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"Hear me out," Mo insisted, turning to face his mate. "Pearson wanted Noah to get close to us, to find out how we operate. What if I let it be known I'm looking for Khloe and Zack? Make it clear I'd do anything to find him?"

"It's too dangerous," Victor said, his voice brooking no argument.

"I agree with Victor," Daniel added. "Pearson's already shown he's willing to use lethal force. We can't risk putting you in that position."

Mo stood his ground. "I'm already in this position. Every second Zack is gone, I feel him slipping away." His voice broke slightly. "We're running out of time, Victor. I know it. You know it."

“Slipping away?” Korbin almost pounced on that phrase. “What exactly do you mean?”

“Getting weaker,” Mo croaked out. He looked at Victor. “Could they be moving him?”

Victor enveloped Mo in his arms, but Mo heard him speak to the others. “We know distance doesn’t affect the bond.”

“How long ago did you three mate?” Korbin asked immediately.

Riley hissed in a breath. “Two, three weeks ago.” Mo turned around and caught the look Riley sent to the doc.

“What? What is it?”

Riley looked at Victor. “Do you feel the same?”

Victor nodded once.

“Then I think we have an even more serious problem,” Korbin said. “This is rare, but as you’ve just mated and your bond is so fresh, there is a chance, as you have explained, that Zack is a latent omega, and that means he could be showing signs of mating sickness.”

Mo heard the collective gasp. Victor frowned.

“Is that even real?”

“Very,” Riley confirmed.

“What’s mating sickness?” Mo asked.

“Riley,” Victor clipped out warningly, but Mo squeezed his arm.

“No, I have a right to know. Tell me,” he ordered.

“It usually affects only newly bonded mates and is rare. If a shifter is separated from their mate immediately after bonding, the mate can get sick.”

“But Victor isn’t sick.”

“No,” Riley agreed and speared Victor with a stare. “Scared out of his mind and not wanting anyone to know, but not physically sick. Because he still has you and he’s not an omega. And you,” Riley continued, “are a human omega, not a shifter one. You exhibit traits, like your heat, but you will never shift and also, you still have Victor.”

“But Zack doesn’t have anyone,” Mo whispered.

“If this is true,” Victor ground out. “How long do we have?”

Riley shook his head. “We need to find him.”

“Wait,” Mo said. “How sick can Zack actually get?” But from the looks he got, he knew the answer. “Okay then,” Mo said. “Tonight, I’m going back to the bar they caught me in when all this started. I’m going to start showing people pics of Khloe and won’t be shy about it.”

Victor growled, but Mo turned back to him. “If it was me, wouldn’t you do anything you could?”

“Zack will never forgive me for putting you in danger,” Victor said. Mo smiled, knowing his big growly wolf was going to capitulate. “I’ll be there,” Victor decreed.

“Actually, you can’t if we’re doing this,” Daniel said. “Rigor might not be a shifter, but he may be accompanied by them. We can’t risk any shifters being close enough for them to scent us. It will have to be humans.” Daniel turned to Martin. “You’ve got some good people?”

Martin nodded. “Excellent and retired, so they aren’t going to worry about their jobs.”