Chapter 39
Eideard MacDùghlas’ eyes narrowed as he listened to the leader of the mercenaries he hired to seize his nephew.
Of course, that was before he found out Fionn had a mate, which was a happy surprise, so he paid extra for both to be grabbed.
Mounting the operation had cost a pretty penny; not that he cared, because controlling the power of a white dragon would make him the defacto ruler of the dragon world.
He was already counting the gold he’d receive from ambitious dragons hoping to curry favor.
“All I’m hearing is a lot of bullshit as to why you couldn’t deliver what I paid for,” Eideard said. He’d chosen these men because they guaranteed success with every mission but so far, all he had was a worthless mate and not the prize he sought.
“You never told us my men would be facing the Incredible Hulk.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? They were wolves…like you. I know because I checked them out before they got onto the elevator.”
“Well, he was a wolf, all right, but with superhuman strength. He single-handedly killed twenty-three of my men in less than ten minutes.”
“Bullshit! There isn’t a wolf shifter alive that can do that,” Eideard scoffed. “Maybe your men aren’t the great fighters you led me to believe.”
“Fuck off. I know my men…they’re the best in the world at what they do…when we have reliable intel. This isn’t my problem, it’s yours.”
“I don’t think so. Right now, you’re sitting on a ton of my gold but you haven’t completed your mission. When are you going to deliver the other one?”
“Soon. My top guy is on it right now.”
“Just make sure you don’t fuck up this time,” Eideard said. “Where did you put the mate?”
“He’s in the basement, chained up.”
“Is he awake?” asked Eideard.
“He should be.”
“Good. Time for me to inspect my purchase,” Eideard smirked. “In the meantime, you better move fast before the High Council finds out about you being here.” Then he stalked off, mumbling “incompetent assholes” under his breath.
~/~/~/~/~
Standing outside the examination room, Ian fished out his phone, sent a text and after receiving a reply, said to Jackson, “I’ve asked Kieran to join us when you speak to Fionn.”
“Why? I thought you said Colton healed him.”
“Yes, he did, but now that I know his mate is missing, he may need some of Kieran’s mojo. When I left him, he was getting agitated because Hunter wasn’t with him. What do you think our young dragon is going to do when he finds out someone has his mate?”
“Right…good idea,” Jackson said, glancing over Ian’s shoulder and, seeing Dylon and Cody about to join them, asked, “All better?”
“Yeah, like new,” Dylon answered. “I hope you don’t mind, Ian, but we grabbed some scrubs to put on. Cody didn’t think it was a good idea for Fionn to see all the blood on our clothes.”
“No problem.”
Dylon then turned to Jackson. “I had a chance to review the information Zane sent me and I’m not surprised at what he found…the whole attack was too well planned for it just to be a spur-of-the-moment deal.”
“Agreed. Zane’s trying to discover who hired them,” Jackson said.
“Yeah, well…my money’s on the uncle,” Dylon replied.
“Hey, Doc, what can I do for you?” asked Kieran, joining the group in the hallway.
“I need you to keep Fionn calm while Jackson talks to him. Hunter is missing and most likely being held against his will,” Ian said.
Kieran’s eyes grew wide at the news. “Gotcha. Is there anything macushla and I can do to rescue him?”
“Maybe…once we know where he is,” Dylon answered.
“C’mon, everyone, Fionn’s waiting,” Jackson said, turning and walking to the dragon’s room. Opening the door, he heard Fionn arguing with Colton. “Hey, what’s the problem?” he asked.
“They won’t let me get out of bed even though Colton did his thingy on me and he knows I’m fine,” Fionn replied.
“And I told you,” said Colton, “that Ian has to give his approval since he’s your doctor.”
Looking past Jackson, Fionn’s eyes landed on Ian. “He’s here now, so now is it okay for me to get dressed?”
“Fionn, Jackson wants to speak to you first,” Ian said, walking over to him.
Alarms sounded throughout Fionn’s body when his eyes shifted to Jackson and saw his Alpha’s face filled with concern. Slowly looking around, he saw Cody and Dylon standing off to one side; Kieran was next to his bed, but there was one person missing. “Where’s Hunter?” he asked, fear rising in him.
“We don’t know,” Jackson said. “Best guess is the men who attacked you have him.”
Shaking his head slowly, Fionn refused to accept it—Hunter would never leave him.
“Noooo, you’re wrong…he’s waiting for me…
at the hotel. I’ve got to go.” Throwing off the covers, Fionn swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
He had no idea why they left his mate in San Francisco but he’d use his portal and find him.
“Fi, will you look at me?” asked Kieran, placing a hand on the dragon’s back.
Calming down slightly at Kieran’s touch, Fionn looked over his shoulder at his friend. “Ki, I need your help to find Hunter. Something’s wrong, I can feel it.”
Jackson moved forward, resting his hand on Fionn’s neck, infusing him with soothing Alpha pheromones before saying, “We’re all going to help find Hunter, but right now I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Look at your dragon.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s your connection to Hunter.”
Nodding, Fionn closed his eyes, finding his dragon huddled in a corner. “He’s sad.”
“He’s missing his mate. Do you see the bond between him and Hunter’s wolf?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Follow it until you find Hunter’s wolf…can you do that for me?”
Concentrating, Fionn did as Jackson asked, finally arriving at the other end where he found his mate’s wolf, lying down. “I found him!” Fionn exclaimed.
“Good, now look around and tell me what you see.”
It took a moment for Fionn to figure out what he was seeing but then he said, “Hunter’s in a room…I think it’s underground because it doesn’t have any windows…it reminds me of my home in Scotland…the walls and floor are stone…and they’re wet.”
“Good. What is Hunter doing?” asked Jackson.
“He’s sitting in a chair…asleep, I think, because his chin is on his chest.”
Jackson exchanged looks with Ian, who said, “Can you touch him?”
Reaching out, Fionn’s fingers connected with his mate’s shoulder. “Yes.”
“Do you know where Hunter’s pulse in his neck is?” asked Ian.
Smiling, as he remembered how many times he nipped it, Fionn said, “Yeah.”
“Place your fingers on it, please,” Ian instructed.
“Okay, now what?”
“When I say go, I want you to count the number of heartbeats you can feel until I say stop, okay?” asked Ian.
“Uh-huh.”
“Go.”
Fionn began counting, concentrating on what he was doing. When he finally heard Ian tell him to stop, he reluctantly removed his fingers from Hunter’s neck before telling Ian how many. Then he heard a door open, followed by footsteps. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered.
~/~/~/~/~
Descending the uneven stone steps, Eideard paused at the bottom, glancing around the cavernous room until he located his nephew’s mate.
Approaching the silent figure, he called out, “Hunter…Hunter Evans!” Stopping at the chair Hunter was chained to, Eideard smirked at Fionn’s mate.
Grabbing his captive’s hair, he pulled it until he could see his face.
“Oh shit.” Hunter’s eyes were closed. Letting go, Eideard watched as the man’s head fell forward quickly, belying the claim by the leader that he was awake.
It was a last minute decision to seize Hunter and Eideard wondered if he made a mistake by ordering it done.
Maybe if he’d just stuck with the original plan to seize his nephew, the mission would have been successful.
Mulling it over, he suddenly smiled slyly, now convinced it was a wise decision.
Turning, Eideard retraced his footsteps, anxious to speak to the leader about his new plan for getting his hands on the white dragon.
~/~/~/~/~
“Fionn!” Jackson called.
“What?” Fionn snarled.
“Fi,” Kieran said, his voice low, “you have to come back now.”
“No, I have to protect my mate.”
Increasing his Alpha power, Jackson demanded, “Fionn, come back now!”
Forced to obey, Fionn left his mate, then opened his eyes, furious with Jackson for making him leave Hunter. “He’s my mate and…”
“Fi, fire was shooting out of your nose,” Kieran said.
Looking down at the scorch marks on the blanket, Fionn realized why his Alpha pulled him back. Raising his head, he gazed sorrowfully at Kieran. “My uncle has my mate.”
“How do you know?” asked Dylon.
“Because I saw the fucking asshole hurting Hunter,” Fionn sobbed.
“Ian?” asked Jackson.
“Hunter’s pulse is normal,” Ian said.
“So he didn’t receive an overdose from the attackers?” asked Jackson.
“No,” Ian replied. “Considering what his heart rate is right now, I would say he was just knocked out, but it won’t be for long.”
“Okay, Ian, is Fionn cleared to get dressed?” asked Jackson.
“Yes, he is.”
“Good. Mac, please round up your brothers and have them meet me in my study in ten minutes but don’t mention anything about Hunter to them.
Dylon, coordinate with Zane…make sure you tell him Fionn’s uncle is behind the attack and I need a rescue plan asap…
Kieran, Fionn, meet me in my study right away,” Jackson ordered.
Before anyone had a chance to move, Fionn’s phone rang. Hoping it was his mate, he jumped off the bed, grabbing his clothes from Colton. Digging into his pants pocket, he pulled out his phone, looking for, but not finding the caller’s number. Nevertheless he answered, just in case it was Hunter.
“Hello?”
“I see you are awake…that’s more than I can say about your mate,” Eideard MacDùghlas said.
“If you hurt him, I’ll kill you,” Fionn snarled.
“Now, is that any way to talk to someone who has the power of life or death over your mate?” he taunted. “I think not. Your father always said you were stupid…”
Taking Fionn’s phone from him, Dylon put it on speaker, then gave it back, mouthing to him, ‘keep him talking’.
“…but then he underestimated you, didn’t he?” asked Eideard.
“What do you mean?” asked Fionn.
“Oh, come on now, nephew. Don’t think I’m as stupid as your father…because that would be a fatal mistake…especially for your mate.”
“I’m warning you…” Fionn growled.
“Let me give you a bit of advice…never threaten the person who holds all the power.”
Moving close to Fionn, Kieran placed his hands on his friend’s back, helping him to calm down. “Easy, Fi…find out why he called,” he whispered in Fionn’s ear.
“What do you want, uncle?” asked Fionn.
“What are you willing to give to get your mate back?”
“My father’s hoard?”
“That’s a good start, but isn’t nearly enough for a mate…even if he is only a wolf.”
“I’d take a wolf over a dragon like you, any day,” Fionn retorted, angry at the insult.
“That isn’t a surprise. I always told your father you didn’t inherit anything from the MacDùghlas’ side because if you had, you never would have mated with someone so inferior. It’s a good thing your father isn’t alive to see his only son take a mongrel as a mate.”
Closing his eyes, Fionn concentrated on controlling his anger, knowing if he didn’t, it would only put his mate at a greater risk. With the help of Kieran, he felt it subside. Then he said, “You can have my father’s estate in exchange for my mate.”
“Well, what do you know…I might have been mistaken about you.”
“Do we have a deal?” asked Fionn.
“Hmmm, tempting…so tempting…but no. That isn’t nearly enough.”
“Then what the fuck do you want?” Fionn snarled, tired of the games his uncle was playing.
“The rarest thing on earth, nephew…you.”
Stunned, Fionn stared at his phone, unable to understand how his uncle knew he was a white dragon.
“What’s the matter, nephew? Do you really think your father didn’t know you were a white dragon?”
Shaking his head, Fionn thought back to his childhood and how his mother always made sure no one was around when he shifted.
Not hearing a response, Eideard chuckled mirthlessly.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. Well, your father knew, but was ignorant about your powers.
He took your color as a weakness…that you’d never be a formidable dragon since you weren’t black.
Shortly before you killed your father, he and I had dinner and, after a few glasses of wine, it came out.
Naturally, I immediately knew the importance of it, but didn’t let on to your father that his son was his ticket to absolute power within the dragon world.
I decided to keep that little piece of information to myself. ”
“How do you know I killed my father?” Fionn asked, wondering how it was possible since he and his father were alone.
“That’s a neat little trick you have, nephew. Who made you the portal? I owe them my thanks for getting rid of my overbearing and, I might add, selfish brother.”
“How do you know about my portal?” Fionn whispered, his fear for his mate beginning to consume him. His uncle was evil, mad for power and if he knew about Fionn’s white dragon, then he knew about the supernatural power it had… Oh nooo, does he also know about my mate’s power?
“After I received word of my brother’s death, I went to his chateau in France to retrieve his will…”
“The one in which he was supposed to leave everything to your son,” Fionn murmured.
“Oh, you know about that. Well, as usual, my brother screwed me, but it wasn’t a wasted trip because I discovered the hidden cameras he had and the videos he made…including the one of you tricking my brother to enter your portal where he was killed.”
“I didn’t trick him…” Fionn whispered, aghast someone might believe his uncle’s false claim.
“Yes, well, it doesn’t really matter, now does it? You asked me what I want for the life of your mate...it’s simple. You have one hour to appear before me. For every five minutes that you’re late, your mate will pay a price…I’m sure you can imagine what it will be. Understand?”
“But I don’t know where you are?”
“Five minutes before the hour is up, you will receive the location of where I am.”
“Five minutes? How can I possibly get there in time?” asked Fionn, horrified about what would happen to Hunter if he was late.
“By using the portal, nephew…see you shortly.”