Finding the Beta

Killian’s POV

I can feel my brother’s anxiety even from a mile away, although he is concealing the other signs of his fears well. We arrived at the gate hours ago and have combed through every home, street, back alley, gambling house, and whatnot, but Beta Maddox is nowhere.

No one seems to have seen or heard from him.

I have a bad feeling about this. A depth in my gut that keeps clawing at me. Maddox might be dead, but Hunter wants us to hold out hope that we will find him alive. I know the bond he and Maddox share goes beyond friendship.

They are more like brothers, and this must be really hard for him, still.

I stiffen as I hear a voice through the mind link. It is low, like a flickering candle, but it's there. I think Hunter has heard it too because he comes running to me, his eyes wide open.

“Did you hear it?” he asks, breathing heavily. Sweat has soaked through his shirt, causing it to glue to his skin and highlighting his bulging biceps. “It was unmistakable, right?