Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Ayla Theo answered the call, keeping an arm around me at first.

“What?”

I felt him tense before he pulled away, turning his back to me. A sense of fear hit me. Something was wrong. He turned back to me. Our eyes locked and I knew it was bad.

“I’m on my way,” he spoke into the phone before hanging up. “I have to go.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the packhouse. “Hank, one of the warriors, is on his way. He’ll be here in ten minutes. I need you to stay inside.”

“Theo, what’s going on?”

“A murder suspect has broken into the packhouse,” he informed me. “They think he’s planted an incendiary device somewhere.”

“Oh, goddess,” I gasped.

Theo stopped. Like he had thought twice about something. “Ayla, he’s taken a hostage,” he said firmly. “It’s Mina.”

I pulled my hand from his. “What?”

“Briggs is with her,” Theo rushed, pulling his shirt over his head. “He’s managed to talk him down and keep him calm so far. But he’s demanding things that Briggs can’t give him on his own. I have to get there as fast as I can.”

“I’m coming with you,” I demanded.

Chapter $7. Ayla “I can’t take the long way, Ayla,” Theo said with a pained look. “I have to shift.”

Which I still couldn’t do. I tried calling on Dasha but she wasn’t there. She didn’t come forward.

I nodded. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll follow in the car.

“I don’t want you to leave the property alone,” Theo said. “Not with that as***le so close.”

“I’m not staying here, Theo,” I said forcefully, my anger rising.

Theo ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He looked at me, his expression resolute.

“Alright,” he said, undoing his jeans. “I’ll carry you.”

“Theo, you can’t...”

“Kieran is bigger than most wolves,” he insisted. “Trust me. He can.”

He finished stripping down and shifted in seconds. My sense of urgency slipped for a moment at seeing Kieran for the first time. I wished I could take the time to admire the creature before me. He was magnificent with a mix of jet black and chocolate brown fur. And he was massive.

Kieran yipped at me. Pulling my attention back to the present. He knelt forward and I climbed on his back. I had to remind myself of our dire situation as I laced my fingers through his glorious mane. I held on tight as he took off, racing through the trees.

Kieran sped down the mountain faster than I thought possible for a wolf carrying someone. I was agile and strong. I could feel his muscles flexing beneath me. The experience would have been exhilarating if Chapter 9 byly worry wasn’t eating at my gut and I started counting the seconds.

The packhouse sat on the edge of the city. A broad swath of land stretched between it and the forest. He covered the field in a few strides, skidding to a halt near a shed. I slid off his back, knowing I would find clothes for him in the small outbuilding. I grabbed sweats and a t-shirt as he shifted, tossing them to him. He dressed as we rushed to the front of the packhouse.

As we came around the corner, we saw a stream of people exiting the building and more sca****ed across the lawn. There were a few people trying to get people organized. Jimmy, one of Theo’s Ga**as I had met the week before, was near the door ushering people outside. Theo grabbed my hand and headed in that direction.

“Jim, what’s happening inside? Briggs has got me blocked,” Theo asked.

“He can’t mind-link without Randal noticing,” Jimmy said, stepping away from the door. “Reach out to Mina. She’s managing to get through somehow.”

I saw Theo reach out to her immediately. His eyes glazed over as he tried to make contact. I guess he got through to her because his brow furrowed. I glanced back out at the scene going on outside. The place was in chaos. I couldn’t tell if everyone knew exactly what was happening or no one did. Or if some knew just enough to get the situation out of control.

Theo grabbed my shoulder.

“Hey,” he said, keeping his voice low, “they’re holed up in my office. There aren’t a lot of logistical options. I need you to stay out here for now, okay?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, only half paying attention. I turned to Jimmy. “Do Chapter 97. Ayls we have any lists or rosters to know who was here today? We need to start taking down names to ensure everyone is accounted for.”

Jimmy looked between Theo and me. “Yeah, in the gatehouse at the entrance. Everyone has to use a code or sign in or out.”

“Thank you,” I said. I turned to Theo. “Go. Get my cousin out safe. I’ll do what I can here.”

Theo gave me a strange look.

“Go,” I insisted.

He nodded and turned. He stopped and grabbed Jimmy’s arm.

“Nothing happens to her. Stay close and keep her safe. Understood?” Theo commanded quietly.

“Yes, Alpha,” Jimmy replied.

I watched Theo disappear into the packhouse before heading toward the front gate.

“Do you think this is the last of them?” I asked as we walked.

“I have a few men looking for any stragglers while they search for any devices, but it would appear so,” Jimmy confirmed.

“We need to split everyone into groups,” I said as I entered the gatehouse. There were several small tablet devices on chargers along the back wall. I grabbed one. “Can the gate records be accessed on these?”

“Yes,” Jimmy said, grabbing a couple more.

I clicked into the device. “We need to be able to mark names off for Chapter 97 Ayta those that are accounted for. Can you set that up on these?”

“Of course,” he replied.

We had four tablets ready to hand out in a few minutes. I asked Jimmy to get anyone who could help us gather names, then start breaking everyone into four groups. We were more than halfway through our groups when a loud boom sounded from the packhouse.

It sounded like an explosion, but the building was still standing. I was moving toward the entrance when someone stopped me.

“They’re fine,” Jimmy said. “Alpha said it wasn’t near them.”

“What about everyone else?”

“No injuries,” he said. “They didn’t find anyone else inside.”

“Where was the explosion?” I asked.

“Looks like a conference room near the back. It was empty today, but the flames are pretty bad,” Jimmy said, heading toward a nearby garden shed.

My anxiety wasn’t relieved. I called out to a few of the stronger men and women nearby, telling them to help get hoses. I checked in with the other name-takers. I felt more confident seeing completed lists. Until I saw one on my list that hadn’t been checked off yet.

“Has anyone seen Annabelle?” I asked, going around to several people to see.

“She was leaving with us but went back to cut the stoves and ovens off,” someone said. “I didn’t see her come out.”

I ran to the packhouse entrance as smoke began to billow out.

Chapter 98. Theo 288 Aschers