Page 78 of Hunted

Fuck. That left too many possibilities, from benign to disastrous. “Any you just left her there?”

“She was okay,” Rex said defensively. “And the whole pack was squaring off—half behind the Sanchez boys, and half behind us and Boomer.”

“Boomer? He’s on my side?”

“Who knew?” Dobe said. “So we decided not to fight half the pack and Thanatos to avoid Mikey having an uncomfortable conversation, and opted to find you, who’d been thrown out of a helicopter in the middle of nowhere.”

He couldn’t blame them. They’d made a choice about who appeared to be at greatest risk—and who they cared about the most.

They didn’t know what Thanatos had threatened to do to Mikey.

He said, “We have to get down there.”

Switch said, “You guys go ahead. I have to take my bird inside before this storm blows her away. I’ll be right behind you.”

“I’ll help,” Ariana said.

The guys had brought the helicopter tow dolly out onto the tarmac while they were landing, and Switch was already positioning it under the helo. Gunn left them to it, and headed for the nearest vehicle, extending his senses out through the Ridge.

Something didn’t feel right here. Hell, a lot of things didn’t feel right. He could sense Mikey, but her presence felt… wrong, somehow. Both larger, and yet… less intense. Like she was losing consciousness?

If Thanatos was doing anything to hurt Mikey, he wouldn’t know what hit him.

When they reached the Big House, most of the wolves seemed to have dispersed, though he could feel the unease throughout the compound.

Boomer came up as they piled out of the Jeep, looking more pleased to see Gunn than he could ever remember. His brother, at Boomer’s shoulder as usual, didn’t look quite so pleased, but then he never did.

Boomer clasped Gunn’s hand in a bro handshake. “Damn good thing you made it. You okay?” He grimaced. “I tried to get them to turn back, but you know Sugar.”

Gunn growled. “Oh, yeah, I do. Do you know what Thanatos wanted with Mikey?”

Boomer said, “You’ve got to get in there. Thanatos wants her to give someone up—a guy named Tristan Barnes. He’s got some dude in there who does mind probes.”

Gunn felt a chill. A few days ago that name would have meant nothing, but knowing what he did now about Mikey’s family—what the hell was Thanatos after?

Then Boomer added the worst part. “And then… he’s planning on wiping her mind. Everything about the Ridge. Including you.”

For a second, Gunn felt like everything inside him had frozen to a block of ice. Then white-hot rage roared through him.

“He wouldn’t dare.”

His tone made the wolves step back.

“He’s doing it now,” Boomer’s brother said. “He drugged her, and they were just about to start the probe before we left. How long do you think she can hold out?”

“I’m not worried about that,” Gunn said grimly. “Because I’m going to be in there in about thirty seconds.”

Thanatos probably didn’t realize Mikey was part white wolf—and trained to use her mind powers. It was more what Mikey might do—and how it might affect Gunn, through their bond. And the rest of the pack, through his bond with them.

Thanatos, in his damn arrogance and ignorance of wolf bonds, might be about to destroy the whole pack.

And there was no way he was going to let that happen. “I could use some backup,” he said. “Who’s coming?”

“We’re with you.” Rex and Dobe had his back, as always. And Hawk was right there with them.

Switch and Ariana drove up in another Jeep, skidding to a halt. “We didn’t miss anything good, did we?” Switch asked.

Boomer said, “I’m with you. These guys need an alpha. Even one who doesn’t appreciate explosions.”