Page 19

Chapter Eighteen

V ictor watched Alex leave to find Noah, and it took everything in him not to follow. The alpha in him wanted to hunt down Sean Pearson and tear him apart for what he'd done to Noah and Jacob. The strategist in him knew they needed to be smarter than that.

"We need to retrieve Jacob immediately," Victor said, his voice low and controlled despite the rage simmering beneath the surface. "If Pearson suspects Noah’s loyalties have changed, Jacob's life might be in danger." He glanced around. “It’s obvious he’s a plant and when Pearson doesn’t get whatever info he’s hoping for, Jacob will be a target.”

Riley nodded. "I'll contact Daniel. We need to coordinate with him before making any moves."

"Martin, can you get us floor plans for Pearson's house?" Victor asked. "If there's a hidden floor, we need to know exactly where it is and how to access it."

"On it," Martin confirmed, already pulling out his tablet.

“Something else,” Riley said. “I know Alex won’t leave but I think it’s getting too risky for Mac and Tyler to stay.”

“Will Mac go?” Asher asked doubtfully.

“He will if it’s to help Tyler,” Riley said. “I know Roxanne will take them both today, and Luke is already there.”

Mo reached across the table and squeezed Victor's hand. The touch grounded him, pulling him back from the edge of his anger. "Noah trusted us with this information. We can't let him down."

"We won't," Victor promised, turning his hand to capture Mo's fingers. Through their bond, he could feel Mo's concern, his determination. He glanced at Zack and felt the same fierce protectiveness reflected there. His mates were as committed to helping these boys as he was.

Asher looked up from his laptop. "I'm going through Pearson's business records. High profit margins across the board, but his trucking company seems to skirt the barely supporting itself line.”

“Which makes sense if it’s just a front for human trafficking or smuggling undocumented immigrants,” Zack said.

“Do we have anything to tie Pearson to Rigor Elkin?” Martin asked.

Victor glanced at him. “You think Pearson might be the brains and the money behind all of this?” It made sense. Martin nodded.

"It fits. Sean Pearson has the business connections, the money, and the international travel schedule that would make him perfect for running this operation. Rigor Elkin is just muscle."

“We need to keep Noah out of sight,” Riley said. “Warn Alex if he doesn’t already know, which I think he does.”

"I agree, but why, apart from the obvious?" Martin asked.

"He's a white stag," Riley said, his expression grave. "One of the rarest shifter types. In the old stories, white stags were considered magical, capable of leading hunters to other worlds or granting wishes."

"You think Pearson believes that?" Mo asked skeptically.

Riley shook his head. "No, but there are people who would pay a fortune for something that rare. And if they're experimenting on shifters, a unique specimen would be invaluable."

Victor frowned. “But that doesn’t make sense. If Noah is rare and therefore valuable, why on earth would Pearson let Noah out of his sight, especially to come here with the risk he’d likely shift.”

The kitchen fell silent as they considered the implications.

“You’re right,” Riley said. “It makes zero sense.”

“Son?”

They all looked at Zack’s phone. While they’d been talking, Zack had called Christopher, and the phone was on speaker. “Dad?” Zack said. “Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

Riley leaned forward. “You have to be somewhere no one can hear.” Victor knew that meant away from shifter ears.

“Hang on,” Chris said, and they heard him move, a door open and close. “Okay, all the master suites are soundproof, and I’m on my own.”

Zack quickly brought Christopher up to speed on Noah and Alex, and Noah’s shift.

“Wow,” Christopher said appreciatively.

“We just don’t understand why, when they knew what Noah was, how they’d let him go. Especially with us.”

Christopher chuckled. “That’s because they don’t know.”

Victor spoke up. “But they had an alpha force a shift on him.”

“Yes,” Christopher agreed, “but in the wild, a white deer is due to a condition called leucism, a genetic trait that causes a gradual reduction in pigmentation.”

“So, he just wasn’t old enough when the alpha turned him?” That was a huge stroke of luck.

“Not quite, Victor,” Christopher said. “While age is the determining factor in a wild animal, the shifter continues to display as a mottled white and red coat until they meet their mate.”

“Fuck,” Martin whispered, which was the first time Victor had heard the man swear, even if he felt like doing it himself.

“So, you’re saying that Noah shifted into a white stag because he met Alex?” Zack clarified.

“How did I not know this?” Asher griped, and Christopher answered with amusement in his voice.

“Because you three were always more interested in sports, games, and computers than in shifter history.” Christopher paused. “He must be protected,” he warned, “and I know we’re used to protecting kids with special gifts, but he won’t just be a target for certain shifters. If he’s seen, you’ll have human hunters in droves.”

Victor saw Riley pale. He had to tell his alpha. “I have to tell Raschid.” Raschid wouldn’t tell a soul.

Zack glanced over. “And Daniel.”

"We need to talk to Noah again," Asher said. "Find out exactly what Pearson wanted him to do here."

"All Alex said they wanted was to get us to like him," Victor repeated.

Asher nodded. "But what's his end game?

Pearson has the resources, connections, and now we know he has knowledge of shifters. Elkin is a two-bit criminal who wouldn't have the intelligence or means to orchestrate anything this complex," Martin said.

"Pearson as the puppet-master, makes sense," Riley agreed. "If Jacob is a shifter, he's been hiding one for years."

Mo shuddered. "Those poor kids they found. If they're experimenting with ways to control shifters..."

"Pearson will be expecting Noah to report back," Riley pointed out. "We need to buy some time."

"We can have Noah call him," Mo suggested. "Say he's making progress with us, that we trust him. It might give us the window we need to locate Jacob and get him out."

Victor nodded. "Good thinking. But we also need eyes on Pearson's house as soon as possible. I'll handle surveillance," Victor continued. "I can coordinate with some of Raschid's wolves, who won't draw attention."

Mo leaned forward, his face serious. "I need to be with Noah when he talks to Pearson. The boy trusts me, and I might pick up on something in Pearson's voice or reactions that could help us. Something even Alex won’t."

"No," Victor and Zack said simultaneously, their protective instincts flaring.

"I'm not suggesting I go to Pearson's house," Mo clarified, holding up a hand. "Just that I be present for the call. Noah needs support, and I can help him stay calm."

Victor considered this, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but only a phone call. You don't go anywhere near Pearson."

"We need to get Jacob out quickly," Riley said. "I’m worried…" Everyone glanced up at the shift in Riley’s tone. “I’m worried that Jacob, if he can’t shift, is dispensable.”

They all drew in a collective sharp breath. Victor’s wolf howled in his head, and he curled his fists, surprised not to see them covered in fur, so great was the flare of anger.

The kitchen door opened, and Alex entered with Noah trailing behind him. The boy's eyes were red-rimmed, but he looked calmer, anchored by Alex's steady presence.

"We have a plan," Alex announced without preamble. "Noah will call his father tonight, tell him he's making progress with Mo especially, and that he thinks he'll be able to get the information they want soon."

Victor raised an eyebrow, impressed by the young alpha's initiative.

"That buys us time," Alex continued. "Noah says there's a nurse who cares for Jacob every day between seven and five. He leaves him alone at night, which is when Noah was able to see him."

"Does this nurse know what's going on?" Zack asked.

Noah shrugged. "He wouldn’t care. He just does whatever my dad says."

“Name?” Martin asked.

“Oscar O’Dowd. There was another up to three years ago, and Jacob said he’d complained about where Jacob was kept. He never returned.”

Victor met Martin’s knowing gaze.

“Is this him?” Martin asked and turned the screen so Noah could see.

Noah’s lip curled. “Yes.”

“Oscar O’Dowd is forty-nine. Healthcare assistant. Worked in two memory care facilities but was fired for gross neglect. Bounced around in some agencies that clearly don’t have proper employee screening or don’t care. Three divorces and seven kids he pays court-mandated support payments for.” Martin shook his head. “When he’s forced to.” Martin pressed some more buttons and glanced at Noah. “How long has he worked for your dad?”

“Since before I went to live with him. Jacob says five years.”

"What exactly did your father want you to find out from us?" Riley asked gently.

Noah looked down at his hands. "At first just to make you feel sorry for me. But then how it worked. Where you got kids like me from.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Victor exchanged a glance with Riley, both thinking the same thing. Pearson wanted fodder to continue his drug experiments.

"Did he say why he needed this information?" Martin asked.

"For Jacob," Noah said, his voice small. "He said he needed shifter blood so he could fix Jacob properly. Make him whole again."

Mo reached across the table and took Noah's hand. "You believed him?"

Noah's eyes flashed with anger. "No, and he knew it. That’s when he said if I didn’t do what he asked, he’d keep hurting Jacob until I did.” Alex shifted subtly so he was closer to him.

Victor's jaw clenched as he fought to control his rage. "When was the last time you spoke with your dad?"

"Two days ago," Noah answered, his voice stronger now that he was sharing his burden. "I text every other day. I'm supposed to update him today on what I've learned."

"And what happens if you don't answer?" Alex asked, his hand resting protectively on Noah's shoulder.

Noah swallowed hard. "He said he'd know I betrayed him, and Jacob would pay."

Mo reached over and squeezed Noah's hand. "That's not going to happen. We won't let it."

"Noah," Riley said gently, "do you know anything about the layout of the house where Jacob is kept? Upstairs or down?"

“Jacob is in the attic, but there’s something going on in the cellars.”

“Going on?” Zack asked.

“I wanted to know everything,” Noah admitted. “I saw three other doors, but they were always locked. There were weird smells, like chemical. Made my nose itch." Noah's voice dropped.

The adults exchanged grim looks. Victor could feel the tension radiating from everyone in the room.

“Okay,” Zack leaned forward. “You’re gonna go with Alex while I make us some food, and you’re not to worry about this anymore. We’re going to contact Daniel and Raschid and get Jacob out. Don’t call your dad until we say.”

Alex shoulder nudged Noah and Noah smiled for the first time. “Okay.”

Okay. Victor met Mo’s gaze and knew they were both thinking the same thing. That they hoped they could keep their promises.