Page 4 of Coyote Underground (Monsters of New York #9)

Desperate Times

I saac

From our table in the back of The Gin Room, I can see the entire club.

My eyes go wide when I see Dave escorting someone I recognize in our direction.

“What is Ana Sofia doing here?” I ask Diego, whispering the question in his ear so he can hear me over the music from the live band tonight.

After the incident last night, I don’t expect to see her again so soon. At least her limp is barely noticeable.

He furrows his brow, looking first at me, then in the direction I gesture.

I know the moment his eyes lock with hers, because shock fills her expression.

Clearly, she had no idea Dave was delivering her to us.

I wonder what caused her to seek us out, because there’s no other reason for her to be here with Dave, except that she needs our help.

Before Dave can attempt introductions, I stand up and take Ana Sofia’s hand, guiding her to the seat I just vacated. “You know each other?” he asks. I nod, and he turns to leave, obviously confident she can explain what she needs.

I slide onto the bench seat next to her, forcing Diego to move closer to Lorenzo to make room. I can tell he’s annoyed, but I’m more concerned with the fear and frustration radiating from Ana Sofia.

“Can you tell us what’s wrong?” I ask, gently threading my fingers through hers to stop her from nervously picking at her hands.

Ana Sofia shakes her head, then starts talking. “This is insane. I can’t believe he brought me to you. I can’t ask for your help, it’s too much. I’m sorry for wasting your time. Please, just let me go.”

Now it’s my turn to shake my head—at her and my Alpha.

Diego looks like he’s about to blow a gasket over this situation, and we don’t even know what happened yet.

“I understand we’re probably not your first choice to help, but please tell me what the problem is.

If you still don’t want our help, maybe I can recommend someone else. ”

Her gaze travels from Diego’s glare to Lorenzo’s lovesick stare and lands on my friendly smile.

If I’m honest, I’m nearly as in love with her as Zo is, but I’m better at keeping it to myself.

“I would think after last night, you’d know we’ll help you if you just tell us what’s wrong.

Give us a chance,” Zo says, trying to convince her to stay.

Diego clears his throat. “Just spit it out. If there’s something we can do, we will. If not, then you can leave.”

She sighs. “Fine. I have nowhere else to turn anyway.” Tears fill her eyes, and she tries to hold them back.

“My sister is missing, and I’m certain she’s been kidnapped.

I called Agent Scott, but he refuses to help.

I’m not a tracker. I won’t be able to find her on my own.

I’ve been trying.” I can tell there’s more she’s holding back, but now isn’t the time to press for it.

I look at Diego and Zo, raising my eyebrows.

This is exactly the kind of thing we do, and we’re good at it.

But why wouldn’t she want our help? I’m guessing it has something to do with the two of them coming home fighting two nights ago.

Neither one would tell me what happened, other than Ana Sofia was at the crime scene they were working.

Or she’s upset about us saving her last night. Maybe embarrassed? It’s hard to tell.

****

A na Sofia

As upset as I am when I realize that Dave is delivering me to Pack Reyes, I’m also relieved.

Until Isaac practically shoves me at Diego.

I can tell he doesn’t like me, and I don’t want to ask him for a favor.

I know I can’t afford to pay them to help me, even if they agreed to a payment plan.

Their fees are not a secret, and they’re not cheap.

And after the mess last night, I can’t imagine they’re really in a headspace to want to help me.

“Sounds like we need a little more info. What makes you so sure she’s been kidnapped?” Isaac goes full cop on me, and I can’t tell if this is a job interview or an interrogation.

“Her room was trashed more than usual. Her sheets are torn, and her phone was on the floor, pushed nearly under the bed. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not neat by any means, but she’s not a bad kid.

She wouldn’t have run off without her phone,” I explain.

I purposefully leave out my trip to the library and the information Mrs. Rogers gave me.

Lorenzo and Diego slide out of the booth and walk away. I look at Isaac, terrified of what that could mean. “What just happened?” I ask.

Isaac squeezes my hand, which he’s still holding. It should be awkward, and I should stop him from threading our fingers together, but I don’t. Instead, I let him show me comfort and kindness.

“They’re going to settle our tab and get the car. We need to go to your apartment and check out your sister’s room for clues. You didn’t touch anything, did you?” he asks.

I drop my head. “I grabbed her phone, so I could get numbers for her friends. But that was the only thing I touched.”

“That’s fine. We can work with that.” He pauses, locking eyes with me. “Look, Ana Sofia, I’m not gonna make promises here, but we will do what we can to help you find your sister. Okay?”

“I can’t afford your fees,” I whisper.

Isaac leans closer and presses a kiss to my temple. “No payment necessary, kitten. We would be happy to help you, because it’s the right thing to do.”

For a moment, I wonder if he’s secretly an Alpha. He seems to have taken control of this situation and made the decision for the pack that they would help me. His warm coconut scent surrounds me, and I relax a little.

“Let’s go,” he says, tugging me out of the booth.

“What?” I ask, confused. I should have been paying attention instead of getting lost in his delicious scent.

“Zo just texted me that the car is out front.” He pauses again, dropping his hands on my shoulders, and looks into my eyes. “What is it about you that makes me want to promise this will be okay?”

****

L orenzo

The moment Ana Sofia tells us her sister has been taken, I feel the rage building in Diego where he sits next to me. Without a word, I go get the car while Diego settles our tab. I send Isaac a text to let him know we’re outside waiting.

I shouldn’t be this attached to this Omega, and I know it.

There’s just something about her. It’s like I can feel her pain, and I have this overwhelming urge to fix it for her.

I’ve been telling the guys for a while that she’s our fated mate, but they don’t believe me.

What else could explain this connection?

It’s becoming obvious that they both feel it too, even if they’re fighting to hide it.

Why else would Diego have insisted we follow Ana Sofia last night when those guys grabbed her?

The only reason he let me take her to the ER was so he and Zac could track down the guys who’d attacked her and make sure they never touch her again.

We arrive at Ana Sofia’s apartment and follow her inside.

The moment the door closes, Diego and I stalk to Val’s room.

There’s a strange scent in the air, and I’m not sure how Ana Sofia missed it.

“Don’t you smell that?” I ask her. She shakes her head, confused.

“It has a slightly sulfuric smell,” I explain.

When she shakes her head again, I turn away, focusing instead on the girl’s room.

Ana Sofia is right, her sister isn’t very neat.

But it’s easy for me to tell what’s Val’s mess and what isn’t.

The sheets are shredded, as if she was dragged from the room and tried to gain purchase to escape.

I’m glad Ana Sofia doesn’t seem to understand that.

I don’t want her thinking about what could be happening to her sister right now.

The scene isn’t easy for me to look at, because I’m so in tune with this Omega’s emotions.

I can sense her fear and worry. I turn to Isaac.

“Could you take her in the other room so we can work?” I ask quietly, trying to keep her from hearing me.

He nods and whispers something to Ana Sofia. They walk off into the kitchen.

Diego growls low in his throat. “Look at this,” he says.

Walking across the room, my eyes follow his hand. The window lock is broken, and the fire escape has been used recently. “This is fresh,” I say, motioning to blood smears on the windowsill. He nods.

“Have you found anything that points to who did this?” I ask, already knowing without a doubt that Ana Sofia is right—her sister was kidnapped.

“I have a couple of theories, but no solid evidence yet. We need to get the crew out here to process the room. They’ll find physical evidence that we can’t.

Then we can figure out who we’re dealing with.

” He seems to agree with me, and I’m relieved.

I wasn’t looking forward to having to convince him.

I follow him out of the room, calling for our forensics crew. Once I hang up the phone, I walk into the kitchen where he’s talking to Ana Sofia.

****

D iego

The last thing I want to do is upset this Omega. Kiss her, taste her, claim her—absolutely. But this isn’t the time for any of that. Right now, I need to explain what’s happening and what we know for sure. When I walk into the kitchen, I don’t mince words.

“You are correct. Your sister has been kidnapped,” I say.

Relief and fear wash over her, and she collapses into my arms. Ana Sofia sobs while she tries to ask a million questions at once.

I pull her close, rubbing my hand up and down her back. “Shh, princess, it’s okay. We’ll find her. It’s what we do.” Isaac and I lock eyes over her head, and I see the question before he asks. I nod, and he disappears into the other room.

Zo walks in, stopping just inside the door. He doesn’t want to interrupt, and it’s sweet of him. “Are they on the way?” I ask, not taking my attention off of Ana Sofia as she sobs into my shirt.

“They are. D, we can’t leave her here, can we? She’s not safe. Shouldn’t we take her home with us?” he asks, gesturing to the broken Omega in my arms. He voices the words that echo in my head.

“Isaac is getting that started. She can pack a bag in a minute. We’re not gonna rush her, but yeah, she’s coming with us,” I respond. Ana Sofia stiffens in my arms, and I can tell she doesn’t like that idea.

I turn back to her, place my lips next to her ear, and whisper, “It’s okay, princess. We’ll take care of you. We’ll keep you safe and find your sister.”

I’m certain she’s only cooperating because of the promise I just made her, but I’m okay with that. Whatever cooperation she gives us will buy me time to convince her she needs us, and wants to stay with us. And I don’t just mean until we find her sister.

This shithole apartment is nowhere near what she deserves.

I know her story, so I respect that this is what she can afford for herself and her little sister.

But if I have my way, she will never settle for less than what we can offer again.

My pack will spoil her and make her truly feel like a princess.

****

A na Sofia

I’m not sure what to do about Diego’s assumptions.

Maybe I shouldn’t have collapsed into his arms and let myself break down, but it’s what I needed.

If I’m honest, what I need is to be taken care of, and that’s what he’s offering.

As much as I want to fight it, if only on principle, I know I won’t.

At least, not until Val is safe and home.

Once that happens, I’ll figure out how to get away from this pack that wants to control me.

Until then, I can go along with what they want and play nice.

For now. For Val. I tell myself over and over that I’m doing this for her, ignoring the flutter in my heart at Diego’s strong arms wrapped around me.

Brushing off the flutter in my stomach at his breath against my ear.