Still nothing.
He was about to head uphill again, to find a better vantage point, when he thought he heard a noise.
A single, metallic clang. Not loud, but also not a noise he expected to hear out in the wild.
Turning back downhill, he resumed his trek at a faster pace, trying to stay concealed among trees and other vegetation as he homed in on the scent of the campfire and the origin of the noise. He approached the edge of a thick copse of trees at the crest of a drop. Beyond that, he spotted a rocky section downslope from him that exactly matched what he was looking for.
He hadn’t smelled smoke for a while, but he was now also upwind due to the landscape.
Which could put him at a disadvantage if Faegan scented him.
Crouching, he watched and listened for ten minutes. He didn’t want to cross the open area, especially while upwind, in case this was his quarry. That could easily make him a target or alert Faegan to his presence. He’d circle back and work his way further downslope, emerging closer to his destination and downwind of it.
What would Dewi do?
She’d probably call him a dumbass for not having a weapon on him, much less backup.
Scratch that—she totally would call him a dumbass. Rightfully so.
Because he’d chew her a new asshole if she did exactly what he was doing right now.
He still hadn’t seen, heard, or scented further signs of a person or the campfire.
Fuck it. He didn’t feel like being shot in the middle of nowhere. He’d retreat and circle around.
Standing, he turned to leave when he heard the metallic clang again. Closer this time, definitely coming from that area. Almost like someone bumped a metal pot or pan against a rock.
Hmm.
He resumed his position, keenly aware that he was wasting time. But if he’d found his prey he didn’t want to risk losing him, either.
There was also the possibility that there was a clueless human down there simply minding their own business. Another reason he didn’t want to shift yet, because he didn’t want to get shot by a clueless human thinking he was a wild wolf.
The wind briefly shifted, and Peyton’s nostrils flared at the faintest hints of smoke, like a campfire had been recently doused.
But then the wind changed yet again.
Peyton made his choice. He stood, turned, and before he could process it, he felt two stabbing pains hit him in his back and a third in his ass. Sinking to his knees, his vision swam as he tried to process this turn of events. He had just enough time to hear what sounded like someone keying and speaking into a radio mic before he fell forward and into darkness.
Trevor
Trevor’s pulse spiked as they parked next to Peyton’s rental. The men who’d arrived ahead of him and Garrison had already circled the parking area, located Peyton’s trail, and even found where he’d hidden his rental car keys.
“All right,” Trevor said. “Teams of two—one shifted, one not. The better tracker will shift, but stick together, right? Take your mobiles. We might not have coverage out here, but if we’re not together and you locate Peyton, try to call me and immediately return here.”
“And if we locate Faegan?” one asked.
“Kill him,” Trevor growled. “Immediately. No quarter given.” He glanced at his watch. “Peyton doesn’t have much of a head start.” He pointed to two men, neither of whom could shift. “You two remain here. Send the others out after us with those instructions. If Peyton returns before me, fill him in and defer to him about what to do, and try to contact us. The rest of you, if we get separated, return here no later than four hours from now. That’s two hours out, two back. Garrison, you’re with me. Move out.”
He didn’t let Garrison shift. The two of them followed the team with their best tracker shifted and in pursuit of Peyton’s fresh scent trail. They were all moving at a full run behind the two leads.
Trevor didn’t like this. It felt too…wrong.
Like a set-up.
Perhaps even a betrayal, although Peyton had used his Prime powers and verified every man with them was loyal.
Still…
