Page 36 of Beckett's Fate

Beck straightened in his chair, his grip tightening on the phone. “Location?”

“South ridge, near the old mine trails,” Knox said. “They’re moving deliberately, not like they’re hunting game. Looks more like a patrol.”

A low growl rumbled in Beck’s throat. “Anything else?”

Knox hesitated, then added, “They’re working as a unit. Coordinated. This isn’t some group of backwoods hicks on a hunting trip, Beck. They’re after something—or someone.”

Beck didn’t need to ask who. He already knew. “I’ll head out. Keep your men close but don’t engage unless necessary.”

“You got it,” Knox said, his tone grim. “Be careful out there.”

Beck hung up and immediately dialed the Bristlecone Bed & Breakfast. Ruby answered after the second ring, her voice welcoming as always. “Bristlecone. Ruby speaking.”

“Ruby, is Irene there?” Beck asked, his voice edged with urgency.

There was a pause on the other end. “She went out early this morning,” Ruby said slowly. “Said she was heading to the trails again. Everything all right?”

“No,” Beck said, already grabbing his jacket. “Stay put and lock the place down. I’ll handle this.”

Ruby’s voice sharpened. “Beck, if something’s going on?—”

“I’ll fill you in later,” he interrupted. “Just keep an eye out. And if she comes back, call me immediately.”

He ended the call and turned to Trap. “Hold down the fort. I’m headed toward the mountain.”

“Got it boss.”

Beck strode out of the office, his wolf bristling with impatience. The thought of Irene out there alone while the hunters were armed and moving with purpose set his teeth on edge. He needed to find her and sooner rather than later.

The wilderness was alive with the sights, sounds and scents of the untamed outdoors as Beck moved swiftly along the trail, scanning the surrounding trees as he did so. Irene’s scent wasfaint but distinct, weaving through the wilderness like a thread pulling him forward.

His focus was unyielding, every sound and movement in the forest heightened by his wolf’s instincts. But as he neared the south ridge, another now-familiar scent cut through the air—gun oil.

Beck froze, crouching low as voices drifted toward him, carried on the breeze. He crept closer, his movements silent as he approached a group of boulders overlooking a narrow clearing.

The hunters were there, gathered in a tight group. They were heavily armed, just as Knox had said. One of them, a tall man with a weathered face and a grim expression, was gesturing toward a map spread out on the ground.

“She’s got to have something we don’t,” the man was saying, his voice low but clear. “She’s been out here too many times, hitting all the right spots. No way she’s just a hiker.”

Another hunter, younger and wirier, spat on the ground. “You think she’s got a map or something?”

“Maybe,” the leader replied. “But she knows something. And if we find her, we find the treasure.”

Beck’s blood ran cold. He tightened his grip on the tree he was leaning against, his wolf snarling silently in the back of his mind. The treasure. They were after the same thing Irene was, and they thought she was the key to finding it.

“What about the shifters?” a third hunter asked, his voice tinged with disdain. “You think they’re sniffing around the treasure, too?”

The leader shrugged. “I wouldn’t think so. It’s been here all along, and they seem to just ignore it. I wouldn’t mind bagging a few if they get in the way, but they’re not our priority. She is.”

Beck’s wolf growled louder in his mind. The hunters were too close to the truth—and too close to Irene. He needed to move, tofind her before they did. But first, he needed to learn as much as he could.

The wiry hunter frowned, glancing at the leader. “What if she’s working with them?”

The leader’s eyes narrowed. “Then we kill her. Same as the rest.”

A red haze flashed before his eyes, clouding his vision. He forced himself to remain still, to control the primal urge to attack. Charging in now would only get him killed—and leave Irene vulnerable.

The hunters began packing up their gear, their movements quick and efficient. Beck retreated silently, his steps careful as he put distance between himself and the group. Once he was far enough, he pulled out his phone and dialed Knox.

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