Confusion flared through their bond before Keon spoke,I didn’t feel anything.
“I know.” Milo loved that he seemed unhappy, as it meant Keon cherished the ability to share his visions. “I’ll explain later, but…I saw more about what happened. Haley left her room to meet someone and was ambushed. I saw Weston discover the blood on her windowsill. I couldn’t see whotookher, but there are two people helping them. A man and a woman.”
Keon sat up, m’weko head cocked.That’s incredible. Could you sketch what you saw, or was there a scent we can ask Isaac to follow?
Those were brilliant questions, and Milo wished he could give good answers. “I’m afraid not. It happened in the dark, with lots of flickering shadows. I think the gift didn’t want me to see too much,” he confessed, though he wasn’t sure if that was because some things were still not set in stone, or because showing him would be an unfair advantage. “But at least we know there are three people.”
Yes.Keon huffed what he presumed would have been a human sigh.Try to sleep,mikha.This is excellent information, but you’ll exhaust yourself, and we still have far to travel,he advised, nuzzling at his cheek in comfort, a touch of regret weaving through their bond, as if he regretted reminding Milo of the weakness.
He wasn’t wrong. A normal vision took a lot out of him, and if it happened during the day he almost always slept for hours afterwards. This was no normal vision, and he hated to think of what the consequences may be. But it was worth it to know what they faced. They weren’t about to walk into a war with a dozen soldiers or half of Thatcher’s pack.
Relieved his efforts hadn’t been wasted, Milo settled by Keon’s side and took comfort from his proximity. Perhaps now they knew what they were up against, it would give them an advantage. Surely a team of six m’weko could succeed against three enemies?
They may believe they’d left a trail, using Haley as bait, but they underestimated the determination of an Alpha and his mate to regain a girl they both loved. In their eyes, Haley had been a useful, persuadable victim, but to Milo, she was a part of his life he could never live without. And he was prepared to do whatever it took to keep her safe, no matter the cost.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Keon
THEY SPENT FOURhours of the afternoon sleeping in the protection of the copse. Gale curled his human body around Jude’s exhausted m’weko, and wrapped them in a blanket. Janet remained as m’weko and curled close to her brother, protecting and warming, as siblings should.
Keon was the last to rest, checking their packs for supplies. Relieved they wouldn’t need to annoy Katarina, even to resupply, he gazed at the darkening sky, wondering if Haley’s scent would remain when they woke. They were at a disadvantage of hours, but Keon held on to hope for Milo’s sake. Breaking branches from the trees, he littered them around their sleeping cluster to alert them to unwanted visitors. Covering branches or scattering crunchy twigs with leaves and moss to disguise them. Not convincing in the daylight, but the best option without more time.
Milo grounded him. A m’weko nose nudged Keon from the packs, as Milo curled on the ground, lifted a blanket, and snuggled in to sleep. The draw of joining him was hard to resist. Keon finished repacking their bags, and shifted to offer Milo his m’weko warmth, hope, and strength. Knowing Milo was beside him was all Keon needed to drift into sleep.
The sun had set when he woke to whimpers. Instinct made him look to Milo, but his mate awoke beside him, confusion flooding their link.
Isaac,he whispered with awe. Capturing Keon’s gaze, Milo cocked his m’weko head, surprise lighting green eyes as Isaac stirred awake. Milo needed no encouragement to stand on tired legs and cross to the youngest member, shaking and shocked from his sleep. Either Isaac was unable to control his gift, or Milo shared his thoughts, because Keon could hear every exchange as Milo soothed the younger m’weko. Rubbing their muzzles and offering a lick to his ear, like any older family member comforting a cub.
Haley is near,Isaac whimpered, mental voice trembling.She’s scared and in pain. I can feel her in my head, like a ghost.He shivered despite Milo’s m’weko pressing close.
Are you Haley’s mate?
Lowering his head, Isaac rubbed his face against Milo’s shoulder, silently asking his forgiveness and understanding. Milo mentally shushed him, soothing and comforting the younger man.
He didn’t realise forgiveness was unnecessary. Isaac was at the ripe age to sense a mate bond and Haley wasn’t. While she was young enough to make mistakes and to not have found herself, she deserved the chance to learn and grow from those experiences and to discover who she could become. Keon approved, as Isaac was a wise, talented young man and had made an effort to become good friends with Haley. Friendship had likely revealed their bond and would provide a solid foundation for a future.
Welcome to the family, pup, Keon offered, unsurprised the m’weko raised a cocked head in confusion. Leaving Milo to reassure him of his welcome, Keon roused the others.
Gale buried his human face in Jude’s furry neck, arms wrapped tight around his m’weko waist. Keon was loath to wake them, but a nudge of his wet nose against Gale’s cheek stirred him.
While he shifted to eat, check everyone else ate, and help Milo secure the packs for the last leg of their journey, the others prepared to leave camp. Ready to call on the others to join him and eat, Keon found a warren hole of a decent size. Inspecting it, he reasoned they could safely leave their packs in the abandoned home to prevent taking extra weight and bulk into a potentially volatile situation.
The scents made it clear nothing had lived here for years, and Keon hoped it remained safe, stuffing their bags into the space to bury them under mulch and moss. He’d left enough food and water to refresh them after their sleep, running the risk of not needing the rest of their supplies for the next few hours.
Keon thought it best they return by midnight to get more sleep, as no one with sense would make Haley travel by night, this close to Katarina’s pack. Unless they’d approached her land earlier, they wouldn’t risk entering at night, when Katarina’s guards savaged first and asked questions later. If Vega was the cause of this, he was smart enough not to piss off Katarina.
Stop!Milo screamed inside his head.
Keon ran the space between them without thought, two feet less secure after hours of travelling on four. Skidding to Milo’s side, he found his mate guarding a pool on the far end of the copse they hadn’t investigated yet.What happened?
Gale and Jude stood aside, heads bowed in clear discomfort. Janet faced Milo with bared teeth and a ready stance, prepared to pounce. Isaac hovered between his sister and Milo like a lost child being asked to choose between their parents.
Milo glanced at Keon and gestured with his nose to the water. A natural spring, erupting from the earth, surrounded by a cluster of rocks to create a pool of water.The water has been tainted,he explained, holding fast to prevent anyone from skirting around to access the water.Isaac mentioned the water smells wrong. Like the journal.
Cocking his head, Keon considered the specific wording. He’d mentioned in passing the old heecha journal smelled foul, like sodding leather and wet dog, an undercoat of sweat and rust. Milo claimed the journal was saturated with m’weko blood and dropped into a swamp in its history, likely causing the stench.
You think it’s saturated with blood. Crossing to Milo, he nudged his head and reminded him,Blood has to be old to smell like rust.The journal smelled awful, a decade from the day its heecha owner was killed for the information it contained.
