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AVERY

M urmured conversation downstairs roused me from sleep. For a few seconds, I didn’t even know where I was, then I remembered going to bed early the night before. Each day was more stressful than the one before it, and I’d crashed hard before the sun had even gone down.

More muffled words resonated through the closed door.

From the baritone and pitch, I recognized Cole’s voice, as well as Langston and Trent, but I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying.

Yawning, I got out of bed and dressed. Tucking my phone into my back pocket, I headed downstairs to see what was going on this early.

What I found sent a swirl of anxiety through me, and my heart thudded painfully against my ribcage. Trent and Langston were escorting the captive, Scotty, up the stairs from the basement. They had a firm grip on him, but they were less aggressive than when they’d dragged him down the stairs.

“Damn, guys,” I said. “The sun’s not even up yet.”

The men all glanced up at me, Scotty’s eyes wider than the rest, as if he thought I was an assassin sent to end his life.

“Sorry. Did we wake you?” Cole asked.

“Sort of, but I got enough sleep. You didn’t answer my question. Why are you doing this so early?”

“Best to get our friend here moved under the cover of darkness. I figure morning is better than night. If any of Kyle’s men are out doing rounds on the highways, they’ll be more exhausted and less likely to ID as we drive by.”

“Us?” I asked, glancing from Langston to Cole.

“Langston is running lead on this. He knows where the safe house is,” Cole explained. “We’ve got two of our pack members outside ready to go with him as backup.”

I didn’t like the thought of my friend heading out on some weird mission to put this stranger into what was basically witness protection.

“Is that the best idea?” I asked, descending the rest of the steps and wrapping my arms around myself. “Wouldn’t it be better if Langston stayed here? He could give your men the address or whatever.”

“It’s fine, Avery,” Langston said. “I won’t be gone too long. Just to get our friend here to the lake house and get the two shifters Cole is sending with me to watch over him settled in. Once that’s done, I’ll be coming right back.”

I wanted as many capable men as possible around Cole to ensure he stayed safe and to help get Ashton back. Cole could handle himself, sure, but eventually everyone could get overwhelmed. Hell, even Superman died once.

“If you say so,” I said, glancing over at the prisoner. He flinched as I made eye contact with him. “Are you sure my son is safe? I need to hear it from your mouth directly.”

Scotty glanced back and forth at the men holding him as if looking for support. When none was forthcoming, he swallowed and nodded vigorously.

“Uh, yeah. He’s all good. Boss—uh, I mean, Kyle wanted him well looked after.

” Scotty’s eyes drifted away from mine, his cheeks flushing.

“He said… well, he said he wanted the kid happy so, you —” he flicked his eyes back to mine “—would be more willing to come be his lady. The dude’s got the hots for you bad, ma’am.

” Scotty shrugged helplessly. “He thinks you’re into him, too. ”

“Ugh,” I said, grimacing. Behind me, Cole let out a low, threatening growl.

“I didn’t say it was true,” Scotty said quickly. “It’s just what he says.”

None of this made any sense. The first time I met Kyle was in the hardware store, and I wasn’t pleasant to him at all. He was not an attractive man by any means, and his creepy demeanor hadn’t helped, so why would he have become fixated on me? When I mentioned this, Cole spoke up.

“I have my own theory,” he said. “Kyle doesn’t actually want you for you.

He sees you as a trophy. Something else he can take from me and parade around as a symbol of his victory.

He wants Harbor Mills because of how powerful the pack is.

It’s a good location, near a major urban city.

We have a lot of prestige, and we had a lot of money before he screwed us.

This is his first big prize, and he wants you as his queen or something as he rises. ”

My skin crawled. It made sense in a twisted sort of way.

Lots of men viewed women as property, but having it laid out raw like that made me look at Kyle through a new, disgusting lens.

If he’d at least pretended to care about me in some sick and twisted way, I could have chalked it up to overconfidence.

This? This was nothing more than a spoiled brat who wanted the shiny toy for no other reason than because he thought he deserved it.

“He’s taking down packs and towns one by one, and Harbor Mills is next in line,” Cole explained. “He’ll do anything he can to get rid of me and take what’s mine.” He eyed me with concern. “ Everything that’s mine. It doesn’t matter. He’s not succeeding. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Trent and Langston hauled Scotty outside, and within minutes, Langston and Porter were driving away with our hostage, Cole’s pack members pulling out behind them. As I watched the trucks turn onto the road, I kept telling myself everything would be all right. It had to be.

Once they were out of sight, I joined Cole, Trent, and Zayde in the living room. Trent had brewed a pot of coffee and handed each of us a cup. Zayde looked like he hadn’t slept a wink.

“You okay?” I asked.

He nodded absently as he typed on his computer.

Notebooks filled with handwritten code lay scattered around him.

“I was up all night working on this. I’m not letting some nineteen-year-old kid beat me at my own game.

Spent a bunch of time making sure she can’t lock me out.

I expect Kyle to make contact again today or tomorrow, and by God, I plan on tracking that fucker down this time. ”

“But we already know where he is, right?” I said as I stirred sugar into my coffee. “Why does it matter if we trace him?”

Zayde glanced at me. “I guess that’s true.

What I really want to do is gain access to his phone remotely.

After doing some research, I’m pretty sure I know what software this chick is using to block Kyle’s phone.

When he calls, if I’m able to gain access to it, I can see if he has any apps that might control the security systems and cameras at his mansion.

If I can get access to that, then it’ll make our attempt at breaching his place that much more successful. ”

“You can do all that? With this?” I pointed at the computer.

He grinned. “I can, indeed. But, like last time, I need you to keep that prick on the phone as long as you can.”

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do my best.”

Zayde sent an embarrassed glance in Cole’s direction, then cleared his throat. “Might keep him on the line longer if you, you know, flirted a bit. If what Scotty is saying is true and he thinks you might be into him.”

Cole set his coffee cup down hard enough for the liquid to slosh onto the table.

“I know, I know ,” Zayde said, holding his hands up in defense. “This isn’t real. It’s an act. Bait on a hook to land the big fish, that’s all.”

“If it gets my son back, I’ll do whatever I need to,” I said, then shivered in disgust. “No matter how much I hate it.”

The thought of engaging in some weird flirtation over the phone with Kyle made me want to vomit, but I’d do anything to save Ash.

Anything . It was both the honor and burden of being a mother.

I would give up anything for him, even my own life and body if it came to it.

Though Cole would never allow it to get that far.

I’d play my part, and we’d see how it went.

Thinking of Ashton sent me tumbling down a depressive hole.

It had been a week since he was taken. It was the longest I’d ever been away from him in my life.

Before this, he’d done a five-day summer camp with some boys from Langston’s pack.

I missed him to the point that it hurt, and I still had no clue when I’d see him again.

“You’re upset,” Cole said. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“I miss him,” I said, collapsing onto the couch. “I miss him so much.”

Cole put his arm around my shoulder and rubbed my arm. “This will be over soon. I promise.”

“Can you take me to my house? I want… I’d like to sit in his room for a bit.”

“Of course. Now?”

Shaking my head, I stood up from the couch. “No, we can eat breakfast first.”

Trent refused to allow me to cook anything and took it upon himself to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs. My appetite wasn’t completely back. The stress had dulled everything, but I managed to choke down enough food to ease the hunger pangs in my stomach.

“I’ll go with you guys,” Zayde said. “I can hang in the car and watch the place. I need to stay close to Avery in case our douchebag calls.”

“Good plan,” Cole said.

The three of us departed, Cole and I in his truck and Zayde in another car, and headed back home.

When we pulled into my driveway, I couldn’t help but scan the window of Ashton’s room.

Some insanely hopeful part of my mind thought all this might have been some weird nightmare and that he’d be in there, wondering where I’d been, but his room was as dark and quiet as ever.

Zayde stayed in his car. I headed straight for Ashton’s room, my heart aching fiercely as I stepped inside.

It smelled like him. Posters of athletes and musicians adorned the walls, and I sat on his bed, doing my best to absorb every detail.

I’d been spending more time at Cole’s and Stormy’s because I didn’t want to be alone, but also because this house reminded me too much of my son.

Cole leaned around the door. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I said. To my surprise, I actually was. “I feel a little better being here, around his things.”

“That’s great.” He rubbed the fingers of his right hand together and tapped his left floor anxiously on the floor. Cole was never this twitchy, except when he hadn’t run in a while.