Free Darkness Awakened by Katie Reus Page A

have a mode of transportation. That wasn’t a surprise. They had an interesting relationship; one the pack had speculated about, but Finn knew the truth. They were more like brother and sister than some true pack siblings. They would both die for each other, but anything sexual—hell no.
    “Come on,” he murmured to Lyra as they headed across the lot.
    He watched out of the corner of his eye as Lyra continued scanning the area, ever vigilant. As they neared his packmates, he sensed the tension rolling off them as they eyed her. Well, from everyone but Victoria. She just watched Lyra with open curiosity but that was it. No hostility or anxiety. It was one of the reasons he liked the tall shifter. She almost never judged you unless you gave her a reason to.
    Knowing there was no time to waste, he looked at his tracker Spiro first. “Someone rigged my vehicle to explode with me in it. See if you can pick up a scent on anything.” He placed a light hand on Lyra’s shoulder and watched as seven sets of eyes tracked the movement, but he ignored them. “Rule out her scent now. Anything else unusual, report to me immediately. Track if you can.”
    Nodding, Spiro moved into action, the lean shifter not questioning his order. Next he focused on the remaining warriors. “Did you all receive the list of addresses from Gabriel?”
    At their nods, he continued. “This is my friend Lyra. Her fifteen-year-old daughter has been kidnapped and is being held somewhere in the city. Our objective is to rescue her. Her captors should be taken alive if possible, but dead works too.” The only reason he wanted them alive was to question them. Then he would take their lives. As an Alpha, he couldn’t let the kidnapping of innocent females in his region go unpunished. Even if it had been acceptable among his kind, his own moral compass would never allow it.
    “At this point all we know is that we’re looking for a location near the ocean. Lyra and I will take the first ten addresses.” From there he ordered his four warriors to each take the next set of ten, making sure the locations they would be searching were near each other so no one was wasting time driving too far in between residences. Finn could have told them over the phone but he wanted everyone to see his support—and possessiveness—of Lyra firsthand.
    He had no clue what the future held for them, but he knew what he wanted with her. To make that happen, he had to make his feelings and loyalty toward her clear now. Even more than he wanted to show his pack, he wanted it clear to her that he had her back. That she could trust him.
    Jason, one of his youngest pack members, but also incredibly strong, cleared his throat. “Why are we searching for a missing vampire?” When Finn growled low, Jason held up his hands, palms out. “I’m only asking what everyone else wants to know. This vampire shows up, it’s the first we’ve ever heard of her and now we’re helping look for her daughter—I’m just curious.”
    “Do you need a reason to obey your Alpha’s orders?” Lyra asked, her voice dripping with ice.
    Finn’s inner wolf smiled, all razor sharp teeth ready to strike this pup. He liked that his female—and she would be again soon—didn’t back down to anyone.
    Jason straightened, his jaw tightening in annoyance. Before Finn could respond, Victoria snorted. “If you need a reason to help find a fifteen-year-old kid in trouble, then you’re an asshole, Jason.”
    The other three warriors chuckled lightly, dispelling the growing tension. As they all started to head to their vehicles, Finn stopped them. “The parameters of this mission don’t leave this group for the time being.” Which meant even the mated ones wouldn’t tell their significant others. Something he didn’t have to specify to these hardened men.
    Once everyone but Gabriel and Victoria were gone, Finn looked at Lyra. “You ready?”
    “How do we know she isn’t lying? Or this isn’t part of