Page 67 of Hunted

I lie in the dark, knowing it’s going to be impossible to go back to sleep.

But that feeling Mack took my heart with him doesn’t go away. I can’t sleep when a piece of me feels like it's missing.

I get up and pull on a robe, determined to wait up with the others, and hoping the feeling of dread growing inside me is just Thumper, not a sign of something worse to come.

22

MACK

Idrop my smile the second I slide into the passenger seat of Bennett’s car.

“How is she?” Bennett asks as I snap on my seatbelt.

“Afraid and worried. As expected. Any news from the hotel?” I ask.

“Nothing. Colton, Warren, Penny, and Tina have parked a few feet from the hotel and are keeping watch until we arrive. There’s been no more sounds of animal fighting, but they’ve picked up a recent scent.”

“Good. Let’s go.

I’d specifically told Bennett not to venture out there on his own. This might be a trap to lure one or most of us, which had been why I hadn’t left the house until Adela, Gregory, Jude, and Helena were inside the house with Aerin.

Chris and Zoe were heading around the back of the house as I walked outside. There’s more than enough people that there shouldn’t be any trouble. If there is trouble, they’re under strict orders to send me or Bennett a text and we’ll rush back to the house.

Aerin is as protected as she could be, but I still hated leaving her, especially in the middle of the night.

As Bennett pulls away from the house, all the downstairs lights are on. I’d like to think Aerin has gone back to sleep, is dreaming of something sweet and perfect, but I doubt it. Not after the sudden way I left her.

I’d been deep asleep, a miracle in itself after the news Clary had shared with us, all of it later confirmed by Aerin’s dad.

I hadn’t thought I could sleep knowing whatever was happening in packs across the country could, at any moment, strike here.

We have two omegas, a rarity in most packs.

The most frustrating thing about what’s happening is the lack of willingness for packs to work together to handle this threat. I understand the mistrust to a certain extent. No one knows who is behind the omega snatching, and they’re afraid of trusting the wrong Alpha.

I get it.

But the only way we’ll solve this mystery is by working together, not against each other.

The phone call with Aerin’s dad had gone on late. Aerin had literally fallen asleep in my arms as we discussed who might be behind it. But we have nothing but a map with pins stuck in it, and we weren’t even able to speak to Alphas from all the packs, so one of them might be responsible.

“Do you think Clary would have known more?” I ask Bennett as he continues the drive into town.

“Hard to say,” Bennett says, eyes on the road. “He knew something was wrong but seemed as confused about why as the rest of us.”

I nod.

“Did he say anything to you before you left him?”

Bennett had come back to the house after he’d driven Clary to his car, following behind him to make sure he actually left town.

“Just that he didn’t mean for Aerin to get hurt.”

“And do you believe him?”

Three parked cars come into view, feet from the hotel parking lot. All the guests will be sleeping since it’s so late, but we don’t want to park up right outside and draw attention to ourselves.

Colton and Penny are in his car. Warren and Tina in another.

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