Chapter 18

He wanted to punch something. He didn’t need to see her to know how much pain she was in. Everything she knew had changed in the last few days. When Cooper had brought her back she had looked like she was in shock. As he was slowly getting up, it dawned on him that the frustration and anger wasn’t even stirring his cat. Normally his cat reacted as soon as he saw her, hell, even thought about her. The fact that it was so quiet had Gage even more distressed. For years he’d been told about how connected mates were, but he thought they’d at least have to be mated for this to happen… What is going on? For the last several years he could always feel the animal inside and now it was nothing but an eerie stillness. Pacing across the yard, he kept an eye on the tree line, hoping Jake or Cooper came back soon. For once, it was frustration that had him needing to run.

When his phone rang, he dropped it trying to see who was calling. Cursing, he picked it up to see it wasn’t Kelsey, but Devin. Exhaling, he answered it, “Devin.”

“Gage. Have you heard from Calum?”

Gage frowned, it wasn’t unusual for Devin to be blunt and get straight to the point, but he sounded urgent. Devin never sounded that way.

‘No. Why?”

“I got a message from him last night saying he had found the location. I haven’t been able to reach him.”

Rubbing a hand across his forehead, Gage stared at the ground. “Maybe he’s in a dead zone.”

Devin made a sound of annoyance, which was pretty much how Gage felt too. “That’s possible. He’s in the middle of nowhere in some back-mountain country…”

“I’m sure he’ll get a hold of you when he can.” He kicked the dirt under his boot. It wasn’t like Devin to chase people. In fact, he was known to go weeks, months even, without any sort of communication. Had Rayne changed him this much, Gage had to wonder. “Is something going on?”

Devin sighed loudly into the phone. “Yeah. Tomas has upped his game and has been making some new moves.”

Gage straightened a chill going up his spine. “Like what?”

“He’s not staying close to the boarder.”

“He’s done that before, Dev…”

“Not like this.” There were voices in the background. “Listen, I’ve called in extra bodies to watch over the camp.”

Squinting, Gage stared off toward the trees again. “He’s that close?”

“A few attempts have been made close by.”

Close by where Devin was could be hundreds of miles away. He didn’t exactly live in a populated area. “Is everyone okay?”

Devin made a hissing noise. “Yeah. Several clan families have settled here at the camp, ones that don’t have a lot of males…” That told Gage that Tomas was targeting females. “We’re contacting all the alphas so they can take precautions.”

Just what Gage didn’t need right now, with his life already a mess. “Did you talk to Dad?”

“I just did. He’s going to head over to Bruce’s and stay with them. He said you’d keep an eye on things where you are.”

It made sense, half the females from Gage’s clan lived in a small town with Bruce, his father’s second, overseeing things. Gage only had to keep an eye on five males. Kelsey would be watched over regardless.

“Anyone would have to have balls of steel to show up here.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Devin agreed. “Rayne and I are going to be heading to a few remote locations,” he sighed, “a few clans of mine aren’t reachable by phone.”

That wasn’t shocking; wolves seemed to like it that way. “Are you traveling alone?” Gage may be distracted by his own personal issues, but he still knew his priority was to stand beside Devin.

“I don’t want to pull anyone from here, the more of us keeping an eye on things the better. We’ll be okay with just the two of us. I wanted Calum to meet us…”

“I could send Blair,” Gage rubbed the back of his neck feeling the muscles bunch tighter.

“No. Keep everyone there.” Devin chuckled. “I won’t mind a bit of time alone with Rayne.”

Gage felt a twinge of what he could only label as jealously go through him. He wanted what Devin now had.

Devin’s tone was serious again. “I’d ask how things are going there, but your tone says it all.”

Rubbing his neck again, Gage tried to ease some of the tension. “We told her everything, Dev.” All muscles in his body tensed as he said it.

There was a long silence before Devin spoke quietly. “That’s a lot to digest all at once.”

‘Yes, it is. She should have been told long before now.”

“How’s she doing?”

Turning, he looked in the direction the house was, as if he could see through the trees. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

Devin let out a loud sigh. “Listen, we’re going to be near there next week, we could stop in…” Gage could hear a female talking softly in the back ground. “Rayne thinks if she talks to her it might help. She understands everything in your world suddenly changing.”

Closing his eyes, Gage reached for a trace of calm. Not finding any, he opened them and nodded. “It can’t hurt.”

“Is Noah all right? If his being there is…”

“Noah’s fine here.” Gage exhaled loudly. “He had a rough moment last night, but…” he rolled his shoulders, “he has really connected with Kelsey,” his cat finally stirred at that thought and Gage almost sighed in relief to feel it again.

“What do you mean connected?”

Staring down at the dirt, he kicked his toe in it a few times. “I think she’s probably the first female shifter he’s ever been near that’s not afraid of him.”

Devin muttered several obscenities under his breath. “Do you trust him near her, Gage? That’s what it comes down to.”

Clenching his jaw a few times, he thought about it. Reaching past the jealously and tension, he nodded slowly. “Yeah, I do. He’s just as protective of her as the rest of us.”

Devin sighed. “Okay, he stays there for now.”

The sound of a truck had Gage turn toward the gates. Blair and Noah were back. “I gotta let you go. Keep me up to date, Dev. I may be distracted, but I still know my place.”

“I will. If you hear from Calum, tell him to get his ass home.”

Gage snorted. “Right. He’s going to listen to me.”

“I worry about him. He’s a little too in touch with his wild side.”

Gage thought about how much time Calum had spent in his cat form in the last few years. “I’m sure he’s fine. You can’t tell me you stayed on two legs all the years you hid in the wilderness.”

“I wasn’t…” there was a long pause, “point taken.”

Gage shook his head. “Speaking of the wild…”

“Yeah. Go. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Be careful.”

“Always am.”