Chapter 30

Jake was perfectly fine in the morning like it hadn’t happened. His anger was proof it happened and everyone was more tense than normal. Maybe tense was going to be the new vibe in the clan. She hoped not. Happier times were definitely welcome to invade the tension and paranoia.

The ground squished with each step as she walked. She turned and glanced down at the rock-covered area they’d just climbed. Blair and Calum were giving her lots of space and not following right now on her heels. She waited until they were closer before she spoke. “With all the rain, yesterday and last night, there’s not going to be any scents to track.” She adjusted her run pack, so it was riding along her hip.

Calum nodded.

Blair looked down the incline to the fenced area. “Think if a cat took a running leap, they’d clear it?”

She turned to look at the fence and examined the space between where she stood and the metal wiring. “I know I couldn’t.”

“I couldn’t even make that leap,” Calum said quietly.

Blair scoffed, “then no one can.” He grinned.

Calum gave him a bored look and then turned to her. “What are you looking for?”

Kobie started walking again, her eyes on the ground. “I’ll know it when I see it.” Neither of the men commented, or to her surprise, questioned her. She wasn’t lying. She had no idea what she was looking for, but they had to figure out how they were getting on the property. Kobie wanted a safe place to run, to teach the young shifters how to track, and more. Glancing behind her, she looked at Blair to see he was watching her. He gave her a heated look and her insides responded. She felt her cheeks flush and looked back in front of her. He was distracting. It wasn’t a bad thing necessarily, but she needed to focus.

Their talk last night had made her feel more at peace with everything. Any other male and she would have said they were giving her a huge line of bull, but Blair, he meant every syllable he spoke. She not only felt more at ease but lucky. What she had done for fate to bring her a mate such as Blair, she didn’t know. He was kind when needed. He was all Alpha but didn’t flex it like a muscle to show off. Sweet, she smirked at his reaction to her using that word. He was though, a sweet man. She had a flash of him coming back to the camp after he’d dealt with those men that had taken Daisie. He wasn’t afraid to do whatever was needed. She admired that.

Stopping, she turned and looked back to where she had just walked. Something was off. Moving over, she went down the slight incline and moved carefully along it. The men didn’t ask or make a move, just stood there and let her do whatever it was she was doing.

It was slick from the rain, but—she moved down to the bottom and walked along slowly. Nodding her head slowly, she turned and looked up to where Blair stood. “There are dead patches.”

He gave her a questioning look and came down the slope to stand beside her. “Dead patches?”

Pointing to the rocks along the top, “that would have washed away with the rain, but look,” she motioned to the path down the slope and ahead of them, “see the patches that are brown.”

Calum was beside them now. “There’s no reason for them to be here, they get plenty of sun and rain.”

“Exactly.” She grinned and started walking again, faster this time, “rubbing alcohol sprayed directly on grass will do that.” Kobie leaned down and reached toward the ground, “if it’s sprayed this close and not misted to cover more area,” she nodded.

“Son of a bitch.” Calum walked by her and then along the fence.

Blair smiled down at her and took her hand to catch up to him. Lifting it, he kissed the back of it and winked at her.

Kobie inhaled. She felt pride that she’d been able to figure this out.

Calum stopped and looked in both directions and then down at his feet. “This whole spot is dead.”

Kobie pulled her hand from Blairs and went and squatted down beside the fence. “It’s trampled too. Someone stood here for quite a while.”

“Like they were waiting for someone else to come back.” Blair turned and looked on the other side of the fence. “If someone boosted them over the fence so it wouldn’t set off any alarms,” he looked along the fence, “how would they get out again?”

“There’s no way they could, one maybe, but what of the one that boosted them back over? How do they get out?”

Kobie went closer to the fence and looked at the area on the other side. There were no trees to leap from, not since that last time that mistake had already been corrected. No rocks. “What if they didn’t come out here?” She turned to see both men look at her. “Three or more people would be noticed, or someone would trip an alarm in error, but one…”

“Could walk out the front gate in the commotion and no one would notice,” Calum said.

Blair swore softly and looked down at the browned area again. “They camped out here for a while.”

“Like they were waiting for the one inside to bring whoever they incapacitated from the chemicals,” Calum said in a venomous tone. Clenching his jaw, he pulled out his phone and walked a few feet in the other direction.

Kobie looked at him for a moment, then turned to Blair, “So someone else was on the land when you guys went out to check?”

Blair nodded, “most likely. Probably hoping a solo runner would fall ill and be easy to take.”

“Mika.” Kobie covered her mouth, “it could have been Mika.”

Blair nodded, grinding his teeth together for a moment. “She was smart and ran fast and furious back to the house.”

“Oh my god, it could have been Nichelle.” She hugged her waist, feeling ill at the thought.

Blair wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. He pulled his phone out and tapped the screen, using his arm around her neck and not releasing her. Dropping a kiss on top of her head, he blew out a breath. “Gage. I need all the guys here as soon as you can manage.”

Kobie leaned her head against his chest so she could listen to his heart beating. She was trying to stay calm. To act like the Alpha mate she was. They didn’t freak out, they stayed calm and did what needed doing. She blew out a breath.

“Kobie figured out how they got on the land and as far as we can figure, one of them was still on it when we went out looking…” Blair made a sound of disgust, “yeah, or worse.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I want to sweep the entire property, especially with Robbie and Niles coming back tonight.” He hugged her tighter with his other arm. “He’s talking to Devin now.” Kobie glanced to see the expression on Calum’s face wasn’t pleasant at all. “Yeah, I’m sure he will.” He cleared his throat, “I’ll help you get caught up in the shop tomorrow.” He relaxed slightly. “I appreciate it.” He hung up and tucked the phone back in his pocket.

Kobie looked up at him. “What do we tell everyone?”

Blair looked down at her, then leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth. “The truth. If everyone is aware and on the lookout, it’s better.”

Calum came back over.

“What does Devin say?” Blair asked.

“A lot of words I won’t repeat in mixed company.” He gave his head a shake. “He’s sending a team this way.”

Blair stiffened.

“We don’t have a choice, Blair. There’s going to be three injured males here and not enough bodies to keep watch over everyone and every inch of this land.” He pointed, “Ed’s place will be patrolled as well. We’re not taking chances.”

Blair huffed out a breath, “yeah.” He swore quietly, “can we get cameras or something set up around the outside of the fence?” He motioned in the direction we’d come, “if we end up with a few dozen shifters that can’t safely shift and run, things are going to get ugly.”

“I already asked.” Calum started walking, “he’s sending that too.”

Kobie was glad he didn’t move away from her but started following with his arm draped over her shoulders.

“I don’t care if we have a camera every five feet and have to patrol every hour until we get these bastards…” He blew out a breath and squeezed her against him.

“I’ll work out a schedule once I see who Dev sends.”

Kobie leaned into Blair. If she let go of him, she was afraid she would panic. Her clan deserved a new start, not this.

“We’ll deal with it, babe.” Blair leaned down and looked at her face.

Kobie nodded, believing what he said.

“They were on the land when I was out there?” Mika grasped her head between her hands and stood there like that, looking at Blair.

“We’re pretty sure they were.” He answered honestly.

“Holy shit,” Mika whispered and paced away a few feet before stopping and looking down at the ground.

“The Alliance is sending a security team here to help.” Calum offered.

Cale looked at Blair, “what do you need me to do, chief?”

Blair gave him an amused look at the nickname, “work with Calum to set up a schedule for patrols.” He glanced to Ed for as he spoke, “no one goes for a run alone.” Turning, he watched to see that Mika had heard. She was nodding.

“I have more phones at the house, I think everyone should have one,” Beth said, looking from Blair to Kobie.

“That’s a good idea,” Kobie answered.

“I get a phone?” Daisie asked.

Blair sought Kobie’s gaze before he answered, she gave a quick nod. Looking down at the excited-looking child, he held up his hand, “for emergency calls only.”

Daisie nodded. “I see a lot from the trees.” She nodded again.

Ed gave his mate a serious look. “You take one of the men on any more shopping outings.”

Beth bobbed her head, making no comment.

“How long is this going to go on?” Torrey said in a quiet tone. She held up her hand, “I’m not whining, don’t misunderstand, but why are they still trying to get to us?”

Blair connected with Calum’s look before he looked down at Kobie.

“They probably aren’t happy I lived,” Jay said loudly from the doorway, where he sat in his wheelchair.

“You think they’re after you?” Cortney hugged Daisie against her front.

“They left one of the Alpha family males alive,” Jay told her but was looking at Kobie, then to Blair as he spoke.

“Then we should send them an announcement,” Nichelle said in a snarky tone. She motioned to Blair, “tell them we have a new Alpha, and it sucks to be them.”

Blair couldn’t help chuckling quietly. He loved her attitude. “I’m sure that would do it.” He grinned at her.

“It’s not a bad idea.” Cooper mused in a hushed tone. Everyone turned to look at him. He smirked, “not an announcement, but let the word get out.”

Gage glanced at Ed, “have the Alliance announce it?”

“You think they have eyes and ears on the inside?” Ed frowned.

“We’ve suspected they have some way of knowing things.” Calum crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the ground. “Maybe not a spy on the inside, but they’re tapped in somehow.”

“I’ll talk to Shep about it.” Ed turned and looked at Blair, a questioning look on his face. “An official ceremony usually means like shifter clans Alpha’s or seconds come to welcome the new clan Alpha.”

Blair resisted glaring at Ed, he knew he was asking when that was going to be. They’d come a long way last night, but he knew Kobie wasn’t ready to go there yet. “Make it a coming soon announcement.” He said in a low voice.

Ed smirked, “I’ll talk it out with Shep.”

Chancing a glance at Kobie, he knew she understood what Ed had been driving at. She gave him a steady look, neither upset nor happy and he honestly didn’t know what exactly that meant.

“I’ll go get those phones.” She looked at Ed and didn’t move until he nodded.

“I’ll come with you.” Noah stepped around Annamarie.

Beth looked surprised but said nothing.

Kasia came over and hugged Blair’s waist tight. She looked up at him. “I know you’ll keep us safe, Blair.”

Blair touched the top of her curly head and winked at her. “You know it.” He looked at Kobie to see her giving him a soft smile.

Kasia turned and held out her hand to Daisie. “We stick together, okay?”

Daisie took her hand and nodded.

“Gage, Kelsey, and I will try to get the repairs in the shop done today,” Ed said.

Blair rubbed his hand over his hair, his gaze connecting with Kelsey as he did. She smiled at him and gave him an abrupt nod to say ‘you’ve got this’. He returned the smile and watched her walk away with Gage. When he looked down at Kobie, she was watching him. He went over what had just transpired and hoped it didn’t look like anything other than a friend backing up a friend. She smiled slowly and stretched up and kissed his mouth, lingering for a moment. “I’m going to work on our room.” She dropped back down on her heels and gave him a questioning look, “I’m thinking a nice little sitting area for two in front of the window.”

Blair ran his hand down over her hair. “That sounds perfect.” He smiled, “somewhere quiet to start the day.”

She laughed softly, “like that will ever happen.” She started walking to the house, Cortney falling into step with her.

He stood there, with hands-on hips, and watched as most of the others wandered in different directions. Blowing out a breath, he tried to take stock and figure out what next. Then he noticed both Cale and Calum standing there, smiling at him. He frowned.

“Run?” Cale asked.

Blair grinned, “yes. Please.”

“We need to sweep the whole property,” Calum said and turned to Jake and Gary. “You two stay here and keep watch around the house.”

Gary nodded.

“What time is backup arriving?” Jake asked, looking around the yard.

“This afternoon,” Calum told him. “Devin messaged when we got back, they can only round up five.”

“Five helps,” Jake said. “We have two vast properties to patrol.”

Blair rubbed his hand over his head and looked over at Ed, where he spoke to Jay and Cooper. “Have you called Bruce?”

Ed nodded, “last night, told him to stay vigilant.”

“Okay.” Blair blew out a breath.

“All clans have stepped up security,” Ed told him.

“I know, I just worry,” Blair said quietly and then bent down and picked up his run pack. “You staying here until we get back?”

Ed smiled, “yes. I’m waiting on a call back from Shep, so I should have news when you get back.”

Blair gave him a half-smile and then caught up to Calum and Cale. “Where’s Shaelan?”

Calum snorted, “sleeping. I insisted. She was up all night on video calls with doctors and chemists.” He gave Blair an unamused look, “she’s unhappy she doesn’t haven’t her library with her.”

Blair smirked. “You might have to invest in a van.”

Calum scowled at him, “never say that where she can hear you, or I’ll be hauling a library and equipment with me everywhere.”

Blair shrugged, “I’ll take your car off your hands.”

Calum stopped a hard look on his face. “I don’t think your clan of women will all fit in it.” He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the ground.

Blair knelt down and undid his boots, all while pondering the truth in that. His days of roaming around were over. He looked down at the ground and he stood up. Pulling the shirt over his head, he stuffed it into his pack.

“Jeeze, what happened there?”

Blair blinked and looked to see Cale looking at his shoulder. He’d forgotten about Kobie’s bite. He grinned. “Love bite.” He said and glanced at Calum. From the look on his face, he got it. Cale however, looked terrified.

“Pass,” Cale muttered.

Calum chuckled as he stuffed his jeans into the pack, then his phone. “You say that now…”

Blair looked at the angry-looking bite and wished it wouldn’t heal when he shifted. Huffing out a breath, he decided he’d have to ask Kobie for a replacement later when he could grab a minute with her.