Page 47 of Finding Her Panthers

“We get some rest. Tomorrow we will find a way to get to Penny. We find her for our mate.” I stare at my hands knitting back together, the plus side of being an Alpha shifter; I heal faster than anyone. Once they are almost normal, I turn to face them.

“I’m going down to the gym.” James disappears to the basement.

“How does it feel?” Blue’s question surprises me.

“Like nothing else I’ve ever felt. A part of her is inside me, and I gave her part of me. It’s a miracle, as corny as that sounds.”

He nods solemnly, turning to leave me to my thoughts.

“Blue,” I call, stopping him. “It will happen with you, and then you will have all the answers.”

“Sure,” he whispers.

I’m left staring after him, afraid he has convinced himself it won’t.

***

None of us got any sleep last night. James worked out until he couldn’t stand anymore. Blue was lying in his bed staring at the ceiling when I checked on him. Harmony, well, I heard her pacing her room for hours and then suddenly, silence. She was trying to hide her feelings from me, but she was too new at it, unable to block them much. I had endless amounts of practice hiding what I was feeling, what everyone else was feeling. It was second nature. My cat wanted out this morning, and I didn’t resist. I needed an outlet. There was always something freeing when I could run through the woods as nature made me. I didn’t want to go too far from the house if Harmony came out of her room, but she ignored us all equally.

James tried knocking on the door with no luck. The door was locked, and all was quiet inside. If I couldn’t feel her and hear her heartbeat, I would think she had left. If she just required time to adjust, that’s what we would give her.

Blue is in the kitchen making coffee when I come in the side door. When I join him, I decide we should probably eat. Who knows what the day will bring?

“Anything?” I ask.

“Nope,” he says softly, filling our cups.

“Where’s James?”

“He finally passed out about an hour ago.”

“And you?” I look at him, concerned. His hair is going in every direction, and his eyes are exhausted. The immaculate man in a three-piece suit is nowhere to be found. His jeans and shirt are wrinkled and worn. I didn’t know he owned anything, so, well, normal.

“I can sleep after we find them.”

“Right.” I grab some eggs and bacon from the fridge. It won’t benefit us to starve; our bodies need strength. “Will you call Ryker? See if he’s heard anything while I finish this. I’m going to get Stephan on all the cameras in the bar area. There has to be a trail we can follow. I refuse to believe that two idiot coyotes can hide that well from us.” I shake my head in disgust. “I need to check in with Kerian, too. He may be of use.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that now. He’s going to yell, though, you know he hates mornings.” Blue cringes. He has a healthy fear of vampires with reason.

“I’ll protect you.” He flips me off before going to find his phone.

It feels wrong to be continuing like it’s just another day when it’s anything but. Penny is strong. I hope that strength can sustain her through this. It would be less problematic if she were like us, but being human captured by two coyotes…I don’t like the odds.

Suppose we can’t find her. The consequences of that will be catastrophic. Harmony may never forgive us.

Chapter Twelve

James

I guess it’s a good sign that the food I put in front of Harmony’s door is gone. I hesitate in front of her door, not sure if I should try again. She hasn’t shown her face all night and most of the day. I can only imagine what she is going through. I would be the same if my brothers were taken. Now thinking about them getting to her brings panic to my heart. I’m falling in love with this woman. It sounds crazy. I’ve known her less than a week, but in this world, with the bond at work, it seems so much longer.

I’m worried about where Blue’s head is at. He left the house to meet with Ryker, hopeful that he would have information for us. The slump in his shoulders and the coldness in his expression indicate him pulling away.

To knock or not to knock.

I nervously eye the door. If she is awake, she knows I’ve been standing out here like an indecisive idiot anyway. I roll my eyes at myself and knock softly.

“Yeah, James.”

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