I closed my eyes and drew in a breath that I hoped would calm my nerves. They were so frayed, they were close to fracturing. Walking away from my mate because he was married with a child on the way was one thing. Knowing he was getting ready to mate someone else was altogether different.
That knowledge felt like a deep aching hole in my chest.
"Well, that makes things a little bit more interesting."
I opened my eyes and glanced at Sinclair. "What?"
"That was Elder Clarence. It seems that whoever had been stalking Joseph Langston kidnapped him and his son earlier tonight while Alpha Langston was out at dinner with some business associated."
And I had been so calm.
I spun and raced for the door.
"Stalker, wait!" Sinclair called out.
I wasn't waiting. Someone had taken my mate. I was going to get him back, and no one was going to stop me.
Sampson blocked the door before I could reach it.
"Move," I growled. I'd go through the man if I had to. I didn't care if he was six foot nine inches tall. He was between me and rescuing my mate.
Sampson jutted his chin behind me. "You need to listen to Sinclair."
I growled.
Sampson lifted an eyebrow as if daring me to jump.
Okay, maybe I wasn't that stupid, but still… "He's my mate, Sampson."
Surely the man would understand. He had a mate of his own. Henry had been tossed into a fighting pit for Sampson to kill. He'd mated him instead.
I tried not to tremble when Sampson's hand landed on my shoulder.
"Just listen to Sinclair, Stalk."
I clenched my jaw, grinding my molars together, then turned to face Sinclair.
"Let us help you, Stalker," Sinclair said. "You're going to need backup, and who better to back you up than the men in this room?"
Okay, Sinclair might have a point there.
"Will you let us help you?"
I nodded, the lump in my throat too big to allow speech at the moment.
"Shade, I want you to do your thing. Go in and get as much intel as you can then get back here as fast as you can."
Shade nodded, kissed his mate, and then walked out the door.
"Stone, I want you and Sampson to go introduce yourself to Alpha Langston and let him know that the panthers have been assigned to his case and we will do everything within our power to locate his son and grandson and ensure there are no more threats to them."
I almost started to argue until I really listened to his words and realized that Sinclair never said a single word about turning my mate over to Alpha Langston. He simply said we would locate my mate and make sure there were no more threats to him or his son.
I was planning on doing that anyway.
"Find out everything the grieving alpha knows then survey the scene, interview people, whatever you need to. I want to know what happened in that house and where Joseph Langston and his son went."
"On it, babe." Stone leaned down to kiss Sinclair then he was out the door with Sampson.
