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He pushed open the door and scanned the room, glancing back at me. “She’s not here.” I shoved past him and saw he spoke the truth.

I looked at the substitute and asked, “Where’s Anna?”

“She was called to the field house right after you were called to the office,” she responded, automatically reacting to the command in my voice.

“Shit,” I cursed, running past Trent and toward the back doors. I sent a call out to Dom over our bond, hoping he wasn’t ignoring all links. Trent was hot on my heels as we raced across the back lawn to the field house. Right as I was about to yank open the doors, Trent stopped me.

“Me first,” he said, not even out of breath as I stood there panting. I managed to nod, waving my hand for him to go ahead. I was no hero.

Jess? Relief trickled through me at Dom’s worried voice as I sucked in lungfuls of air.

Field house, hurry, I told him and felt his concern. I shored up my courage and followed behind Trent, ignoring his angry glare. I wasn’t going to stay behind if there was a chance I could help Anna.

We wandered through the darkened building, listening for the sound of anyone. Trent paused, inhaling deeply, his forehead wrinkling, as he directed us toward the weight room. A giggle broke the silence and I glanced at Trent as I said, “That’s Anna.”

Anger contorted his face for a moment, and then he slammed through the doors. I chased after him in time to see Caleb with his arm around Anna, his face close enough to hers to make me realize we may have interrupted something, when Trent snatched Anna away from him.

“Trent,” I called, clapping my hand over my mouth as Anna struggled against him.

“What the hell, man?” Caleb yelled and Trent released Anna, swinging around to punch Caleb.

“Stop! What are you doing?” Anna shrieked, grabbing Trent’s arm as he went to swing again. She must have used her shifter strength because she was able to stop him.

“I thought,” Trent stopped, wiping the back of his mouth as he shook his head.

“Thought what?” Anna blasted. “What could you possibly have thought?”

“That you’d been lured out here by a Hanley so they could kidnap you,” he burst out. “Instead, you’re in here playing kissy face with the child Alpha.”

“Watch it,” Caleb growled and Trent scoffed.

“Or what? You’re not my Alpha.”

“Anna,” I interjected before they got in a pissing match. “We thought you’d been kidnapped. The teacher said you’d been called out here.”

Anna blushed, not making eye contact as she mumbled, “I told you I had date with Caleb.”

“This is the date?” I asked in disbelief and she nodded. “FYI, making out in the field house is not a date. It’s a hookup.” I pointed a finger at Caleb. “And you, sir, know better.”

He flushed, ducking his head, and I traded a glance with Trent right before the doors burst open again and Dom came barreling in. “What the hell is going on?” He shouted, glaring wildly around the room.

“Trent, the motel,” I gasped, my brain connecting the dots and he stared at me in horror.

“Oh, God,” he muttered right before slapping his hand against Dom’s chest and giving him a pointed stare. “We need to go.”

Dom’s eyes widened with awareness and he jerked his head to Caleb. “Now, we’ll discuss this later.” He must have told them what was happening through the Pack bond because they both reacted instantly.

They all dashed back toward the parking lot by unspoken agreement. Dom scooped me up as their superior speed outpaced me. He threw me in the back with Anna, Trent standing behind us as Caleb and Dom slid into the front seat. He gunned the engine, tires squealing as we peeled out of the parking lot.

Tension held me immobile as the drive stretched out for what seemed like forever, when in reality it was less than two minutes before gravel sprayed as Dom careened into the motel parking lot.

My heart jumped when I saw Dad standing outside the motel office, Monster nowhere in sight. Sirens screamed as Dom’s father came spinning into the parking lot right after us.

“Sam,” Dom whispered and I saw her fighting Payne as he struggled to hold on to her. “Jesus, they have Nicky.”

He slammed to a stop with those words and I sprinted from the Jeep, for once faster than the others, as I headed straight for my Dad. “Monster?” I cried frantically and he shook his head. My knees gave out and I crashed toward the concrete sidewalk as Dad lunged for me.

“This is your fault. You bastard, you let them take him,” Sam screamed, pounding her fists against Payne as he stood still, taking her abuse.

“Samantha,” Hank Navarre rumbled and her hands dropped from Payne as she turned to face her father for the first time in years.