“Yup, I can see that. And I also get why your father decided to keep it a secret. By the way, you look just like Colton. If you were side by side, I don’t think I could tell you apart.”
“Add Carson to the mix and you’d really be confused.”
“Is there anyone who can tell who’s who?”
“My brothers can and my mother could. It took Steel awhile but now he can, although I personally think Jackson tells him who’s who by their mind link.”
“We’re here,” Slate said, pulling off the road and hiding his jeep behind some boulders. “Grab some water and let’s go. It’s not far but keep your eyes open in case someone’s around.
~/~/~/~/~
Colton dropped to the floor, turning on his side, and reached through the opening with his hands. Using them as leverage, he started to push, pull and wiggle his body through the wall. He had gotten half way through when he heard two people talking in the distance. He panicked and knew it was now or never. Using all the adrenaline suddenly coursing through his body, he made one last effort to pull the rest of his body out of the shack.
Standing up he took a quick inventory of his injuries and saw no bloody cuts that would make it easy to track him. Throwing himself into his shift, he ran up the mountainbehind the building. The terrain was unfamiliar and rugged. Bare rocks, scrub bushes and steep inclines told him he was miles away from where he was taken. He knew his kidnapper would be after him but thankfully, Mystia hadn’t removed his protection spell. It would be hard, but the guy could still track him the old-fashioned way—paw prints on the ground.
Up over the mountain he went, skidding down the other side. Everything was cast in an orange-yellow color that came from the rocks. Colton continued to run, looking for a stream or river he could use to hide his tracks. Funny, how those games he played with his brothers as kids were coming back to help him now.
He ran for hours, at least it seemed that way to him, when he finally found a stream of clear, cool water bubbling over the pebbles making up its bed.
He stopped, sniffed the air and saw the shadows beginning to lengthen.Good, nobody close. After drinking his fill, he entered the stream, trotting in it towards the north. He finally figured that wherever he was, it was south of his apartment. How far south was yet unknown.
He ran in the stream for some time, finally jumping out and heading towards an outcropping in the rocks. He needed to rest and find a safe place, high and hidden from view. Maybe if he got lucky, he’d find some prey for dinner. But first things first. Climbing the smooth rock was difficult for his wolf; there was nothing his claws could dig into. But it would also make it that much harder to track him.
Finally, Colton got to the top where he saw an outcropping over a small opening. Padding inside, he sniffed and was relieved to find the small cave unused. He lay down just inside the opening where he could seeall approaches to it. His eyes kept moving, searching for anything out of place even when the sky darkened to night. He glanced up, as thousands of stars appeared, so close it seemed he could reach up and touch them. The vision brought memories of the first full moon run at their new home, when Steel led them to a place not unlike where he was lying—with thousands of stars waiting to be plucked.
And that brought Jackson back into Colton’s thoughts. Jackson was about five months along and was entering his final month of pregnancy. He knew Dr. Wallace could handle it but dammit this was a once in a lifetime chance he didn’t want to miss. Soon he’d be an uncle to Jackson’s son. Wondering if they had decided on a name yet, Colton wanted, no,neededto be there for the birth. Thinking about the pup, his wolf snorted—this pup would be spoiled rotten from the moment of his birth, with seven uncles and two pairs of grandparents. Hoping Jackson wasn’t freaking out too much, he finally closed his eyes to get some much needed sleep.
Chapter 15
When they were within sight of Pablo’s shack, Slate and Cody stopped talking. Approaching the ramshackle building quietly, they listened for sounds of life inside. Dead silence greeted them and Cody’s heart fell at the thought that Colton wasn’t here. Slate pointed to the side of the hut, motioning Cody to head around it. As they circled the shack, Cody saw nothing amiss until he met Slate at the back wall. That’s where they found half a board missing, wide enough for someone to squeeze through.
Cody examined the ground around the gap. Clear footprints became paw prints that disappeared up the mountain behind the shack. “Let’s see if we can get in. I think Colton was here,” said Cody, pointing to what he’d found.
Returning to the front door, Slate yanked on it without success until Cody added his strength and it finally gave way. Inside, gnawed ropes littered the floor along with Colton’s clothes. Cody’s wolf growled. Turning to Slate, he said, “Call Steel. We have to go after him because he doesn’t know this area and might get lost.”
Slate tried his phone but couldn’t get a signal. “We have to go back to the jeep to make the call. Take his clothes.”
At the jeep, Cody tried to reach Colton’s mind using their triplet link but received no response. He fought the rising fear he felt for his brother’s safety by focusing on finding him. He knew Colton better than anyone, except maybe Carson, and hoped he’d be able to think like him. His brother would not leave a scent trail because his protection spell hadn’t been removed so the only way to track him was Indian-style. He silently thanked the oldwolf who taught the triplets ancient skills of hunting, one summer long ago.
~/~/~/~/~
Cody had been tracking his brother all night. They started late because there was no cell service where the jeep was parked. Slate had to drive back to where they had received Steel’s call. By the time they got through to Steel and returned to the shack, the light was waning Once there, they shifted, with Slate taking his cellphone and some bottled water in a pack on his back. By that time, they were at least four to five hours behind Colton. As Cody soon discovered, tracking by paw prints over very rocky ground meant lots of false leads and time wasted following them. But finally, he knew they were on the right trail—though soon there’d be another delay. They needed rest from the fierce heat the sunrise would bring.
~/~/~/~/~
The rays of the rising sun fell on Colton’s face, waking him. His wolf did a full body stretch before padding over to the cave opening. He looked around and listened—not good. He could hear two wolves in the distance coming toward him, but they weren’t close enough to identify. Hunting for food would have to wait as Colton bounded out, heading over the mountain and then sliding down the other side until he reached a mini valley. There he ran at full speed, hoping to extend the distance between him and the unknown wolves.
He rounded a massive boulder and came to an abrupt stop. Staring at a mountain higher than he’d seen so far, Colton contemplated the possibilities. He could go back—nope, not a choice at all. Or go back a little way and try to find an easier path. Maybe. Or suck it up and climb the big-ass mountain. Decision made, he headedup the rocky ground. It was hard going but at least he was younger than the guy who kidnapped him who, he assumed, was chasing him. But then, who knows, maybe it was one of his associates.Or maybe, dammit, maybe it’s the guy who bought me in the auction. Shit, not a good thought…better go to warp speed.
Pausing near the mountaintop, he looked down. Spotting no one, Colton whirled, heading over the mountain and again half ran, half skidded down the other side. He was beginning to feel the effects of no food in more than a day, especially with all the running. But he knew he couldn’t stop to hunt right now. The sun grew hotter as it rose in the sky. Colton struggled in the heat. He wasn’t used to this. His wolf loved the forest and the coolness of its shade. Pausing, he sniffed…yup, a good sign…he couldn’t smell anyone chasing him.
He sought the shade of a boulder; his wolf was in distress. Water—he had to have water soon.But where?He studied the landscape, looking for a spot where it might be found but it didn’t look promising. Everything was rock or dried up shrubs.But wait a minute!Just barely visible, he spied a copse of small green trees.Mmm, I’ll bet there’s water there.He remained in the shade though, waiting for the heat to subside; it would be easier on his wolf if the sun was lower in the sky before he started his trek. He had time—anyway, he hoped he had time—since he still couldn’t scent any wolves nearby.
Finally, well rested, Colton began his journey to find water. Soon it would be dark and at least the air was cooler even if the ground wasn’t. About two days had passed and still no food.Not good.Water was essential, but his wolf was also in desperate need of food. He wondered if Slate had found who the kidnapper was. That would be crucial in finding out the location of the shack he was held captive in.
Colton didn’t think Oracle could help this time even though she was the voice of the Fates on earth. Oh gods, surely, she wasn’t told he would die. Jackson would be devastated as would his other brothers—especially Cody and Carson.Shit! Stop this right now!Hemustbelieve the Fates saved him from his family’s massacre for a reason. And he didn’t think dying in this unforgiving place was what they had in mind for him. While he was thinking, Colton realized the surroundings were changing. The ground was softer, more moisture in the air, and patches of grass were under his paws. He lifted his nose.Water!
Entering the copse of trees, he spied the goal of his search but then…a rabbit! Shit what to do first?He took off for the rabbit, cornering it against a boulder, pouncing and breaking its neck. Carrying the dead rabbit in his teeth, Colton headed for the water.
