Pheasant Grove, Saturday, 12:15 am
The din of voices rose around Donil but he wasn't listening. He knew that telling the family of Mya's betrayal would result in division. He didn't have time for arguments. Laylah needed him.
He let out a piercing whistle that silenced the room. All gazes turned to him. "Listen up! We leave now. Mya will be dealt with after we have rescued my mate. Mother, Grandpa, Grandma. I want each of you to lead a group. I will lead the fourth. Head north, south and east, while I take west. I doubt Zina would be close to us. Wherever she decided to hole up will give her some tactical advantage. Matt has the V-trackers. Laylah's DNA signature has been entered so that we can find her. Now, move out!"
He watched as his mother and grandparents snagged various relatives and clan members for their search parties. He turned to the two lion brothers. "Care to tag along?"
"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" Leo grinned and did a funky dance step.
Donil chuckled despite himself. "Okay, I needed that. Leo, I want you to drive. I'm going to try a dreamwalk. Maybe Laylah is in a regular sleep and I'll be able to reach her mind."
"You couldn't reach her before?" Benji asked.
"No, they drugged her. Drugs force the mind to shut down and often prevent dreaming. Besides, if they've woken her, she will have seen more than the inside of the vehicle they took her in."
"Makes sense. Here comes Matt." Leo pointed to the other man who approached with three volunteers.
"Donil, I have three trackers that have agreed to come with us. All the other groups are going to their vehicles. We need to get moving, too."
"I know, Matt. Let's go!" He lead the way to one of the parked vans. They got in and Leo slid into the driver's seat. Donil took the front passenger seat and the van started down the dirt road that would take them to the main highway.
The journey was made in silence. Once they had been traveling for several minutes, Donil went to sleep and prayed that he would be able to connect with Laylah's mind.
~***~
Saturday, 12:30 am
Stefan had left the Newsome property in a nasty mood. First, he had watched his niece get abducted. Then he had to deal with the humiliating display of Donil's Alpha power. Stefan hadn't known Donil was that strong. He didn't often underestimate people. He would be sure to keep a careful watch on the Panther Alpha. Taunting Drayden had been a bonus. The tip from the bear was appreciated and would be used.
He came to a halt, his paws crunching leaves on the ground. Below the road was Rainbow Stream. It had been a favorite place of Helena's when she was alive. She said it was peaceful and she was right. The gentle gurgle of the water soothed away some of his tension. He felt more clearheaded.
He had to think like Zina. All obvious places were out of the question. It had to be a large area, easily defended, that allowed for an escape route in case things go wrong. He lowered his nose to the ground. The scent of the getaway vehicle was growing faint. He cursed technology for inventing odorless fuel that made it nearly impossible to track. The moon hung in the sky and Stefan stopped the urge to howl. It was time to go.
He left the stream and headed northeast toward Pensoftkey with renewed vigor. Redemption was near. He would not jeopardize that or the chance to have a family again. Laylah needed a real father figure in her life and he was man enough for the job. His thoughts, once more positive, pushed him into a faster run. No more time to waste. A life needed saving.