Chapter Twenty-One (Scythe's POV)

The next day, I didn't wake up until early evening.

I felt so refreshed, charged, and stronger. I rolled onto my back, throwing my arm out while my other arm was under Zaid, who was still fast asleep with his arms around his belly. I sat up, sliding out from under him gently. I watched him sleep for a while, cradling his belly.

Part me wanted to touch it, but I resisted the urge. Zaid would probably hate me forever if I even mentioned his belly being rounder. I sighed and snuck out of bed, heading to the shower.

There was only a couple more orders of business to attend to and I was going to take those upon myself while Zaid slept. I had a feeling I knew what he wanted.

I changed into jeans and a long-sleeved v-neck, jerking my motorcycle boots on before I crept from the room, closing the door behind me. I drifted downstairs, hearing the clatter of dishes and the warm smell of dinner cooking. My stomach growled viciously as I made my way past the kitchen and down the hallway to the basement stairs. I descended with one thought in mind.

No one was guarding the panic room, so I just walked right in.

Adam was lying on his side, fast asleep with his arm supporting his head. I stomped my foot on the ground and he startled awake, scrambling for a second before he glared at me.

"What the hell do you want?" He demanded drowsily, rubbing his eye sleepily. I went to the shackles, taking the lock in my hand as I reached to my pocket, withdrawing the key. When the shackles clicked and fell to the floor, Adam looked at me suspiciously, backing up against the wall as I rose to my feet.

"You may leave." I stated. Adam blinked, staring up at me in confusion.

"You're really letting me go?" He asked. I nodded.

"That was our promise, to let you go the moment Zaid and I become the official alphas of Blood Rain. I'll give you money to get back home. But keep your end of the promise. No one is to know that there are werewolves in Moonstone. If we were to be discovered, have no doubt that I'll be after you." I replied. Adam scowled, slowly rising to his feet and using the wall for support.

His legs were probably stiff from sitting all this time. He looked sore and weak, but I didn't say anything as he glanced at me.

"Trust me. I still think I'm dreaming." He told me. I said nothing to that, just withdrew a couple hundreds and tossed them his way. He caught the wad, stared at it, then at me, then he was out the door in an instant. I waited until I heard the front door opening and slamming shut before I left the panic room and went upstairs to the kitchen where Trisha was peering out after Adam, then jumped when she saw me.

"T-The Hunter's gone." She said softly. I nodded.

"I gave him permission. Where is everyone?" I asked, not sensing anyone nearby. Trisha made sure to keep a good distance between us as we went into the kitchen.

"Your father went out with a hunting party for some food. We're running out of meat to cook for dinner. Kylan and Alek went into town for supplies. Your, uhm... leopard. He just left and told me to tell you he'd return by noon."

"It's five."

"I don't know, Scythe..." Trisha let her eyes drift out the window as she chewed on her lower lip. I frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Trisha looked back at me uncomfortably.

"I don't know... Maybe it's... just me being weird, but... I have a bad feeling, Scythe. A really bad feeling." She confessed. Now that she mentioned it, I suddenly felt a strange tugging at my gut. I averted my eyes thoughtfully, then decided I should go out and look for Kyler. He couldn't have gone far.

"When Zaid wakes up, tell him I went to look for Kyler in town. Don't let him leave." I commanded. Trisha blinked, then nodded her head in respect as I departed from the room, heading out to the bikes. I grabbed the leather riding jacket, throwing it on along with the helmet.

As the engine roared to life and I shot down the driveway, that sickening sensation in my gut grew as I drove out of the woods and onto the main road toward town.

He probably got caught up in town. Maybe he met up with Kylan and Alek, or vice versa.

It was hard trying to convince myself I was worrying over nothing. The churning in the pit of my gut told me it wasn't just getting 'caught up'.

I tore through town, scanning the streets and alleys. I parked my bike in the Mockingbird parking lot before I walked up and down the sidewalks, peeking into the little shops and even stopping into the Wagner's.

"Oh, hi, Scythe!" The cashier girl greeted me cheerily. I'd lived here all my life and I still had no idea what her name was.

"Hey. You seen a supermodel around here somewhere? Really crude, obnoxious?" I asked. The girl blinked, confused for a second, then beamed.

"Oh! Zaid's friend! Yea, he stopped by earlier for some cola. Gosh, he is sooo cute, Scythe! But he looked really nervous when he came in. You weren't mean to him, were you?" She demanded, putting her little hands on her hips. I snorted, but frowned thoughtfully.

Nervous?

That didn't sound like Kyler. At the same time, she seemed to know who he was. It had to be Kyler, but what could he be nervous about?

"Did you see where he went?" I asked. The girl nodded, pointing outside.

"He stopped by the Mockingbird." She replied. I nodded my thanks and quickly crossed the street, heading to the bar and grille that was nestled at the end of the only three blocks our town was made up of. I went around through the back, weaving my way to the bar where the owner's son, Remi, worked.

Remi was a tall guy, buff with dark curled hair. His eyes reminded me of spring grass. He looked like he belonged on the cover of an Abercrombie and Fitch magazine. Of course, all of the Amethyst pack had attractive members.

"Rem." I called. Remi looked up from pouring a drink, holding a finger for me to hold on before he passed the drink down the sleek counter to his customer before he sauntered over, draping a wet rag over his musculed shoulder.

"Can I help you, sir?" He grinned. I rolled my eyes, leaning on the counter.

"Have you seen a leopard at all today? Lean, really blond, almost white hair? Silver eyes? Really obnoxious?" I asked. Remi hummed thoughtfully, frowning a little.

"Depends. When did he come in?"

"Between this morning and noon maybe?"

"Ah, Tyson's shift. Give me a second. Ty!" Remi leaned back, calling to his brother in the kitchen. He leaned on the counter as Tyson emerged from the kitchen, wearing a tight black shirt to match his jeans and hair that fell in a curly ponytail down his back.

"He's lookin' for a leopard. You seen any?" He asked. He looked like he was expecting Tyson to laugh at him, but Tyson's eyes widened when his eyes locked on me.

"The snow leopard?" He asked hesitantly. I frowned, pushing off the counter.

"Yea. You saw him." I stated. Tyson shifted uncomfortably, frowning.

"Uh, yea... He left with some big guy. I guess his name was Ash or something." He answered. The name didn't ring a bell at all. In fact, it was suspicious. I went through a list of names in my head, but Ash didn't appear anywhere.

"Is he staying in town?" I asked. Tyson nodded, pointing to the left.

"Down at Crystal Clear." He replied, referring to the little inn on the other side of town. I grimaced, smacking my hand on the countertop for a second. I should've brought someone with me. It was going to be hard if I did this alone. I looked at Remi, who shrugged at the situation and was about to scrub the countertop.

"You on break?" I asked. Remi cocked a brow.

"I could be."

"I need your help. My leopard left with a baddie." I stated. Remi's eyes glowed.

"Ohh, violence, blood, and gore? Count me in," He declared, dropping his rag and tossing his apron off, "Ty! I'm taking my break, don't wait up." Tyson scrunched up his nose, but said nothing and just nodded as Remi ducked out from the bar, nodding to me. We headed outside and down the sidewalk toward the inn.

"So who is this leopard? I didn't think their kind hung around this far down south." He mused, hooking his thumbs into his jean pockets. I frowned.

"He's not an ordinary leopard. Let's just say he has enough skeletons in his closet to make Satan look bad. He's also the guy who's going to save the life of my mate." I replied. Remi blinked, then looked at me curiously.

"Zaid."

"You know."

"Everyone knows. In a town like this, news travels like wildfire. Well, ain't that peachy. I heard he turned eighteen yesterday. You guys do the ceremony?"

"Yup."

"Congrats."

"Thanks." We fell silent as we walked into the small lobby of the inn, which was only the second largest building compared to the Mockingbird. The lobby was decorated like in vintage with a red diamond carpet and a large staircase near the east wall that went up and around the room like a catwalk. Remi and I weaved through the chairs and coffee tables to the front desk where a woman named Sandy was typing on her computer before looking up with a smile.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise. I never thought I'd see your kind together." She commented. Sandy was a werebear, which explained how she knew about the different packs. However, Sandy was the only bear for at least two miles. Well, werebear, anyway. She'd fled her home after it was burned in California.

"We're on a mission." Remi whispered, pressing a finger to his lips. Sandy winked. I rolled my eyes.

"We're looking for someone named Ash. He came in here with a leopard." I stated. Sandy blinked.

"A leopard? This far down south? Poor thing... But the name Ash sounds familiar," She muttered, looking sour, "Ashley Strike, goes by Ash. He's the pompous guy who came in here just the other day. Why do you need to know?"

"He's dangerous." I stated. That was all Sandy needed before she brought up this Ash's room number, taking out the keys and leading us up the stairs. I wasn't worried about Sandy getting hurt. She was a tough woman and could easily rip the door down.

We went down one of the short hallways, stopping in front of the last room on the left. Sandy waited a moment, then rapped her knuckles on the door.

"Mr. Strike? Room service." She called. We waited.

No response.

"Open the door." I commanded. Sandy nodded and obeyed, pushing the door open to reveal a cozy room with a double bed in the middle, two chairs around a coffee table, a flatscreen, and a window that looked out into the woods beyond the hotel. The bathroom door was closed. I didn't even bother to look around, heading straight for the bathroom door, slamming my fist into it hard. The door groaned.

"Boy, you better not bust down my doors." Sandy warned, but there was no threat in her voice as she came in cautiously, eyes scanning the room. Remi followed close behind before going to the window.

I twisted the handle of the bathroom door, finding it unlocked before I threw it open.

Empty.

I felt my lip curl in a sneer for a moment before I felt an icy chill go thorugh me. Something dark was on the other side of the shower curtain. It wasn't the shape of a person, it was a red spatter. I inched forward, grabbing the curtain and throwing it open to look into the tub.

Little splatters of blood were smeared on the inside of the curtain and tub. I could vaguely make out fingertips dragging along the white tiles and what looked like a smudged handprint on the faucet.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

I whirled around, storming out of the bathroom and kicking over a table. Sandy flinched, jumping back, then glared at me for it, but her expression softened when she saw why.

"They're not here. Where did they go?" I demanded aloud angrily.

"I didn't see this Ash guy leave, nor the leopard. They're either still in the inn or-"

"They went out the window." Remi offered, pulling back to the curtains to reveal a smear of blood on the handle. I immediately went to the window, staring outside and scanning the trees and the little stream that trickled nearby.

"We need to find them." I stated.

"Couldn't agree more." Remi seconded.

"Do you want me to call someone?" Sandy asked uneasily, her eyes searching the trees outside.

"Let my pack know. It's the Luna Plantation just outside of town. Call Trisha and tell her to assemble our pack. Oh, and Zaid has to stay home." I added, heading for the door.

"Why?" Remi asked.

"Uhm... Because." I'm pretty sure Zaid wouldn't appreciate my broadcasting that he was pregnant. As if he didn't have enough problems already, he didn't need to be the gossip of the whole town. I led the way down the stairs as Sandy sprinted to the phone in the lobby, dialing the numbers as Remi and I bolted out the back door past the patio and hot tub that sat inside a picket fence.

Remi and I slowed down once we reached the woods, eyes searching and senses on high alert as we sniffed and listened cautiously.

The only sounds now were the leaves, twigs, and grass under our boots. The gentle trinkle of the stream as the water weaved over stones and fallen trees. A squirrel scrambling to the west, moving like the devil had chased him. Remi and I shared looks, then began to inch toward the area where the squirrel had bolted from.

Now there was a clearer sound.

"Fuck you, you overgrown rat! I'll rip your entrails out with my teeth and dance in your blood!"

Yea, that was Kyler all right. Remi cocked a brow at me and I just shook my head, then led the way forward as we snuck around a couple of trees. In no time, we were near the larger part of the stream where it turned into a bunch if mini-waterfalls. Small stones turned to boulders that were embedded in the side of a hill of pines.

We stopped dead in our tracks behind a willow tree, eyes wide and watching.

I recognized Kyler sitting near the edge of the stream, hissing at the water like it was acid or something. He was wearing what looked like a skintight black catsuit, but his movement was restricted by a strange material that was wrapped tightly around his fingers and wrists.

Behind him was a huge man with jet black hair and deep blue eyes, a pair of aviators sitting on his head. Celtic tattoos traced the outline of his arms, a black tank top and leather pants probably hiding more of them. This had to be Ash.

"Keep talking, pussy. It just fuels my love for you." Ash mocked, as he held a cell phone to his ear, scanning the trees. Remi and I ducked back. We shared looks, then peered back out as Ash put his boot on Kyler's back, pushing him closer to the stream. Kyler hissed, snapping his teeth and glaring daggers at Ash.

"If you don't move your foot, I'll rip it off!" He snarled.

"Sure you will... Damn it," Ash cursed, hanging up his cell phone in frustration, "Right when I actually did something right. Well, whatever. You'll be a nice gift for Jack when I go to report in of the recent events." Kyler snorted.

"What? Did you finally learn how to whack off without ripping your dick off?" He demanded. Ash grabbed a handful of Kyler's hair, making him yelp as he tore Kyler's head back.

"You must be really masochistic to keep talking, but then... You always liked attention, didn't you? I should've brought more than just the suit. The bit was nice, but there's always more than one way to shut someone up. Here, go fishing." Ash brought Kyler's head forward, shoving it into the water.

A jolt of panic shot through my legs and had me bolting out of my hiding spot, making Remi curse quietly.

"Get your hands off him!" I barked. Ash blinked and let go of Kyler, stepping back to look at me curiously. Kyler tore his head out of the water, gasping and shaking as he pushed his legs to push him away from the stream, only to have Ash grab him by the hair again to keep him in place.

"And to who do I owe this pleasure?" Ash drawled.

"My name is none of your business. Let go of him."

"I don't think so. Do you have any idea how much this leopard is worth? Well, by human standards a couple thousand grand. For his pelt anyway. To Jack, he's worth millions. Of course, I would've had more pleasure had I caught your mate, but Kyler here came alone this time."

"This time?" I demanded, looking at Kyler, who gave me a smirk before Ash jerked at his hair, making him wince.

"Whoops." Kyler managed. I scowled, then glared at Ash.

"I don't care how much he's worth. Hand him over before I kill you." I threatened. Ash snorted.

"Oh, please. What're you gonna do? Piss on my leg?" He demanded. Kyler rolled his eyes.

"Please, I could come up with better material than that in my sleep." He responded, then winced as Ash gave his hair a jerk. I ground my teeth together.

"You can have him later, but not now. I need him." I stated. Ash frowned.

"What?"

"You heard me. Let Kyler go. Then go back and tell Jack to meet us in the Wagner's parking lot about two months from now. I'm offering him a chance of a lifetime. He'll know what that means. Now let Kyler go." I explained calmly. Ash studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowed before he slowly let go of Kyler's hair.

Kyler glared at him, spitting at his feet before looking at me sharply. I said nothing as Ash started to leave, only to pause and glance over at us.

"If you're lying, you can be sure that I'll go to your cute little plantation house and burn it to the ground. Men, women, and children. Dead." He stated. I growled low in my throat at his threat, but resisted the urge to maul him as he left. Remi stepped out from behind the tree, giving me a strange look before we approached Kyler, who hissed at us.

"Kyler, quit. We're trying to get you free." I snapped. He hissed at me again, pushing himself up onto his hunches in a way that told me he was preparing to run.

"Don't touch me." He spat.

"I just wasted my time saving your life. You ought to be grateful." I responded. At the same time, something seemed different about Kyler. Were he in his true form, his fur would be ruffled and his tail flicking dangerously. I was surprised by the putrid scent of fear and alarm rolling from him in tidal waves.

"Kyler, I'm not going to hurt you." I said, surprised. Kyler glared at me still, his silver-blue eyes like icy daggers as he studied me, his fingers and hands tugging to get free from the strap keeping him bound. The leather suit he was wearing was vaguely familiar. Not that I made it my hobby, but it looked like the type of suits used in BDSM. It looked painfully tight and seemed to greatly restrict his movement.

I didn't really know what to do. I'd never dealt with a cat before.

Remi didn't seem to know what to do. In fact, he looked like he was in awe. I frowned, looking at him curiously before he seemed to snap out of his gaze to look at me with a grim expression.

"What do we do?" He asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Leave me alone, let's go with that." Kyler replied, taking a step back. His muscles were tensed and he was about to make a run for it, but I caught him by the elbow, whirling him around. Kyler hissed and went to jerk away from me, but Remi caught his shoulders, holding him still.

"Let go of me! Get your disgusting paws off me! Gross! Wolf cooties! Stop touching me!" He snarled viciously. I tugged on the straps, finally finding a way to loop them away from his fingers and tearing them off his wrists. As soon as I did, Kyler brought his head back into my nose. I cursed past clenched teeth, backing up to clasp my nose. Remi still had a good hold on him, though.

"Hey, leopard, calm down. We're not here to hurt you! Take a deep breath and focus. That psycho is gone." He soothed, surprising me by how gentle his voice was. Kyler blinked for a second, staring at him in confusion, then he ground his teeth together, but this time, he didn't struggle. Remi very slowly let go of his shoulders, taking a step back.

Kyler folded his arms tightly over his chest, looking at the ground. I rubbed my nose, touching one of the nostrils to feel a droplet of blood, but other than that, I was fine.

"Goddess, you almost broke my nose, you brat." I grunted. Kyler snapped his head to scowl at me.

"It's not my fault..." His voice trailed. I still sensed the heavy depression around him and didn't bother to chide him anymore, looking at Remi.

"Thanks, Rem. I owe you one for this." I replied. Remi shook his head, holding up his hands.

"No, no. Glad to help," He lowered his hands, looking at Kyler, who suddenly found the ground more attractive to look at, "Be careful, though. I don't know what's going on with you guys, and it's none of my business, but I just have this bad feeling."

"Tell me about it." I sighed. We said our goodbyes and I watched Remi move through the woods back toward town. I turned to Kyler, who was trembling.

"Are you all right?" I asked with a frown. Kyler shook his head. I frowned. No witty banter? No insults?

"Come on. My bike's in town. I'll give you a lift back home." I said. Again, Kyler said nothing and just let me lead him out of the woods and back into town. Thank goodness it was a Sunday and most people were inside. I had a feeling Kyler was ashamed at the suit he was wearing and wanted to rip it off. I let Kyler wear the helmet and climb on the bike behind me.

His arms went around me so tight, I thought he was trying to squeeze my guts out. I started the bike and we shot toward the plantation.

The whole way there, I swore I heard Kyler whimpering.