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“Do we have anything to tie Pearson to Rigor Elkin?” Martin asked.

Victor glanced at him. “You think Pearson might be the brains and the money behind all of this?” It made sense. Martin nodded.

"It fits. Sean Pearson has the business connections, the money, and the international travel schedule that would make him perfect for running this operation. Rigor Elkin is just muscle."

“We need to keep Noah out of sight,” Riley said. “Warn Alex if he doesn’t already know, which I think he does.”

"I agree, but why, apart from the obvious?" Martin asked.

"He's a white stag," Riley said, his expression grave. "One of the rarest shifter types. In the old stories, white stags were considered magical, capable of leading hunters to other worlds or granting wishes."

"You think Pearson believes that?" Mo asked skeptically.

Riley shook his head. "No, but there are people who would pay a fortune for something that rare. And if they're experimenting on shifters, a unique specimen would be invaluable."

Victor frowned. “But that doesn’t make sense. If Noah is rare and therefore valuable, why on earth would Pearson let Noah out of his sight, especially to come here with the risk he’d likely shift.”

The kitchen fell silent as they considered the implications.

“You’re right,” Riley said. “It makes zero sense.”

“Son?”

They all looked at Zack’s phone. While they’d been talking, Zack had called Christopher, and the phone was on speaker. “Dad?” Zack said. “Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

Riley leaned forward. “You have to be somewhere no one can hear.” Victor knew that meant away from shifter ears.

“Hang on,” Chris said, and they heard him move, a door open and close. “Okay, all the master suites are soundproof, and I’m on my own.”

Zack quickly brought Christopher up to speed on Noah and Alex, and Noah’s shift.

“Wow,” Christopher said appreciatively.

“We just don’t understand why, when they knew what Noah was, how they’d let him go. Especially with us.”

Christopher chuckled. “That’s because they don’t know.”

Victor spoke up. “But they had an alpha force a shift on him.”

“Yes,” Christopher agreed, “but in the wild, a white deer is due to a condition called leucism, a genetic trait that causes a gradual reduction in pigmentation.”

“So, he just wasn’t old enough when the alpha turned him?” That was a huge stroke of luck.

“Not quite, Victor,” Christopher said. “While age is the determining factor in a wild animal, the shifter continues to display as a mottled white and red coat until they meet their mate.”

“Fuck,” Martin whispered, which was the first time Victor had heard the man swear, even if he felt like doing it himself.

“So, you’re saying that Noah shifted into a white stag because he met Alex?” Zack clarified.

“How did I not know this?” Asher griped, and Christopher answered with amusement in his voice.

“Because you three were always more interested in sports, games, and computers than in shifter history.” Christopher paused. “He must be protected,” he warned, “and I know we’re used to protecting kids with special gifts, but he won’t just be a target for certain shifters. If he’s seen, you’ll have human hunters in droves.”

Victor saw Riley pale. He had to tell his alpha. “I have to tell Raschid.” Raschid wouldn’t tell a soul.

Zack glanced over. “And Daniel.”