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But I’m not too keen on trusting the authorities right now. Since there is no one else I can think of on such short notice, I pull my phone from my pocket and call Jake. I’ll tell him to create a search party while we check the most obvious place — the Mountain Pack’s home.

Although, I doubt Corbin would be stupid enough to return home. He is well aware that his entire town is currently under government surveillance.

I grip my phone and press it tightly to my ear. It rings a few times before Jake groggily answers. I stare out at the gardens as the sun slowly comes up over the horizon and casts the sky in pink and orange hues.

“Hello?” he grunts.

“Jake, it's Thane. I need your help,” I say, getting straight to the point. This isn’t the time to beat around the bush or exchange pleasantries — every minute counts.

Jake perks up, and it sounds like he jumps out of bed as he asks, “What do you need?”

“It’s Harlow. She’s missing. We believe she is being taken to Corbin, but we have no idea where he’s hiding out.” I lay out everything. It isn’t like I have more information to share.

We don’t want Bree and Vadum to get Harlow anywhere near Corbin. We hope our assumption of where Bree is taking her is correct, because then we have at least one lead to follow to get our mate back.

“Whatever you need,” Jake says as I hear him move around. I let out a breath of relief once I hear him start to wake his mates. He has no idea how much we need them.

“So, where do you want us?” Jake says, getting straight to business. I appreciate that he doesn’t want to waste any time and keeps with the no-bullshit policy.

“I have no idea — the highways might be a good start. I will send you some photos of the car we are looking for. But that’s all we have. We know who they are taking her to but no idea where he could be hiding,” I explain the most important details.

I don’t even consider lying to Jake. I trust him and his mates’ abilities to track down anyone, so misleading him is the greatest mistake I could make in this situation.

“Yep, but I can’t leave Zara unprotected. I will leave three of my mates here with her, and the rest of us will help,” Jake says.

“Thanks. I will send you the details and locations we need checked out.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as we get on the road,” he replies.

I suck in a breath, and turn back toward the doors, where Elaine is trying to calm Scarlett. She holds my daughter out to me, but I shake my head.

“Let Rhen take her,” I say, trying to step back, but she follows me.

“They are all talking to detectives. Just hold her while I make her a bottle,” Elaine pleads, giving me no other option but to take my bundled-up daughter as she thrusts her toward me.

“Elaine!” I snap at her.

“Hold your daughter, Thane. She’ll help you think more clearly,” Elaine says, walking off.

I shake my head before looking down at Scarlett, who is screaming her lungs out. “Shh, shh,” I tuck her closer, her head moving from side to side as she searches for her mother’s scent and breasts, neither of which I have.

I rock her, walking back inside while I wait for Elaine to come back. Scarlett starts crying louder. I adjust her and sit on the couch. I lay her on my chest, glancing around for Elaine.

I need to be out looking for Harlow. Scarlett rubs her face, and I instantly notice her little nails dig into the delicate skin as she scratches her face up. She is missing one of her mittens. It has to have fallen off somewhere. But I can’t focus on the lost mitten saga as Scarlett’s screams grow louder.

“Elaine?” I call out for help but get no answer. I’m slowly losing my mind over my useless attempts at consoling the small bundle in my arms.

I fear I will break her as I hold her in my giant hands. “Hold on, Scar,” I whisper as I kiss her little head. “Shh, shh,” I try to hush her before I begin purring.

Scarlett instantly stops crying, as if I’m working some sort of magic on her. Her tiny little brows furrow as she yawns. Once I understand how the approach works, I continue to purr until she finally falls asleep. I manage to stop one disaster, just to face another. I am now too scared to move in case I wake her up and she starts screaming all over again. Fuck, where is Rhen when I need him.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Harlow

I must doze off at some point because I wake to the sounds of Bree talking on the phone. She sounds frustrated. I hear Corbin’s voice on the other end, and my blood runs cold.

“The entire mountain is being watched. I can’t meet you at the gas station. It's too risky. You need to use the tunnels,” Corbin tells her. Bree growls angrily. I sit up to see Vadum light a smoke.