Chapter 8 - River

It feels like time is moving too slowly. It didn’t help that we had to stop for gas, and David swapped with dad so he could get some sleep the rest of the drive. How the hell can he sleep? I haven’t slept a wink since I was told Leo was missing. And I won’t sleep until Leo is safe in my arms.  

I’ve taken over the radio again, just using David’s phone so we know instantly if he gets any texts or calls from his inside guy Ryan. Not taking any chances when it comes to Leo getting away from their parents and that Fucker Prescunt. I’ve started shaking with anger whenever I think about them and their plans for MY Bunno. More than once, dad told me to control my emotions and focus on the task at hand, ensuring Leo’s safety.

“New text message from Ryan.” The computer voice spoke over the music. Despite that, he was snoring a second ago David popped up in the back seat. 

“We have a problem. Tucker received a call from a rogue that claimed to have Leo. He has offered their safe return for a couple hundred thousand dollars. Tucker agreed to the amount, and we are flying to Minneapolis to get there before the train.” 

I snarled, unintentionally ripping the seat’s leather as my claws came out. “Can we put the lights on now!?  Leo is in danger if a rogue is involved. I’ve not had to cross paths with a rogue yet but based on everything, I’ve been told they are not people I want around Leo. Plus, they are holding them hostage for money.” 

“So the rogue says. That doesn’t prove they have Leo. It could be a bluff.” David pointed out. 

“But they knew about Minneapolis,” I growled. “Leo may be feisty when they want to be, but they aren’t fighters. And with how backward their pack is, I doubt they’d have ever trained them as the pack all sees Leo as a girl.” 

“Let’s all remain calm and think this through.” Dad was calm as always, using his annoying logic on me. “If Silvermane is flying from Chicago to Minneapolis, even if they are taking a private jet, which I don’t think their pack is that rich, they would still not be getting off the ground for at least a half hour, and then it’s over an hour flight. They’d have to wait for a flight if they were taking a commercial. It’s not like flights from Chicago to Minneapolis are done at a standard interval.”  

“Call Alpha Logan.” David suddenly instructed his phone. I’m not sure what good calling Alpha Logan will do for us. He’s back in Bloodmoon, so it’s not like he can do anything.  

It took a couple of rings before the gruff voice of our Alpha filled the jeep. “What do you want, David?” 

“Sorry to disturb you, Alpha. But we have news on Leo.” David was not bothered in the least by how rude Alpha Logan was.  

I guess you can’t fault Alpha. He was probably sleeping or busy with Luna Aurelia. No one wants to be disturbed when sleeping or fucking. Or at least I know I wouldn’t want to be bothered if I was doing either of those things. 

“Go ahead. What do you want or need from me?” Alpha questioned, getting right to it. I like that about our Alpha; he doesn’t mince words. He says what he’s thinking and gets to the point without all the bullshit.  

“Supposedly, a rogue has infiltrated the train we had Leo get on to meet us in Minneapolis. He contacted the Silvermane Beta and offered to exchange Leo for two hundred thousand dollars. Silvermane is on the move by plane from Chicago to Minneapolis. We are forty minutes out.” David explained.  

“So you want me to do what? Ground their plane or get someone to already be at the station in Minneapolis?” Alpha questioned. 

“Both would be helpful, but either is a welcome aide. Mostly I want you to delay Silverman. We can handle a rogue. River and his wolf are itching to rip someone apart.” David shrugged. 

“Fine. I’ll make some calls. I’ll text you when I’m done.” And with that, the line went dead, and the music started booming again. 

“Do you think he’ll be able to do it? Does he know people in Chicago or Minneapolis?” I furrowed my brow.

“He’s the Alpha of the largest pack in North America. Any idea how many Alphas line up to kiss his ass. And if it’s not pack connections, he’s a Kinsley. They own Delta airlines.” David scoffed. 

“Seriously? Damn didn’t know that. Well, about the airline. That’s crazy.” I can’t sit here idle in the car, worried something might be happening to Leo on that train. “But is there anything we can do in the meantime?” I asked.  

“Call Demitri,” David commanded. Demitri? I wrinkled my nose, unsure why he was calling his human police friend. I get they are friends and partners as cops, but what will he do? And how can he help if we can’t explain what’s happening?  

It only took one ring before Demitri answered. “Hey, David. What trouble did you find this time?” Demitri asked, sounding more alert with each word. I guess he’s used to getting these kinds of calls from David.  

“You know the Amber Alert for… Marybeth Hanley?” David asked. He even wrinkled his nose as he used Leo’s eww name. One of the many reasons to like this guy. He has never questioned Leo’s name and accepted that they don’t like what their assholes who gave birth to them picked, so he doesn’t like it either. 

“Um, yeah. A kid from Massachusetts. What about her? Last I heard, they saw her in Buffalo. She was heading to Chicago, and they were trying to catch up to her and whoever took her.” Demitri answered.  

I was about to open my mouth and tell Demitri off as he unknowingly misgendered Leo. But I stopped as David’s hand gripped my shoulder tight.  

“Yeah, that’s the one. The Amber Alert is bogus and has it all wrong. The kid is non-binary. So they or them pronouns. They also go by Leo. Has a hard hate for their eww name.” David explained. 

“So we have a missing non-binary teen. Okay, I got it. How do you know this stuff? And what’s it got to do with Oregon? You know where we live and work?” Demitri asked. He at least updated his terminology. 

“Leo is an old friend to a kid of a family friend. You know my old man’s buddy Hale Shelton?” David started to explain. 

“Yeah…. I think I remember him. The one with the son you called a dumbass and a set of twin non-binary kids. So what’s going on?” Demitri yawned. 

“That’s the one. The younger twin, River, is dating Leo. Leo’s parents are emotionally abusive. This isn’t a kidnapping, or it wasn’t. It’s a runaway. Leo caught wind of their parents wanting to force them to be some thirty-something’s child bride.” David explained, squeezing my shoulder tighter, probably knowing I wanted to growl and he wanted me to stay quiet.  

“That’s fucked up. Amber alert says they are only sixteen.” Demitri started sounding angry. “What do you need from me? I take it you’ve got a line where they are both the kid and the family.” 

“You know me well, brother. Leo contacted River, and we got them on a train to Minneapolis, and we are meeting them there. My informant on the family side tells me someone on that train has taken Leo hostage and wants to exchange them for cash. Got any friends in Minneapolis or Chicago TSA? The family intends to fly from Chicago to make the exchange.” David outlined. 

“I can do you one better. I have a couple of air marshal friends. I’ll make a call. Give me the names of the people we want to be detained. I am assuming you can handle the kidnapper in Minneapolis.” Demitri quickly got on board. 

“Tucker Prescott, that’s the man looking to take Leo as a child bride.” David started to give Demitri the details. 

“Sick fucker.” Demitri scoffed, and I couldn’t agree more. 

“And then Leo’s dad, Theodore Hanley. Others are with them, but Tucker and Theodor are the big-ticket human trafficking fucks. My inside guy, Ryan Olmstead, doesn’t want to be part of it and is only helping to give me intel.” He explained. 

“Got it. I texted my air marshall friends to find and detain Tucker Prescott and Theodor Hanley for child sex trafficking. They won’t be leaving Chicago.” Demitri assured us. 

“Knew I could count on you. Get some sleep. I’ll let you know when everything is settled or I need more help.” David smiled, leaning back into his seat, letting my shoulder go.  

“Anytime.” Demitri ended the call, and the music started. 

“Whoa. That was impressive. So even if Alpha can’t come through with grounding the flight, you’re getting Fucker and Thundercunt locked up. But will charges like that stick?” I asked, rather impressed with David’s quick thinking. 

“As long as we get Leo safe and sound and they confirm that their dad was indeed going to force them to be intimately involved with Tucker, it will stick,” David assured me. 

“With Silvermane being taken care of on both ends between Alpha and the human authorities, let’s get to Minneapolis and make sure Leo is safe.” Dad nodded, pressing on the gas harder. I smiled, watching the jeep’s odometer jump from 75 to 90 in a blink.  

We were almost at the train station when David’s phone made multiple announcements in a row.

“New message from Alpha Logan.”

“No flights I could ground had Beta Tucker on them. So I talked to Alpha Jackson from north of Minneapolis. He’s got a patrol taking point at the train station. He takes rogues seriously. Plus hates Silvermane too.“

“New Message from Ryan.”

“Holy shit! So I assume you are responsible for sending air marshals after Tucker and Theodore. It didn’t go as you planned. They only managed to detain Theodore. Tucker got away, and we are on a helicopter. He knows someone else is involved.”

“Well, shit. That didn’t go as planned. Fucker is still out there and coming for Leo.” I growled, pissed he didn’t get taken down with Leo’s dad.  

“It’s fine. One down. That’s all, River. Focus on getting to Leo. Your old man and I can handle anything else. And Alpha has reinforcements meeting us there.” David assured me as dad found a parking spot. 

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I was jumping out of the car before it was even in park. Dad and David had to hustle to keep up as I made a beeline for the station. My head was on a swivel, looking for where the train from Chicago would be coming—looking for any signs of Leo. 

“This way, River!” Dad called out, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the platform Leo’s train should be arriving at.  

I watched as the train stopped and people started piling out. None of them were Leo. I started getting antsy the longer I stood there and didn’t see them. Had the rogue gotten to them? Are they hurt? I swear I’m ripping someone’s head off if Leo’s hurt. Then I smelled something. All the strange scents of the station disappeared, as all I could smell were strawberries and lilacs. 

‘MATE!’ Lunar growled in my head. “Mate…” I growled as a garbage smell tried to overpower my mate’s scent.  

“Rogue…” David snarled.  

I wasn’t paying attention to anything else as my eyes locked on a pink-haired Leo. Some dirty-looking guy was exiting with them, an arm around Leo’s shoulder forcing them tight against his side. 

‘KILL HIM!’ Lunar snarled.