Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Brock ran a hand down his face. “So now what?”
“We don’t have the answers,” Reynard said. “Our pack is on alert, staying diligent, watching closely. Sometimes we catch a bear scent lingering somewhere, and then it disappears as quickly as it showed up. I suspect you will notice the same thing in your territory.”
Talon growled. “I hate that they managed to sneak into the valley, create fear among our pack, and now we can’t even go back to our people and reassure them. All we have is more fear and mistrust.”
Piers nodded. “We are experiencing the same thing. We don’t think it’s prudent to keep this information from the rest of the pack. It will not serve us in the long run. There would be serious mistrust if they found out we were dealing with a problem of this magnitude and did not alert them.”
Reynard looked toward Brock. “Did you say your mate was unharmed?”
“Yes. He used chloroform to knock her out. He did the same to her mother and my brother. He also hit my brother in the back of the head pretty hard. He had a large wound when he woke up. My mate’s only injuries were bruising from being hauled up the mountain unconscious. Probably over his shoulder.”
Arion added, “According to Brock’s mate and the few people in town who saw this man snooping around her home, he was of average build and height.”
Reynard rubbed his beard with two fingers. “That is interesting. No one in my pack has seen him.”
The most senior member of the elders present, Germain, finally spoke. “In my youth, I heard lore about bear shifters existing several generations ago. I have not heard of any sightings in more than a century. What about your pack?”
Piers cleared his throat. “The same. It was one of our elders who first proposed this notion that we were chasing our tails trying to run those bears off the land. He was the one who suggested they were not bears, but shifters, advanced shifters beyond any other beings we’re aware of.”
Germain continued, “Has anything else occurred to make you so confident we’re dealing with bear shifters?”
Reynard nodded reverently to Germain. “We’ve been conducting a bit of a test, following them around to see where they go and how easily they shake us. Their movements are not logical for black bears, and their ability to block us at will is uncanny. Actual black bears cannot block their scent of course.”
Germain gave him a single nod of respect and acknowledgement. “Thank you for sharing this information. We will remain on alert.”
Reynard took a step back. “We should get back. We have every Alpha Protector working long shifts.”
Owen responded, “We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. Good luck to you and your pack.”
“Same to yours.”
Reynard and Piers turned, shifted, and disappeared in seconds, leaving the Drydus pack members staring toward the forest.
Brock finally turned to his people. “I don’t feel comforted.”
“I don’t either,” Arion agreed, glancing toward the house.
Talon headed that direction. “So far, no harm has been done.” He shifted his gaze toward Brock. “I mean no disrespect when I say that, son. Of course, your mate was harmed, both emotionally and physically, but it could have been worse.” He stepped onto the porch and turned to look at all of them. “If that man is a bear shifter and he has a companion with him, and they are as powerful as we’re being led to believe, they could have taken out half the valley by now. They would not have left Suzette unattended in a cave. I’d bet money they fully intended for you to find her as quickly as you did. Like the Grelians stated, the bear shifters are toying with us. They are letting us know they’re in the area and we can’t stop them.”
Brock took a deep breath and looked all around him. Were they being watched even now?
Owen joined Talon on the porch. “I’ll send a few Alphas into the valley to warn the townsfolk. We’ll increase surveillance. No one should leave their mate unattended for the time being. Let’s travel in pairs and remain diligent at all times. That’s all we can do for now.”
The rest of the pack members said their goodbyes and took off, leaving Brock and Arion to jog past their fathers to enter the house. If Arion was feeling half as unsettled as Brock, he wanted his mate in his arms immediately.
Brock was so relieved when he stepped around the corner to find the girls happily playing a game on the floor of the nursery that he released a long breath.
Now what?
Chapter Eighteen
“Time to go, Little doll,” Brock stated from the doorway. Part of him hated to take his mate away from her friend, but he needed her in his arms. He needed her for far more than just that.