by Zoe Chant
Natalie frowned. “You didn’t leave him at the B&B?”
Again, Micah shook his head. “I wouldn’t forget him! He’s my friend.”
Natalie sighed. “Maybe you left him in the car. Do you want me to go check?”
Micah hesitated, then nodded. “Yes please.”
“All right. You wait here. I’ll just run out to the car, okay?”
Micah nodded, still biting his lip.
Maybe he can sense something is up, Natalie thought to herself as she grabbed the keys to Casey’s truck from the shelf by the door. She hadn’t yet had time to sort through everything Pritchard had told her. If Ken’s mother was a shifter, then that meant, of course, that Micah was a quarter shifter himself… though if Ken couldn’t shift, then she supposed that meant Micah couldn’t either. Natalie herself certainly wasn’t any parts shifter.
She wondered if she should tell Micah any of this. He’d seemed so disappointed the other day when she’d told him that turning into a lion was something only a few people could do.
Perhaps when he’s older, she thought, as she made her way across the garden to where Casey’s truck was parked. Then I can explain it all to him. It’s too complicated right now.
Much as she hated the thought of concealing the truth from him, there were some things a six-year-old wouldn’t understand – and moreover, shouldn’t be expected to.
Arriving at the car, Natalie unlocked the passenger-side door before opening it and reaching inside to unlock the back where Micah had been sitting yesterday. Sure enough, Barry was lying on the floor, where Micah must have dropped him as he began to doze off. His beady glass eyes looked up at her as if in reproach for forgetting him, his crooked armor plates flopping over on his back.
Once, she’d told Micah that she’d get him a new stegosaurus just as soon as she could, but he’d absolutely refused: Barry was the only one he wanted, crooked plates and all.
Smiling, Natalie reached down to pick him up, dusting him off a little.
“Sorry, Barry,” she murmured as she closed the car door, the keys jangling as she found the right one to lock it again.
“Hello, Nat.”
Natalie froze.
Even if she hadn’t recognized the voice behind her, there had only ever been one person in her life who had called her Nat.
No, no, no.
Natalie could feel her heart in her throat as she turned around, willing it not to be true – but there was no denying it.
Standing behind her, an oily smirk on his face and his arms folded across his chest, was Ken.
Micah’s father.
The man who’d run out on her and broken her heart.
For a long moment, the only thing Natalie could do was stare.
A thousand questions crowded her mind, but shock at seeing him seemed to strangle them before they could make it out of her mouth.
In any case, there was only one thing she really wanted to say to him: Get the fuck away from me, and get the fuck away from my son.
“Lost for words?” He smirked. “I suppose that shouldn’t be surprising. You never did have much to say.”
That’s because you’d use anything I said as an excuse to start an argument, Natalie wanted to yell at him. Because you never listened to me anyway.
Swallowing, she forced herself to breathe. She clenched her fists around the car keys, and used the feeling of them against her palm to center herself.
“What the hell do you want, Ken?”
Ken’s smirk never faltered. “I think you know the answer to that.”
Quickly, Natalie’s eyes darted toward the house. Micah. He’s come for Micah.
All at once, everything came together in her head.
They had lured Casey away from the house by sending shifters to the borders of the pridelands, knowing that he would sense their presence and come to investigate.
Meanwhile, Ken had been lurking, waiting for his chance.
Maybe shifters could only sense intruders if they were other shifters – maybe humans were able to slip beneath their radars.
Pritchard’s desire to add humans to his pack was making more and more sense all the time.
But they won’t take Micah.
“You can’t have him, Ken,” Natalie said through gritted teeth. Anger welled up within her, utterly washing away her fear. “You piece of shit! Signing away your own son…”
“Calm down, Nat, for God’s sake,” Ken laughed. “Let’s not have any hysterics, okay? Did you ever stop to think that maybe this would be good for Micah?”
Natalie stared at him, fury stopping her words in her throat. What the hell?
“You always did baby him. It’ll be good for him to grow up surrounded by real men.”
Natalie could have punched him. “Surrounded by criminals? Are you crazy? I always knew you were a piece of shit, Ken, but this…”
Ken’s smirk finally dropped off his face, and was replaced by a cruel twist of his lips. “Now, now. Don’t exaggerate, Nat. You didn’t always feel that way.”
Natalie felt sick. How could she ever have imagined she was in love with him – or that he could ever be a good father for a child?
“Believe me, I regret it, Ken,” she said. “More than anything. Even before you did this.”
Ken’s lips twisted into a snarl. “Well. I come back and offer to make us a family again, and this is what I get?”
Natalie shook her head. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “We were never a family, Ken. You were always too selfish. You never thought about Micah, or me – you only ever thought about yourself. You aren’t worthy to call yourself his father.”
The words came out in a rush. As she spoke, she realized yet again how true they were – and how different Casey was from Ken. He had shown more care for Micah in a few days than Kenneth had over the four years he’d spent with Micah. Casey had had no problems accepting Micah as just as much his responsibility as Natalie’s.
And he had made her feel more safe and protected than she ever had before in her entire life.
Oh God, please let him come back soon, she thought desperately.
“But I am his father,” Ken growled. “And if I say he’s coming with me, then he’s coming with me!”
“Bullshit – you never cared about him!” Natalie yelled, finally losing her temper. “You ran out on us the second you could – no note, no nothing! You left us!”
“And now I’m back,” Ken said, his smirk returning. “And if you won’t hand Micah over voluntarily, then we’ll just have to figure out something else.”
Natalie’s breath caught in her throat as his eyes went to the house.
“Is he in there?”
“You can’t have him,” she said, choking the words out despite the tightness in her throat. “Casey will be back any minute, and then –”
“Casey?” Ken’s face twisted in anger. “Is he from this pride?” He barked out a cruel, flat laugh. “I doubt it. The rest of the pack is dealing with him.”
Fear filled her chest, squeezing her heart. “What do you mean?”
Ken shook his head. “Like I’d tell you,” he said. “Now, come on – let’s get Micah and go.”
“Never,” Natalie said. “I’m not going anywhere with you, and neither is Micah. Get the hell out of here. I mean it, Ken. I’m not taking one step off this ranch.”
“You don’t have a choice, Nat,” Ken said, shaking his head again. “I signed the papers – that was the agreement I had with Pritchard. I don’t expect you to understand a thing about the shifter way. I thought you didn’t even know they existed. I guess I was wrong, since you came out here for their protection.”
“That’s not what –” Natalie started to say, but Ken cut her off with a wave of his hand.
“Save it, Nat. I don’t care. Now come on, stop being so silly and get Micah.”
“I already told you, that’s not going to happen,” Natalie said, planting her feet. “Just get out of here,
Ken.”
“We’re wasting time.”
Natalie jumped at the sound of another voice behind her. She turned to see yet another man, tall and broad, and dressed in a neat business suit. Natalie wouldn’t have said there was anything particularly noticeable about him, except for the cruel glint in his eyes.
Just how many of them are there? she thought, fear overriding her anger once more.
“I thought you said you could handle this,” he said, looking at Ken.
“I’m handling it, aren’t I?” Ken snarled back at him.
The man didn’t answer, but Natalie could see he was less than impressed.
“Nat. Go get Micah.”
Ken’s tone had turned wheedling – the same tone she had often given in to, just because she couldn’t stand to hear it for too long.
“How many times do I have to tell you – it’s not going to happen,” she gritted out.
Ken closed his eyes, and sucked in a deep breath. “Fine. Fine. Then we’ll just do this the old-fashioned way. I’ll get him myself.”
“No!” Natalie yelled, reaching out to grab his arm. “You can’t –”
“Pritchard said we do this by the book, Kenneth.” The large man behind her spoke up again. “No grabbing the kid. This has to be done legit. You know that.”
Natalie had no idea what the other man meant, but she did know that his words froze Ken on the spot. He let out a frustrated sigh, running his fingers through his hair.
“Fine, fine,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air. “Fuck’s sake. What’re we supposed to do then? Pritchard’ll be furious if we come back empty-handed.”
“This was your idea,” the tall man sneered. “You said you could talk her ’round. You’re the one who promised Pritchard you could get the kid.”
Natalie could feel a kind of hysterical laugh boiling up inside her. Had Ken really thought she would just let him waltz back in and sweet-talk her into coming with him? Or that she’d let him go anywhere at all with Micah?
The whole idea was laughable.
But then, that was Kenneth Walker, through and through: arrogant and stupid.
“You really thought you could just swing back into my life and I’d drop everything to get back together with you?” she said, unable to keep the contempt from her voice. “How stupid are you, Ken?”
“Shut up!” Ken growled. “Look, I’ll only say it one more time…”
“Say it once or say it a hundred times – Micah is going nowhere.”
Ken clenched his fists in frustration. She could see the hope fading from his eyes.
But then, suddenly, they came alight with a newly formed idea.
“Pritchard said we can’t grab the kid,” he said slowly. “But he never said anything about you.”
Natalie swallowed. “What are you talking about?”
“I mean we might be under orders not to take Micah – but I can still make sure Pritchard has a human to add to the pack. That’s what he wants, after all.” He looked over Natalie’s shoulder at the man standing behind her. “What do you think?”
There was a slight pause. “The boy’s got shifter blood, no matter how weak. We can’t touch him. But she’s human. She’s fair game.”
Natalie took a step back, her blood running cold. “You’re crazy, Ken.”
Casey! Casey, where are you?
Ken grinned, showing far too many teeth. “We’ll see about that.”
He advanced on her, and Natalie turned to run.
But she was too slow – Kenneth reached out and grabbed her arm, restraining her.
“Just be sensible, Nat –”
“Let go of me!” she yelled. She remembered the keys still in her fist – and the lessons she had learned in self-defense class. Turning, she curled one key up from the ring, and then rammed it as hard as she could into Ken’s sternum.
He doubled over, gasping in pain, and released her arm.
That was all it took.
Natalie took to her heels and fled.
God, if I can just get back to the house…
She’d have to make it down the path and through the sloping garden, first. But once she was there…
I can make it, she told herself. I can…
Natalie gasped as strong arms wrapped around her from behind.
“Let me go!” she yelled, kicking back with her heels.
“C’mon, girl, don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
She recognized the voice of the tall, broad man who’d come with Ken.
Remembering the keys in her fist, she pulled her arm around, striking at him – but she was too slow. He caught her arm mid-swing.
“Feisty one, aren’t ya,” he muttered as she struggled against him. “Look, I didn’t want to have to do this, but we’re running out of time.”
Natalie struggled to free herself as his grip slackened slightly – but then she felt a strong hand clamp over her nose and mouth, and a sickly chemical filled her senses.
No, no… Micah… Casey…
That was the last thing she knew, before everything went black.
Chapter Thirteen
Casey
Lowering his lion’s nose to the ground, Casey sniffed around in the dead grass and fallen branches that ringed the outermost eastern paddocks of the ranch.
Nothing.
Well – that wasn’t quite true. There had been something here, up until about twenty minutes ago: a small group of shifters in their animal forms. A stag, a boar, and a coyote, from what Casey could smell. Nothing that could have taken a lion on in a fight.
Huffing and twitching his tail, Casey looked over to where his brother’s massive alpha lion form was sniffing against a tree. Joe bared his teeth, growling at the unfamiliar scents, but he had evidently come to the same conclusion: whoever had been here had gone now.
Shifting, Casey stood up, hands on hips.
“They’re not here,” he said, shaking his head as Joe shifted into his human form. “Cowards – as soon as they realized we were coming they ran away. Pathetic.”
Joe frowned, skeptical. “Don’t be so sure,” he said slowly. “They may have just been testing us – see how quickly we’d react if they pushed us. This could have been nothing. They may have found out exactly what they wanted.”
“Yeah – they found out they’ll get an ass-kicking if they mess with us,” Casey snarled. “They better stay gone, or else I’ll –”
“All right, Casey,” Joe said mildly, his frown still in place. He looked out into the heavily treed landscape that ringed their ranch.
“You don’t think they’re really gone,” Casey said, following his brother’s gaze.
“It’s not that,” Joe said after a moment’s thought. “It’s just that… something doesn’t feel right.”
Casey frowned, unsure. As alpha, Joe’s senses were sharper than his, and he was more connected to the pridelands. But Casey could still sense when there was danger or intruders, and right now, there was neither. Just the fading scent of shifters who were now long gone.
He shook his head. “I don’t know what you –”
Just as he began to speak, a sudden shard of ice seemed to pierce his heart, freezing his blood in his veins and his breath in his lungs.
Danger!
His lion roared, suddenly frantic. It reared up, baring all its teeth, eyes blazing with a wild fire.
Danger! Danger to your mate!
“Casey, what’s wrong?” Joe was by his side in a moment, his hand on Casey’s shoulder.
“It’s Natalie,” he gasped, blinded by the horrifying sensation in his chest. “She’s in danger – something’s happened –”
“Back at the house?” Joe was on the alert immediately. Glancing up at him, Casey could see him straining to detect any danger to his own mate, Sasha, or their cub.
“I can’t sense anything –” he started to say, but Casey cut him off with a shake of his head.
“I felt it,” Casey shouted,
knocking his brother’s hand away. “I know what I felt –”
“I’m not doubting you,” Joe said calmly, holding his hands up. “But there’s no shifters on the pridelands. There’s no danger at the house.”
“I felt it,” Casey repeated stubbornly. He closed his eyes, allowing his lion to come forward, growling, muzzle crinkled with fury.
Your mate. She’s in danger. Go to her! Go now!
His lion roared as Casey shifted, his four massive paws hitting the ground running. Behind him, he sensed Joe taking on his lion’s form once again too, following him as he bounded across the paddocks.
The closer they got to the house, the closer the feeling of urgency became.
Something’s wrong. Something’s happened.
It was the same feeling as when he had found Pritchard threatening Natalie in the school parking lot – the same cold, dark feeling that made his lion fold its ears down and bare its teeth. The same desperate need to find Natalie and protect her.
That’s what a lion does. He protects his mate. If anything has happened to her…
He hoped against hope that Joe was right, and they would return to the house to find he’d been mistaken, and there was nothing amiss after all. But his lion’s instinct that something terrible had happened only grew more insistent the closer they got.
At last, the ranch house came into view – and Casey experienced one moment of wild relief, before realization hit him.
The house was fine. There was nobody there – his senses probed the area, and found no evidence of intruders.
But a moment later, he began to notice other, smaller things that were amiss.
His truck was gone. He had parked it in its usual place yesterday afternoon when they’d all arrived back from the B&B, but now there was no sign of it.
A chill swept through him.
Could Natalie have decided she didn’t want to stay here with me? That the danger was too great, and she needed to run?
Even as the thought entered his mind, Casey fought against it.
It would be more dangerous for Natalie to be on her own than here in the pridelands, with her mate to protect her.
But she had only just learned about shifters this week – perhaps it was all too strange and different for her to understand, or to want in her and her son’s lives.