He didn’t know who the boys truly were nor did he care what they thought, felt, or said.
But they would be his prize achievements.
Funny how easy it had been to take them. And their mother would never be the wiser about who had kidnapped her children. After all, he’d left her without a second glace when she was pregnant. Why would she even think of him when it came to the disappearance of her cubs? There were so many others she could blame.
This really was the perfect solution to his problem.
Perfect.
Chapter 7
Cole ran a hand through his hair as they made the drive to Denver. The awkwardness level in the car had reached new heights, and he wasn’t sure how to break through the tension. Anya hadn’t spoken to him since they’d woken up that morning and she’d informed him that the mating heat was gone and they could go about their business. He didn’t even have a chance to try and get close or kiss her. She’d put up barriers between them with a swift effectiveness he hadn’t been prepared for.
Well, shit.
He wasn’t sure what he was going to do now because damn it, his cat wanted her.
Wanted her for more than just a fling.
His cat had picked his mate, and the damn woman looked like she still hated him—or at least wanted nothing more to do with him. Except he’d seen a look in her eyes that told him he could be wrong. He hoped he was. But they were on their way to try and save her children from a sociopath. His needs for a mate came second to that.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel and he wanted to curse. Talk about being selfish. He was all worried about his cat and feelings while she was probably freaking out over what they had to do to save her kids. It wasn’t as if this were a normal way to find a mate. They were in a stolen car on the way to a city where they’d be killed if someone caught sight of their brands. Anya had never been to the city in her life, had never truly been outside the compound. And he hadn’t ventured this far north in long enough that he was afraid of what changes he would see. When he’d snuck out of the compound in the past, it had been on missions for his Pack. He didn’t have time to go on joyrides and learn about the new sides of the city. As it was, keeping hold of Frank’s scent was getting harder and harder. His cat needed another whiff of the bastard to keep tracking. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not by far. And sitting around moping because Anya had more important things on her mind than what last night had meant was idiotic.
“I can practically hear you thinking,” she muttered. “Just drop it for now. Okay? You said we’d deal with what happened later, so maybe we should actually deal with it later, hmm?”
Cole shot his gaze away and frowned. “Fine.” Not the most eloquent word in the English language, but damn it, he wasn’t sure what else to say.
“Fine.” She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes.
He turned his attention back to the road. They’d only passed a few cars so far. No one paid them any mind, and he didn’t think they would. It wasn’t as if a person’s first thought would be that the car they passed happened to carry two shifters that had broken out of their enclosures. To humans, that would be so far beyond the norm it wouldn’t seem possible. The SAU’s propaganda had shown the shifters to be nothing more than animals. Those that listened to the SAU were grateful that shifters were locked away from their children. It was safer for them if the shifters didn’t have rights and a decent way to live.
“I don’t know how you can still scent Frank and my boys.” Her voice broke on that last part, and he heard her let out a shaky breath.
He grimaced. “I actually can’t scent him that well anymore,” he admitted.
“What?” He felt her gaze on him, but he kept his eyes on the road. The last thing they needed was to get into an accident because he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
“I told you it would be hard after awhile. I have a general direction, and I know we’re going to go check those abandoned buildings near the capital. That’s all we can do, Anya. I know it sucks, but without more to go on, we’re going to have to find the Unseen.”
He heard her hit her head against the headrest. “I was honestly hoping you wouldn’t need to find another way. I thought maybe your super magic Tracker powers would get us there and get us out quickly so I could smash Frank’s head in and find my babies.”
He liked the sound of her vengeance, but he hated having to disappoint her. He didn’t understand the depth of need within his soul when it came to her. It was like a bullet to the chest, the fractured tendons and sensations that came with what he felt for her. It wasn’t as if he’d felt it right away either. It had been a slow burn at first that had built to an explosion of desires and utter helplessness when it came to her.
His cat had chosen.
The man knew it wouldn’t be as easy as a call to mating.
“We’ll find them, Anya,” he said softly, ignoring his growing emotions. He didn’t know how to deal with them anyway. He’d never felt or done anything like this before, and it damn sure wasn’t the right time for it now. “I’m going to get us closer to the city and then find someone to help us if I can’t get a lock on Talbot. We’re not going home without Owen and Lucas. No matter what.” He turned to see her studying him.
“No matter what,” she vowed right back. “I know why I’m doing this, Cole. But why are you? Because you’re the Tracker? Is this a duty to you?”
His jaw clenched. He wanted to save those cubs because they were hers. They were shifters, Pack. They might not be cats, but they were his, as well. He wanted them as his young, part of his mating. And it scared him more than he wanted to admit how much he wanted to see them again and watch them grow into the men they would become.
Instead of laying himself bare, he growled, “You said we’d table this discussion until later. Don’t ask questions you’re not prepared to hear the answer to.”
Her eyes widened and she turned her attention back to the road. He did the same, his grip on the steering wheel painful.
They drove for almost an hour until they reached the center of the city. Here it looked as if part of the metropolis had moved on, as if nothing had happened. Yet other parts were abandoned, unused, unwanted. If he remembered right, many of these old buildings had been slated for renovations or reconstruction before the virus hit. In the updated parts of the city, humans hustled and bustled on their way to work or to enjoy the sites. It looked as if the only troubles on their minds were their day-to-day lives, rather than what they were clearly ignoring, what was locked up only a few hundred miles away. It never ceased to amaze him what people did to forget the cruelty in their lack of actions.
The vehicle they were in wasn’t one of the older ones on the road, thankfully. Whoever had been in that house hadn’t left it empty for long—meaning he and Anya blended into the world a bit better than they would have otherwise. Since the city was also situated high in the Rocky Mountains, the air temperature was a bit cooler during the season. That boded well for what they were wearing since they had to keep their sleeves down to cover their brands. Sure, humans had half sleeves and full sleeves when it came to ink, but their brands were a bit more noticeable since neither he nor Anya had any additional ink on their arms. He frowned. If he were to go on more trips like this, he’d have Gibson give him full sleeves. He’d blend in more with all of that ink instead of just the stark brand on his arm.
When they pulled into an old motel that looked like it had seen better days, he furrowed his brows.
“We’ll stay here for a bit. I need to see if I can catch the scent of another shifter. Hopefully, they’ve heard something. If not, we can start searching for places where Frank might be holding the children. It’s a long shot, but we’re not giving up.”
“I knew it was going to be hard, but damn it, it seems like it’s an uphill battle that…” She cut herself off, her bear in her eyes. She fisted her hands on her thighs, and he reached over and placed his hand over one of hers. She didn’
t relax her fist, but she didn’t punch him either. That had to be progress.
“It’s not a lost cause. It’s not insurmountable. We’re just gathering what we can. But we will find them.”
Her hand shook under his and he reached over, gently prying her fingers apart. He ran his thumb over her palm and up to her wrist. Her pulse beat hard against his thumb, its rapid pace slowing as he kept his touch gentle.
“They must be so scared. I can’t even imagine what they’re feeling, what they’re thinking. I don’t know anything.” She shuddered out a breath. “This is killing me, Cole. These are my babies. They’ve never been alone without me before. I’ve never spent an evening away from them, never not tucked them in. Even during the forced move to the new compound, I never let them leave my sight. And now Frank comes in, using some form of cover to steal my babies. I don’t know why he wants them, but knowing what he’s done in the past with Cora and Soren…” She swallowed hard, her cheeks going dark. “I can’t, Cole. I can’t let them stay with that man much longer.”
He leaned over the console and cupped her face, bringing his lips to hers. He kissed her gently, calming them both. Before they’d made love, it would have only amped their attraction and perhaps their aggression. Now, though, it proved that his cat wanted this bear for the long-term. And those cubs were in trouble, so keeping their mom safe and stopping her from turning feral was one of his top priorities.
“We’ll find them.” He knew it could be an empty promise and it killed him. He’d lost the scent. He’d never lost a scent before, but then again, this was the longest, most complicated hunt he’d ever been on. He might be the best at what he did, but sometimes even that wasn’t enough.
“I know we will,” she agreed.
Because there wasn’t another option. Not when there was still air in his lungs and blood in his veins. He wouldn’t quit until he’d found those boys.
He let out a breath then kissed her again. Just a quick kiss, but one that held so much more than just a whisper of touch. “Let’s get inside. They’ll have rooms in here. I don’t scent anyone around so we should be alone. We can regroup and then begin our journey.
She nodded, and they both got out of the vehicle, their bodies on alert. Things were so different here than in the compound. Hell, they were different than in other parts of the city, as well. They got into an old room and immediately opened the windows to clear out the stale air. As soon as they settled their home base, they’d go out again and be on the lookout. His cat knew Talbot was around, somewhere close to where they were. He wasn’t just making up a direction and going with it. He might have lost the scent, but his cat knew something the man hadn’t quite put his finger on yet. He’d learned long ago to trust his jaguar when it came to things such as this.
Something shifted near the doorway, and he turned on his heel, claws not out in case it was a human, but close. He inhaled, his eyes going wide.
“Anya. Behind me.”
She didn’t go behind him, but rather to his side. He didn’t object, as she could fight her way through anything, but it still rankled his cat that she wouldn’t stay safely behind him.
When the giant bear shifter revealed himself at the door opening, Cole wanted to curse. The man’s bare forearms told him that this shifter was one of the Unseen—unmarked and non-collared. The man was big. Bigger than Cole and Anya for sure. He could probably break them both with his pinkies.
“Cat,” the man growled, his voice low, rusty.
“Bear,” Cole growled back.
Anya cleared her throat and pointed to herself. “I’m a bear, but I’m sure you get that.”
Cole would not let his mouth turn up in a grin at her words. Damn, the woman had no fear. Only, he’d seen the look in her eyes at the thought of losing her children, and knew no fear to be far from the truth. That sobered him quickly.
“What is it you want?” Cole asked, his voice low, but he’d lost the growl. He didn’t need to antagonize this bear. “Is this your territory?” He didn’t know how territories worked with the Unseen. The Alphas might know more, but as a mere Tracker, he wasn’t privy to that information.
The bear tilted his head and studied him. The man had white-gold hair that brushed his shoulders and looked like he’d woken up and ran a hand through it, calling it good enough. His features were strong, like everything about him. His dark eyes weren’t just dark brown, but black.
“Polar…” Anya whispered. “You’re a polar bear.”
Not all shifters looked like their animal counterparts while in human form, but the rare polars were in a league of their own. Or so he’d heard. Cole had never met one before. They’d been hard to come by before the roundup. He wasn’t sure there was even one in the Ursine Pack.
“I am a polar. That is right, grizzly.” He blinked at Anya then did the same to Cole. “You’re a jaguar.”
How the man knew this, he didn’t know. Their scents were hard as hell to discern. Generally, only shifters of the same species could distinguish sub-species by scent.
“I’m Tucker. And though this isn’t my territory, you shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not?” Anya asked.
“You should know that. You may have covered the brands with clothing and taken off your collars, but you are not one of the Unseen. You do not know how to live among the humans and hide yourselves like you should. I scented you a mile away. It’s my duty to. Why are you here, and what will it take for you to go back to where you came from?”
Cole did not like this bear. He didn’t like his attitude, and he sure as hell didn’t like the way the guy eye-fucked Anya. The bastard didn’t even have the grace to do it subtly. No, he fucking raked his gaze down her body, appreciation apparent.
Cole moved closer to Anya, putting his hand on her lower back. She turned to him, her brows raised. She knew what was going on, but didn’t do anything about it.
Tucker snorted but didn’t stop looking at Anya.
Cole wanted to scream mine and mark her as his. Only it sure as hell wasn’t the time for that.
“I’m looking for my children,” Anya said. She took two steps toward the bear, leaving Cole behind.
Cole did not like that. He wanted to reach for her but held himself back, not wanting to make any sudden movements in front of this stranger.
“You let them wander too far from you, momma bear?”
Before Cole could break the bastard’s neck, Anya was in Tucker’s face. Cole growled and moved behind her, his hand on her hip.
“The SAU stole my babies from their beds while they slept. They’ve never been outside the compound except to move from one den to another. We tracked them down to this general area. If you’ve seen them, or heard anything that indicates they could be near, I need to know,” she pleaded, and Cole wanted to tear up the world for her.
Tucker studied her face. “I’m sorry the SAU kidnapped your kids, but you need to go. It’s not safe for anyone here.”
Cole frowned at the man. He was hiding something, and Cole knew it. This bear had more secrets than just his identity within the human population. What would an Unseen want with this territory? Why was he so adamant that Cole and Anya leave?
“Please. I know you know something. I can see it in your eyes.” Anya put her hand on Tucker’s chest, and Cole growled. She moved it back slowly, but not before a lick of heat entered Tucker’s eyes.
Cole had had enough. He pulled Anya to his side and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Tell us what you know. This isn’t about dicking around with each other; this is about two scared bear cubs. Help us.”
Tucker remained silent for so long, Cole was afraid the big bastard was just going to walk away and leave them stranded. Fuck, he’d go and follow the bear if he had to. There was no way he’d let the polar leave without giving them information.
“Please,” Anya whispered.
Tucker cursed. “Fine. But the information I tell you can’t be used until after dark. You hear me? It??
?s not safe for you to be out in the daylight. Blending in is one thing, but it’s hard as fuck to blend in on this side of the tracks.”
Cole opened his mouth to respond, but Tucker held up his hand.
“You don’t know the area. This is my home. You fuck up and get caught by the SAU? They’re going to come after my family. There’s young here. You screw up and they die. You get me?”
“Where are they?” Anya asked, her voice calm. Too calm. Fuck, what was she planning?
Tucker raised a brow at her. “Hold yourself, momma bear. You rush out of here for what could be just a shot at finding them, rather than actually finding them, and you’ll die.”
Cole’s arm shot out, his hand wrapping around the bear’s neck before he could blink. “Threaten her again and you’ll be more than just Unseen. You get me?”
Tucker didn’t look the least bit worried about Cole’s claws digging into his skin. In fact, the fucker looked relaxed.
“I’m not going to be the one to kill her. The SAU will. Stop thinking with your dick and think with your brain.”
“Fuck you.”
“Both of you, stop it,” Anya snapped. “Where the fuck are my sons?”
“You have a mouth on you,” Tucker murmured. “I like it.”
Cole squeezed, a trail of blood running down this thumb. “Keep going. I dare you.”
“You kill me, you don’t get the information.”
“Tucker,” Anya pleaded.
Cole didn’t like the asshole’s name on her lips. Tucker slowly reached into his pocket, and Cole kept his gaze on the man for any sudden movements.
“I’m going to write down an address and a set of directions. There’ve been some suspicious activities going on around this one building. I think it might be the one you’re looking for.”