Chapter 782 Chapter 782
Bear’s animal moved through him. They were getting their mate out of there tonight. He looked out the window to see the snow was no longer a light flake here and there. It was really starting to come down. The heavy snowfall should make it easier for them to get close without being seen.
“Jesse, you still with us?” Calum asked.
“I’m here.”
Eaton looked at the notebook. “One of the men with Leon has scars on his neck and is from a leopard clan.”
“Is he there by choice now?”
“Unknown, but his name is Zuri.” Eaton looked at the phone.
“That name sounds—I think he was taken from Leah’s clan when he was a boy twenty years ago, maybe longer.”
“That’s what we wondered,” Calum said. “We’ll have to send him to the center, but he may be able to join the clan at some point.”
“I’m not telling Leah or her mom until we know more.” Jesse sounded distracted, and Bear got that. Everything about this place was distracting.
“Is he the only one?”
“We don’t know much about the others yet,” Eaton answered.
“Okay. Let me know tonight once you have him.”
Eaton nodded. “Will do.”
“I’m going now,” Jesse said quietly.
“We’ll talk soon, Jesse,” Calum told him.
“Blaise?”
“I’m here, Rayne. Feel a bit weird sitting in a different room while you’re on the call, too.”
“Are you alone?”
“Uh, yeah. Griffin is out with Cassius right now, checking flooded areas. Do you need him?”
“No, we need to discuss this with you first,” Rayne said.
“All right,” Blaise said with suspicion.
“Go ahead, Eaton,” Rayne told her.
Eaton looked at Dane, and her expression said she wasn’t happy she was the one telling her. “One of the women with Leon is Griffin’s mother.” She shrugged. Bear agreed with her, saying it quickly, and nodded.
“I’m sorry?”
“Her name is Edda, or that’s what she is called now. She told Calla that she had a child with a human—Alberto Tomas and named him Griffin. From what she was able to tell us, she was freed by a man named Walter. They hid with rogues, and they had a daughter named Marie. She was injured and unable to keep up—the rest we don’t have details for.”
“Ahh—just let me process that dump.” Blaise blew out an audible breath. “I know all the names match—we’re sure it’s her?”
“She’s from the Kermode bear clan,” Eaton said.
“Yeah, that’s her.” Another loud breath. “I-don’t think I should tell him right this minute.”
“That’s why we’re leaving it up to you, Blaise. You know him best.”
“Yeah, I know that he’s going to go all strong, man, and probably lose it when I tell him you found his mother.” She groaned. “Is—Edda there by choice? I mean, does she know the kind of man she’s running with?”
“We don’t have any details, Blaise. We’ll get her out tonight…”
“I don’t think she should go to the center, Devin,” Rayne said.
“I agree,” Shepard added right after her.
“Where do you suggest we take her, Rayne?” Raymond’s tone was respectful when he spoke to their princess.
“What about one of the houses that Griffin and I had to rotate through? There’s one that’s about an hour from here—it would give me time to figure out how to tell Griffin.” Blaise’s voice was strained.
“I’ll look them up, Blaise, and have her transported there,” Devin said.
“Okay. This is some kind of news.” She snorted. “Like the kind I never saw coming.”
“I don’t think any of us did, Blaise,” Rayne said.
“Any other news you want to drop on me?” Blaise asked.
“I believe that’s it, Blaise.”
“Okay. I’m going to go now and process this.” She said slowly.
“All right, take care,” Rayne told her.
“Yeah.”
“How’s the weather there, Eaton?” Raymond asked.
“Very white.” She answered and turned to look out the window.
“Are Gideon, Creed, and Kelii going to be able to fly in it?” Devin asked.
Someone chuckled. “We’ll be fine, sir. A little snowstorm just makes it more interesting.”
“What Kelii said.” Gideon nodded.
“Okay, Wynter, you have the plan,” Devin said.
“I do. I talked it out with Kenzo a little while ago. You are all to go in fully loaded, with tranqs for friendlies.” Wynter said.
“Who is classified as friendly?” It was Deacon.
“Anyone that doesn’t come as you like they want to shoot you or take a bite out of you,” Wynter said.
“The flying clan members will go up and do recon fifteen minutes before you move in while everyone is getting in place. Eaton said there are sentries posted at the end of the street to the cul-de-sac. They go down first, Luka.”
Luka grinned. “My pleasure, Kenzo.” Luka nodded and gave Eaton a thumbs up.
“Gideon, when you’ve done your first sweep, you’ll meet Dane at Luka’s position and be ready to go in and procure any tech they have. Kelii, you’re to do a sweep of all three houses when they’re cleared. We’ll send more to help clean them out tomorrow.”
“Got it, Wynter.” Kelii said.
“Beck, you, Kaid, Rosh, and Bear are going in from the back, pick up any strays, and then proceed to the inside to lend aid to the others.”
“You got it, boss,” Beck replied to the instructions.
Bear was good with that. There was no way he was going to sit in the van and wait like he usually did unless called to break something open.
“The rest, form up in three teams and clear the way for Luka to get Dane in there.” Wynter finished.
“You’re going to be in contact with Calla before this goes down?” Nate asked.
“We are.” Eaton checked the time on her phone. “In about two hours, before dinner.”
“Good. We can’t be one hundred percent about those switches, so the easiest way to disconnect them is going to be at that black button she saw. The wire heading from the box, not into it, has to be cut.”
Bear scowled at the phone. “I don’t think she’s going to have wire cutters handy.”
“Even if she can rip them out, that will work,” Nate said.
Bear shrugged. “All right.”
“We’ll let her know,” Eaton said.
“All of you set up the call and include my son and me when you do,” Shepard said.
“We will, sir,” Dane said.
Bear opened the van door and stepped out into the cold snow. How was Calla going to get into the office that had the black button without getting caught? That was what concerned him the most. His animal moved inside him. He was ready to go. Bear just needed to give the word. Blowing out a breath, he lifted his face and let the snow fall on it. This had to go right, or there was going to be no controlling the lion that was poised and ready inside him.