Santiago whimpers as I crouch by his broken body.
“My son,” I growl. “Where is my son?”
“He’s not yours,” Santiago pants.
Denali snarls.
“Tell that to his mother.” I nod to the angry lioness.
“She was just a breeder. The right combination of genes. That boy wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for me,” the deranged old shifter cries.
After a few attempts, Denali surges to her feet and limps to my side. I bite back my warning for her to be careful. Blood streams from the wounds in her side but her eyes are bright. No vitals were hit.
“Do you remember her? Lioness. One word and she’ll bleed you. And she won’t rush it. She’ll make it slow. Tell us where our son is.” I drag him to the edge of the balcony and throw his torso over the edge.
Santiago yelps as his weight nearly tips and sends him to his death. At the last moment, I catch the back of his shirt to hold him balanced. “Tell us.”
“He’s here.”
“Where?” I demand.
“Western wing,” Santiago pants.
“All right.” I yank him back from the edge and let his body drop to the marble floor. “Denali, let’s go.”
Santiago attempts to stand, but wobbles and falls.
“No, don’t go anywhere, old man. Some of your old friends are dying to see you,” I tell him. A growl sounds behind me. Carlos and his wolves slink at the mouth of the balcony, waiting for us lions to abandon our prey.
Santiago’s skin goes ashen.
“If I were you, I’d try to run.” I nod to the edge of the wall. It’ll be a mercy if the drop kills him. I turn and hurry after my mate, following the trail of blood.
“Denali, wait!”
By the time I catch up, she’s dragging herself forward, inch by painful inch.
“You’re hurt. You need to get back.”
She staggers, her head weaving back and forth.
I kneel and put my hand on her shoulder. “Shift,” I order. The lioness disappears in a rush. A bullet clinks to the floor, Denali’s body shudders a little with the transformation, but her wounds look better. I enforced the command with alpha power-something I’ve never used before. Didn’t even know I had. I strip off my shirt and cover her.
“I’m fine.” She winces as I help her sit up.
“No, you’re not.”
“Found them,” a young woman’s voice rings out. A black drone appears, hovering in the air. “Here they are!”
“Nash-Denali-thank fates.” Jackson rushes in. “Did you find him?”
“Santiago,” I confirm. “Carlos has him.” Or what’s left of him.
“I have a reading on a highly alarmed room, on the second story in the west wing of the house,” the drone chirps. “I think it might be Nolan.”
Denali grips my hand.
“I’ll get him,” I say. “First let’s get you to the helicopter.”
“Not leaving Nolan,” she grits.
“Please, baby. I can focus better on getting Nolan if I know you’re safe. Please.”
“I’ve got her,” Jackson says. “You go with Kylie.”
“Kylie?”
“Right here.” The drone zooms closer. There’s a tiny screen and a smiling woman waves at me. “You didn’t think I’d miss out on the action, did you?”
Jackson mutters something about punishment as he crouches to let Denali throw her arm over his shoulders.
She gasps as he lifts her.
I hesitate.
“Nash, go,” Denali urges.
I jog behind the drone. Kylie navigates deftly through the halls.
“There might be guards,” she says. “Give me a moment.”
I pause as she flies forward, then calls, cheerfully. “All clear.”
We turn into a hall.
“Last door on the right, I believe,” Kylie remarks. “This mansion is pretty nice. For a psychopathic bad guy, Santiago had good taste. Nash-wait!”
I halt in my tracks. A little light beams from the drone, illuminating little red lines crisscrossed in front of the door.
“Lasers,” Kylie says. “Apparently Santiago didn’t trust his own guards to watch your son. Can you get through?”
I nod and back up. Drawing on the lion’s strength, I take a running leap and sail over the laser grid.
Normally I’d shift, but I don’t want to break down the door if I don’t have to. No need to scare my son.
My hand closes on the doorknob. It turns easily.
“Excellent,” Kylie breathes. “I’ll tell Sam to have the helicopter on standby.”
After a moment my eyes to adjust to the dim interior, I step inside. The room is large and surprisingly beautiful, a child’s space filled with toys. A nursery for a beloved son.
Carlos told us Santiago was never able to have children. Maybe if he had, he would never have embarked on his quest to create a master race.
At the end of the room, there’s a bed. As I approach, the blankets stir, and Nolan sits up, face sleepy.
“Nash?” he rubs his eyes. “You came for me.”
“Yes,” I go to my knees, and open my arms as he pushes off the bed and rushes to me. “Son.”
DENALI
THE THROBBING in my side nearly blinds me.
“Get her out of here,” Jackson calls.
“Wait!” I cry. “Please. Not without-”
“It’s okay,” Sam assures me. “Our position’s secure. We’ve got time.”
I gnaw my lip. What if there was another pocket of guards? What if Santiago did something with Nolan and he’s locked up-or not here?
“Trust him, Denali.”
A figure parts the mist of the predawn gloom. My lioness knows before I surge up from the seat.
Nash carries Nolan across the lawn. My boy’s arms around my mate’s strong neck, little face turned up to tell him something. Nash answers and both look over at me. I catch my breath.
“Momma,” Nolan cries as soon as he sees me. I’m crying, arms reaching for him. Nash closes the distance and hands him to me.
“He’s fine,” Nash reassures as I bury my face in Nolan’s hair, breathing in his scent. I check my boy over as Nash straps us both in carefully.
“Mom, why are you crying? I’m okay. Nash came for me.”
“I know, baby.”
“Ready?” Sam calls from the pilot seat.
“All set,” Nash tells him. “Ready for takeoff. Take my family home.”