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STANLEY POV I stumble into my desk, trying to find the light switch in the dark, and my hand lands on my receipt spike stick. "Fuck," I yell as the hard metal pierces my palm. Pain and anger radiate through me as I finally find the switch. I flip it on and inspect my hand with a scowl. I have a blinding headache, a stomach full of booze, and a hand with a healing hole in it. My life is one huge pile of dung. "STANLEY," Lauren's shrill voice calls from the reception area, and I groan. I didn't realize she was already here for the day. I hear her footsteps approach, so I run my hand through my grimey hair so I look not so disheveled, but I know the gesture is useless. I haven't showered since the day I saw my mate. "Stan," Lauren says as she opens my office door and comes in like she owns the place. "Yeah," I grumble, and she sighs as she looks me over. "Stanley, when is this going to stop? Just go talk to her," she says in an annoyed voice that makes my wolf
STANLEY POV "Finally coming home," Samantha snaps as soon as my car door closes. I glance at Dan, and he avoids looking at me as he heads start for his mate. I meet her eyes again, but only for a second. Her dominance feels as if it has tripled since becoming pregnant, or maybe she is just that mad. I drop my head to show submission. "I just needed some alone time," I answer before peeking up at her. Her green eyes begin to blaze, and her hands drop as she begins to march my way with murder written across her features. Fear twists my stomach as my Luna approaches me, and Dan just stands there on the porch looking patient. I'm so busy looking at my brother, hoping for backup, I hardly see her hand as it cuts through the air and cracks across my cheek. I stumble and grab my face. I keep my yes downcast and fight back the growl itching to erupt from my chest. "I can not believe you, Stanley Gray. I had faith in the mate bond! I thought once you met her, all would fix its
ANDREW POV I clear my throat as I wipe my sweaty hands on my pants again.My face looks aged and weathered. I'm not a young buck anymore, and I already miss my beard. It was like a security blanket, but since my date is a shifter, I shaved. I didn't want her smelling last week's food on my face. All in all, I am a poor excuse for a blind date. I sigh and shake my head as my eyes drop away from my reflection.Restless nerves are killing me. I can't believe I let Samantha talk me into going on a date. I married Margaret right out of high school. Dating is as foreign to me as being a widow. A widow...A man with no family. No children. I sigh again as the all-too-familiar pain fills my chest. My family is gone. Dead. My own son destroyed everything I had in this life, including himself. I used to be a proud man. I was a successful man who thought he was raising a family built on wholesome values. I had a multimillion-dollar company, and my name was respected. Now...I'm starting ov
TABITHA POV Hope, fear, embarrassment, and surprise all seem to course through my body simultaneously as the four of us stand frozen.Andrew's eyes are on my mom, and Stanley's are on me. Mom is staring at Andrew, and I am practically drilling holes into Stanley. It is a stare-stand-off. Each one of us is trapped and eager. Even the air is being quiet in anticipation of what is going to happen next.As my hope grows, I look my mate over closer. I try to see past the suit and clean face, but what I find disappoints me.His face looks thinner than it was a week ago but other than that, I don't see a difference. I, on the other hand, look awful. I know my hair and clothes are dirty. My face is puffy and red since I was just crying. All in all, it's an awful time to be hoping he is here to beg for me, but my heart and inner beast won't quiet down. My brain is the only thing holding onto sense at this point. "Hi, I'm Andrew. I am new to the shifter world, but I believe being your ma
STANLEY POV "Stan," someone whispers, and my dream of lying in a field of roses ends. I groggily open my eyes, and my arms tighten around something warm. "Stanley," the whispering voice says again, and I grin as the melody practically caresses my ears. "Stan, we fell asleep," Tabitha says as my senses finally awaken. My eyesight clears, and my grin turns into a megawatt smile. "Best sleep I have ever had," I reply, and she chuckles while attempting to unwrap my arms. I shake my head and pull her closer. "I haven't slept good since you ran off last week. Give me a few more minutes," I mumble, and she begins to poke my stomach with her long graceful fingers. "Excuse you! I haven't slept either...but right now, I have to pee, and you are making it difficult to get out of bed," she grumbles, and I groan unhappily as I release her. "Fine, but as far as makeups go, this went better than I envisioned," I reply to gauge her reaction. She shoots me a smile, and relie
TABITHA POV Wails rip through my eardrums as I groggily open my eyes. I don't remember going back to sleep, and my body feels like I got hit by a truck. I groan as I roll over. My arms feel sluggish and heavy, but the wails make me push past my grogginess. My brain is muddled, but I know that I shouldn't be hearing crying. "Ma Ma," someone screams, and I look over to see little Angelica pulling at Samantha's hair with her baby fists. Samantha isn't responding to her daughter's desperate attempts to wake her, and I suddenly realize I am not at home. My half-asleep brain does a quick evaluation of my surroundings, and I quickly come to the conclusion I am somewhere I have never been...with two pregnant shifters and a baby. I shake my head to keep from freaking out before crawling toward Angelica. She needs me right now. I can't cry or dwell on the crazy situation until I comfort her. Every instinct in me is telling me to get to the cub. "It's okay, baby girl. Cousin
TABITHA POV It's been at least 24hrs since I heard my mother's screams, and our kidnapper has yet to bring us anything. Samantha has tried to breastfeed poor Angelica, but the current pregnancy, plus the lack of water, has made her supply drop. Mariah keeps watching the door and looking at the infant with worried eyes. "Do we have a plan," I ask quietly, and Mariah looks at me for the first time in hours. She gets up and paces the room before sitting next to Samantha and me."I think he wants us weak. He knows that the door is our only chance, so he will wait until he is sure we won't attack. The problem with that...Angelica can't go that long without fluids, and Samantha will run dry soon. I'm worried," she whispers, and I look at Sam to see that her lips are pale. "Maybe the guys are close," she whispers with fake hope, and I catch the movement of Mariah's head in my peripheral vision."It's doubtful. He kidnapped us with our mates in the pack house. He didn't leave a scent
STANLEY POVAt this point, all any of us are feeling is despair. There is absolutely nothing to go off of. Our mates are just gone.When Samantha and Angelica were taken seven months ago, finding them had been simple, Adam hadn't accounted for the fact we were shifters, and he left clear trails. Both natural and digital, but this kidnapper is different. He is organized and aware of our limitations."We should go through the names of all known Layne pack members. As we go down the list, we should only mark off the ones we confirmed to be dead. Then we locate the whereabouts of the ones we have left," Fin says, and I nod to show I like the simple plan.I look over at the other males, and the dagger in my heart twists. Benji and Dan look as if someone has sucked their souls from their bodies. Their eyes are completely lifeless, and their skin is a sickly gray color. I know I don't look much better, but their mates are pregnant. We are running out of time."Get started, Fin," I whisper wi