Page 22 of Lion Conquers All
Ryder assumed it was direction or some type of map.
“Do you have anything of the boy’s?” Ryder said under his breath. It was loud enough for Aarav to hear, but not Gaven unless he was listening very carefully.
“Red shirt in my backpack,” Aarav said.
Ryder slowed his pace and walked behind Aarav, unzipping the pack on his back. The red shirt was right on top in a plastic bag. He glanced at Gaven. The man was still walking along, not paying any attention to the other two men. Aarav had fallen a few steps behind him. They were all walking almost single file now. Ava was in lead. Then Connie and Gaven.
He opened the plastic bag and took a deep breath of the male scent clinging to the red shirt. Definitely adolescent boy. He shoved the shirt back in the plastic bag and then into Aarav’s pack again, zipping it up for safekeeping. Ava would want to get the scent too.
But at least his nose could start working for them on the way down the trail. There wasn’t much of the boy’s scent on the trail, but it was present and it was only a few days old.
“Good?” Aarav glanced over his shoulder meeting Ryder’s gaze.
Ryder nodded his head. “He was here.”
“I thought so, but I knew you’d get a better read than me.”
“Shifting would be better, but yes. The boy was definitely on the trail within the last couple of days.”
“That’s good. Then hopefully we’ll get to the blind, yell at them a bit, and then go back home. Thank you for coming. Connie needed a companion.”
“Of course. She’s lucky to have you looking out for her. One of these days she’ll realize it.”
Aarav gave a small smile and shook his head. “I’m patient. When she’s ready, I’ll be here.”
“I don’t know how you’re reigning it in, man. I’d be losing my mind.” Ryder kept his voice low enough the others shouldn’t be able to hear. The human male hadn’t turned around and it sounded like Ava and Connie were talking.
“It’s all about her, Ryder. What she needs. And what she needs is for me to bearoundbut not with her. She can handle me being nearby. At least it feels that way. But being out here alone with me and Gaven for hours. That was too much. I very much am in your debt for coming with us.”
“Family. You’re family. Connie is family…in a way already. Any of us would’ve come for her and you.”
“I know, but I’m still grateful.”
“The instructions say we take the left fork in the trail just over this ridge.” Gaven’s voice called out from the middle of the group.
“Got it,” Ava called over her shoulder.
“Have you seen our boys out here?” Ryder asked, taking a deep breath. There was the scent of wolf in the air, but he couldn’t tell yet if it was the three adolescents from the tribe who lived on the mountain.
“I saw them when I went up to Crooked Rock where the Tragher’s and some other boys from town are camping. So they are in the area.”
“Good to know,” Ryder answered, focusing again on the scents filtering through the air around him. The missing boy was out here.
But so were a lot of other things.
9
AARAV
The Trailhead was quiet so far. Connie was definitely more relaxed now that the she-bear Ava was at her side. He didn’t have enough words to express his gratitude to Ryder for dragging himself and his mate away from work and into the mountains.
They seemed good, though. And Ryder, as much as Aarav’s lion jealously hated it, regularly watched over Connie. He knew his mate struggled with being alone. Somehow Ryder had figured it out too. The wolf was very observant and he respected that character trait.
“She looks better,” Ryder said, keeping his tone hushed. They were still traveling single file and Ryder was bringing up the rear right behind Aarav.
“She is. The change was instant after you and Ava arrived. Like the stress just melted away.”
“Poor female. Makes me want to chew the bones of whatever bastard made her feel so unsafe.”
