Page 50 of Bear Facts

“I am putting a tracker on him,” Graham said with his usual growl. “You.”

“Very funny. I meant on his phone or something.”

“I usually do know where all my wolves are at any given time,” Graham snapped. “Leo’s gone off the radar.”

Shane believed him. Once upon a time, humans had stolen some of Graham’s Lupines, including cubs. They’d been returned safely, but since then, Graham had kept an extremely close eye on those under his protection.

“What does it matter if one of your asshole wolves decided to go on an all-night bender?” Shane’s growl matched Graham’s. “He’ll drag himself home hungover and be too sick to fight the Challenge. Which means he forfeits. Saves me some time.”

Graham’s scowl couldn’t disguise the concern in his gray eyes. “I don’t give a shit about the Challenge right now, Shane.”

“All right,” Shane conceded, trying to rein in his temper. “You wouldn’t be worried for no reason. Why are you so sure something’s wrong?”

“Leo’s kind of an idiot, that’s why. Leo’s brother, when I pressed him, said he was talking about those mercs you took Freya away from, the ones Eric is researching now. He went up to Mount Charleston to find them, who the hell knows why.”

With Leo, it could be anything. To ask them to eliminate Shane? Or did Leo know something about Freya’s brother’s disappearance?

“Why does he think he can locate them?” Shane’s alarm and anger merged. “Freya barely knew how to contact Althea. And why does Leo assume they’ll have gone back up the mountain?”

“He’s not very smart,” Graham said. “Probably figured he’d pick up their scent where you met them, or at least the that of the Feline you mentioned. I already sent my nephew to scout around. He reported that though he hasn’t found Leo, he’s sensed something else very weird.”

“Crap.”

Graham’s nephew Dougal was young, but he’d been trained by Graham, who was one of the best fighters around. If Dougal said something was wrong, something was wrong.

“Exactly,” Graham said. “So, I need you, Brody, and Reid to go check it out.”

“Why not some of your Lupines?” Brody asked him. “They know Leo better than we do.”

“Because I need the best of the best on this. Eric agrees.”

Graham likely added the last because he knew Shane wouldn’t budge unless it was clear that Eric sanctioned the search. When Graham had first arrived in this Shiftertown, he’d fought having to okay missions with a Feline, but since then Graham had learned the wisdom of not pissing off Eric.

More surprising was the fact that Graham had just called Shane, Brody, and Reid the best of the best. Graham always spoke the truth as he saw it—he wasn’t using flattery to get his way. He really meant it.

“All right,” Shane said. “If you’re concerned, then I am too.”

Graham acknowledged this with the barest nod. “Take Neal with you.”

Shane’s unease grew. Graham wouldn’t ask for the Guardian unless he feared Leo was dead.

“Sure thing,” Shane said, subdued, and Brody nodded somberly.

Shane’s bleak mood dissolved when a humming in his blood told him Freya was nearby. He turned to see her, Nell, and Reid striding toward him where he stood with Graham.

Sleeping next to Freya last night had been satisfying, but it hadn’t been enough. Shane had made the mate-claim to cool things down in Shiftertown, but it was turning him into a searing mess.

Freya halted close to Shane, her proximity sending his heartbeat off the scale. “Reid says you’re going out looking for Leo,” she said. “Be careful—Leo might be leading you into a trap.”

The fact that she was anxious for him made Shane want to grin like an idiot. He forced himself to speak normally. “Graham doesn’t think so. That might have been Leo’s original intent, but now it appears like something bad might have happened to him.”

“Want me along?” Freya asked. “I know Leo’s scent, as well as some of his tricks.”

Shane didn’t want her out of his sight, but he shook his head. “Better not. Graham thinks it’s dangerous. Which means it is, because Graham isn’t afraid of anything. Stupidly so, sometimes.”

“Standing right here,” Graham said with a soft growl.

“Trying to emphasize the hazards,” Shane told him.

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