“Theodore’s parents, of course,” the man said. “They’re waiting at their house.”
Ollie’s bear growled a warning, and he agreed with him that something didn’t ring true with the man’s words, but he was at a loss to figure out what it was. Glancing sideways at Theo, he saw his cousin had already decided to go with the man; the only thing keeping it from happening was the tight hold he had on his cousin’s arm. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the man’s smirk, and that’s when it hit him. “When was the last time you saw Theo’s parents?”
“A week ago,” the man answered smugly.
“At their home, right?” asked Ollie.
After nodding, the man shifted his gaze to Theo, his eyes focusing on Ollie’s hand restraining him, and anger began to distort his features. Quickly regaining his self-control, he snapped, “Theodore! We need to go now! Your parents are very anxious to see you.”
Ollie felt his cousin try to tug his arm free of his grasp and knew he only had a moment to prevent Theo from leaving with the man. The lure of his parents wanting him was too much for his cousin to resist. “You’re lying!” Ollie shouted. “Theo’s parents are locked up in the basement of the Alpha’s house…and the condition they’re in proves they’ve been there for years.” He heard Theo’s gasp at the news, but Ollie didn’t have time to say more because the man suddenly let out a roar and shifted into a wolf.
Pushing Theo away, Ollie rushed the wolf, shifting in mid-stride. He didn’t know who sent the man, but it was obvious Theo was the target of a kidnapping. And that would not happen if he could help it. Opening his mouth, his bear let out a loud roar, answering the wolf’s call of battle. The wolf would have to kill him to get to Theo.
Extending his four-inch sharp claws, Ollie dug them into the ground for traction and used them to launch himself at the wolf. The force of the impact had the bear and wolf tumbling over several times until Ollie finally retracted his grip. Rising on his hind legs, Ollie’s bear roared again as he engaged the wolf. Raking his claws along the wolf’s side, he heard its whimper of pain as it twisted its body in an attempt to escape.
But before Ollie could go in for the kill, fifty wolves, all snarling and growling, advanced toward him. Realizing he was out-numbered, he slowly backed up until his bear was standing over Theo, who had curled up in a ball with his hands covering his ears. Breathing heavily, he watched the wolves, readying himself for another battle. But Ollie knew he would lose—there were just too many for him to fight; all he could do was hope help would arrive soon. But how? And from where?
It had been mere luck that one of the Blackwood Pack’s wolf patrols had heard the cries of battle and notified Groose of it. Within seconds, the Head Enforcer had sent out the orders for his men to converge on the combatants and put a stop to whatever was happening. Now, emerging from the path that led from the pack house to the meadow, Groose paused to survey the scene, first noting the Ghost Bear protecting Theodore. A quick sniff told him it wasn’t Norman but Oliver. After confirming that both were safe, he shifted his gaze to where a strong scent ofblood was coming from. There he found a wounded, strange wolf who was trying to crawl away on its belly.
Groose walked through the meadow, stopping when he reached the Ghost Bear and said, “I’m Groose, the Blackwood Pack’s head enforcer. Are you hurt, Oliver? Do you want me to get your mate?”
Clearly puzzled, Ollie’s bear tilted its head as it looked at Groose before jerking its head towards the newly arrived wolves.
Letting out a low chuckle, Groose said, “Those are my men…they won’t hurt you or Theodore.”
Nodding, Ollie’s bear stepped away from his cousin before shifting. Then, looking at Groose, he said, “That bastard tried to kidnap Theo…I was just trying to stop him.” After receiving Groose’s nod, Ollie bent down and gathered his cousin into his arms, murmuring, “It’s all right, Theo…you’re safe now…do you want Groose to get Norm and Smokey?”
Nodding briefly, Theo clung to his cousin, still shaking from fear. When the man shifted and ran toward him, he’d frozen. He watched as his cousin fought. The sounds of the fight were so loud they made his ears hurt, but it was the roar he heard from his cousin’s voice that had dropped him to the ground. Now it was over, and Ollie was safe, but Theo couldn’t stop seeing blood spray into the air as his cousin’s claws ripped the wolf’s flesh open.
Glancing up at Groose, Ollie asked, “Can you please get Theo’s mates…and also ask Mac to come? Theo needs to be checked over to make sure his cub is okay.” Then he turned his attention back to his cousin, slowly rubbing his back to soothe him.
After ordering two of his men to get Smokey, Norm, and Mac, Groose turned his attention to the injured man, who had finally given up his attempt to escape and had shifted back. “You’ll live,” he said gruffly, “but you’re gonna wish the bear had killed you when Smokey gets done with you.” Snapping a pair of anti-shift cuffs on him, Groose pulled him up until he was sitting on the grass. Then he asked, “What were you doing in the Blackwood Pack territory?”
The man glared at Groose for a moment before looking at Ollie and Theo. “I was hired to take that bear back to his parents.”
“Hired by whom?” demanded Groose.
“His parents.”
“You have proof of this?” asked Groose.
Jerking his head toward the far side of the meadow, he said, “It’s in my backpack.”
Gesturing at one of his men to retrieve it, Groose looked back at the cuffed man and said, “He’s eighteen, which makes him an adult. If he didn’t want to go, there isn’t a law that gives you to right to force him.”
“I didn’t force him…he wanted to come until that other asshole stopped him.”
Ollie piped up, “That’s because you were lying.”
“Fuck you! You got any proof of that?” the cuffed man shouted angrily, spit flying from his mouth.
Ignoring the man, Groose took the backpack his men had found and pulled out the contents. He tossed several pairs of jeans along with the rest of the man’s clothing to the ground before he found an envelope buried at the bottom of the pack. Taking itout, he held it up and asked, “Is this your proof that his parents hired you?”
“Yeah…it’s signed by a judge and everything.”
Frowning, Groose opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. Quickly scanning it, he said disgustedly, “You’re a bounty hunter.”
“It’s not illegal,” the man snapped.