Page 80 of Act of Brotherhood
Gram made a pained noise. “I can’t be here doing nothing.”
James rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Fine. What if we have all the women and Malik’s daughter brought here? I can call in more favors from men we trust. We can lock this place down.”
Malik, Duke, Corbin (who was still on the phone), and Boomer all stared at one another for a pregnant moment. It hit Garth then that they were all the men in the room who were mated. They were clearly speaking on their connected mental pathways.
“That will work,” said Duke. “Anything tries to come near them…”
Gram lifted a hand and magik shot forth from it, knocking the card table over. “No one will come near them. I can turn people inside out too.”
James grinned. “That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get everyone in one place.”
Corbin hung up the phone.
“I can stay and help watch over everyone,” said Malik.
Corbin shook his head. “No. You’re needed on the mission. You’re one of the few men who can get Auberi and Garth to behave in a room together for longer than five minutes. The fact that Landros called Auberi directly and specifically asked him and Garth for help tells me we may require a referee.”
Auberi nodded. “It’s true. I can phone Armand and the rest of my team. They can help watch over Brooke and the others.”
Garth took a deep breath. “Recall some Shadow Agents as well. Only the ones we trust. Malik, ready the jet. We need to hurry before the situation gets worse—and it’s bad enough as it fucking is.”
Corbin worried his jaw. He looked at Garth. “Do not lose control when I tell you this. It involves the woman you wish to get back to.”
Garth felt faint. “What happened? She’s dead, isn’t she? Oh god, she’s dead because of me.”
Corbin came to him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and shook him. “Garth, stop. The detail that was assigned to look over her was ambushed. Apparently, the Outcasts were attacked as well. They’re injured, but alive. The Para-Regs have men on the scene. As best they can tell, the woman has been taken.”
Garth roared.
It was Edee who came at him fast, slipping by everyone else. She stood before him and touched his cheek gently. “Don’t give in to the animal right now. Your woman and Landros’s niece and friend need you to be strong. Of all the people here, you’re the one who will be able to figure out what your brother’s next move is. You can’t help the women if you’re stuck in wolf form again.”
She was right.
Fuck.
Striker licked his lips. “How about we feed you something before you lose it and try to eat one of us instead?”
“Asshole,” snapped Garth.
“I try,” returned Striker with a wink.
Chapter Nineteen
Garth tooka seat on the private jet, his thoughts on Nicolette. The very idea that his brother had her left him fighting his wolf. At the idea she might be gone, Garth growled, knowing he would kill Grid without hesitation.
He should have never lost control to start with. If he’d have held himself together a week ago, he could have handled his brother then, making sure Nicolette was safe and sound.
Instead, he’d been as weak as Auberi liked to point out he was.
He’d given in to his beast.
Edee walked by Garth on the jet and touched his shoulder as if she sensed his fight to stay in control. She gave him a small squeeze before she went to a large bag she’d made Striker carry onto the jet. She hadn’t backed down once on her insistence to join them on the hunt for the missing young women, no doubt sensing a bond after the ordeal she’d lived through.
Garth watched as Edee pulled a number of small black computer tablets from the bag. She made her rounds on the jet, handing them out. She stopped before getting to Garth. “Okay, everyone, Brooke and Laney pulled all this together for you. They’re waiting for James to track down the rest of the medical records on both ladies.”
“Medical records?” asked Garth. “Why is it we need them?”
Edee glanced around the jet. “Because apparently, Landros’s niece and her friend are no strangers to the PSI system. They have a history—and it involves testing.”
