Chapter 3

They were late. Blair got out of the van and went to the front to look along the road. He scoffed and glanced around, this was a path, not a road. Pulling out his phone, he brought up the email from Devin, he knew he was at the right location—he read it quickly again, and he’d been early. Tucking his phone back in his pocket, he opened the van—which he still couldn’t believe he had to drive. It was like he was a soccer mom or something, only he wasn’t a mom or a female, and he hated soccer. Grabbing the map, he opened it where he had it creased and studied the route again. He’d already come up with about six alternate plans, just in case he needed them, he had no details on what had happened to this clan, but he would make sure he got them all out safely.

Right now, he was running on pure adrenaline, and thankful for it. He’d driven straight through after he’d picked up the van. It had been a long drive, but with so little detail, he didn’t want to not be here on time and leave them stranded in uncertain circumstances. He had a twenty-minute nap when he got here, just enough to keep him going.

Devin said eventually they’d be going to his campground, but they had to be checked out prior, so Blair was to take them to a new location they’d set up. One in the middle of nowhere, about halfway between Gage and Devin’s places. He was okay with that, he preferred the middle of nowhere to populated areas.

Grabbing his pack, he stuffed the map in and then looked at the stack of blankets he’d gotten, along with water and some basic snacks. They could pick up anything else required along the way. He had no idea what state they would be in, hell he didn’t even know where they were from or what they were running from exactly.

Closing the door softly, he inhaled and focused to see if he could scent any change in the area. Nothing. Jamming his hands in his pockets, so he wouldn’t check the time again. He looked to his left, then slowly to his right. The sound of a vehicle had him straighten, his cat rubbed along him, alert and ready as well.

The SUV stopped and a man jumped out of it, leaving it running, the door opened and hurried toward him. Blair looked at the vehicle. No one else was inside. Shit, something is wrong.

“Are you Blair?” The guy approached him fast.

Blair’s cat didn’t like this at all.

“You are definitely a cat, damn, sorry to rush at you, I’m Fischer.” He looked over his shoulder. “Pretty sure we were being followed, so I detoured past the turnoff and dropped them off.” He pointed to the treed area. “Kobie is leading them through there to meet you here.”

He knew he was a cat? Did that mean this clan was cats? Blair inhaled subtly; Fischer was a one-form. His confusion must have shown on his face.

“Yeah, I’m a one-form. Grew up with the Alpha’s son.” He pulled something out of his pocket and held it out to him. “Kobie says you have to dab this under your nose—” he looked apologetic, “there are two women close to their first cycle…”

Fuck. Just what he didn’t need to be contending with. Blair took the tube and opened it. Then held it away from him as long as his arm could manage. “How the fuck am I supposed to keep them safe if I can’t smell?”

Fischer started backing toward his vehicle. “Kobie will do that,” he smirked, “best hunter in the clan.”

That made Blair feel better, not much, but if his senses had to be crippled, having their best hunter alongside him was better than nothing.

“I gotta go. Get back out on the main road in case they’re still looking. I’ll lead them in the other direction, buy you some time.”

Blair nodded.

“If I know Kobie, they’ll make it here in about fifteen minutes.” He paused halfway in the driver’s seat, looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t.

“They’ll be safe,” Blair told him and he meant it.

“Tell Kobie if any of the others come back, I’ll hide them until we can get them out of here.” He got in and made fast work of turning around and leaving.

Others? What the hell was going on? He looked at the offensive tube in his hand. Did he have a choice? No, not really. If his cat was distracted with some female in her cycle, it would make this trip ten times harder, not to mention it would piss off any of the males with them if his cat was flirting with their females. He looked at the van. Yeah, cramming ten bodies into that for a long drive was going to be hard enough, never mind distracted cats. This Kobie guy must have balls of steel to request he use this crap and impede his most important sense. Blair shook it off, he’d probably do the same to protect his clan. He had to respect that he was just looking out for what remained of his clan. “Shit.” He opened the tube and put the smallest possible amount he could on the tip of his finger. “This is going to suck.” He hissed, then chased his head as he leaned back away from his hand, reaching to touch under his nose.

Almost fifteen minutes on the dot, Blair heard movement in the trees. He inhaled and immediately regretted it. Sucking more of the offensive scent into his body. He went around and opened the side door of the van. If someone was looking for them, introductions would have to wait until he got them the hell out of here.

His cat was freaking out inside him. He didn’t like not being able to smell. When the sound got closer, Blair hunched down, ready to spring in case the clan members weren’t causing the barely audible sounds.

A woman with long brown hair stepped out of the thick growth. She had a small girl with strawberry blonde hair and huge frightened blue eyes in front of her. Blair stepped down into the ditch and held out his hand to help them up it, “It’s okay, honey,” he took the little girl’s hand, “I’m Blair and I’m taking you somewhere safe,” he kept his voice soft and light.

“I’m Daisie.” She said in a shaking voice.

He was sure his heart just cracked a little inside him. “Hop up in and get comfortable.” He helped her and then turned to the woman and nodded as she climbed in and pulled the child onto her lap. “Are the rest close?”

She nodded, “Kobie spread us out to keep the sound to a minimum.”

Blair didn’t pause to chat. He went back to the ditch and squatted down watching and listening. This Kobie guy was smart. Keep the sound from traveling, send the women and children first so he can watch over everyone. He felt a small measure better about not being able to smell. The brush moved and another woman with an older girl came out. No mistaking these two for mother and daughter with their matching curly hair.

He held his hand out to the teenager. She looked exhausted. “I’m Blair, take my hand.” She hesitantly took it. He pulled her up out of the ditch. “Water and snacks are under the seats.” He released her hand when he was sure she had her footing, then turned back to the mother.

“Franki slipped and has a gash,” she pointed to her arm as she climbed into the van.

Blair nodded and reached in under the front seat and pulled out a first aid kit and held it out. “Fix it up when they get here.” The woman took the kit. Fuck, the scent of blood would be like a damned beacon.

“Kobie took off her shirt and wrapped it,” Daisie told him as he turned back to the ditch.

He winked at her. “Smart move.” He stepped back over to the ditch. Her shirt? He had to have heard that wrong.

Two more women stepped out of the foliage. One of them had dyed red-streaked hair and was holding the arm of a short blonde woman as she held her wrapped arm. Franki was a woman. He hadn’t caught that part. Snapping out of it, he slid down the ditch and held out his hand to her. “I’m Blair, we have a med kit in the van.”

The one helping her let go and climbed up the incline. “Kobie dosed any blood on the ground with rubbing alcohol.”

He took Franki’s elbow and helped her out of the ditch. He’d never thought of using rubbing alcohol to cover scents, but it was a good idea, and he hoped it worked.

“Annamarie was freaking out, so Mika is dragging her along,” Franki told him.

He glanced at the van again, deciding the one with the dyed hair was one of the cats close to their first change. She had to be around eighteen, nineteen. Hopefully, her cat would figure out now was not the time to introduce her to their world. Stopping for an inevitable first change was not something they had time for. Of course, if he could fucking smell, he’d know how close she was.

Blair hoped as he’d never hoped before that Mika was a man, otherwise, his tense guts told him he was going to be transporting nine females many stressful miles. He released her elbow as she got in the van.

Hurrying back when the vegetation moved, he waited at the bottom for the next ones to arrive. A woman with short brown hair, around twenty, huffed out a breath as she cleared it. She turned and gave the older woman with long red hair a glare of attitude. Mika was not a man.

“Come on.” He did not have time for haughty girls. The upset one took his hand, then assessed him and gave him one of those smiles—the kind the old Blair would have lapped up like a starving kitten. He pulled her up the incline and then released her hand as soon as her feet were on level ground. He was almost thankful for the stink under his nose right now. His cat did not need to know about the pheromones he knew she’d be tossing at him right now.

He turned back to Mika. She was in her late twenties if he guessed right—and when it came to females, Blair was usually right on the money guessing their age. Taking his hand, she gave him a brief nod then looked at the van.

“We should dump the seats, there’d be more room.” She stepped to get in the van.

“Leaving seats laying here would be a flashing sign.” He said quickly, then turned back to the growth, watching.

“Good point,” Mika said from behind him.

Before Blair could think of anything else to say, a tall woman cleared the growth. She was wearing jeans, a jacket, and just a bra underneath. Turning her back to him, she reached out in front of her and backed up the incline while spraying over her tracks as she went. He would have tried to scent what she was misting the ground with but knew the only smell he’d pick up was that god-awful ointment again.

Backing toward the van, he looked all around them. Opening the passenger door, he reached over and opened his bag, pulling out the first shirt he found.

Kobie reached the van and then finally turned to look at him.

Blair’s heart did this hard stop in his chest. She had dark blue, almost black eyes, combined with her high cheekbones and pouty lips. She was probably the most exotic-looking she-cat he’d ever seen. His brain snapped back to functioning, and he held out his t-shirt.

Stuffing the spray bottle into her backpack, she took it. “Thanks.” She yanked off her jacket and tossed it in the van and pulled the shirt over her head. “How’s the arm?” She looked in the van.

Mika nodded as she wrapped it. “It’s not bad.”

“Good. There’s no time to shift and heal it, so hang on, Franki, just keep an eye on it.” Kobie leaned over and grabbed a bottle of water, then took a long drink of it.

“Sorry,” Franki mumbled, “I know better.”

Capping the bottle, Kobie shrugged, then reached up and pulled out the elastic holding her long, almost white, blonde hair. Shaking her head, she pulled a small twig from it then tossed it in the van instead of the ground.

That told Blair she knew a lot about hunting and tracking.

“Grab a nap when you can.” She told the women, “Nichelle, you have the first watch,” she pointed behind the van, “I don’t care how insignificant you think it is, you tell us what you see.”

The one with the dyed hair nodded her head and then shifted in the cramped space so she was looking out the back window.

With an abrupt nod, Kobie closed the door and then finally looked up at Blair for more than a second. “Thanks for being here.”

Blair nodded, then wiped his wrist under his nose, wishing he could smell.

She shrugged and brushed by him and climbed in the passenger seat, then pulled out the spray bottle again. “The ointment was necessary.”

Blair watched her spray where she’d been standing, then held the bottle out to him. “I get it. I don’t like it but understand why.” As soon as she closed the door, he sprayed the ground and backed around to the front. He didn’t know where he’d stood or not stood since arriving, so he pulled the tube of gunk from his pocket and squirted some on the ground. He doubted even a torrential rain would wash that scent away. Climbing in, he handed her the bottle and tossed the tube on top of his bag.

Holding his hand out, he watched as she looked at it for a moment. “Blair Elden.”

She looked at him for a timeless moment, making him feel like he’d just been thoroughly judged. Placing her hand in his, she gave it a half shake, then pulled it away. “Kobie Sorum.”

Starting the van, he pulled away without leaving a tire mark behind.

“You’re part of the Alliance?”

He glanced in the mirror to see all the women watching him, waiting for him to answer Kobie’s question. “Not directly, no. The king’s son asked me to come to get you.”

“That’s a compliment.” She stated in a serious tone.

Blair shrugged, “He knew I’d get you out safe.” He glanced to see her nod as she watched out the window. “Look,” he looked at the tired, scared women behind him, “I know you’re beat, but I need some details.” He cleared his throat and checked the side mirror. “I feel like I’ve been sent in blind here.” He gave her a quick look, “your one-form friend said you were being followed.” She gave him a slight nod. “By whom?”

He heard her blow out a breath. “I’m not sure. My father, the Alpha, and the men didn’t share the details with me. It’s been an ongoing thing though, as far back as I can remember—” she gave him a hard look, searching his face for a second before he looked back at the road. “Women and children were being taken…”

Blair swung his head and looked at her. “Fuck.” He said in as quiet a voice he could manage. “Tomas.” Fuck! He looked back at the road quickly. “Does anyone have a cell phone or any sort of electronic gear with them?”

“I just have a phone; the battery and stick are out of it,” Kobie said quietly.

“Toss it all out the window.” He knew his tone wasn’t pleasant, but he’d just found out they had handed him an impossible task. He liked how she immediately followed his instruction. “So did your Alpha send you...”

“No. This was a contingency plan set up with Fischer—I didn’t know about it.” She cleared her throat. “When we—found our men that were on patrol, I gathered up the others and got out of there.”

He didn’t need to ask if the men were alive. “The rest of your clan go after them?”

“They left and said they were going to get the others—four days before we found the patrol. We haven’t heard a word from them since.”

Blair nodded and glanced in the rearview mirror to see the little girl looking at Kobie. “I get it.” He said quickly so she wouldn’t have to say anymore in front of the child. Glancing at the speed he was driving, he put his foot on the accelerator. This changed his original route back. He motioned to his pack, “grab the map out of there, we need to take the most remote route back.”

Kobie listened and opened his bag and pulled out the map.

“You navigate.” He told her. Grinding his teeth, he went over the routes in his head, trying to find the nearest location he could stop and call Gage. He was going to need some kind of backup on this. “I need to make a quick call.” He glanced in all the mirrors as he slowed again. “See how soon I can meet up with someone along the way.” He chanced a glance at the woman beside him, expecting panic to be on her face. She only nodded and then looked at the map again.

Stepping out of the van, he closed the door and hit send. Being on the outside or not he knew all the shifters in that van that had reached their first turn could still hear him, but it was for the sake of the four he knew hadn’t that he tried to keep his voice down. He wiped at his nose, waiting for Gage to answer.

“Blair?”

“Fuck, Gage, this is a shitshow,” Blair said quietly.

“What’s wrong? Did you pick them up?” Gage sounded like he was running.

“Yeah, I got them.” He glanced over his shoulder at the passengers, “all nine females.”

“They’re all women?”

“Women, girls, and a child.” Blair clarified.

“Are they okay?” Gage said something he couldn’t hear. “We were just about to head home, hang on, Devin’s right here.” He heard more sounds. “You’re on speaker.”

He didn’t waste any time on greetings. “They’re searching for them. The contact had to drop them off to run through a bush because they were being followed.” He heard a few curses but didn’t know who said what. “It’s Tomas, Gage, I feel it to the core of my soul.”

“I spoke to Jesse, and he confirmed the Alpha had been communicating with some of the council members in the Alliance,” Devin’s tone was hard, “and yes, we believe it was part of Tomas’ association they were dealing with.”

“They’re all females.” Gage blurted out.

“Fuck.” Devin hissed. “I was told their best hunter was with them. What do you need, Blair?”

A fucking miracle. Blair glanced in the van to the anxious faces watching him. “Oh, their best hunter is, and she knows her shit. I’m going to back road it as much as I can, so I don’t have an exact route. How close is anyone that can lend a hand?” He heard a commotion. Presumably, they were pulling out a map.

“Closest, right now with everything going on is roughly six hours out…”

Blair closed his eyes and blew out a breath. He opened his eyes and then turned and slowly surveyed all around them. “Okay, text me any locations and numbers from here to that house you set up.” He rubbed his hand across his nose again, wishing to fuck he could smell. “I’m going to be moving fast and crazy as long as I can.”

“Check-in when you can,” Devin said. “I’m calling Dad and filling him in.”

“Their contact said more might return.” He looked at the little girl. For her sake, he hoped it was true.

“Okay, I’ll tell him. See if we can get someone from down there checking into that.” Devin said quickly.

“Blair,” Kelsey sounded like she was holding the phone, “be safe.”

“Always, sweetie.” He said automatically then clamped his tongue between his teeth because he had replied like that. “Gotta get moving.” He hung up and opened the door. Tossing his phone on top of his bag, he had the van moving before his door was closed. “The Alliance is going to alert all clans along our trip, so we have a backup if we need it.” He glanced at Kobie. She only nodded and kept looking out the window.

“Thank you.” One of the women behind him whispered.

“I’ll get you there safe.” He said and hoped to hell he could manage it.

“You must be a fierce warrior to be sent alone.”

He didn’t need to look to see who said it, he knew the voice went with the flirtation he’d gotten from Annamarie. Opening his mouth to answer her, he snapped it shut again. He would not feed her little infatuation.

Devin and Gage had been just as shocked as he was picking up all females. That made him feel a little better, not by much though. He also knew the only reason he was alone was because of all the other shit happening, and they hadn’t been given all the details.