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“Classes? You mean the ones you talked me into skipping more than attending?” Peterson retorted with a chuckle.

“We attended the important ones.” He shook his head and pulled on his boots. “Yes, I think there are more humans, and?—”

His voice died and he stared into the flickering firelight. Yes, there are more. The certainty replayed in his mind like a broken record, accompanied by the realization that the remaining humans would be in peril once the news of their presence got out. He jerked back to the present when Peterson nudged him.

“And—?”

Van blinked as he tried to remember what he had been about to say. Releasing a long sigh, he shook his head. Peterson had sensed something, but was it the same thing as what he had experienced?

“And I think one of them was watching us,” he replied.

Peterson leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and clasped his hands together. Van studied the tense expression on Peterson’s face. He always knew when Peterson wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to phrase it. It had been like that since they met when they were ten-years-old. Peterson’s parents had just perished in a car accident while on their way to a pack summit. Van’s parents, as leaders of the pack, had taken Peterson in, and there had been an instant connection between the two of them. Stronger than normal. Even stronger than Van’s bond with his brothers.

“My wolf—” Peterson shook his head before he clenched his fists and continued. “My wolf sensed it—our—mate.”

Van stiffened. Was that what the unusual feeling had been? His wolf had been confused, almost desperate. That was why he had shifted back into his two-legged form. At first, he wondered if it was because of Ella. After all, shifters and humans had fought. Wolves were guided by the instincts of their ancestors. He was afraid there may have been a latent instinct to attack and kill her held deep within his wolf DNA. Now he understood.

“I thought it was because of Ella,” he murmured.

Peterson gripped his arm. “You felt it, too. Your wolf… it wanted to hunt?”

He nodded. “I only caught the scent for a second and whoever was there knew to stay still. The scent was too faint for me to lock on because of the snow. But, yeah, I felt it, too.”

“Goddess, you don’t know how glad I am that you said that. I thought I was going crazy,” Peterson replied with a strained laugh.

Van glanced at the tent. Ty was inside with Ella. They were talking quietly. His focus shifted to Tracy. She was staring out at the forest with a thoughtful expression.

That usually means trouble.

“Van… Van…”

He returned his attention to Peterson, who had a dark scowl on his face. He frowned. What had he missed now?

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? I just told you that we found our mate and all you can say is ‘I felt it’? What are we going to do about it?” Peterson demanded.

Van stared out at the snow-covered forest with grim determination. Their mate was out there—somewhere. Their current priority was to make sure that Tracy, Ty, and Ella were safe, but after that, they would come back.

“We are going to find her,” he vowed.

Chapter 2

Olympic National Park: Washington State

United Species of North America

* * *

Six months later

* * *

“Where ya going?”

Caught while sneaking out, Jayden grimaced and peered through the gloom toward the hushed voice. She huffed out a sigh when she saw small, thin, six-year-old Timmy near the central fire, sitting with a patchwork blanket wrapped around him. Her eyes softened, however, when she noticed the streak of dirt along his cheek that was still damp.

She walked over to the firepit and sat down next to him, pulling her bag around until it was resting in her lap.