Wooly, with his keen expression, drove up alongside me, staring. He glanced to the back and front of us, giving his bike to rush me to move, but I had nothing to pass on but my senses. It is impossible for me to sense her from this far away. "Um, we have to continue," He bolted.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Vine abridged our connection."

"Ah, the universe's mystical shears. Using those is forbidden. It comes with a great curse when you mess with fate." He exhaled with concern. "Nothing is worth that. What a tragedy. But the universe is unstoppable, so it's temporary."

My brows raised. "How do you know?"

"Because you can't beat fate. The string rejuvenates. That's why you don't feel a complete disconnect but for the human," the murmurs slipped, "unsure how it affected her."

"How long does it take to repair?"

"A week or sooner. Depends on how strong your bond is."

"Quicker If she was bearing your child."

My mood lightens. "Let's go." A freedom current swift by with a snarling exhaust down the highway. "Was that Quinn?"

"I wonder where he's heading to?"

"One way to find out." I launched into the wind, and I have to say riding a motorcycle might be more of my thing than a car. It's the flexibility it exhales. No four walls closed into a tiny space. I can become a part of the world, smelling the earth's pores, and sighting everything. I need to get one of these bad boys. We centered her brother to get his attention as he sought side to side at us and took off faster. "Go after him!" I signaled Wooly. The chase is on. Who in the hell peed on his coffee?

He cut down a street that impressed me, but I know what move he will make before he makes it. Then, he enters a broken concrete with gravel-filled holes at a gas station that holds up like a forgotten relic. He aggressively takes his helmet off, eyeing me with a death stare.

"What is your deal?"

"My deal? No, what's your deal? Why the hell are you following me? "

Wooly leaned forward and relaxed on his bike. "Trying to see why you are in a rush?"

"In my skin. Take a hike."

Enough of this. I stepped to him. "Come on, we want to help. You're hiding something. I could smell it."

"Oh, you care? I thought you wanted to be alone. You know what your problem is, Bora. You think you are the only person to rescue Gemma, but we did well without you before. I said, "Beat it."

But we stood there waiting for him to answer. "You could tell us, or we can pretend we left, but still follow you."

"Such a headache. Fine, under one condition."

"Aye?"

"We are partners, whether you like it. No running off, no attitude. None of that."

The pain of agreeing to this is torture. I groan softly while Wooly gazes on with a jested smile. He knew I was extremely annoyed. "Yeah, alright."

"Cool. I'm tracking down the helicopter. There's a hangar, a straight shot from here." He pointed down the road. "I had to do a bit of research. On the chopper, it said WOLF01. I searched it and found the garage it usually parks at."

"Genius! Come on."

"Ah! We don't know what we are getting into. His goons could be packed inside. Good gracious. Do you think before you do stuff?"

"No, I'm not weak." I walked off before Que could respond.

"Whatever, man, just try to catch up." He put on his helmet and kicked up dirt down the sandy gravel road. Smart ass. We tailed behind, coming up to a clean vacant lot with an open warehouse, and the helicopter was there, the one she was in. Immediately, I checked out the scenery, but not a soul. It seems reckless not to have it gated or security insight.

Quinn stopped at a safe distance. "That's it."

"Yeah, but where is everyone?"

Wooly switched off his bike. "If you examine the lot, there are other helicopters here. It might be for the rich who pay rent to store it. A bunch of average citizens hide their toys to prevent evildoers from finding them. Judging by the lack of security and the remote location, who would know about this place?"

"Us." Quinn engaged his insight. "If what you're saying is true, then there's some paperwork lying around with the address on file. Shall we break in?" He had the biggest grin.

"Yep." I wandered ahead of them into an air-conditioned, spacious warehouse-like garage with a black helicopter display in the center. This place is silent. Not a person here to turn us away. I searched back at my crew and hunched my shoulders, going toward a red door that may have been what we were looking for. We peeked in the glass, and there was an elderly man with his feet kicked up on the desk and his mouth wide, watching his bottom lip shiver when he snore. "We see why no one is showing up."

"This should be a piece of cake. He's old as dirt." Quinn walked with confidence to confront him.

"Um." Wooly brows crunched.

"We walk right on in. He won't know what hit him."

This aura that I sense. Is it coming from the man? It's a mixture of something that I can't pinpoint exactly. I've felt this before, but where? "Wait, we need to be cautious!" I reached for Que, but he then turned the knob, opening the door as he snorted out of his sleep.

Wooly gave space, getting quite the distance. I focused on the grandpa again, where he already had his finger waving. "Hey, what are you hoodlums doing here? You're trespassing."

"Pipe down, old man! We are here to gather some information, and you will provide it or face the consequences." Que mocked him. What kind of acting is he putting on?

"She loves her brother," Wooly says in the distance. "Protect him."

"We have a few questions." I reasoned.

"You ain't getting it here. Get out before you make me madder than a wet hen." The geezer threatened.

"Ha! Funny old man!" Quinn patted his back, shaking his jaw. "Hand over the address of who owns the helicopter over there!" He pointed to the matte black chopper that stole away with my mate. The man's face changed, sizing all three of us up. Her brother snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. "We don't have all day."

"Who is the owner of that whirlybird?" He stood there for our answer with bland sights, staring.

"Cage. Who also goes by the name Soren." Wooly raised an eyebrow.

The old man smiled, took his two fingers, and brushed his eyebrows with the motion of a peace sign. His skin smooths out, and his height extends from five to eight-ish to six feet, a complete rejuvenation. "Now I see who you are." I take notice of his true form. He shifted from a young man to a ten-foot creature. Claws spreading, his rag doll fur stands.

"A hybrid! Run Quinn!" Wooly raced to him, but I was ahead, knocking her brother out of the way as I encountered the impact going through the steel door, sliding across the smooth concrete floor like a ball as this damn thing was high on my ass. A monstrous beast five times larger than Carina. A hideous creature with a pushed-in snout and human-like eyes. I hate these things. They are chemist made. Worst yet to discover, he's protecting Soren. This may be bigger than him just pissing me off. A hybrid was a guard dog. No wonder this place was empty. No one would make it out alive with this giant.

That thing was creeping up as though I was next on the menu. Another horrid part I hate about these damn things. They eat their kind. Off to the side, I see Que standing up, right? "Get the files! I'll keep him busy." The monster heed my warning, darting towards him. I caught him by his tail as it howled in pain and swung him against the chopper. It eyed me even more pissed than before.

"Wooly, a little hand here!"

"Um." He looked around to think of an idea, then ran off.

"Hey, not helping!" A punch to my face flew me into a heavy steel shelf with tools falling on me. I'm going to feel this later. I cracked my back from the dislocation and shape-shifted into my werewolf, protecting my human form. "Alright, you wanna play, big boy?" I captured his claws as we locked fingers, testing our strength. My arms gave out and tossed me again, thrashing into the wall of the room Que was in. "I need you to move quicker." I dodged the creature's swing towards my head and then caught his wrist from smashing my neck.

"I'm trying, I'm trying. It's so much crap! This office is a mess. Just keep him a little busy. You got this!" He gives me a thumbs up, and this beast's big-face throws me to the other side of the warehouse. He comes chasing after me as I see a broken propeller. I waited till he drew close and tried to knock his head off with it as I watched him fly across the floor the same way I did. I got my lick back, bitch. But he gets up, shaking it off. You have to be kidding me.

I am exhausted, but to hell with it. Bring it. I take a deep breath while he charges me. A piercing rotor starts a slapping blade through the tight air inside, impairing my ears as I cuffed them to ease the pain. I looked over to see Wooly in the chopper and charged the monster before that thing could attack me. The blades hit him, knocking it through the concrete walls to the outside. He lands it, shutting it off as the sound eased.

Quinn ran out of the room. "I found it! Let's go save my sister."