Taken: True Mates Book 2 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) Read Free

been there to see the fight. Tarq had called, giving me his version of the evening, high on scoring a chance to be Beta with, and this was the funniest thing I had heard in years…Amanda! Fuck, yeah. I shook my head, a smile pulling at my lips, despite my foul mood. Never saw that one coming!
    I grabbed the bag that was still looped around my neck, pulling out some jeans and thumbing my cell from a pocket.
    No updates. Shit. We were running out of time. Once word got back to wherever the hell they were hiding, Eric’s lieutenants were going to—
    I abruptly cut off that train of thought, unable to stomach going there.
    I tugged on the jeans, snapping the buttons shut. Maybe Tarq would be good for Amanda, get her to loosen up, get over losing James, and enjoy life a little. I smothered another snort. Like I was one to talk…
    Whatever. I had a job to do, a promise to keep.
    I quickly dialed a number, waiting impatiently for it to connect.
    “Yup, Sheriff’s Department,” a male voice answered on the third ring.
    “Ryan, Sean here. Any news?”
    I could hear the other man shifting in his chair, the frame squeaking in protest. “Nope. Sorry, man. We’ve checked the town, and I’ve spoken to my brothers. She’s not on Everson land.” His voice was rough and growly, a bit like the bear shifter himself.
    “So, we’ve ruled out Colstone, Smithrock, Everson, and Craggstone Town.” I listed the areas, picturing them in my head.
    “Yeah. And your Alpha has been in talks with the Council — he says that the dragon and horse Council members have been in contact with their local…herds…wings…whatever the fuck they are. They haven’t seen her either.”
    Shit. “Good to know, they were next on my list.”
    “What about the local jaguar pride?”
    “The what ? Where?” To my knowledge, there wasn’t one near here.
    The man chuckled on the other end of the line. “Keep forgetting — cats tend to stay away from dogs.” Ryan laughed.
    “Get on with it.” I growled, near the end of my patience. My skin was starting to feel tight, tension thrumming through me. “Why would they take her near a jaguar pride? They might be Eric’s goons, but they’re not stupid. Those cats would eat them alive for harming one of their own.”
    “You might be right, but it’s worth a shot. The more people we have looking for your Lisa, the better, I’d say—”
    “She’s not mine —” I snapped back quickly.
    “He doth protest a little too much.”
    I cut him off, the singsong phrase shooting a little too close to the truth for comfort. “ Where is the damn pride?”
    “Other side of Smithrock, but further south — near the border. You’ll see a valley, behind a large rock formation. It’s a little hidden, they like it that way—”
    “I’ll find it—”
    “Be careful, they don’t like outsiders coming in. And like I said, they don’t like dogs.”
    “Well, they don’t have a choice. This canine is coming visiting,” I replied firmly, wondering if this was Lisa’s pride. And why the hell didn’t I know about it — it was practically on our fucking doorstep!
    “Good luck, call me if you need any more help,” Ryan broke into my thoughts. “And, Sean?”
    “Yeah?”
    “You’re lucky to have found her. You have a chance most of us would kill for. Don’t fuck it up, alright?” Then he hung up, leaving me staring at the cell in my hand, stunned.
    Fuck it up? There was nothing to fuck up.
    Find the girl. Get her out. Move on.
    Easy. Right?
     
    ***
    Sean
    I paused at the top of the ridge, looking down at the valley sprawled below. Ryan had been right. It was well hidden, but I didn’t smell any big cats.
    I took another deep sniff, sorting through the scents. Fir trees, grass, fresh rain, the old scent of a rabbits trail. Maybe he was wrong, or I had got my directions mixed up, but I didn’t think so. Something about this place just seemed off . I couldn’t put a finger on it but—
    “Who are you,