Page 20 of Hidden Magic

Valeria nodded and took a deep breath as if to muster the courage to say the next words. “Did you know that your mate was fleeing a bunch of men who are after her? And has been for some time now?”

He acted before thinking, rising and almost running to the bedroom. Running to protect her. After making sure she was still asleep, Brant closed the door again.

Ian was up too. “That’s why I’ve added more Sentinels around the cabin. Extra protection, just in case.”

Brant nodded at the dark werewolf, but his attention was only on Valeria. “Who are they?” His voice was turning into the roar of his animal, all the cells of his body on full alert to defend his mate.

“Easy, Brant. Come and sit down, I’ll tell you everything we know so far.”

He couldn’t go back to the couch, his body now vibrated with the need for action, to find those threatening his very heart and soul and eviscerating them.

When they realized he wouldn’t settle, they all got up. Valeria took a step forward. “When we went through her papers, we found an old restraining order that she had filed against the two men following her. It was dated three years ago.”

“What men?”

“Yanni Moore and Lawrence Humphreys. Hunter dug out the case, called in favors from old colleagues and found out that the woman who’d filed the restraining order was Meghan Katherine Lane. The woman who rented the apartment in Easthallows is Kat Boyden. Boyden is her grandmother’s maiden name.”

Sera spoke up. “That means that not only did the restraining order not work, but they are still after her. Goddess knows how she successfully falsified her name and stayed under the radar for almost a year. A cursory investigation told Hunter that she moved and changed jobs every three months or so, meaning that they found her despite her multiple attempts to disappear.”

“Who are they?” If he found them, there was no way in hell they would draw another breath on this earth.

“Hunter is digging up more information on them. What we know so far is that they once worked at the same place as Kat. More precisely, they hired her for a secretarial position. And then it went south I suppose.”

His lynx bared his fangs, a dire taste for blood and carnage making it difficult for Brant to think straight. “So, you’re telling me that at least two men have been after Kat for at least the last three years, that we don’t know anything about them, where they are, or even worse, what they are?”

The all looked grim. “Kat is the one who knows. And that’s why your sole focus should be on her and getting her out of that state.”

“I told you, even bonding didn’t break that curse.”

“It’s not a simple curse, Brant. That’s what we’re trying to tell you. This isn’t coming from outside of her, but from the inside. Something she has inflicted upon herself, for self-protection. Probably when she was scared to death. The white film covering her eyes is another sign of detachment. Something to shield herself from the outside world.”

At a loss for words, Brant couldn’t believe what Sera was telling him. “You want me to believe she’s willingly staying in that state? Have you lost your mind?”

At his tone, Ian stepped before his mate, giving him a glance that told him to get his act back together. “Careful lynx. We’re here to help you and your mate, but I won’t tolerate threats or insults from you toward mine.”

For the first time in his life, Brant wanted a fight and before Ian could react, he struck.

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