Page 162 of The Alpha

“What else?” Peter huffed.

“As is my father, as are these guards behind you,” Melvale pointed out. “There were much finer prizes on the beach that night.” He looked at Kwaku who nodded. If they were going to take a Muiraran, Shona or Zara would have been the ones to get their hands on. But no, they’d targeted him. Why? “I was the only one they discovered to be full Muiraran?”

“I guess so. I didn’t accompany Dr. Charles on that mission.” Peter gulped and turned back huge map. “I can show you more.”

“Please do,” Melvale said and began to walk around the table.

Peter pointed to the state of California. “There, in the forests outside Nevada City. There’s a portal on the side of a rock face. But it’s hard to get to.”

“And does this portal also operate only during a full moon?” Melvale asked.

“That’s right.” Peter studied the map again. “Oregon has one, and we were sweeping the west coast looking for more.”

“Where is that one?” Zerbe asked.

Peter drew a circle once again in a heavily forested area. “There, in the Mt. Hood National Forest. The nearest town is Government Camp.”

Melvale studied the map. “These two portals in the west. What year do they go to?”

“The one in Oregon takes you to 1891.”

Melvale looked at the others. “Tillie from Clear Creek.”

Zerbe narrowed his eyes. “And have any of you used that portal?”

“Um, yes sir,” Peter answered. “But I’m not sure who. We can’t go through all of them. Some are… persnickety.”

“Persnickety?” Zerbe repeated with raised eyebrows.

“Yes, sir.” Peter was shaking now, and Melvale sighed.

“You have one in England, in the late 1800s, don’t you?”

“I believe so, yes.”

“You do not know?” Kwaku drawled.

“I’m not told everything. I’m Dr. Charles assistant in the lab, nothing more.” He hung his head and fixed his eyes on the floor.

“That’s how they got to the village near the Stantham Estate,” Melvale said more to himself than anyone else. “It’s how they were able to get their hands on Tory Barrow.”

Zerbe nodded. “We must tell the king.”

“King?” Peter almost choked on the word. His breathing picked up, and he looked about to faint.

Melvale’s eyes narrowed on him. “Stay conscious, worm.” He paced, noticed his claws had retracted, and sighed in relief. “Why me? There are far superior specimens.”

“You’re what we got closest to, um, sir,” Peter said. “A superb example of a Muiraran male.”

“Pari is not Muiraran,” he pointed out.

Peter gulped and looked him in the eyes. “Then what is she to you?”

Melvale glared back. “You don’t deserve to know.” Anger rose, hot and swift at what this man had done to her. Melvale raised a hand as claws sprang forth and with a roar swung it down hard on the table, splitting it in two.

Peter cowered, his arms over his head, and backed away.

“Get him out of my sight before I kill him!”

---