Chapter 4
Jack ended the call with Draven and looked back at Niko and Zev in the back seat, then at Rance. “Everybody heard that?”
“The fuck is going on?” Niko asked.
“Falwell's up to something. Attacking the Gamieyon Pride? That takes balls. And Grail alluded to the fact that they lived on alert. It might not have been the first time,” Jack said.
“True,” Niko said. “Very true.”
“And what the hell is up with ‘they’re like the Variant but not the same’? Was it another Pride or something else?” Zev asked.
“Motherfucking sonofabitch!” Rance snarled as he reached for his own phone.
“Who are you calling?” Jack asked.
“A friend that could maybe give us a little insight,” Rance said. He dialed a number and waited until it was answered. “Hey, it’s Rance.”
“My buddy! It’s my buddy Rance! You called me this time! I feel sssspecial,” Frenzy said.
“I got a problem.”
At once the playfulness left Frenzy’s tone. “Tell me.”
“There’s a Pride we’re friends with. They saved our Alpha’s mate when she was missing.”
“Bonnie. I remember,” Frenzy said.
“That Pride’s Reigna just showed up with about forty of her people asking for sanctuary. She said they were attacked by another Pride and that they weren’t alone. They had people with them like the Variant, but different.”
“You think they were Variant?”
“I don’t know. We’re on the road and haven’t had the opportunity to speak to her personally. But their land is not too far from the facility you guys busted the night we met.”
“I’ll look into it. I’ll let you know what I find.”
“No, Frenzy, you don’t understand. This female, the Reigna, the one who is leading her people alone now because her mate probably fell…
she’s my mate. She loved this male with all she was.
We looked at each other and knew what we were meant to be, but I walked away and never spoke a word because I couldn’t destroy her life and all she’d built with this male.
These motherfuckers took her happiness. Slaughtered her mate, her people, and sent her on the run begging for sanctuary.
I want these fuckers to hurt. I want to be responsible for their pain. ”
“I hear you, Rance. Give me a little time to look into the situation. It won’t be long.
I’ll be in touch and I’ll tell you every single thing I find.
If you’re right and Variant are involved, I’m standing beside you as we do a little hunting.
Hell, who am I kidding? I’m coming hunting anyway. Tell Jack and the boys Haaayyayyyyyy!”
The call disconnected and Rance tossed his phone onto the console beside Jack’s. “He says to tell you hey.”
No one said anything.
Rance took a second to glance at Jack, who was staring at him with his mouth hanging open, then into the rear view at Niko and Zev, who were pretty much mimicking Jack’s expression.
“What the actual fuck?!” Jack demanded. “Gwen’s your mate?!”
“No, she was Grail’s mate.”
“Oh my God! I’m shocked! I had no idea!” Niko shouted exaggeratedly.
“How long have you known she was your mate?” Jack asked.
“Since I met them at their compound.”
“And she knows?”
“I’m pretty sure she does. Grail knew, too.”
“Wait, what?” Jack asked.
“He knew. I knew. We kind of had an unspoken understanding. He knew I could have caused trouble, but I didn’t. He knew I wouldn’t because I didn’t want to hurt her and she clearly loved him. We shook hands, respected each other and walked away.”
“I didn’t know. Not a single hint did I pick up on.
But you have to admit the fact that y’all had a private conversation and were all like, I respect you, and I respect you, and you’re a good male, thank you, shit like that shows some integrity on both your parts.
I’m just guessing though, because if it was meant to be private I didn’t hear it, or see it. I didn’t know a damn thing,” Niko said.
“Niko! Will you shut up, please?!” Rance demanded.
“Maybe now you won’t be a cold-hearted sonofabitch that snarls at everybody,” Niko yelled.
“I was hurting. I’m still not feeling the greatest, and you’re pushing my buttons,” Rance said low and threateningly.
“But she’s available now,” Zev pointed out.
“And she’s devastated. I haven’t even thought beyond protecting her and her babies, and giving her satisfaction in the way of justice for her mate.”
“You’re her mate,” Niko said.
“Her mate is gone. I’m just someone she met once. Anything else is not even on the charts at this point.”
“You could have told me,” Jack said, having just managed to digest the information that Rance had flopped out there into the universe without warning.
“I couldn’t make myself say the words. It wasn’t real as long as I didn’t address it.”
They rode along in silence for a couple of miles more before Jack turned to Rance again. “I think calling Frenzy is the right move. Who else could be moving with a Pride of shifters that isn’t a shifter?”
“That was my thought,” Rance said. “I should have asked you, though.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not thinking straight at the moment, and it was the right call, so not a problem.”
“You think that’s why the Falwell Pride wanted to keep us distracted? So they could attack the Gamieyon Pride? It makes no sense, though. We couldn’t be there to assist in a matter of minutes,” Zev said.
“No, but we have connections to the Variant, and we spent time with the Gamieyon Pride recently. Maybe they thought if the Gamieyon Pride was able to reach out to us, we could have sent the Variant down in the middle of their attack. And if we’re sending the teams the Variant have, they’re a lot more deadly than just a few rogue,” Jack said.
“Why would the Variant of any status attack the Gamieyon Pride?” Zev asked.
“Maybe they’re not rescued yet. Have no idea that their kind can be free now,” Niko said.
“How could the Falwells know any of that about us or the Variant?” Zev asked.
“Mole,” Niko said.
Rance nodded. “We need to be home now,” he said.
“Yeah, we do. Bonnie’s handling this all on her own. Get us home,” Jack said.
“If you’re not strapped in, strap yourself in, we’re about to have lift off,” Rance said as he pressed on the accelerator.
The vehicles following them accelerated, too, for no other reason than they were traveling together.
“I’m texting them to let them know what’s happening so they know why we’re suddenly flying down the interstate at breakneck speed,” Jack said.
~~~
Rance turned off the highway and onto the rough cut road that led up their mountain.
The moment his lights flashed on the heavy iron gate blocking their way, Paxton and Dane stepped out of the shadows, clearly armed with assault weapons, while other males stood in the distance, allowing their Alpha to see that all was safe and secure.
Jack rolled down his window as Paxton approached.
“All is quiet,” Paxton said. “All of the Gamieyon Pride members that arrived have been taken to your house. We’ve got a team encircling your house, we’ve got several teams at the base of the mountain, others patrolling between here and the top, and the top is secured as well.
When the bar closed down, Jett and his crew reported right away and have been on patrol since. There is nothing we’re not watching.”
“Good. Any word on what happened?”
“Just that they were attacked and their Alpha sent the mothers with young children to safety. He tried to send more women, but they wouldn’t leave their males and stayed to fight. Forty-seven women and children, and five males that were sent to protect them arrived here.”
“That’s it?” Jack asked.
“Maybe others got away or survived, but they’re not here.”
“Alright. Keep doing what you’re doing. Once the sun comes up and we get some answers, we’ll work out a schedule to allow us to remain on alert while others rest, and then rotate those on duty out for fresh replacements until further notice.”
“Understood,” Paxton said. “’We’ve got it until then.”
“And after,” Dane said.
Paxton grinned as they high-fived each other.
“Y’all keep me in the loop. Let me know if you need me.”
“Yes, sir,” Paxton said.
Rance inched forward as Dane unlocked and opened the gate just wide enough for him to pass.
Rance wasted no time driving past the gate and bouncing the hell out of all of them as he didn’t bother to slow again as he urged the truck ever forward hell bent on getting to Jack’s without wasting another minute.
Jack watched in the side mirror as the four vehicles following them passed through the gate as well before Dane locked the gate and he and Paxton took up security positions in the shadows again.
As Rance finally rounded the final curve of the road at the top of the mountain, Jack pointed past the leather manufacturing business on his right toward his house which hadn’t come into view yet. “Just pull right up to the damn door.”
“Yep,” Rance said.
“I’m as anxious as you two to get inside that house, but may I suggest you don’t go busting in there like the damn place is on fire? They’re already pretty freaked out. Can we not make it worse?” Niko asked.
“He’s right,” Rance said.
“It’s a sad day when Niko is the voice of reason,” Zev said.
“Hey! I didn’t insult you! But I will now!” Niko snapped.
“I’m just kidding,” Zev said as he snickered.
“Stop playing with me! I will whip your ass,” Niko said.
“You can try,” Zev taunted.
“Hey, you find Zev laid out in the middle of the damn yard, you’ll know why,” Niko said.
Rance brought the vehicle to a stop and jumped out, striding quickly for the front door, as was Jack.
“Slow!” Niko yelled, as Jack put his hand on his doorknob.
Jack hesitated, took a deep breath then looked at Rance standing immediately behind him. “Exercise patience, control. They need to trust us, not get upset all over again.”
Rance gave a single nod of his head.