“Yes, you do, darling,” Dad states. He walks up behind her and slips his arms around her waist.
He’s also dressed in leather pants but is shirtless and has a leather collar around his neck. Looking at them, you’d never know they’re as old as they are. Fate, I wish they would have thought of different matching costumes.
“Do you think we can get a group discount at the therapist, brother?” Sol asks when he appears next to us. “This is way too much for me to wade through alone.”
“We need someone immortal,” I tell him. “No way does a human have enough time for us.”
Sol strokes his chin. “You’re right. Maybe a vampire or a mage. I think the fae would have too much fun with us.”
“We would,” Robin interjects with a grin.
“Can you idiots focus?” Rion growls. “I need to find my mate.”
“Right,” I say and focus back on the task at hand. I have a problem focusing. There are squirrels running around everywhere, interrupting my thoughts. Even ones in leather who have no business wearing such things.
Sienna slaps the back of my head.
“Ow! What the fate?” I yell at her as I rub the area she just injured.
“Oh please, you’re not hurt,” she states.
Robin rolls her eyes. “How can I help?”
Orion gives her a quick rundown of what happened with Ari and how he can’t sense her anymore.
Stepping close to him, Robin lays her palm on his chest and closes her eyes. This is a new one for me. I’ve never seen one of the fae do this. Though, those in the royal family probably have all kinds of powers I haven’t witnessed.
She begins tapping her index finger on the center of his chest as magic builds in the air. The fine hair on the back of my neck stands and my body tenses. I’ve felt magic before. More times than I can count, however, it’s unnerving me tonight. I just hope whatever she’s doing leads us to Ariane.
Rion’s eyes close and he takes a deep breath.
“Do you feel her?” Robin asks.
“I do, but it’s faint. A whisper of her. She’s not hurt, I don’t think. Angry, yes.”
“Where?” I ask him. Now that we know she’s not injured, we have to find her. If Ari’s angry, I hope whoever made her that way is ready for her. Hell hath no fury like Ariane Raines.
“Through the forest,” he mutters as if he’s following a trail. Usually, we just know where our mates are, but maybe because something is hindering that, it’s not as simple this time. Rion cocks his head. “At our house?” His eyes flash open. “Thank you,” he says to Robin. Then he’s gone, teleporting away.
“See you on the flip side,” I say to those around me. Taking Sienna’s hand in mine, I use my other to snap and teleport us to Ari and Rion’s house deep in the woods.
Instead of going inside their home, I keep us to the shadows along the tree line. I’m not sure where she is or what’s going on in there. I have no doubt Rion went charging in. I would have done the same had it been Sienna. However, I need to watch his back. There could be only one being screwing with the pack or more. Either way, I have to go at this smartly.
Ari’s voice rips through the night. “I’m going to murder her!” A split second later the sound of wood splintering reaches us.
With Sienna’s hand still in mine, I teleport us inside. Screw the sidelines. Something is about to go down and I want a piece of it.
I’ve never been one to back away from a fight. No one in my family has. Now that I know Ari’s okay, it’s game on.
We land in the living room and it looks like a tornado has torn through the place. The couch cushions are shredded. Multiple dining room chairs are in pieces. There are even claw marks in the walls.
“What the fate did you do in here?” I ask.
“That female thought she could tie me to a chair,” Ari growls as her wolf hovers just beneath the surface. “She thought she could use her magic on me and keep me down. Well, let me tell you, I put up one hell of a fight.”
I take a moment to dive into Ariane’s mind so I can see whoever this threat is. Long, white hair with electric blue streaks in it, but not someone who is old. At least, from what I can tell. Bright, white eyes. An angelic face with flawless skin and full lips. If this being hadn’t attacked my bestie, I would think she’s hot.
Someone smacks me in the back of the head again. I immediately turn toward Sienna but she raises her hands in an It’s not me gesture. When I glance the other way, I find Ariane with murder in her eyes.
“What gives, princess?” I ask her.
“That-that female kidnapped me and you’re over here thinking she’s hot?”
“I can appreciate someone’s looks.”
“Ford!” Ari’s hands ball into fists by her side. Her eyes blaze green. Luckily, her wolf loves me.
“She doesn’t right now,” Ari states, reading my mind.
“Okay, let’s put my thoughts out of your head. Why did this female leave you alone? Obviously, she bound you up but then fled? It doesn’t make any sense. And what kind of being are we looking at here?”
Ari spins and starts pacing the room. I don’t have to ask where their daughter Phoenix is. I read in Ari’s mind that she’s safe at the pack house with Wake, Paige, their girls, and many others of the pack in the ballroom.
“She’s fae since she has magic,” Ari starts. “Vampire because she can teleport. But I think that’s the only two kinds of paranormals within her. There was no changing color of her eyes or anything like that.”
There was a time when paranormal species didn’t mate with other paranormal species, but I’m grateful it’s not the case anymore. Sure, there are still some out there who think shifters should only be with shifters and so on. More and more, paranormals are finding their fated mates with beings of all species.
“She taunted me,” Ari continues. “Kept telling me I was only the appetizer and she was after the main course. That I was for fun. She didn’t say she wouldn’t harm me.” Ari scoffs, “Not like she really could outside of ripping my heart from my chest or severing my head.”
“Which she could have,” Rion cuts in.
“Yeah, yeah.” Ari keeps pacing. She’s not a meek female. Doesn’t like to be told what to do. Part of that is the alpha in her. Of course, she’s mated to another alpha, so there is a battle for control at times. Although, Ari wins the majority of them. When she doesn’t, I think it’s more that she gives in and not so much Rion winning.
“If she’s referring to you as food,” Sol starts from behind me. When the fate did he get here? “That means her real target is someone else.”
“I asked her about Eaton,” Ari mutters. “She said he got in her way and he was never who she was after. So who is, then?”
Sol rubs his hands together as a wicked smile plays on his mouth. “You know what this means, brother?” I do. I really do and am not sure I’m ready for it. I’m also not sure if we’ll be the ones to solve this thing. If we don’t, it won’t be from lack of trying. “It’s time for the Verascue brothers to go on their first case.” He walks over to Ari and lays a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, ma’am,” he says in a formal tone. “We’ll bring her to justice.”