Page 28 of Grizzly's Bear

“You wanted her released,” Jensen murmured, and Slade completely agreed. For whatever reason, Talbot had wanted the pregnant human released. Why? What was his agenda in all this?

“How is our little mother-to-be?” Talbot asked as he glanced toward Tony.

“You’re not seeing her,” Tony snapped.

“She’ll come find me eventually.” With that cryptic remark, Talbot laughed. The sound was tinged with madness.

“Um, what did you guys do to him?” Slade asked as he rose from his crouch and faced Tony.

“Nothing to cause that. Fucker’s completely mad. Never flinched when we beat the hell out of him. You can’t see the other side of his face from this angle, but Tah caught him pretty good. Going to leave a hell of a scar.”

“Tah didn’t mention anything about him being mentally unsound,” Jensen replied. Slade moved to circle the cage they had Talbot in.

“Tah hasn’t seen him in a week. After the shit Talbot spouted about little Regan, it was best to keep the alpha away. Talbot was fine when we got him here, but he’s been declining mentally. It was slow, at first. Enough so I thought it was stress. Maybe fear. But the last five days, he’s gotten much worse. He talks to people who aren’t there as if he’s still in a lab. He’ll say something completely random and off the wall then start laughing. Other times, he’s completely engaged in the conversation. I think he may have been medicating himself with something, but I can’t find anything in his bloodwork to give me a clue as to what it might have been.”

“And you didn’t think this was something you should share with your alpha?” Jensen demanded.

“Tah isn’t my alpha,” Tony stated firmly. “I respect him, and yes, I have let him know but not the full scope of what we’re dealing with. I was hoping it was a fluke. It’s not.”

“Well, this is just fucking great,” Slade snapped. How were they going to get answers, now? Even worse, what if Blaine and the other hunters were already in the process of shutting down Talbot’s labs and killing off any survivors still being held?

A bleating sound filled the room, and the lights in the corridor flashed.

“What the hell is that?” Slade demanded.

“Someone’s breached the perimeter,” Tony snarled as they all moved quickly back the way they’d come. “Bastards are getting ballsy. It’s still daylight out.”

“They must not know his condition, either,” Jensen said with a growl, but all Slade’s focus was on one thing. Finding his mate.

Chapter Twelve

Rissa and Ariel ended up walking along the drive while they talked. Rissa wanted air, and as long as they stayed within sight of the house and the ones guarding the perimeter, they were cleared to enjoy the outdoors. Hard to believe, but Rissa found the security on the ranch tighter than it was on Holloway land. Or at least tighter than it had been before her attack. Since then, Slade or one of the other Holloways were always with her.

“Sometimes, I wonder if it will ever end,” Ariel said, bringing Rissa’s attention to her. “Will we always have to live in fear of being hunted? Killed? Will our children?”

Rissa dropped her hand to her belly where she wanted to carry Slade’s child someday. A child she didn’t want to know fear. “I think we’ll always have to watch out for those whose souls are filled with hate. Doing that means we teach our children what to guard against and how to defend themselves if placed in a situation similar to what you and I faced.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Ariel agreed. “Just as you and I have found love, others feed on the hate. They feed and still their hunger grows. There was a time when I was one of them. I hated the world.” She paused then shook her head. “Mostly, I hated my place in it.”

“We all have those moments,” Rissa admitted. “Why is it that we can be so forgiving and understanding with everyone but ourselves? Or is that just me?”

Ariel laughed. “I’d say that describes me pretty well, too.”

They walked for a bit before Rissa spoke. “So… besties, huh?”

“Absolutely.” Ariel nodded. “No taking it back.”

Rissa laughed and nudged Ariel with her shoulder. “No way. I traveled all this way just to see you.”

“I came to Wyoming, first,” Ariel reminded her.

“And holed up in a cabin with that man of yours for days. I wasn’t sure if I’d see you again or not,” Rissa teased.

Ariel laughed even as she blushed. “It was a long time coming.”

“I’m sure you both enjoyed it when it happened,” Rissa joked and set them both to laughing again. “Seriously, though, it’s easy to see how much you love one another.”

“I’m grateful he never gave up on me. He could have. Hell, he should have, but Daniel’s stubborn.”

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