Page 60 of Devil’s Snare

Fiend and Nightmare, who must have joined us when he realized something was wrong, picked up the prospect and rushed toward the back of the compound. A gate would open to a dirt road, leading them into the forest where they’d reach the hollow and summon the Tree.

“His name?” Ethan asked, fists clenched.

“Juke. He protected your sister more than once. Prevented her truck from being stolen.”

No one knew that but club members.

And yeah, the fucker who tried it with me had already done it once. Juke caught him. I sent him to watch over Gwen a few times when I was busy.

Ethan shook his head as if trying to clear it. “You said she was on the phone. Who called her?”

“Penny. Don’t know a last name. Gwen said she stole money out of her purse, and she wanted to talk to Penny about it.”

“Gwen’s friend Cary owns the women’s shelter. She would know Penny.” Ethan already had his phone out and was dialing the number. “Hey, Cary. Sorry to bother you, but I need your help.”

While Ethan got the information we needed, I turned to G.D. “What’s the plan, Pres?” I had to follow orders no matter how badly I wanted to hop on my bike and try to find her scent. Maybe I could track her down on that alone.

G.D. picked up on it. Maybe my thoughts and emotions were transparent enough that he could tell I was close to letting the monster inside me loose. My control was slipping. “Ride. Her soul and yours are connected. Find your woman.”

I ran toward my bike before the words were out of his mouth. In less than a minute, I was riding out of the gate, refusing to focus on Juke’s blood. That prospect was a fighter. He was young. The Tree could save him.

I turned my focus to Gwen. The wind whipped around my body, bringing in smells from the forest, animals, and the exhaust from my bike. I concentrated harder. Seeking that scent that I loved. That sweet, intoxicating smell that I recognized the first moment I saw her.

One that followed her from one life to the next.

A way I could always find my soulmate.

Just when I thought I had failed, I caught it. The scent mixed with two others. One I recognized as the man who impersonated Nate Barnes. The other, a female I never met.

The horrible truth started to sink in. Gwen was taken. Her kidnapping was intentional. Penny and the fraudulent agent were working together.

They fooled us all.

A bike rumbled behind me, and I saw Ghost. The others wouldn’t be far behind. I had backup if I needed it.

Gwen’s scent led to an abandoned hunting cabin. It wasn’t hard to find.

I stopped before they could hear my bike approach and stashed it behind a tree. From here, I planned to approach on foot with the advantage of surprise.

They couldn’t know that the forest would shield me. My footsteps never made a sound. Soft moss grew beneath my boots, silencing the placement of my soles.

I closed my eyes and summoned the trees, asking them to close in and prevent anyone from escaping. No one would pass through except my club brothers. The trees knew Gwen belonged to me and helped without hesitation.

Sunlight was slowly being extinguished as I approached the cabin. The trees blocked out the rays and turned the sky above into darkness. Wind rushed through their limbs as a storm brewed overhead. The elements weren’t controlled by the trees, though. That was Ghost’s ability.

Dropping low, I paused outside a window and listened.

“You stupid bitch! I told you not to steal from her.”

A whiny female voice answered. “Babe, please!”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not anything to you.”

A screech followed, and I heard a thud. Risking a peek, I found Gwen tied up and a gag in her mouth. Blood trickled from the side of her head. Her eyes were glassy, and I wondered if they drugged her.

“You promised! You said if I got her to trust me and helped to get her away from the biker, you’d take care of me.”

He didn’t answer.