Shadow Effect - 25. Chapter 25

Tyler stretched, scratching his stomach absentmindedly as he kicked off the covers. Logan gave a disgruntled groan next to him. He smiled, remembering the fun they had a few short hours earlier. It was too bad they were rolling out later, headed for God knows where. Logan proved to be a good distraction. While they enjoyed their time together during the past week, they knew it was never going to be a permanent thing. The only sparks that flew were those created between the sheets. However, Tyler gained a good friend out of the deal.

Yawning, he padded to the bathroom to take care of his bladder, which was ready to bust wide open. When he was done, he turned the water on for a shower. He had about half an hour to get his shit together and eat breakfast before the teams met with Sebastian prior to hitting the road. Five-fucking-a.m. was a hellacious hour to pry one’s eyelids open.

Dressed in faded jeans and a comfy t-shirt, he laced up his sneakers before packing the rest of his clothes and toiletries. Logan took a quick shower and threw on his clothes from the day before. Together, they stripped the bed and tidied the rest of the room. Tyler packed the night before and only needed to give the area a final look-over, making sure he didn’t leave anything behind. He zipped up his duffle bag, stepped closer to Logan, and pulled him in for one more heated kiss.

“Thanks for everything this week. I really enjoyed spending time with you,” he told the handsome shifter.

“Yeah, it was a good week. I’m sorry it’s over.” Logan smiled, then turned serious. “Hey, you and Elijah be careful out there, okay?”

Tyler nodded, appreciating the concern he saw in Logan’s eyes, knowing his own mirrored his friend’s. “You and Cooper do the same.”

They didn’t need a reminder they were embarking on a mission that had the potential to be extremely dangerous. No matter what safeguards they had in place, no matter how often Sebastian updated the information they had, regardless of how many pups they rescued, each and every attempt was an opportunity for disaster.

Logan pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before gathering the dirty linens to be dropped in the laundry room. Tyler slung his bag over his shoulder and shut the door softly on their way out.

Elijah was already in the kitchen, waiting impatiently.

“You have five minutes to eat,” his friend informed him. Like he didn’t know what time it was.

Tyler stuck his tongue out and was rewarded with the middle finger. His first order of business was filling his travel mug with coffee. The second priority was scanning the boxes of cereal in the cupboard. His eyes skimmed right past the healthy shit and, like a heat-seeking missile, landed on the colorful boxes with cartoon characters on the front. Hmmm, Frosted Flakes, no. Cocoa Krispies, nope. BooBerry, gross. Cap’n Crunch, b-i-n-g-o! He reached for the box and huffed in indignation as Logan’s quicker reflexes snatched it before he could.

“Hey, not fair!” he whined.

“Quit cryin’, ya baby. I was gonna be all nice and pour you a bowl, but now…,” he trailed off, walking away with the precious cereal.

Tyler followed him like a shark homing in on the scent of blood. Nothing would get in the way of him and his favorite cereal, not even his favorite fuck-buddy.

Logan took down one bowl, poured a heaping amount of the precious sugary stuff into it, and proceeded to douse it with the last of the milk. He slid the box over, decidedly lighter.

Tyler grabbed the biggest bowl he could find, which was smaller than the one Logan had snatched, and filled it as much as he could, leaving a little room for milk. Opening the refrigerator, his face fell as he realized there were no other cartons of moo juice.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed. “This shit’s gonna tear up the roof of my mouth without milk. Dammit, Logan!”

Logan laughed before sliding his untouched bowl over to him and grabbing Tyler’s bowl of dry cereal for himself.

“Awww, is Tywer-baby afwaid of some schwatches in his mouwf?” Logan teased.

Tyler shoveled a bite of the milk-softened nuggets into his mouth before mumbling, “Injoy da wroad wrash in your own mouwf wasshole,”

More laughter ensued before Logan informed him smugly, “Don’t matter to me if it tears up my mouth, my wolf will heal it almost instantly.”

Son of a bitch. So not fair! Not only does he get to run through the woods as a wolf, he gets to eat Cap’n Crunch without repercussions. Tyler was more than a little bit jealous.

“Are you done bickering over your breakfast?” Elijah asked.

Mouth still full, he nodded.

“Good, we need to hit the road soon. We got a long day of driving. The Crater Lake Pack’s Alpha is expecting us tonight. If we can actually get our asses out the door soon, we might make it there by nine o’clock.”

Ignoring the pissy tone of voice, Tyler knew Elijah was right. He also knew his best friend was nervous. Hell, he was too, but he felt confident Sebastian had pulled through and pushed his research team to provide the most up-to-date information available.

He finished his cereal as fast as he could. Even with milk, the bright-yellow pieces of hardened sugar and preservatives removed the top layer of skin on the roof of his mouth like a chemical peel on a fifty-year old woman’s face. Totally worth it.

After enduring Elijah’s impatient glare, Tyler put his bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. He topped off his coffee, making sure the lid was secure before looking for his bag.

“It’s in the van,” Elijah snapped. “Are you finally ready?”

“It’s only five minutes after six. Calm down, we still have to do the last briefing with Sebastian, and he’s not here yet.”

“Yes, I am,” Sebastian’s deep Irish accent sounded from behind them. “Sorry we’re late.”

No other explanation was given but the smirk Logan shot his brother, plus the flush that crept up Reilly’s neck, spoke volumes.

“Where’s Ben and Zev?” Cooper asked.

Sebastian pointed to one of the vans, where the twins were at the back, hidden from view. “They’re loading up. They’ll be done in a minute. In the meantime, do you have any questions?”

Tyler looked at Elijah, letting him do the speaking for now.

“No, I think we’re as prepared as we can be,” Elijah answered. “We know you’ll pass along any new information as you get it.”

Tyler noticed his friend rubbing the center of his chest. He’d seen him do it several times before. It seemed to be an odd, unconscious tick that started right after Kage died.

He didn’t have time to think about it. They were joined by the rest of the guys, everyone looking serious, as the reality of what they were about to do hit them. There was no guarantee any of the teams would successfully rescue a pup, but statistically speaking, they had at least a fifty-fifty shot. They either would, or they wouldn't. Two choices, evenly split.

“Okay then,” Sebastian said. “You all know what to do. Daily check-ins are a must, absolutely non-negotiable. The vans have GPS trackers, as well as your phones. Any hint of something suspicious, you call for advice before taking one more step forward. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Six voices answered in unison.

Reilly gave each one of them a once over, concern evident in his bright blue eyes. “Be careful out there, and listen to each other. You all have unique bonds. Use them to your advantage. Stay safe,” he implored, giving each of them a hug, one by one.

When the goodbyes and well wishes were finally over, it was nearly six-thirty. The drive to the Crater Falls Pack would take about fifteen hours with stops. Tyler let Elijah take the first shift driving. He learned long ago that when Elijah was worried or upset, it was best for him to keep his mind focused on something.

Ben, Zev, Logan, and Cooper followed them as far as Great Falls. Ben and Zev were headed to Colorado, while the twins needed to go to South Dakota.

He and Elijah would be retracing their steps until they got to Biggs Junction along the Columbia River, where they would head south to reach the pack’s land. Tyler sat back and vegged out until it was time for him to take a turn behind the wheel. He was extremely grateful Sebastian had custom seats installed. They were super comfy, with adjustable lumbar support and a massage function. How the Alpha managed to secure three of the vehicles in such a short amount of time was anyone’s guess.

They kept the stops to a minimum. When the GPS indicated they were half an hour away from their destination, Elijah called the Alpha of the Crater Lake Pack. He said he would send his first Beta to meet them at the turn they needed to take.

Tyler was driving and pulled up behind a white SUV. parked on the side of the road. A tall, broad-shouldered man got out, thankfully smiling. Rolling down the window, Tyler smiled back.

“Hi, I’m Brody. You must be Elijah and Tyler?”

“Yeah, I’m Tyler,” he replied. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here. I wish it were under better circumstances. Why don’t you follow me? The turnoff is hard to spot if you don’t know where to look,” Brody said.

He wasn’t kidding. Even with the GPS telling him to turn left in one hundred feet, Tyler would’ve driven right past if he wasn’t following Brody. The narrow lane was tucked behind lush foliage. Branches brushed both sides of the van as they slowly navigated the lane. Damn, he hoped the paint didn’t get scratched.

The road widened out about fifty feet in, and he breathed a sigh of relief. They jostled along the uneven macadam for another ten minutes. He wondered how long it had been since it was paved. The trees gave way to a wide open space when they reached the main house. Tyler could make out what looked like a large farmhouse. The headlights briefly lit up a few outlying buildings, possibly other houses, maybe a barn.

His legs threatened to buckle as he stepped out of the van. The last stop had been four hours ago, his limbs were stiff, and his bladder was full.

“Come on in. The bathroom is down the hall, to the right. If you need it,” Brody announced, seeming to read his mind.

Tyler looked at Elijah pleadingly, and got a sweeping arm gesture from his friend, indicating the facilities were all his. He nearly ran.

Once they used the facilities, Brody led them through a distinctly country-themed kitchen, down another short hallway, to a large office. The pack Alpha was clacking away on a keyboard, pecking at it one index finger at a time. It took a minute for him to realize they were there before he looked up, surprised. Tyler thought it was amusing.

The man cleared his throat. “Um, sorry ‘bout that. I get a little lost in what I’m doing sometimes. I’m Rayne Saunders, pack Alpha. Can we get you boys anything to eat or drink?”

Tyler shook his head. He was more tired than anything else.

“No, thank you,” Elijah answered, taking care of introductions.

Rayne seemed to scrutinized them, making sure they were who they were supposed to be. Tyler caught the slight flaring of his nostrils as he scented them. It must be instinctual for wolf shifters. It wasn’t the first time he noticed one of them doing it.

“Do you boys want to have a little meeting now, or wait until morning?”

“If it’s no difference to you,” Elijah answered, “I think we’d like nothing more than to catch some sleep. It’s been a long drive and I’m pretty sure Tyler would agree, what we really need is some rest.”

Tyler tried to suppress a yawn, then gave up.

“It’s not a problem at all,” the Alpha assured them. “I hope you don’t mind sharing a room. Most of the pack lives here at the main house, so space is at a premium. We only have one guest room. It does have a king-size bed, though.”

“That’s fine. It won’t be the first, nor the last time, we’ll have to share,” Elijah replied.

“Good. Brody will show you to your room. Breakfast starts around seven. Anyone showing up after eight is on their own, but we do make exceptions for guests, so don’t feel obligated to get up early,” Rayne informed them.

The guest room Brody led them to wasn’t very big. The king bed Rayne mentioned took up most of the area. A dresser was against the wall at the end of the bed, having barely enough room to open the drawers. Tyler had to walk sideways to claim his side of the bed. A tiny bathroom was attached. Somehow, it fit a toilet, pedestal sink, and a corner shower stall within its walls. Giving it a once over, he thought they’d be better off soaping up the walls and spinning around. That’s how tight the space was.

“It’s been a long day. Why don’t you shower first? I’m going to give Sebastian a quick call to let him know we made it,” Elijah said as he flopped on the side of the bed.

“Don’t fall asleep. Your ass is too big for me to undress you,” Tyler teased, as he grabbed clean boxers and a t-shirt from his bag. Of course, Elijah shot him the bird. It was an unconscious gesture, one he initiated just as often.

Twenty minutes later, they were both free of the grime that accumulated after a long day of being on the road. Within five minutes of hitting the pillows, they were sound asleep.

Elijah woke first, his restless stirrings pulled Tyler from his slumber. He grabbed his phone and saw that it was just after seven. Guess they wouldn’t be late for breakfast after all.

Rayne greeted them when they arrived in the kitchen. An attractive woman, her light-brown hair pulled into a ponytail, looked at them curiously. A teenage boy about fifteen, who was the spitting image of Rayne, was manning a large griddle lined with pancakes.

“Elijah, Tyler, this is my mate Joanne, and our son, Oliver.”

“Welcome to our pack. Please help yourself. Coffee is over by the table,” she said, indicating a side table with a commercial percolator, cups, creamers, and sweeteners lined up neatly.

“It’s Sunday, so the spread is a little more than we usually have during the week. Joanne and Oliver love to cook and look forward to Sunday mornings. Ollie wants to be a chef, and I think he’s got a good start on his career choice,” Rayne announced proudly. Oliver blushed, reminding Tyler of his brother, Malcolm, who was close in age.

Tyler and Elijah helped themselves to food and coffee. Pack members drifted in and out, some staying to eat at the big table, others packing up food in plastic containers to take with them to wherever. Rayne explained the farmhouse housed fourteen of the pack members. The rest had homes of their own, all within ‘spittin’ distance’, as he put it. The Carpenters were one of the families who had their own home.

“Tim and Dottie will be here after breakfast,” Rayne said. “Joanne is going to watch the girls while we talk. It’s been really hard for all of them. Neall was, uh–, is, I mean, the apple of his momma’s eye. Dottie has had the hardest time dealing with it.”

After they finished breakfast, they complimented Oliver. It was cute, the way the youngster blushed. Tyler had to push down the urge to tease him like he would have done to Malcolm.

“Why don’t we go into the study?” Rayne suggested. “It’s quiet in there, and the rest of the pack won’t disturb us. Tim and Dottie are on their way and should be here in a few minutes.’

The study turned out to be a multi-purpose room, a cross between an office and a classroom. A desk held a laptop, several books, and plenty of pens and pencils. A large whiteboard was mounted to the wall, several math equations waiting to be solved. Cubbies stuffed with papers, notebooks, and other miscellaneous paraphernalia lined the wall underneath four big windows, which looked out the back of the house over a large field. Several houses were in view, and Tyler saw a man and woman, each holding a little girl’s hand, approach the house.

A few minutes later, the man and woman entered the room, looking nervous.

Rayne made the introductions. “Tim, Dottie, this is Elijah Garrison and Tyler Williamson. They’re the ones I told you about. They’re going to try to find Neall.’

Tim Carpenter looked to be in his fifties, which meant he was most likely over two-hundred. Dorothy Carpenter’s age was harder to determine. Tyler thought she looked closer to sixty, but there was something about the lines edging her eyes and forehead, that bespoke of a premature aging, most likely from stress.

“Do you really think you can find him?” she asked softly, a glimmer of hope shimmered in the tears that glistened in her watery green eyes.

“We hope so, ma’am,” Elijah answered. “We’re hoping you can give us some more information about Neall.”

Sebastian and Reilly, with Hunter and Kellan’s help, had come up with a list of questions to ask the families. Things that might help them identify the missing pups if communication was an issue. One of the most disturbing bits of information Sebastian gave them was the possibility the hybrid pups had been exchanged between auction winners. It might be difficult to determine who was who, if they weren’t able to verbalize, or otherwise indicate who they were.

When Elijah pulled out his notebook, Tyler noticed Dottie’s brow furrow. He immediately decided to take a different approach. This was a mom whose child was missing. A child she carried inside of her for nine months. One who was born into a close-knit pack. He wasn’t a number or a statistic. He was a boy who was loved. He was her world. Tyler tapped Elijah’s arm and shook his head.

“Mrs. Carpenter, tell us about Neall,” he asked, not anything specific, wanting Dottie to feel free to tell them whatever she wanted, not what she was prompted for.

A tiny smile played at the corner of her mouth. “Neall is an absolute lovebug. He’s always been an affectionate boy. When he was little, he would crawl onto our laps, and give us hugs for no reason other than he wanted to. He was thrilled to be a big brother. He’s so protective of his sisters. Oh, and smart! He wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. I’m not sure how his wolf will feel about that, all cooped up in a spaceship, but knowing my Neall, he’ll convince him it’s the best thing ever. That’s how Neall is.”

Tyler and Elijah listened as Dottie Carpenter told them stories of Neall growing up. She showed them pictures of Neall at various stages; baby, toddler, tow-headed little boy, and finally, a gangly young teen. Occasionally, Elijah would jot down something he thought might be useful later on, a small detail only Neall would recognize if they brought it up. Dottie’s eyes welled up as she described the funny cowlick Neall had on the right side of his hairline, above his brown eyes.

Mrs. Carpenter seemed to run out of steam all of a sudden, as she became aware she’d been giving them a soliloquy for over a half an hour.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, rambling on for so long, forgive me,” she said, tears threatening to spill over once again.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Mrs. Carpenter,” Tyler said sympathetically. “Neall sounds like a wonderful boy. Elijah and I will do everything we can to find him. Sebastian McTire is the best there is at this sort of thing. He’s given us every bit of information he could find. I’m confident we’re on the right track.”

Tim Carpenter looked hopeful. Sebastian had done his best, as tactfully and empathetically as possible, to inform the families of the missing pups what had been done to them. Still, it must be extremely difficult to know your child has been physically changed to such an extent, then realize those changes might be permanent.

“If there’s anything we can do to help, just let us know,” Tim pleaded. “We’ll do anything to have our Neall back, no matter what.”

Tyler nodded. He was still processing the information Mrs. Carpenter had given them. Knowing the background of the boy they were searching for, made things so much more real. It gave him a stronger purpose, made him more focused and determined. It gave Tyler the same feeling he would have if it was one of his own brothers who was missing.

There wasn’t much more that either of the Carpenters could add, and they both looked tired. However, Dottie looked a little better than she had when she arrived. The deep lines surrounding her eyes had softened, and a few of the worry lines across her forehead weren’t as prominent. She gave both of them a hug before leaving with her husband to gather their girls and walk back to their home.

Once they were gone, Rayne turned to them. “Thank you, boys. That was the most we’ve heard from Dottie since Neall was taken. She’s been so withdrawn since he disappeared. She used to be so vibrant, the life of the party at all of our pack gatherings. It was good for her to talk about Neall. Most of the pack have been avoiding the issue, afraid to upset her. I really think she needed to get all of that out.”

Elijah replied, “That was all Tyler here. He always seems to know what to say or do in these situations. I was planning on just asking her the questions Sebastian came up with. This was so much better. I think we got loads more information, and I’m sure it will help when we find him.”

“Thank you, Tyler. It means a lot to me, and my pack.”

Tyler felt a blush creep up the back of his neck. He’d only done what he thought was right. He treated Mrs. Carpenter like he would want his own mom treated if she was in a similar situation.

“It’s not a problem,” he said.

“I think we should get on the road,” Elijah suggested. “We can make it halfway to Vegas today, and not have to drive twelve hours straight. We can stop somewhere past Reno by dinner time if we leave now.”

Tyler agreed. It was a good plan. There was no sense hanging around here, now that they had the information they needed. Besides, six hours of driving suited him much better than twelve. He had a feeling that, by the time he and Elijah found the pups they were searching for, the seats in the new van would be molded to their asses.

Elijah and Tyler gathered their things, thanking Rayne for his hospitality. Under different circumstances it would’ve been nice to visit for a few days and check out the area. Crater Lake had plenty of trails and camping sites to explore. Maybe someday.

Joanne handed them a soft-sided cooler with homemade cookies and fudge for the road. Tyler snuck a peek inside and grinned. Snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies with Hershey Kisses pressed into them stared back at him. Damn, his favorite.

They promised Rayne they would keep him updated if they had any new information to pass along. Following the lane back to the main road was easier on the way out. It wasn’t long before they were on the road headed south again, toward Las Vegas, the city of sin. He wasn't looking forward to it. Humanity had become rather unsavory, and he decided he much preferred the shifter world, even though he really didn’t belong. He pushed those thoughts aside and reached for the bag with the snickerdoodles, fishing out two, while Elijah shook his head at his eagerness to get to the sweets.

“No worries until tomorrow, my friend,” he said, giving Elijah a wry grin.

“No worries,” Elijah parroted.

Wasn’t it Scarlett O’Hara who said, ‘I'll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day’?

Yes, tomorrow was soon enough to start worrying.