Seth’s brow furrowed, like he couldn’t quite comprehend the words. “Whyespecially Rafe?”
“He’s a healer first. He would never. But he also has a mate who’s missing. That’s why we came.”
Seth nodded, stepping back. “So, you did need something. Did your mate run from you?”
Rafe sighed. It wasn’t Seth’s fault that he didn’t understand shifter culture and assumed the worst. The poor guy would’ve been raised human and oblivious before the coven turned him and forced him into this life. All he knew of the supernatural community was violence, assault, and whatever lies the coven had fed him.
“No. He was taken from me. Two nights ago. By the terrorist group we’ve been hunting—the D-2S.”
Seth nodded, all focus now. “The tunnels, right? I still haven’t managed to catch anyone coming or going, but I know they’re there. Tell me about your guy.”
Rafe gave a clipped description of Adri, forcing himself to stick to physical appearance and avoid talking about the way his mate’s eyes glowed with defiance or the way his face softened when he was mentoring his crew. His words cut off partway through describing the other young fighters who’d been taken as Seth’s eyes widened in recognition.
“You’ve seen something. Tell me,” Rafe said, urgency rushing through him.
“You said one of them has dyed green hair? When I’m struggling with my hunger, they make me run circuits in the neighbourhood I stay in to distract me. There’s a warehouse on Albertine that’s usually vacant, but yesterday there were people there—humans. I didn’t see your guy, but there was a flash of green from the loading bay that drew my attention, and I heard them complaining about having to move live shifters. I figured they must’ve been associated with the coven and I needed to mind my own business, but it was weird they were human. Master Valryn doesn’t usually use them for that kind of thing.”
“Could you make out anything else? How many? What kind of weapons?” Emmy asked.
“I mean, yeah. It was broad daylight. There were nine of them in three SUVs carrying semiautomatics that I assume were loaded with silver of some kind.”
Rafe’s jaw dropped as Seth’s words distracted him from the vital intel temporarily.
“They make you run during theday?”
No wonder the vampire was so exhausted and his injuries weren’t healing. He was far too young to spend extended periods out in the sun like that, especially as starved as he was.
Seth shrugged, his face twisting in a subtle wince as he did, and Rafe reached out to spin him around, growling as he took in the whip marks across his shoulders.
“I can’t stand for this,” Rafe snapped as Seth pulled away, arms wrapped around himself as he dipped his head to stare at the ground.
“It’s not your fucking call. I’ve seen how shifters treat vampires. You’reenemies. I’m better off where I am,” Seth said.
“Who? Tell me which shifter hurt you and I’ll end them the same way I ended that asshole who cut you,” Emmy growled.
“Good luck finding your mate,” Seth muttered, pushing past them.
It took every inch of his control not to stop Seth from leaving, throw him over his shoulder, and take him home, where he could learn that not everyone would hurt him.
“Why the fuck haven’t you saved that boy already?” Rafe growled at Emmy as they stalked back to the car.
“You saw him. He doesn’t want to be saved. I’m working on it. Building his trust.”
“He’ll be dead before he has time to trust you.”
Emmy stared in the direction Seth had disappeared, concern on his face. “I think you might be right. I’ll talk to Marco. See what we can do.”
Rafe pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you let Marco get one look at that kid, he’ll burn the fucking city down for him.” Their Alpha had a type, and Seth would push every fucking one of his buttons.
Emmy smirked. He’d always loved a bit of chaos. “I’m counting on it. Now, let’s go save your fucking mate so you don’t burn the city down, too.”
As much as Rafe was singularly focussed on getting to the warehouse Seth had mentioned, he was grateful they took the time to swing by the pack lands when he saw what Luca had waiting for them.
“I’ve been studying the chip your mate found us. I didn’t have time to isolate exactly what the best countermeasure was, so I’ve cobbled together something that’s part signal blocker, part targeted EMP. It’s running off a generator at the moment, so it’s pretty unwieldy, but it will fit in the back of one of the SUVs. The closer you can get it to the chips, the better.”
Rafe watched as the pack loaded him up. He’d already made sure he had everything he needed for an emergency field surgery within hours of realising Adri was missing. He wasn’t going to take any chances. Katie was on call to talk him through it if it came to that. He hoped it didn’t. Brain surgery in those kinds of conditions was dangerous even for a shifter. Rafe would need every shred of his power to keep his patients alive, and at the same time, he’d be the one wielding the scalpel. Luca’s mate, Cal, had slipped him two vials of the stimulant the witch used when he needed to use power past his capacity. They’d have to hope it was enough.
“Weren’t we just fucking here?” Silas muttered as the SUVs pulled up out of sight of the building they were approaching.
