“Wait a minute…” Glenn growled. “Mom!”
Cody, now visible, stepped out from behind Dylon. “Mrs. Thatcher, I’m Cody, Hope’s son, and Dylon is my mate. Before we left, my mother gave me the secret code you guys agreed on in case you needed to contact each other.”
Pausing, Willow turned, looking at Cody. “Is that so? Pray tell, what is this secret code?”
“Justice prevails.”
Swallowing her gasp, Willow stared at Cody, finally seeing her friend’s eyes reflected in his.But none of this makes sense…I saw Josiah kill all of Hope’s pups.Eagernow to know more, she asked, “How did you survive? How many of you?”
“Seven,” Cody began. “We escaped because we detoured to Los Vegas for some fun on the way home from college. That’s where we learned what Josiah did. Then we hid out…until Jackson met his Fated Mate. We didn’t know our mother survived until our cousins showed up with her a couple of weeks ago and found out how you saved her. She wouldn’t give us your name until she had her dream. She said to tell you she’s sorry she broke her promise, but she was afraid for you.”
Trying to absorb everything she just heard, Willow stood still, staring at her best friend’s son, someone she hadn’t seen since he was a young child. After it sunk in, she walked over to Cody, pausing a moment before hugging him. “You have no idea how happy I am you and your brothers survived! How’s your mother?”
“Mom,” Glenn said softly. “Is this the reason you spent the last six years on the run?”
Glancing over at Glenn, Willow saw her son holding her friend’s son, the knife still pressed against his jugular. “Let him go, Glenn,” she ordered. “They mean me no harm.”
Releasing Zane, Glenn murmured, “Sorry…are you okay?”
Taking several steps, Zane glanced up at Glenn before moving next to Dylon. “Yeah man…I’m fine…just let’s not do that again…okay?”
Holding his hands up, Glenn replied, “Promise.” Then looking over at his mother, he said, “Mom, we need to talk.”
Moving over to her son, she pulled his head down so she could kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, dear, for coming.”
“Any time,” Glenn said, giving his mother a hug.
“Ms. Thatcher,” Cody said, “we have a plane waiting to take you to California. Is there anything you want to bring with you?”
“Now, wait a minute,” growled Glenn, “I appreciate you all coming to my mother’s aid but she’ll be safer with me.”
Willow took a step back from her son. Standing still, her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “I think you have forgotten I’m an adult and quite capable of making my own decisions.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t,” Glenn replied, recognizing all too well the tone of his mother’s voice. “I just think…”
Willow studied her son, fatigue etched in the lines around his mouth. Exhaling softly, she urged, “Dear, can we just get out of here? I promise to tell you everything.”
“Fine,” Glenn murmured, “let’s go.”
“Ms. Thatcher, I think you’ll be safer with the Blackwood Pack,” Dylon said, taking a step forward. “While I have the utmost respect for your son, he won’t be able to protect you like we can.”
Growling, Glenn replied, “That’s bullshit. You know who I am…”
“Exactly,” said Dylon. “And how long are you planning to stay in town? A day, two maybe, before you leave on assignment? How are you gonna protect your mother from the Collector, then?”
“Not your business!” Hiding his surprise about their knowledge of the Collector, Glenn placed his hand on his mother’s shoulder and murmured, “C’mon, Mom, you too, Riley.”
“Glenn, what is he talking about?” Willow asked her son.
“Nothing,” Glenn muttered.
Shrugging off her son’s hand, Willow turned to Dylon. “Who’s the Collector and why is he after me?”
“The person known as the Collector, hired the two men to kidnap you,” Dylon explained.
“Why? Is it because of my son?” asked Willow.
Shifting his eyes over to Glenn, Dylon watched him as he said, “No, it’s because you are the last Bali Tiger Shifter on earth. The Collector acquires rare shifters—though how he found out about you is still a mystery since you’re listed as deceased according to the High Council’s records.”
