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They could threaten Aerin, but by putting me in a position of trust, and I would be in a position of trust as their Alpha, I could stab them in the back any time.

Unless, like dad has suggested, there are more of them than we realize.

“That must be where Shane comes in,” Tina says, muffling a yawn.

None of us has gotten nearly enough sleep, and I doubt any of us will until Aerin is back in Winter Lake.

“I don’t understand why…” And then suddenly I do.

I understandexactlywhy they involved Shane in this. Including the part he has to play in all this. “He wants her back.”

No one responds.

I get up and start pacing, needing to work off some of the anxious energy flooding my body. It’s like getting a shot of adrenaline right into my veins. I need to do something, but the one thing I need—and want—to do, I can’t.

We need to know where they would have taken Aerin so I can get her back.

I should have known this would happen. Of course it would. How could it not? Aerin is beautiful and strong and everything a mate would want. Shane threw her away, decided he wanted someone better, but whatever he thought he felt for her didn’t last.

Bree killed his dad. How could he keep looking her in the face, sleeping with her, and building a life with her, after what she did?

“Shane is going to take Aerin away, and there will always be a threat of something happening to her if I don’t fall into line,” I say as the rest of my pack watches me. “And I’ll do it, because they know I love her.”

“So we rescue Aerin first.” Bennett crosses his arms. “Then we kill Shane. Whatever they want with you, they can’t have, because they won’t have any leverage.”

“Leverage.” My smile is empty as I roll the word around my tongue. “I’m not sure Aerin would appreciate that.”

He frowns. “That isn’t what?—”

“I know,” I softly interrupt Bennett. “I know what you meant. So it looks like we’re going to Michigan.”

“Never thought I’d go back to Karson,” my dad says.

“And you never said why you even left,” I remind him.

“That’s right,” he replies.

The silence stretches out like I knew it would. My dad doesn’t talk about walking out on the Raleighs and on me. He didn’t before and he doesn’t now.

“It would be the first place you’d think to look for them,” Ivy says. “So we’re going to Karson.”

Helena nods. “If they want you, then they won’t be trying to hide. At least not from you.”

I haven’t been back to Michigan since I left over ten years ago. There was no reason to. Everything I knew and loved was gone. Mom was dead and Dad had walked away. All that place would remind me of was everything I lost and the home that stopped being one before I packed up my bag and left.

“They would have had to rebuild,” I say. “The last time I was there, the house was burning.”

“It’s been years,” my dad agrees. “But they’ve had plenty of time to do it.”

Raleigh Pack territory is surrounded by a dense forest that I loved to run in. In the center of that forest was a three story home and several small outbuildings.

“But wouldn’t someone have noticed construction?” Warren frowns.

“Not necessarily,” I say.

Dad drains his coffee in one go and places his cup on the table as he pushes himself to his feet. “Many people viewed that land as cursed. I never heard of any new pack settling there, and I doubt any would.” He looks at me. “Map?”

“Bookcase in the den. Bottom shelf.”

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