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“What are you talking about?” Red asked.

The man’s voice dropped. “He sent Tweed and Hancock to find out what happened to the trackers. I overheard Damien said they lost contact.”

“With which one? They were all wearing collars,” she said.

“All of them.”

“Shit! I better find Bailey,” Red muttered.

“I’ll find him. You keep an eye on the prisoners. If that red wolf growls or snaps again, put a bullet in him. You can always ask Singleton for forgiveness afterwards.”

“Let’s hope Bailey is finished with his business, or I might be tempted to put a bullet in him. His farts stink,” Red replied before heading toward the camp.

Jayden held her breath as they walked by, barely a foot from her side. Her eyes darted upward, scanning for the barred owl. The creature remained perched in the tree above her, motionless until both soldiers had walked away from each other. The owl spread its wings and soared silently into the air, following the man who was about to join his friend Bailey, if she was lucky.

She shifted onto her belly and mentally tallied the number left. If what the man said was true, there were two other shifters somewhere out in the forest. It would take them a while to find their friends.

They’ll be in for an unpleasant surprise when they do, she thought with grim satisfaction.

As she moved closer to the camp, she could hear the faint murmur of voices coming from the tent. Across from her, she could see the female shifter named Red. The firelight danced across the woman’s short, bright red hair, making it appear to glow.

Her eyes shifted to the tent. There were two men inside talking in low voices. From the tense tones, they were not happy.

Wait until they find out what I did to their friends, she thought with grim satisfaction.

“What is so important about this female?” one man demanded. “We have the right to know, Eric. The Knights have always had equal say.”

“I know, Damien. I know. Have you heard of Isabella Wyland?”

“Of course. Who hasn’t? She’s one of the wealthiest shifters in the world,” Damien replied.

“She wants the human and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get one.”

Damien’s frustrated breath sounded loud. “Why? It doesn’t make sense to call in the Knights to capture a single human. Hell, there has to be someone in the government she can bribe who will give her one.”

“Not with Michaela in charge. Isabella knows something. She wouldn’t go to this much trouble, take this many chances, unless it was worth her while. Think about it, Damien. Who is her brother?”

“I don’t know. What does her brother have to do with all of this?”

“His name is Dr. Theodore Badger. He is a leading researcher on human history,” Eric explained.

“Who cares about their history? Up until… what, a year ago… we all thought humans were dead,” Damien growled with impatience.

“Do you remember that old song that we all learned when we were kids?” Eric asked.

“You mean the old one about that old shifter king taking the humans and hiding them away? It’s a song to give shifter kids complexes for being bad,” Damien scoffed.

“What if it’s real? What if—and I’m just making an assumption—what if Theodore found something and needs a human to tell him what it means? What if a human is the key to finding this lost civilization?” Eric suggested.

“Who… the… fuck… cares? Everyone will be dead. There are thousands of lost human villages scattered around the world. They were vermin, Eric, and nature took its course.”

“They may have been, but Or’Ang was a real king who is said not only to have vast wealth that he took with him, but discovered a power source unlike anything else on the planet. An infinite power source that enabled him to conceal the kingdom from the rest of the world. Now, imagine if you found this source. What do you think it would be worth? The shifter who controls this type of power could conceivably control the planet.”

“Are you saying you think the legends of Or’Ang are real?” Damien asked.

“I’m saying that Isabella Wyland thinks they are and is willing do to anything to find out. There’s one more thing,” Eric said.

“What’s that?”