Free Van, Becca - Alpha Panthers [Terra-form 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Becca van

to get her scent into your lungs and noses from near the bench, so you will be able to help us track her. If we find her and she is alone, I do not want any of you to intervene as I punish our mate. Is that understood?”
    “Yes, Sire,” the ten warriors replied without hesitation.
    “All right, let’s head out,” Saxon stated and took the lead in tracking their mate’s scent, Gage and Ben close behind with the ten large warriors following.
    Gage followed the scent of his mate. Even if he hadn’t been able to scent her, it wouldn’t have been hard to track her, because she had left an easy trail to follow. She obviously had no skills on how to hide her presence from others. Sometimes her footsteps were clearly visible in the damp earth on the ground. Other signs were broken twigs and scattered leaves she had disturbed, which showed bugs scurrying to bury themselves to hide beneath the fallen foliage once more. Gage knew from the length between her footsteps and the heavier impressions that their mate had literally been running away. He was quite surprised that such a small woman could have traveled so far in so little time. She had only been missing for the better part of an hour, and they had traveled quite a few miles and still had not caught up with her.
    The loud, piercing female scream echoing through the forest made Gage, his brother, and Ben sprint toward the vicinity from which the noise had come. He stopped in surprise as he spied his mate hanging upside down in a trap, staring in horror at the huge lion crouching on a large tree limb, watching her as if she was going to be a delectable meal.

    * * * *

    April’s body began to shake uncontrollably when she saw the large lion staring at her as if she was its dinner. She wasn’t sure if it was a shifter or the real thing, but had no real desire to find out. She kept her gaze on the animal and screamed as loud as she could, hoping someone would find her before she became its meal. She watched the lion leap away to another tree then disappear from sight. She let her body release the tension that had gripped it, relief making her close her eyes. She knew she had just had a lucky escape and prayed to God someone would come and help her down from her trap.
    April opened her eyes when she heard movement below her, then snapped them shut again as she saw the furious frowns on the faces of her mates. She knew she was in deep shit and really only had herself to blame for the predicament she currently found herself in. Then she thought back to the morning and how Vanessa, then Gage, had treated her. She let the hurt she had felt consume her and turned the emotion into anger. There was no way in hell she was going to let them berate her when she had been driven to run away.
    April watched as Ben climbed the tree until he had reached the rope trapping her. She watched as he held the rope in one hand, then saw claws protrude from the tips of his fingers on his other hand. He swiped his claws through the rope, cutting it, which sent April swinging through the air. She was heading straight for the tree and knew she was going to end up bruised and battered when she impacted with it. She closed her eyes and held her hands out in front of her, hoping to lessen the impact. She opened her eyes in surprise when she was caught in a firm, steady grip.
    Saxon had grabbed her by her waist when she swung toward him. He held her still to steady her then swung her up and over his shoulder. He began to climb down the tree without taking the time to release the ropes binding her ankles together. Once he was on the ground, he swung her off his shoulder and held her cradled firmly against his chest. April was too scared to look up at him or Gage, so she kept her eyes lowered as she watched them from beneath the cover of her eyelashes. Gage frowned down at her as he removed the ropes binding her ankles, and then he pulled her boots from her feet. He held her feet still as he studied the