Page 77 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

She grinned at the relieved note in his voice.“I love you too, brother.As you can tell, I’m fine.Have you heard from Van and Peterson?”she asked, kicking at a rock.

“Yes, they are here.Both are pissed off as hell,” he said.

She looked outside the mouth of the cave.“What did they find out?”

Ty huffed out a frustrated breath that sounded louder than it probably was.She could picture him running his hand through his hair and it standing on end.If Van and Peterson were pissed, that meant they were arming up and looking for blood.

“Van came back with a burr up his ass.He muttered something about Lorne, but when he went by his brother’s place, it was trashed.So is the Seattle office, by the way.Lorne’s disappeared without a trace.I don’t know what kind of trouble he’s gotten himself into this time, but it has to be pretty bad for Peterson to want to kill him.”

She twisted and retraced her steps, mentally counting them as she walked.“What about the guy or guys who were following us?Were they able to find out who it was?”

“No.That’s another strange thing.They were tracking someone.Whoever it was went into the water.They found where he came out a few miles down the river, but it was as if the guy just vanished.There was blood, so we know whoever it was must have been injured.They collected a sample and brought it back.Auntie is having the SBSI lab run it to see if they can find a match.How are things there?I’m assuming since you finally called that you’ve found the rest of Ella’s clan.”

She paused to look out the cave entrance again.A smile curved her lips as she thought about the humans she had come to know over the last few days.

“Yeah, we found them.They are amazing, Ty.I’ve learned more about humans in the last couple of days than I have in all my years of exploration and education.How they’ve survived this long will take a lifetime of research.”

“From the way you were looking at Mitchell, you’ll have an opportunity to do that,” Ty chuckled.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she replied.Sighing again, she turned and studied the residents moving about the cavern.“We are going to need an evac.Some of the humans aren’t in very good shape.I’m not sure Cyrus or Macon would make it down the mountain, especially since the storm.The snow is pretty deep and it isn’t an easy trek.”

“I’ve got your GPS location.I’ll alert the evac team.They’ve been on standby,” Ty said.

“How did you know I would call for one?”she asked with surprise.

Ty chuckled.“You aren’t the only one with a brain, big sister.We’ve been watching the weather and with what Van and Peterson said, we figured we might need to do a fast exit.Based on your location, I think we can be there in a couple of hours.”

“Sounds good.I’ll let Mitchell and the others know.See you soon,” she said, disconnecting the call.

She tucked the phone into her jacket pocket.Tracy surveyed the interior of the cavern with the eye of a scientist.This cavern held a treasure trove of information.From the structures that had probably been the same for centuries to the artwork on the walls, it was a time capsule filled with history and knowledge.

Daddy is going to love this place,she thought with a grin.

“Team 1 is in place,” Alpha 1 murmured into his mic.

“Team 2 is in place,” Beta 1 added.

“Team 3 is moving up,” Charley 1 said.

Hyder waited beside Alpha 1.Moving forward had been challenging over the last three days.The storm had stalled their planned attack.The only reason they knew where the humans were probably located was thanks to Eric.He had shared a satellite image that gave the team he sent a place to start.

With the weather clearing, he knew they wouldn’t have much time.Two evac helicopters were on standby.As soon as Hyder had the humans he wanted, they would swoop in, collect the teams and humans, and be over the border before anyone was the wiser.

“Remember, we only want the young.You have the go-ahead to eliminate any that are old or sick.There may be a shifter with them.Eliminate her as well.She will be too much of a liability,” he reminded the commander of the teams.

The lion-shifter curled his lip.“I know the mission.Team 3 report.”

“Confirm visual on a cave entrance.One target is visible,” Charley 1 responded.

“Beta 1, move your team forward.Charley 1, do not engage until we are in position,” Alpha 1 ordered.

Alpha 1 shot him an emotionless glare.“Stay behind my team.If you get in the way, I can’t promise they won’t target you.”

Hyder pursed his lips.It was obvious the team Eric sent wasn’t thrilled about their mission.There had been mild shock and disbelief when he had briefed them… followed by scorn.If not for Alpha 1’s sharp command for the group of men to shut up, Hyder suspected most would have said no to the assignment.

The mission hadn’t made him popular with the team of men.They felt like they were being told to slaughter lambs.Considering the group was made up of apex predators, it was an insult to their pride.

“Beta 1, what’s your position?”Alpha 1 requested.

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