After finding the stolen shifters in Alpha Maddox's territory and discovering there might be another man with emerald eyes, Jay and Kyle come home. The pack prepares for war against the hunters in order to take back what the hunters stole.
Jay knows he can't afford to be the weak link and that he has to step up in order to protect his family…and avoid attacking a particularly antagonistic ball of pink wool. His mating seems to have hit a bump in the road as Kyle struggles to find a way to help his family through something that could tear them all apart.
Jay knows Kyle loves him, but they are all suffering while they pray for a miracle. Jay tries to enlist the help of a friend but finds out the hard way that there are people out there that will do anything to obtain the power that runs through his veins.
It had been one hell of a week. Between being attacked by hunters, visiting packs in an official capacity, and questioning people regarding shifters being kidnapped from pack lands, they’d barely had time to think.
Then there was the whole fucking world-imploding revelation of Eleanor having had another child. A boy she’d named Nikkolai who she’d thought had died. Then Kyle had found a photo of a man with a masculine version of Eleanor’s face. The eyes—there was no denying the eyes.
Oh and Jay had died.
And Kyle had died.
Or rather Kyle had died then he’d died.
Things are complicated.
Jay had been walking through the forest with Mack and Tryst. They were supposed to meet up with Kyle when something tugged him in another direction. He’d been ripped out of his body and floated—for lack of a better description—through the air to Kyle and watched him die.
Kyle had died right in front of him, bleeding out from a bullet through the heart in jaguar form. As Jay had floated, he’d seen Kyle’s very last breath. Then everything played in reverse like a film being wound back on TV. Jay had been thrown back into his corporeal body and just run.
He’d made it in time to see the hunter shoot. Without a second thought, he’d stepped into the bullet’s path. And died.
It was just for a few minutes, as Tryst told it, until Kyle woke up the shifter side of his DNA. Alphas can do that apparently, just go for a stroll in your head and bring out your animal if the alpha is strong enough.
So here they were—he, Kyle, Tryst, and Mack—sitting in silence as they drove back to Pack Valley. Kyle was in shock, shaking his head and staring blankly out of the window. Jay was at a loss as to what to do.
Before they’d left, they had arranged with Alpha Maddox for all the rescued shifters to receive medical attention. Alpha Maddox had also agreed to provide somewhere to stay until they could ascertain where the shifters had been taken from and whether they wanted to go back to their home pack or seek refuge at either Moonlight Mountain or Pack Valley.
Kyle was certain his father would offer safety to any who wished to come home with them. Since they needed to stay and get medical treatment first, it was easier to send someone back in a few days after everyone had had a chance to think.
Turning his gaze away from Kyle, who still hadn’t said anything since he’d shown Jay the photo, Jay looked out of the window. The shock of seeing a man who couldn’t be anyone other than Kyle’s brother was one thing.
But the condition and state of the man was something else altogether. He’d looked malnourished and beaten, and had a price tag hanging around his neck like an animal at a cattle auction. They were less than an hour away from Pack Valley now, and he couldn’t put off ringing Arthwr any longer.
Alpha Maddox had updated Arthwr after the assault on the hunter lair. The other alpha hadn’t said anything about what else they’d found. It was what they’d all agreed on since it was such a delicate subject. And one that could cause a lot of hurt.
Digging his phone out of the pocket of his jeans, he quickly dialled Papa’s number. Jay figured if he rang the house phone, anyone could answer, and this was definitely not a conversation for overhearing.
“Jay! How are you? Kyle informed me about the hunters’ location before the coordinated strikes. Maddox gave a brief description of events, but we were worried.” Arthwr’s voice was more than a little disapproving. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Closing his eyes, Jay tried to keep his voice level. He knew he should have called. Having a family again was hard work. He wasn’t used to having people who cared for him. The knowledge that what he was about to say would cause them pain was awful.
“I-I’m sorry, Alpha Arthwr,” he stuttered.
Mack’s eyes caught his attention in the rearview mirror and looked concerned as he drove. “Do you want me to…” The beta reached out a hand for the phone.
Jay shook his head. No. This was his responsibility.
Kyle was still out of it, and he couldn’t blame him. Finding out he must have a brother threw Kyle for a loop. He had no idea what Kyle must be thinking, but he felt the anguish, the pain and the desperation.
Jay could see it was killing his mate not being able to simply go after his brother.
But they had no idea where to start looking. Sure, they had the map they’d found in the hunters' nest, but it was still a needle in a haystack. If the bastards found out about the attack on the nest near Alpha Maddox’s pack lands, then they could just move the rest of the bases before the packs had a chance to strike again.
They needed to re-group. They needed their pack, their family, and supplies.
We need a fucking miracle.
