Page 11 of The Alpha Grizzly’s Mate (Omegas of the Shifter Mafia #8)

Levi

I hated leaving Colson behind. He didn’t look like he wanted that either, but I had no choice. My uncle had run away, back to where we’d just rescued him from, and now we had to hunt him down again. Once we found him, I was tempted to bring him back to the bear lands and handcuff him to my aunt for safekeeping. Then again, she never could keep him out of trouble, sweet, overly trusting female that she was.

“I can’t believe we’re going here again. If you don’t knock some sense into that uncle of yours, we will.” Hammer had a point. We shouldn’t be returning to the place we rescued him, as well as my mate, but here we were. I didn’t know what secrets he would spill now that he’d seen some of Hammer’s operation. He’d also seen my mate and knew that we’d taken him back to the farmhouse. Neither of those things needed to leave his mouth.

“Oh, trust me. I might make it where he can never leave again.”

Tyrus chuckled in the front seat. “I can cut him off at the legs. That would work.”

Honestly, I was considering all options at this point. “Let’s find him before we decide what appendages to cut off. So, what’s the plan going in?” Tyrus was looking a little too bloodthirsty for me, but I knew he did good with that part of him.

“Mind if I fly over first? Get a lay of the land. I know we just raided this place, so they may have upped the security or changed things around. We might not be walking into the same place as before.”

“That’s fine with me. I don’t think any of us want to get caught and not go home to our mates. I certainly don’t want to give the news to any of your omegas that you got kidnapped, or worse.”

“You won’t be.” Hammer’s gaze met mine in the rearview.

“Yeah.”

“So, Colson? He’s your mate?” the dragon asked me, turning around in his seat.

“He is. Not mated yet, but we know.”

Maverick nodded. His eyes flashed gold. His dragon was already near the surface. “He seems like a good one.”

“We’re getting to know each other, but I think so too.”

“We all have amazing omegas, so let’s get in here. Get the rat bastard of an uncle you have and get home.”

We arrived a few hours later at the compound where I’d found my mate. Colson and the other cubs were the two positives about going there.

We parked on the outskirts of the property and, in no time, Maverick spread his wings and took flight. He swept in a circle, out of harm’s way in case he was discovered but close enough to see what was going on. He darted in and out of clouds, not making a sound despite his size. If no one was looking up, they would never know a dragon was flying above them.

“I’m not looking forward to going in there again.” I chuckled. “You think there are more kids in there?”

Hammer shrugged. “You never can tell. We’ve rescued kids from the best and the worst places. Mansions that looked like perfection on the outside and were hell on the inside and, sometimes, cabins that looked shady as fuck. No one really knows what happens behind closed doors, but it makes you wonder.”

“How long have you been doing this?” I asked all of them.

“Sometimes, it feels like a lifetime and some days, we realize we’ve barely put a dent in the missing omegas and kids. A long time.” Hammer looked into the distance and watched as Maverick landed in front of us. “What’s it look like, Mav?”

I reeled back. Something was in Mav’s claws.

A body. Covered in blood and mangled almost beyond recognition. Maverick shifted back into his human form and turned the person over.

My uncle.

“What happened?” I asked, walking over to the corpse. A trickle of remorse and grief washed over me but really, I was relieved. For myself. For Aunt Patty. She would never have to wonder where he was or cry over how he was absent in her life. I couldn’t imagine having a mate who could’ve cared less about his mate’s welfare.

“I don’t know. Looks like he wasn’t welcomed back here.”

“Wolves. And not regular ones.” Hammer grunted, crouching down to inspect the body. “Shifter wolves. Perhaps they blamed him for Colson going missing.”

I shrugged and leaned over to see my uncle’s eyes open wide—he looked terrified. “As long as he didn’t say anything before he died, I think we’re fine.”

“I don’t think he got a chance to,” Tyrus said. “They got to him before he shifted, but he tried to…see?” Parks of my uncle’s skin had already begun the transition to bear. Tufts of brown hair. His fingers were elongated, his claws half emerged.

“They killed him before he could defend himself. This is the kind of place my mate came from.”

We all paused and stood to our full height. Hammer crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you want to do with the body?”

I blew out a long breath. “Is it wrong that I’m thinking about leaving it here?”

Maverick cocked one eyebrow. “To a human, it would look like an animal attack. Nothing more. I don’t think they would suspect a shifter.”

“I mean morally,” I explained. “What would my mate think about me leaving my relative here?”

“Has this uncle of yours ever showed a lick of loyalty? I only know you and Sutton, but I can say with confidence that this man was nothing like you. You and Sutton would never put your mate or anyone else in danger.”

The bear wasn’t wrong.

“You’re right, Tyrus. Leave him here. I need to go get my mate and go find my aunt. If he told them where our bear den is, I don’t want them to go after my people and especially not Raphael’s mate. I won’t leave her unprotected.”

Maverick nodded. “Why don’t you and the others go to the truck. I’ll make sure this body is not easily found.”

We headed for the vehicle. In the side mirror, I watched as Maverick rolled Raphael down the hill and didn’t look back.

My twinge of guilt soon flitted away.

Now to go get my mate and find Aunt Patty before someone else did.

“You have to leave?” Hammer asked.

“I do. My clan might be in danger. I was the acting alpha before I called on Sutton and came to your place.”

Hammer ground his jaw.

None of us spoke again until we got back to the farmhouse and climbed out of the truck.

“Mav,” Hammer said. “How about you and Tyrus go with Levi back to his lands. Stay with him until we know the coast is clear. Are you two good with that?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Hammer raised an eyebrow at me. Even my bear recognized his alpha power. “I’m good with it. My omega won’t be.”

“Bring them. Bring both of them and your young if you like.” Hammer nodded. “Make your arrangements and let me know who is going. I imagine Sutton will want to go as well.”

“I don’t know. I still have to tell my omega.”

Tyrus clapped me on the back. “If he’s like our omegas, he will insist on going with you.”

Before I told Colson, I got on my cell and called Aunt Patty. Over the phone wasn’t the best way to break the news that her mate was dead, but through the bond she would already know.

“He’s gone, isn’t he?” she answered.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I tried. We saved him and he ran away.”

She laughed but I could tell it was through her tears. “Story of my life, Levi.”

“I’m coming home.”

“Good. We miss you around here.”

“And…Aunt Patty? I’m bringing my new omega.”

I walked to the farmhouse where I saw Colson surrounded by the cubs we’d rescued. Two clung like leeches on his legs, and the others were playing and running in the sun. Before I could say anything, Colson turned and I was struck with his beauty.

I was one fucking lucky bear.

“What is it?” he asked as I sat next to him. One of the cubs crawled from Colson to me and nuzzled into my chest. They were so affection-starved.

Poor little cubs.

“I need to talk to you about something,” I said, taking my omega’s hand in mine.

“Tell me.”

“I need to go back to my lands. I have to protect my clan. I’m their alpha.”

Colson nodded. “Then I’m coming with you.”