Cyrus screeched and ran to hide behind their mother’s legs.

“Asher, if you don’t stop chasing him around, we’re going to be here all day.”

Asher skidded to a stop, sent his brother a look of retribution, and then shrugged and went to find his dad. He stopped at the top of the hill and watched that girl going into the trees. Glancing back at his mom, he debated whether he should follow. If he did, there was no doubt in his mind that he’d be in trouble—again. Sighing, he turned and started going back in the other direction.

Someone screamed, and he froze, wondering if it was a game he wanted to get in on.

“Asher.”

He jerked his head around and looked at his mom.

“Run.” She grabbed Cyrus and started in his direction.

Asher knew not to ask. Her tone told her just to do what she said. He turned around and ran as fast as he could into the trees, not even stopping when they scraped along his arms or his face. He twisted his ankle when he tripped on something but kept going. Should he wait for her? Deciding not, he kept going until he reached that big hollow tree. Ducking down, he rolled into it and lay there on his side, panting and trying to catch his breath.

He thought he heard screaming, but it was hard to know because his heartbeat was in his head right now. Two rabbits darted by the tree, and they were moving fast. Asher couldn’t wait until he was old enough to shift. He’d show those critters was real speed was.

A bird squawked and startled him. On his hands and knees, he crawled to the edge of the opening and looked out. Where had his mom and Cyrus run to? He checked the other direction again and then crawled out and stood up. He turned around, he couldn’t hear anyone now. Pulling the stick out of his hair, he started walking back to the hills.

He paused to look in each bush he went by, searching for his mom, dad, and brother. He wanted to know what the screaming was and why he had to run. If it was a trick, he was going to be very unhappy with his mom for doing it.

He heard voices as he climbed the hill and paused to kick a flower. They were all up there. He walked up the fallen tree, losing his footing just as he reached the top. Hitting the ground, he hissed out a breath. Hopefully, no one saw that.

Getting to his knees, he looked under it to check. There were men walking around up there. He had no idea who they were. A wolf came running over from the other side of the hill. It had blood all over its face. What was going on? As he started to stand up, someone grabbed him from behind and put their hand over his mouth. Asher struggled. When he got free, he was going to…

“Asher. Stay quiet.”

He froze. It was Alpha Cain. He had no choice but to listen. He wasn’t getting yelled at by his dad again for mouthing off to the Alpha. The chores were endless after the last time.

Two other clan men came over, staying close to the ground. One of them nodded. The Alpha hiked Asher up into his arms and stood up. All he could think about was that, his Alpha was a tall man—the ground was far away. They weren’t walking to the others. He turned his head, and that’s when he saw Jag walking along the top and looking down. Straightening, he tried to see before the Alpha went down the hill. There were bodies on the ground and blood. So much blood. As Alpha Cain turned to go down the trail, Asher saw his mother’s pale hair. She was lying on the ground, Cyrus still in her arms. Neither of them was moving.

He struggled to get out of the Alpha’s hold.

“You don’t need to see that, Asher. Settle down.”

***

Journee stopped and looked back at her sister. She was supposed to stay with her, but she was with her little friends now examining an ant hill, which was boring. Putting her backpack on, she kept walking. If she got up in a tree, she could still watch her. That counted, right? She knew just the tree. There was one with an abandoned nest in it, and she wanted to look at it and see how it was made. How did they get it to stay together? Her teacher explained it to the class, but she wanted to see it for herself.

It took her a few minutes to remember where the exact tree was, but that was okay; she wasn’t in a hurry. Her family would spend most of the day picking berries and talking with the other parents. None of it interested her.

Her backpack got caught twice, and she almost fell out of the tree. When she was one branch away from being able to see in the nest, she heard a scream and then yelling. Hanging on tight, she leaned around and looked back. Asher’s mom grabbed his little brother and told him to run. The breath froze in her chest. Something was wrong. She searched for her mom and couldn’t see her.

She went down to the fatter branch and tried to see what was happening. There were men and two wolves down there. What were wolves doing here? She almost let go of the tree when the one grabbed her father. Her dad could take care of a wolf, she didn’t doubt that. Emi. She needed to find her sister. She was going to be in so much trouble.

There wasn’t as much yelling when she got on the ground again. She thought of turning around and going back up, but if there had been a scare, her mom would give her heck for not being with her sister. Running along the trees, she tried to think of the best way to get to her sister without her mom seeing her. Her mom saw everything.

Sneaking along the berry shrubs, she moved as quietly as she could until there was space she could look through. When she did, she almost cried out. Slapping her hand over her mouth, she watched with wide eyes as the wolf ran over to a man she didn’t know. He had blood all over him. She stood up, making sure to keep behind the thorned branches. There was someone covered in blood at their feet. Journee’s eyes watered. Where was Emi? Had she hidden?

She could hear crying. It didn’t sound like Emi, but she needed to check on her. Moving quickly along the berry patch, she followed the direction it came from. The men walked by, and she stopped, holding her breath. They kept going. She hurried to hide behind a big tree and peeked around it. Other men had Emi and some of the other kids.

Journee looked back to where the adults were.

“Let’s get them in the van.”

She looked back. She didn’t have time to run back for help. She had to stay with Emi. Ducking around the tree, she stayed in the darkness of the trees so the men wouldn’t see her. The two wolves caught up.

“You better get back to your clan before they notice you missing.” The tall man with red hair said. One of the wolves started running and went into the trees. The others started walking again. One of them was carrying Emi like she was a sack of potatoes. Journee was going to kick him hard when she caught up to them.

Journee ran to keep up. Emi was crying so hard it made her eyes fill with tears too. She didn’t know how she would get her away from the man, but she was making sure she could always see her. She looked behind her. If any of the adults were going to come and get them, they needed to hurry.

She skidded to a stop when the trees ended. There was a blue van. They were putting them in the van. The wolf stopped in front of it and shifted back into a man. She stared at his face because he was so naked it made her want to close her eyes.

“Hurry up and get dressed.” The other men were getting into the van.

Darting over to the other side of the path, she stopped and held her breath. No one had seen her. All she had to do was sneak up behind the van, open the door, and then she could get her sister out of it.

Her whole body was shaking as she reached it. Climbing on the bumper, she pulled on the handle. It didn’t open. She heard a door close and flattened herself against the cool metal, holding the handle as tight as she could. She would have to stay here until they stopped again, so she could get Emi out of there.

When the van started moving, she looked back, watching for some of the adults from her clan to come running after them. When they did, she had to tell them everything.

Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Asher stepped outside and closed the door. The snowbanks were a lot higher than in the last few years. The storm had been insane. It was the first time he’d been happy not to be driving. Unfortunately, he’d been stuck here for two days because of the weather and was more than ready to get back on the road.

Going over, he opened the van and tossed his bag inside. He should probably spend some time cleaning it out, but there was always time for that when waiting at safe houses and when the teams were gathering to take down more of Tomas’ places. Jesse told him that things were on the upswing now, and they were going to be able to tear down what Aiden Tomas’ family had built, finally. He looked forward to that. In fact, it was all he looked forward to.

Closing the door, he glanced across the road at the house. He started toward it and then stopped three steps later. He still couldn’t bring himself to go inside. That house was filled with happy moments if he stayed out of it. He could see pictures, family games, movie nights, and big Sunday dinners. As soon as he stepped inside, it all vanished, and the empty space would remind him of reality. It wasn’t as if he could forget. Eighteen years later, he could see his parents and brother lying in their own blood.

That day had been a family outing, as they’d always done together. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t recall the reason. Was it berry picking or were they just going for a hike? he wasn’t sure. A few families were there, so it must have been for berries or some other harvesting. He had been chasing his little brother and annoying his mother by doing it when the first screech had paralyzed their movement. His mother rushed over, scooped up Cyrus, and told Asher to run and hide. Even a child knew when the tone in a parent’s voice told them it was of the utmost importance to listen. He’d listened without question.

He couldn’t hear her voice anymore, and he missed it. How far he’d run, he didn’t know. He’d hidden in the base of an old hallowed-out tree and had stayed there until he heard the sounds of creatures around him again. Had they really stopped during that time? Were no birds or critters making a sound, or had the adrenaline blocked out everything? When his patience ran out, he emerged and wondered why his father hadn’t come and gotten him. He checked in shrubbery and overgrowth for his mother and brother as he retraced his steps back to where they had been.

They hadn’t gotten away or hidden. They had barely made it fifty feet from where he’d been when she told him to run. Asher had stopped behind a tree and watched men check the bodies on the ground. He didn’t know if they were looking for one in particular or what they were doing. For a fleeting moment, he had thought they were there to help until a wolf, with blood all over its face, strolled over to one of the men and growled. The men spoke to it, and then they left together.

Asher had almost died that day too. He’d started to rush to look for his mother when someone grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth. He hadn’t known until they spoke to him that it was his clan’s Alpha. Shortly after that, others had come running, and the only glimpse he’d gotten of his family was looking over Alvin Cain’s shoulder as he carried him back to their village. Four had vanished that day. The rest were slaughtered.

“I guess you’re leaving now that the roads are open.”

He spun around to see his grandmother standing on the steps, a big blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He loved her dearly and was glad his aunt and uncle were still here, so she wasn’t alone. As far as blood relatives, those were all he had left. His ‘adoptive’ family had taken him in when he couldn’t handle being in this village, and despite having a brother and nephew not of his blood, he really only had his Nan left. “Yeah, I’m just waiting on word of which way I’m going.” He hoped that Zain or Illias would get back to him soon. He just couldn’t be here. Now that the work was done and things were dug out, the memories made him edgy. “Listen,” he went over and looked down at her weathered face; she was his sunshine in the otherwise dark world he lived in, “about the house.” He watched her look over at it and could see it still got to her as well. “I think, with all those we’ve been finding, we should clean it up and let some move into it.”

“I always thought you’d want it someday.” She looked at him for a moment and then nodded, “Okay, I’ll tell Alvin.”

“Tell Alvin what?”

They turned to see their Alpha coming toward them.

“If it has anything to do with a shovel or a snowblower, I don’t want to hear it.” He smirked.

Asher couldn’t help but grin, he’d had his fair share of shoveling in the last few days, along with most of the clan.

“Asher wants us to open the house to those in need.” She looked up at him, and he thought it was pride in her eyes but couldn’t think why. “Give some family a little more space than bunking in with others.”

Alvin stopped and studied him. “You sure, son?”

Asher nodded, “I’m on the road, I don’t need a big house.” His Alpha was the only reason he was alive today, and sometimes Asher wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

“All right, I’ll get someone in there to clean it up.” He nodded, “We’ll store anything personal.”

Asher shrugged. He didn’t need it and doubted he’d ever want it.

Alvin inhaled slowly and then blew it out, “I’m looking for Journee. Have you seen her?”

“Journee?” His grandmother frowned. “I haven’t heard that name in—” Her eyes widened. “She’s here?”

Asher thought the name was familiar, but he wasn’t sure who she was. His grandmother told him of all the comings and goings, her words, but he couldn’t keep it straight.

“You remember her, don’t you?”

He looked at Alvin.

“She was with the group the day…” Alvin cleared his throat. “She showed up in the middle of the night, I was over helping Len get his generator going. When I got back, she was sleeping on the couch, and Maeve told me to leave her be until morning.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “she said she had something important to tell me.”

“Did she say how she got back? Where’s she been?”

Asher realized this girl had gone missing the day his family was killed. He looked around, there were too many traitors to trust she wandered into the village after eighteen years.

“I have no details yet, Inez. That’s why I’m looking for her.”

“Alpha Cain.” One of the men came running over. “There’s a hurt cat at the bottom of the river hill.” He held up a worn backpack, “I’m guessing she’s one of ours by this.”

Alvin took the pack. “It’s Journee’s. I tripped over it by the door last night.” He started walking toward the hill.

Asher looked down at his grandmother. “Go inside and stay warm. I’m going to see if I can help.” She nodded.

He caught up to his Alpha. “So, she just showed up? Has anyone heard from her all these years?”

Alvin glanced at him. “I know what you’re thinking, but Maeve says she looked soul weary tired, her clothes were tattered, and her eyes were haunted by demons.”

Asher sucked in a breath. “We shouldn’t share too much with her, just in case.”

The Alpha nodded, then stopped and walked slowly along the path across the top of the hill.

“Just down there.” The man caught up to them and pointed.

Down at the bottom lay a cheetah. Her coat was paler than most, but it wasn’t as if all were a carbon copy of each other. She wasn’t moving at all. Asher moved by the men to find the trail she’d taken down. He stopped and watched a small wolf pup circling her. “There’s a wolf down there; if the parents are nearby, we need to hurry.”

“That’s her pup.”

Asher jerked his chin and looked back at him.

Alvin smirked, “Maeve said the pup lay on the porch while Journee was in the house.”

Asher looked down the incline again. A cheetah shifter with a wolf pup that was new. He wouldn’t have any problem getting down there in cat form, but then he wouldn’t be much help in that way. “I’m going to zigzag down to see how bad she’s hurt.”

“Be careful. I’m going to call Jag and see if he’s got that old sled he used to pull the kids around on.”

Asher nodded and started down. His boots were great in the snow, but there was no way his boots weren’t going to fill up. A few steps later proved him right. The snow was up to his knees. He slid a few times and had to drop to stop himself from tumbling down there with her. Now he had snow in his jeans, jacket, and sleeves. Yeah, driving sounded good right now; a heated vehicle and miles of no people, and no chatting was what he longed for.

As he reached the bottom, the pup started going crazy and barking at him. Asher guessed he was around four months old, judging by the teeth he was seeing. They were not all milk teeth but a mix of half-grown adults as well. “Hey, bud, I’m here to help her.” He kept his hands at his side and did not move them around as he walked slowly in that direction. The pup crouched and snarled at him. “It’s okay.” He kept his tone soft and even.

When he got closer, the animal ran back to her, whining and licking her face. “I’m Asher, Alpha Cain is at the top of the hill.” She lifted her head and looked at him. He could see the pain in her amber eyes. “Don’t try to get up yet. Let me take a look.” He crouched down a few feet from her and waited for the pup to decide if he was allowed near her. Journee turned her head and looked at the wolf, and he lay down by her head.

Creeping closer, he saw her back leg sitting at an odd angle. “Can you get up?” He held his hand out when she moved her front paw. “Whatever you do, don’t try to shift.” He wasn’t trained, but he’d been around others that had gotten hurt in their animal form and knew that shifting back if something was broken could permanently disfigure them.

She lifted her weight until she had both paws under her chest and started to rise slowly. He could see the shaking.

“You know what, don’t try to get up.” He knelt and reached over to run his hand along her back leg. He stopped when he felt an uneven area along the bone. “Stay down.” He leaned back and rested his weight on his heels, “I think it’s broken.” He glanced to see her watching him, “I have no idea how to set it so you can shift, so we’re going to have to get you up out of here and let someone more qualified do that.”

She huffed out a breath and dropped her head back down. The pup inched closer and rested his chin on her shoulder.

Asher couldn’t imagine being hurt and stuck in one form. He pulled out his phone, “I might know someone with answers.” He had no idea how he was going to get a hold of Calum’s mate, but Jesse could. He brought up the number and saw that he had no signal. “There’s no signal. I’ll have to call when we’re back up top.”

The pup jumped up and started growling. Asher turned to see his Alpha and the other man coming toward them with a long plastic toboggan. It wasn’t ideal for transporting her, but it would work.

He stood up and turned to go get it when she groaned. Asher’s cat was immediately there and tense. The pup started barking and growling. His cat probably wanted to eat the vicious little furball. Walking around her, he squatted, “Come here.” He held out his hand to it. “Come on, we can’t help her if we’re tripping over you.” He paused to wonder if the pup had tripped her up on her way down. He glanced around and couldn’t see the tracks. How long had she been lying here? The pup came closer and inched further, dragging his belly in the snow.

“How bad?”

He kept his eyes on the pup. “I think there’s a break in her back leg, but I’m no expert.”

“Okay, we’ll get her to the top, and then I’ll have to call around and see if any of the clan doctors are nearby. Ours is off helping the Alliance at the Headquarters.”

“I can call someone once we back up top and have a signal.” The pup was only a few inches from his hand now. Asher wondered if it would be okay with his scent. Then again, he was running with another shifter, so he should accept him. When he was close enough to grab, the wolf darted in the other direction and stood ten feet back, watching their every move.

“Let’s get her on this.” Alvin looked back up the hill. “It’s going to take all three of us to pull her up safely through this.”