“We have a problem.” Rule’s voice was strained. That in and of itself was unusual.
Lawe picked up his pace to the SUV.
“Report,” Lawe ordered, his tone declaring his full attention to his brother.
“We had a situation here,” Rule stated. “Malachi mated a Martinez. Our little cousin, Isabelle, and her mate had a stalker. The stalker shot our favorite little Coyote, Lawe, Ashley Truing. They don’t know if she’s going to make it.”
Ashley Truing. She had colored, highlighted and streaked blond hair; perfectly manicured, painted and decorated nails—nails as false as the color of her hair. She had so many pairs of shoes it was said her entire room was lined with shelves to hold them. Not that he believed it. She gave the impression of self-interest, conceit and laziness, but she was one of the most dangerous female Breeds ever created.
Lawe’s gaze went to Diane’s as he moved faster. Instantly, she straightened and moved for the side of the SUV where she threw open the passenger door as Thor moved just as quickly to slide onto the passenger seat behind her.
The Enforcer Josiah was in the back rather than taking the driver’s seat as he often did, his Breed senses picking up the sudden sense of haste Lawe could feel surging through him.
“We’re heading in,” Lawe assured him as he grabbed the driver’s door that Diane had thrown open for him. “I’ll call you when we’re near.”
“Be sure to,” Rule stated harshly. “Gideon took out the stalker. We should have told Malachi who we were looking for, Lawe. He knows him. Hell, he knows a lot about him. Ashley’s in surgery, Dr. Armani and Dr. Sobolov are with her. I’ll contact you again when there’s more.”
The line disconnected.
The call was long enough to fully apprise Lawe of the situation but not long enough for an enemy to lock onto or to track.
Diane had taken the electronic starter from Josiah and had the motor running and ready as Lawe slid into the driver’s seat. Throwing the vehicle into gear, Lawe pulled out of the parking space.
“Ashley’s been shot,” he informed them. “Gideon’s already in Window Rock. He took out the shooter and then disappeared.” Glancing at Diane, he couldn’t help but fear that one day she could be in Ashley’s place. “It looks like we’re going to get that permission to investigate after all. Let’s see how quickly we can get this taken care of and get Gideon contained.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Notify Sanctuary we’re heading in and I want my regular team out here ASAP. It’s time to go hunting.”
A Breed hunting a Breed. Lawe had never imagined he would be in this position unless one of the Council’s malevolent Breeds were concerned, or that he would need to hunt a Breed who had known the most vicious of hells during his confinement.
Quickly, he explained the information Rule had reported, brief though it was.
Gideon was in protective mode, a far different role than he had been playing in past months. He had saved Malachi’s mate, Lawe’s first cousin, and he was known by Malachi. Rule was right; Lawe should have told the team the full identity of the Breed they were chasing rather than giving the minute details he had passed along. He should never have assumed Gideon was unknown by the team traveling with him.
They had searched for months for a Breed who had known the assassin. One who could give them some sense of the Breed they were searching for.
He wouldn’t have expected Malachi.
He wouldn’t have expected Gideon to protect a human, especially another Breed’s mate.
But he sure as hell hadn’t expected the vivacious, energetic and completely efficient Ashley to ever have been targeted or caught off guard by a stalker.
God help him if he ever had to face the day Diane became such a victim, because Lawe knew that if it happened, the animal would control him. And the animal was by far more savage than the man could ever be.
CHAPTER 13
Ashley Truing’s perpetually tanned flesh looked so pale, washed out and dull that Diane could actually detect the dark roots that were beginning at her scalp.
Normally, the professional color she had applied to her hair looked so natural, so well colored and streaked that it was impossible to tell it was artificial.
It was also not natural to see her this quiet, almost lifeless, as though the exuberance and vivacious life force that was so much a part of her had drained out with the blood she had lost from the laser-shot wound.
All but silent, almost always deadly when set to its highest setting, laser hand weapons could emulate the old-fashioned bullet-loaded weapons but with much more deadly results.
Thankfully, Ashley had had a med tech well versed in immediate care of such wounds. It had kept her alive long enough for the Breed doctors to get to her. Just as her Breed genetics and amazing inner strength had helped her live through a wound a mere human wouldn’t have had a chance of surviving.
Diane watched through the window of the ICU room as Lawe stood at Ashley’s bedside listening to Dr. Armani and Dr. Sobolov fill him in on her condition.
The Pride alpha and his prima, Callan and Merinus Lyons, had already been there and were currently in their suite awaiting Lawe and Diane at the Navajo Suites along with the Wolf Breed alpha and lupina, Wolfe and Hope Gunnar, and the Coyote Breed alpha and his coya, Del-Rey and Anya Delgado.
The nurses had reported that the Coyote alpha had to force the coya from the hospital. Ashley was one of her dearest friends, and she was inconsolable with worry.