “the bear” for months. Less personal, and yet now he’d used his name. It was all completely fucked.