Page 63 of Fastlander Fighter

“He was protecting Gunner,” Silver said softly.

Hallie frowned. “What?”

“He came when Gunner was being charged by Captain and Owen. When we were trying to get away before Gunner put a stupid order on me.”

“What order was he wanting to put on you?” Hallie asked.

Silver sniffed and shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t know. Not going back there to find out until I fix this.”

“By fix this, you’re referring to Sloane Middleson?” Lucia guessed.

Silver chugged her wine, which probably cost more than Sloane’s entire annual salary, and leaned forward on her elbows, staring right at Lucia. “The lioness you saw behind Ruger—what did she look like?”

A deep frown knitted Lucia’s dark eyebrows. “Same as any other lioness. Gold eyes. Big. Powerful arms, massive paws.”

“Any scars?” Silver asked.

Lucia frowned again and got a faraway look to her eyes, then shook her head. “None that I can see.”

Sloane watched a slow smile stretch across Silver’s lips. “Good.”

“Good why?” Hallie asked.

“Because I know every Holland lioness who would engage in this war, and they are all scarred to hell. I don’t think Ruger is being chased by a Holland lioness in your vision, Lucia. I don’t think he’s being chased at all. I think he’s being protected.”

“By who?” Corey asked.

Silver slid her gaze to Sloane. “By his mother.”

Sloane didn’t understand. “Wait…” She frowned, mind racing. “Okay, so you see Ruger? My son, Ruger?”

Lucia nodded. “I started seeing Ruger in my visions when you and Captain reunited.”

“So, you see him with a lion.” Sloane looked around. “I don’t understand.” And damn the panic in her voice as she admitted that aloud.

“Has Captain told you about the war with the Holland Pride?” Corey asked.

“A little, but we don’t really talk about shifter stuff. We just…” She looked around, her panic wrenching up. “We just live more in the human world, I guess.”

“Okay, it’s okay,” Hallie said, holding her hands out to reassure her, but it wasn’t working.

Sloane stood up so fast, the heavy chair behind her fell backwards and hit the marble floor. “So you see something with Ruger? Is it bad? Is he okay?”

“Hey,” Hallie said, hands out. “It will be okay.”

“You will be okay. With your baby Arden and your rifle, but what is my kid doing?” she asked Lucia.

“Running,” Lucia said seriously.

Horror filled Sloane. “Does he look scared?”

Lucia blinked slowly and lowered her gaze, then nodded once.

“Okay. Okay. So…can you see Captain? Is he protecting him?”

Lucia licked her lips and shook her head. “I see Captain fighting lions, but he isn’t near where I see Ruger.”

“Okay, and there is a lion. How do I protect him from a freaking lion?” she asked, her voice wrenching up so loud, it echoed through the cavernous chamber.

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