Page 80 of Alphas Never Hide

“Iwon’t be alone.I’llbe with them,”Mercersaid as he waved toward us.

Oak’sface contorted in a pained look. “ThenI’llgo with them too.”

Vanlifted his eyebrow. “Thatworks for you,Alpha?”

Oakwas an enormous wolf and an excellent fighter, but he hated conflict almost as much as his mate hated beige.Oak’scheeks reddened asIlooked at him.

“Yousure about this?”Iasked the large wolf shifter. “BecauseMerceris right.Vanwill need help.Wealso need people to stay in town and make sureRobbie’speople don’t infiltrateWillowLakewhile we are out there looking for him.”

“I’msure,”Oaksaid, lifting his chin.

“Ifyou are sure,”Isaid, “you can both come.Thankyou.”

Mercerjumped into his mate’s arms.Theyshared an intense, open-mouthed kiss.Whenthey pulled apart, he said, “Thishas been a long time coming.We’regoing to help finish it today.”

Oaknodded.ThenMercershifted into his raven form and took flight.Thebig wolf shifter looked like he wanted to grab him out of the air and haul him back to their apartment above their downtown shop.Instead, he let his shift flow over him.Hewas easily the largest wolf in the pack, and even though he didn’t want to be here,Iwas stillhappy to have him at my side.Hewas loyal in all the best ways.Hepawed at the ground, eager to follow his mate.

Whenmost of the pack scurried off to followVan’sorders,Ireturned to the spot whereI’dfoundRyleyandRobbie’sscents.Iinhaled deeply.Theyweren’t alone.

“I’lltrack the scent as far asIcan,”Isaid.Ilooked atOak,Adrian,Van, andDillon. “Canany of you smell them too?”

Theyshook their heads.Damnit.

“Dowhat you can,Alpha,”Gagesaid. “Concentrateon that.Oak,Dillon, andIwill watch your back.AdrianandVanwill send some people behind us.Theymight catch something we miss.”

Ialmost argued that all the hellhounds and wolves stay with me, butIcouldn’t do that.It’dleave the other groups without the strength they’d need if they met up withRobbie.Hellhoundswere notoriously vicious and deadly fighters.Theywere traditionally the enforcers of the supernatural world.Still, as most of the pack left us in the woods to carry out my instructions,Icouldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t quite right.

Maybenothing would ever feel right untilIhad my mate in my arms again.

“Anythingelse,Alpha,”Vanasked.

Yeah.Iwanted to tell him to quit calling meAlpha.Weused to argue about that a lot, but this time it wasn’t becauseIdidn’t believeIwas anyone’s alpha.Thistime,Ineeded my friends with me.Ididn’t want to be the leader.Leaderswere supposed to know the answers to shit, andIdidn’t know anything at all.Thiswas just like when my parents died.Icould only hope thatIwouldn’t messeverything up again.Noneof us would survive that a second time.

“Ifanyone findsRobbie, tell them to delay him, then come and get me.Wedon’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

Van’sfiery eyes stared at me. “Everysingle person in this pack would face off againstRobbieagain and again for you, forRyley, and for anyone else.Itis what packs do.”

Mychest tightened at his words. “Justcome and get me.”

“Yes,Alpha.”Vandipped his head in acknowledgement.Heturned to go, but before he left, he glanced back at me. “We’llfind them,Hayden.We’llfindRyleyand we’ll stopRobbie.”

Isaid nothing, not becauseIdidn’t want to, but because a big lump of emotion had lodged itself in my throat.Itwas allIcould do not to choke on it.IfIlet all that out now,I’dnever be able to do what needed to be done next.Ipushed the emotions down untilIfelt likeIcould breathe again.

“Let’sgo.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

RYLEY

Theblack fabric shopping bag tied around my head smelled musty and a bit like rotten vegetables.Notthe greatest smell, but at least it wasn’t suffocating me.Isucked in a deep breath and tried to figure out ifI’dactually seen whatIthoughtI’dseen.

Ihad to be mistaken.

Connycouldn’t be working withRobbie, because he just couldn’t be.Connywas only in his twenties.Noone left the herd at that age.Well, except me.ButIwasn’t considered a true faun.Andthe herd was all the way on the other side of the country.

Except.

Therewas no mistaking whatI’dseen.