Page 17 of Finding Her Panthers

I take the stairs two at a time, making my way up to the third floor, quickly moving to the room we were holding Cindy in. The door is pushed open, the frame splintered. I see the blood smeared on the opposite side. I step inside and fall still. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on the scents in the room. I pinpoint Cindy’s perfume scent, sticky and filled with anger and desperation. Tyler smelled of charcoal and campfire. He was angry and then nothing. I do smell another that I have never smelled before. He reeks of greed and satisfaction.

Not many know of my other gift, only my parents and brothers. Along with the average skill of smelling the scent of others, I can also sense emotions long after that person has left my space. It comes in handy, being an Alpha. It can be painful, though, especially with Harmony. I feel twice as much with her, along with her feelings and needs. It tests my control.

I separate that other scent, breathing it in and committing it to memory. This is the man I need to find. I know it’s a man. He has a sickly-sweet scent. Something like baby powder. I believe he’s a coyote.

Shit. Meeting with the Alpha of the coyotes was the one thing I wasn’t looking forward to.

I study the room carefully, hoping to find any little clue as to why. Tyler is a young wolf who is loyal and eager to please. He came to me two years ago, like many others, and wanted to find a place to belong. We had developed a friendship, and he brought light and kindness to our pack. I can’t let him down. I have to find him. He depends on me.

When I find Cindy, the things I have in mind for her will make me live up to my animal's reputation.

Going into the bathroom, I hear the questions from my pack behind me. We have gathered a crowd in the room. They feel the tension radiating from their Alpha. I am the one that sets the mood and the well-being of them all. They have submitted to me, trusted me with their home. Feeling this must be upsetting to them. The rarity is unsettling.

My gaze travels over the room, hoping for anything out of place. I have learned to never just look in the obvious places. Look for the meaning. I look twice at the shower wall. There in plain sight is a note. A note stuck to the wall in Tyler’s blood. My teeth elongate at the pure disrespect of the move. But that’s nothing compared to the rage that fills me at the words written there.

She will regret taking my mates from me! Harmony…We are coming for you!

My panther claws puncture the note as I let out a roar they will be able to hear from wherever they are hiding.

“What’s happening?” Harmony asks, staring at me intently.

“Brother?” Blue asks urgently.

I hand him the note with a snarl. As I prowl to my mate, I hear the responding fury from my brothers as they read it.

“Jax?” she questions as I pull her roughly into my body, making sure not to hurt her with my claws. I hide my face in her neck, fighting the instinct to bite her now for all to see.

“Cindy threatened you. In the note. Let him hold you. He needs to know you are safe with him,” Stephan explains, stepping back as my brothers surround us. Each of them puts a hand on my shoulder and one on hers.

I can’t bring myself to let go of her even though my brothers are feeling this too, needing to be as close as they can to her.

“She has cornered both James and me in the bathroom before, the shower to be specific. She knew I would look there.” Calming enough to think logically, I encourage Harmony into my brother's arms. “Stephan, I want you to have everyone that is in this building brought to my office. One at a time. I need someone to tell me what the hell happened and where this bitch is hiding.” As I pass, I grab Harmony’s hand and tuck her close to me as we move down to my office. “Block off the door to that room. I want it exactly as it is now.”

Once the four of us are safely behind my office door, I settle Harmony in my desk chair and prowl around it.

“I want any little detail. There has to be some clue.” I stop as Harmony grasps my face, pulling my attention.

“Alpha,” she says sternly. “I am right here. My mates will protect me. When you find her, I will be right beside you. Encouraging you to do what you must. I might even help,” she says, giving me a slight grin. She pushes me down in my chair and then climbs into my lap.

“I can’t believe I missed that note. I never went into the bathroom.” Blue’s face is covered in regret.

“Do not feel guilty, brother. This is all on her. You did everything you could at the time.” I urge Blue not to place all the blame on his own head. He takes the pack's security very seriously.

“What else did you smell in there?” James asks as he sits on the desk to face us.

“Someone helped her. A male coyote. I didn’t recognize the scent, but he smells sick,” I explain, ignoring Harmony’s curious look. I will tell her about my gift. Later.

“Maybe sick in the head,” James mutters.

“A coyote,” Blue growls as he sits beside James.

“I have no choice but to set up a meeting with the coyote Alpha. Probably the wolf Alpha, too.” I run my hand down Harmony’s back. My panther has calmed down by having her close. “Blue, will you make the calls? They both can bring two of their own but no one else. We need to keep this civil, as much as we can.”

“Yes,” he answers, stepping away, already pulling out his phone.

“It may not be the right time, but man, that was freaking hot,” Harmony whispers in my ear, causing me to jerk my head back.

Did I hear that right? I look at James as he smirks at our mate. I guess I did.

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