Page 102 of His Bonded Omega Mate
Carl scoffed. “Gone. That’s a panic room with a tunnel. They’ll be long gone by the time you get through.”
Roan shifted and ran at the man, punching him square in the face and taking him to the ground. He pummeled him a few times before Sven pulled him off his friend. “Where does it go?” Roan’s green eyes were wild with panic as he got free of the other shifter’s hold. He and Axel kept eyes on the guards.
Tate sobbed quietly, shrinking in on himself, trying to stay unnoticed. My lion saw how he shook, but otherwise looked unharmed. We left part of our focus on him as I waited for information on our other family member.
Carl got up, wiping at his face. “No idea.”
“He’s telling the truth. I’ve set a compulsion in the air. It won’t last long,” River confirmed. She panted as she held the spell before slumping into Oak’s arms. He put her in a chair as the sounds of the battle halted.
“Looks like Logan has this in hand,” Oak observed. “I’ll get this door open and one of you can track them.”
Roan struggled to get around Sven. “I’ll go.”
“My nose is better.”
Oak began the spell on the door, breaking the current magic lock and the physical one. Just as he got it open, Carl and Sven, on some unspoken order, surged towards Tate.
I was too far away, closer to the panic room door as it swung open. I’d never make it to Tate in time to save him from their attack.
Roan was there.
He flung his body between the gorilla and my vulnerable mate as a meaty fist swung down, crashing onto Roan’s shoulder instead of Tate’s prone body.
Everything happened in a matter of seconds.
Tate screamed as Roan landed on him, his upper body misshapen. How Roan stayed conscious, I don’t know. Carl dealt another blow and ripped at the wound, Roan’s agonized cries filling the room.
Sven tried to assist the gorilla, but Axel launched himself at the man, teeth clamping into his throat. Axel knocked him to the ground and snapped the man’s neck without pause.
Roan rallied, finding strength from somewhere. Goddess knows where. He shoved Carl back and away from Tate, even as Roan bled over the floor, his dark skin turning ashen. He stumbled as Carl swung again. Axel jumped and latched onto the arm. Using his entire body, he pulled Carl to his knees.
Between them, Roan and Axel took Carl to the floor moments before there was a sickening crunch and Carl was dead.
I wanted to go to my mate, but the thought of Hiroshi being stolen from Roan and Tate was too much to bear. I had to get him back for them, for myself, too. He was the heart of our family, the one that kept us all together.
Go!Axel urged over the pack link.We’ll need Hiroshi to heal Roan. Oak and River can keep him stable until you return.
“Get Hiro! Please Ash, we need him,” Tate begged.
I looked between the open door, the tunnel ahead, and my mate hanging over Roan’s bleeding and broken body.
I’ll be back for you, brother.
I know.Roan sounded exhausted. Barely holding on as Axel and Tate tore curtains to bandage wounds to stop the bleeding.
Oak and River watched sadly. “We’re both tapped out. The lock —“
In my lion form I had no way of speaking to them, they weren’t pack. Tate would soothe them once he got Roan stable.
Stay awake. Keep Tate safe.I ordered Roan before running down the tunnel.
Hiroshi’s scent saturated the tunnel. Within a minute, I was outside and following the familiar grapefruit scent of my friend.
Hiro had tried to delay and make a trail for someone to follow. I just needed my nose. The petrichor scent of Roan, mixed with Tate’s new honey scent, clung to Hiroshi, his path through the woods easy to follow.
Unbelievably, I caught up before they could get to the waiting car. I had to believe that the goddess was on our side.
Concerned Jared might hurt Hiroshi if I went racing in, I waited in the shadows of the bushes and trees, creeping slowly closer to my quarry.
