Chapter 142

Michael POV

We drove for another two hours before we came to the turn that Shawna's dad had told me to watch for. I turned onto a nearly hidden dirt road and made my way up its winding path to what looked like a field. The field had several vehicles parked in it, and a small outbuilding was nearby. As I put the truck in park, two large men came out of the outbuilding, rifles slung over their backs. They stood with legs spread, arms crossed over their shoulders. Both men had unruly beards and long hair that was tied back with leather strings. They wore camouflage pants and black t-shirts that stretched across muscular chests. They looked intimidating, at least to most people. To me they just looked like hardened guards who were bored and curious about the truck that had just parked in their hidden parking lot.

"Stay here," I told Shawna as I unbuckled and stepped out of the truck. She looked at the two men and then back at me, with a small smile.

"Michael," she said softly. "I don't need to stay in the truck. I know them. The one on the left is my cousin Jarod and the other is his best friend, Malik."

"Okay," I said. She unbuckled and threw her door open. The two men had kept their eyes on me the entire time. When I stepped from the truck and they saw my size, they both pulled their rifles around in front of them.

"Don't come any closer," the one Shawna identified as Malik said. "Name and purpose of your visit here?"

Shawna bounced out of the truck and ignored them, walking towards them. "Stop being all tough Malik," she said. A look of recognition crossed Jarod's face and he put the rifle behind him and walked briskly towards Shawna. Malik went to grab him, still not realizing who Shawna was, but he shrugged him off and practically ran towards Shawna, drawing her up into a hug. As he did, he lifted her off the ground and swung her around. Malik looked confused but returned his rilfe to his back.

"Is it really you?" Jarod asked, a break in his voice. "Shawna?"

Shawna laughed, "It is. Now put me down," she smacked his shoulder. He set her down gently, looking her over.

"Where have you been, what happened?"

Shawna took a step back, by now I was right behind her and cleared my throat. Jarod looked up from her face to mine, a curious expression. Malik was now standing with his mouth hanging open. "That's a long story," she said with a sigh. "This is my mate, Michael." She turned and grabbed my hand pulling me forward. "Michael this is my cousin, Jarod. That oaf over there is Malik."

"Shawna?" Malik said. Then he looked from her to me and back again. "You're mated? Did you run away?"

"No," she squeaked out. "I was....." she looked over at me and then back to the two men. "I was kidnapped by the Godsend pack, two years ago."

Malik growled in his throat and took a menacing step towards me. I simply raised my brow at him. I was not intimidated in the least. I was however, waiting to see what his next move would be. "Stop that," Shawna said.

"Didn't the Godsend pack get disbanded?" Jarod asked. "A few of their pack members were relocated here afterward. I was frankly shocked that the Alpha allowed that," he shrugged. "But who the hell am I to question him?"

"They were," I said. "They had no choice. Their Alpha and others were convicted of some terrible crimes. Many were executed. The council made sure that the innocents, the ones not involved, were given new packs. I hope you have been kind to the young women and children sent here?" I said it as a question.

"Oh he's been kind alright," Malik laughed. Jarod gave him a look that said "shut the hell up," and he went quiet.

"My mate was from that pack," Jarod admitted. "So yes, I've been kind." Jarod looked to Shawna, "Tell me what's going on? Do your parents know you're here?" The sun had set and it was dark now, but our werewolf eyes could still see fine.

"They are expecting us," I said before Shawna could reply. "If you wouldn't mind letting us pass?"

"I need to check in. No offense Shawna, you've been gone a long time and I can smell that you have pled to another pack. Security has been increased extensively in the past couple of years. After young she-wolves started to disappear, we had no choice," he states.

"I think you will find that some of that will stop, perhaps entirely now," I stated.

"Is that so?" Malik said, as he stared at me. "What pack are you from, Alpha?" he practically sneered.

"I'm from Georgia, but I've been in Idaho for a while as a guardian for one of the councilmen. He's now dead and I'm free. So as I said, we are expected here and would like to pass so we can see Shawna's parents," I pushed out my aura just a bit to let him know I meant business. I was not sure what this guys problem was, but he was being an asshole and I was done being polite. I knew these were Shawna's pack members but this guy was certainly asking for me to kick his ass.

Shawna sighed loudly next to me. "Malik, he's my mate. That's all you need to know about that. Now, please Jarod," she turned to her cousin. "Mindlink the Alpha or whoever and get permission for us to pass. I'm tired. We've been driving for over ten hours."

"Ten hours? From where?" he asked.

"Montana. We were at Lone Wolf Ranch, we were present for the execution of Alpha James, the councilman that my mate spoke of. If you don't mind, I'm exhausted." Jarod and Malik exchanged looks and then Jarod's eyes went momentarily glossy as he communicated with his Alpha. A moment later he shrugged and told us to pass.

"Do you know the way still?" he asked Shawna. She nodded and we walked back to the truck, retrieving the two hiking packs that had our necessities for a few days packed in them. I had come prepared. Her father had told me we would have to hike in.

"If we are approached by patrols, do they know we are here?" Shawna asked as she cinched down her pack.

"They do," Jarod said. "Be careful though, I'd hate for anything to happen to you again. Your poor mother was a mess until about a year ago. Which by the way, I'm thinking that's when she found out you were alive? She hasn't said much to us. Maybe she didn't believe it?" he asked.

"Maybe not," Shawna replied. "Thank you Jarod," she patted his arm and took my hand. "Malik, you are still a hot head," she said as we passed him. "You should learn to keep cool." He grumbled under his breath as we passed.

"What's his problem?" I asked when we were a good hundred feet away.

"He wanted for me to be his mate," she replied with a shrug. "I always thought he was an ass. Let's go, I'm hungry and tired."