Shadow Effect - 31. Chapter 31

Tyler grabbed his guitar and headed over to the lodge. He and Elijah spent the better part of the past week helping where they could. Tonight was a celebration for Ray’s birthday. He was turning fifteen.

His parents arrived the day after him and gently broke the news of his grandfather’s death. Understandably he was upset, but overall it hadn’t been totally unexpected. He had been well over six hundred.

“Hey! ‘Bout damn time you showed up!” Ben teased as he swung the front door open. Zev was standing behind him and gave Tyler a wide smile and shrugged his shoulders.

Tyler jogged up the steps and playfully shouldered past his friend. “Better late than never as Papi always says.”

Ben shook his head and laughed. “ Your Papi must know you well. Everyone’s out back. Sebastian has Hunter and Kellan trying to get the bonfire going. You know how those two are.”

Tyler didn’t know. He hadn’t spent much time with Sebastian’s first Beta and his mate. They were often busy with pack business matters, which the Alpha assigned to them while he made sure everything was running smoothly with the search for other hybrids.

The latest update from Hunter and Kellan was the news that Logan and Cooper were following up on a few different leads and seemed confident they were getting close to their target. It was only a matter of time before they, too, would be successful.

Tyler felt his face heat up as he thought of his sexy friend and truly hoped he was well. Still smiling, he slung the guitar case over his shoulder and followed Ben and Zev through the big reception area outside. Twilight was rapidly fading into darkness, and a large gathering of shifters was halfway across the back lawn. Little ones were playing under the watchful eyes of some of the older teenagers, chasing fireflies or each other.

The group of hybrids now numbered close to twenty. They had developed their own version of sign language and most of them could communicate much better. Taking his cue from hospitals and nursing homes, Sebastian went a step further. His tech team installed large, interactive touch screens strategically throughout the lodge. Any of the hybrids could point to a picture of what they needed, or tap out a message on the screen. Basic needs were being met more easily now. The team was also developing a paw-friendly, easy-to-use tablet version. Donovan had come up with an adaptive brace that allowed some of the hybrids who had half-formed paws to hold a pen or pencil easily.

As Tyler stood there, he was bumped from the side. He stumbled a few steps then smiled when he saw a familiar face waiting for a little attention.

“Hey, Cameron!” Tyler turned, setting the guitar out of the way, and gave the boy a side hug.

Cameron pointed to the instrument and gave a soft bark.

“Yeah, I’m going to play. No howling because I’m a little rusty, hear me?”

Cameron chuffed, which Tyler took as a laugh.

“Tyler!” Elijah shouted. “I was wondering when you were going to show up. You missed the cookout.”

“Sorry. I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to. One minute I was reading and the next Ben was calling to yell at me.”

“Sounds like you. Are you ready for a little jammin’?”

“Yep, let’s get this party started.”

They spent the rest of the evening with good company and good music. One of the hybrid’s dads was a musician. He left and came back with a keyboard and harmonica. He and Tyler took requests and overall, they didn’t do too bad.

Everyone joined in when Sandi and Ray’s mom brought out a huge sheet cake and sang Happy Birthday. Tyler didn’t miss the way both the boy’s parents brushed away their tears. He couldn’t help hoping that by the time another of Ray’s birthdays came around, he would be back to normal. The look in Ray’s eyes as he attempted to blow out the candles made it clear what he was wishing for.

By eleven o’clock most of the families had said their goodbyes and shuffled their tired kids off to bed. A group of ten or twelve adults remained scattered around the crackling remains of the once towering bonfire, now reduced to softly glowing flames.

“Hey, Ty,” Elijah said as he stared into the fire.

“Yeah?”

“What do you say we start thinking about heading out on the road again?”

“I’m good with that. There’s no reason for us to stay here. We have a job to do, after all.”

“Mmmm, I know Sebastian is concerned we might be taking on too much, too soon, but I think it’s time.”

“Is this another one of your gut feelings?” Tyler asked.

“I guess. I think we should look at the names again and see if I get the warm fuzzies. Then we’ll know for sure.”

“I can get on board with that.”

“Have you called Mama lately?”

“As a matter of fact, I talked to her and Papi before I fell asleep. They both say hello. They’re doing good and the kids are all fine. Let’s see, Declan has a new girlfriend, Micah made the honor roll, and Elena has settled into her new job and apartment. No drama there. Malcolm and Felix are busy with their baseball teams and, oh yeah, Kaya wants to be an astronaut this week.”

Elijah chuckled at that. Tyler’s youngest sibling changed her mind from week to week as to what she wanted to be when she grew up. He and his older siblings used to make bets on what she would choose until Mama overheard them and put a stop to it. No money ever changed hands, only chores, with the loser having to do the winners for a week. Most weeks, no one won. Kaya often chose odd careers such as a signboard letter changer or a ghostwriter. Not the actual hobby, but a spooky ghost pretending to write.

Fun memories, he thought as he put his guitar back into its case. He gave Elijah a ride back to the McDen and promised they would look over the list again in the morning, even though he and Elijah had long since memorized the names.

After getting ready for bed, he lay flat on his back, hands propped under his head as he stared at the dark ceiling. Neall and Cameron had been crossed off, leaving eight more names to be contemplated. Erik, Luke, Shawn, Wyatt, Dante, Jonah, Ashton, and Austin. Eight names. Eight more chances at triumph or defeat.

Tyler fell asleep with the names playing out in a continuous roll call through his mind.

Before the sun had a chance to brighten the sky, he jolted awake, disjointed remnants of his dream mixing with reality, leaving him confused as to what was real and what wasn’t. He dreamed about wolves of all different colors, even blue, purple, and green. He had to be fucking losing it.

Yawning, he stretched and got out of bed. Might as well start the day. The kitchen was quiet. It was still early, the sun not quite above the horizon. He pulled out the stuff needed to get the coffee going and inhaled deeply as he opened a new bag of roasted beans. Reaching for the coffee grinder, he couldn’t help thinking there was nothing quite like the smell of freshly ground java nuggets.

It wasn’t long before Elijah joined him, dark circles under his eyes attesting to his lack of sleep.

“Rough night?” he asked, sliding a mug of coffee toward his friend.

Elijah grunted and took a sip before answering, “Yeah, weird dreams. Technicolor wolves. It was pretty odd.”

Tyler’s hand stopped midway between the table and his mouth, the cup of steaming brew hanging there as if suspended in time. He lowered his mug. “What do you mean by Technicolor wolves?”

“I dreamt about wolves in all different colors, even some like green or blue. Hell, there might have been a polka-dotted one too. I don’t remember the details, but yeah, it was weird.”

“Dude, I think we had the same dream.” Tyler’s mind began working overtime, wondering what it meant.

Elijah’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“About what I dreamed about? Yeah, I’m definitely sure. I remember waking up and thinking wolves don’t have purple fur.”

Elijah took a calming breath. “Let’s not read too much into this. It’s most likely Kage’s energy trying to get us to connect some dots or something.”

“Well, you’d think he could be a little more direct? Cryptic wolf colors mean jack-shit to either of us,” Tyler sighed.

“Let’s just eat and look over the names. See if Kage gives us any real inspiration, although he usually doesn’t pipe in until I’ve already made the decision. Sort of like he’s letting me know I made the right one.”

Tyler had an idea. He walked over to the fridge, where Sandi kept a small pad of paper for a running grocery list, and pulled off eight pages. He wrote one name on each page with a sharpie he found after rummaging through a drawer.

“What? You want to draw a name randomly?”

Tyler shook his head and laid out the pieces of paper on the table in random order. “No, I want you to study the names.” With everything set, he leaned his ass against the counter with his legs crossed at the ankle and sipped his coffee as he observed his friend.

After a few minutes, Elijah leaned back and blew out a breath. “I don’t know Ty. I just don’t know!”

Tyler smiled triumphantly, drained the remnants of his mug, and replied, “Yes you do. I know I do.”

“Want to share your secret formula then, Mr. Krabs?” Elijah asked sarcastically.

Tyler quirked an eyebrow before crossing the distance to the table in two long strides. He pretended to scrutinize the names as if they held the key to universal knowledge. Sensing Elijah’s irritation, he reached over and picked up his choice. Well, choices.

Ashton and Austin Laramee.

Elijah looked up at him expectantly, confusion wrinkling his brow. “I know we’ve considered them before but, why now? They’ve been missing the longest. You realize they’re most likely dead?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But your eyes kept landing on them. Every single time you read their names, you paused. I don’t need Kage’s energy residue or whatever the fuck is inside you telling me I’m right. Do you?” he asked pointedly.

Elijah shook his head, silently conceding.

Once they made their decision, things moved quickly. Sebastian and Reilly were the first ones they told their new plan to. Sebastian, whose research teams were digging up as much information on all the missing hybrids, immediately had them focus on the last known whereabouts of the twins, as well as their parents.

At the time of their disappearance, the Laramee twins belonged to a large pack inhabiting the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. The Black Hills Pack numbered over a hundred, and Tyler thought it was as good a reason as any for the parents to stay put. Having a strong support system kept the other parents of the hybrids sane during their children’s disappearances.

It only took Sebastian a couple of days to confirm the Laramees were still part of their original pack and to obtain permission from their Alpha for Tyler and Elijah to visit. Looking at Google maps, Tyler was happy to see that the drive was less than ten hours.

During their pre-departure briefing, Sebastian expressed some concerns.

“You boys need to be extra vigilant on this trip. If they’re still alive, and still together, there’s an increased risk of them being feral. Eight years is a long time to be away from a pack. Even if they’ve had each other, wolves are social creatures. A lack of a pack structure, especially for wolves so young can have devastating consequences. Donovan has some fast-acting tranquilizers in case things get dangerous. I should have made sure all of you had them on hand before now. My mistake, which I assure you, will be rectified immediately. Use them as a last resort. The effects are short-lived but should give you enough time to secure them if necessary. Don’t hesitate to call me if you feel threatened in any way. I want to know where you are at all times. I have contacts throughout the States and, in most cases, can get you help within a few hours if needed. Is that clearly understood?”

Tyler and Elijah nodded.

“Use your words. I want to hear your answer,” Sebastian commanded.

“Yes, sir,” he and Elijah said simultaneously.

“Sebastian?” Elijah paused. “Do you have any information on Kenneman or Gates?”

A hard gleam flickered across the Alpha’s eyes. “I have teams tracking both of them. Don’t worry. We know exactly where they are. There is nowhere on this earth they can hide. They’ll be taken care of soon enough.”

Tyler exchanged a look with Elijah. Sebastian’s word was as good as gold. No further discussion was required. When the Alpha had more information, he would tell them. Tyler hoped the assholes were going to suffer.

Sebastian gave them a brief nod. “Alright, go see Donovan and finish your preparations.”

Before they left, Ben and Zev pulled them aside.

“We’re heading out in a few days too,” Zev said. “Ben’s Kage alert went off when we were discussing what our next move should be. We want you to know your shadow boy is working overtime. Logan and Cooper are on their way back with a rescue. Apparently, they’ve been having the same funny feelings, but they ignored them for a lot longer. We wanted you to know that things are moving along now.”

“Thanks for letting us know. As much as we’d love to catch up with the twins, we’ve got our own set to track down. You guys better be careful out there,” Elijah warned them.

“You too,” Ben echoed, adding, “Take Sebastian’s advice to heart. Don’t take any risks. If you need us, call. We will drop everything and come help. Your safety is too important.”

“We will,” Elijah promised as Ben and Zev pulled them into a group hug.

Before they left, Sebastian had a few more details to share. The last known location of the twins was in Kansas, but it had been two years ago. Since then, the trail had gone cold. Sebastian assured them he was going to keep digging. He also told them Nat Chusi and Roberto Mata were working hard behind the scenes, using every contact they had worldwide to collect as much information as they could, by whatever means necessary. Tyler didn’t want to think too hard about that. Having never met the anaconda shifter, he imagined she was intimidating on a good day, and downright scary on a bad one. He had a sneaky suspicion the snake shifter was leading Sebastian’s team, currently tracking Kenneman and Gates. If he was right, those two were screwed.

A month to the day after they returned with Cameron, he and Elijah set out again with a cooler full of food from Sandi to tide them over. Once they were on the road, a sense of calm washed over him. He knew deep down, they made the right choice.

“This is good, E. I have a good feeling about this, despite how the odds aren’t great.”

“Me too. Last night I got the warm sensation in my scar again. I had the weird dreams about the colored wolves again too, did you?”

“If I did, I don’t remember any of it.”

The ride seemed to go by quickly this time. Tyler followed the directions the GPS called out to him as they got closer. The town the pack associated with was in the heart of the forest, far enough off the beaten path that the tourist traffic from nearby Mount Rushmore didn’t venture close. He parked next to the general store as per the instructions they’d been given.

No sooner did they get out of the van and stretch, they were greeted by a tall, shaggy-haired man giving off some serious lumberjack vibes. His navy blue t-shirt looked as if it would be better off being replaced by plaid flannel, but seeing how it was the height of summer, it wouldn’t have been too practical.

“Hi, I’m John Windham, pack Beta. You must be Elijah and Tyler. Welcome.”

His smile was warm, and it put Tyler at ease. He was still a little leery when it came to meeting new shifters. Handshakes were exchanged and John led them down the street to the town meeting hall. The hall itself was deserted, but they followed John to a set of two rooms, which he jokingly referred to as the mayor’s office. The ‘mayor’ being the pack Alpha.

The Alpha was at his desk, feet propped up, arms crossed over his chest, just under where his chin rested. The man was sound asleep. John shook his head and walked over, grabbed both his Alpha’s legs, picked them up, and dropped them unceremoniously on the floor.

Tyler held back a laugh as the man startled, nearly falling off his chair. “What the fuck, John!”

John laughed. “Wake up, we’ve got company.”

He looked at the guests and straightened. “Ah shit, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to fall asleep. The Satan’s-spawn child of mine kept us up all night.”

“Don’t let Keila hear you call her baby girl Satan’s spawn. She’ll have your nuts on a platter.”

“Fine by me,” the Alpha replied. “Then we can’t have any more little demons.”

Tyler shot Elijah a sideways glance and saw that his friend was having as much trouble keeping a straight face as he was.

John turned to them and introduced his Alpha. “Guys, this slacker of an Alpha is Isaac Sawyer. Isaac, this is Elijah and Tyler. Now get up off your ass and greet them properly.”

Isaac stood up and extended his hand, shaking each of theirs in turn. “Nice to meet you. Even if the circumstances aren’t all that great. John, call Becca and Devin and let them know we’re on the way over. Can I get either of you something to drink?”

“No thanks,” they both replied.

“Excuse my appearance. My mate and I have a six-week-old little she-pup at home who is now on week three with a severe case of colic. Neither of us has gotten much sleep.” As if to emphasize the point, Isaac yawned, not able to help himself.

“Put her on the dryer.”

Isaac’s head swung around to look at Tyler. “Huh?”

“Put her in her car seat, and set it on top of the dryer while it’s running,” Tyler clarified. “My mom swore by it. Four out of seven of us had colic issues. Not me though.” He grinned smugly.

Isaac whipped out his phone and relayed the information to his mate. “It’s worth a shot. Thanks. Come on, you can follow me over to Devin and Becca’s. They’re expecting us.”

John had disappeared, so Tyler and Elijah got back in the van for the short ride. The Laramees lived in a small ranch-style home surrounded by thick trees. Isaac rapped once on the door before letting them in.

As Tyler stepped inside, the smell of vanilla and cinnamon washed over him. Mmm. Smelled like Snickerdoodles, his favorite. He looked at Elijah and grinned.

Elijah rolled his eyes.

“Becks? Dev?” Isaac called out. “We’re here.”

“In the kitchen!” a female voice replied.

The front entry led directly through the spacious living room. Tyler could see pictures lining the mantle of a stone fireplace. He didn’t have time to look as they crossed the room and down a short hall to the kitchen. The old house didn't have the open floor plan that was so common nowadays, but the space was cozy and inviting. Tyler was whisked back home, and his chest tightened as a pang of homesickness hit him.

Becca Laramee was a surprise. Tyler had expected an older, house-wifey type. Instead, she was surprisingly young. He discovered early on, it was hard to tell with shifters. His first impression was that she was in no way old enough to be the mom to twenty-one-year-old twins. She didn’t look much older than her early to mid-thirties.

There was an amused twinkle in her eyes as she greeted them. The look on his face must have given away his thoughts.

“Not what you expected, am I?” she grinned. “I’m sixty-four, by the way.”

“No fucking way,” Tyler muttered under his breath.

“Yes fucking way,” another voice said from behind him, making him jump. Damn shifters and their uncanny hearing.

“I’m Devin Laramee. I see you’ve met my mate, Becca. Welcome to our home.” Devin was just as young looking as his mate.

“Yes, welcome boys. Are you hungry? I have buffalo chicken pasta.”

“That sounds amazing,” Tyler exclaimed, his belly rumbling in anticipation. He heard Elijah’s stomach echo the sentiment.

“Isaac, are you staying?”

“Sorry Beccs, Keila would kill me. She’s due for a break from the she-devil.”

“Then here, take this home. Forty-five minutes at three-fifty will do,” she told him, handing off a covered container before adding, “Give that she-devil a kiss from Auntie Becca.”

The exhausted Alpha kissed Becca on the cheek. “You’re the best. If you need anything let me know.”

Isaac nodded at Tyler and Elijah. “You’re in good hands. You have my number if needed.”

Becca nodded toward the table and within a few minutes, he and Elijah each had a plate of perfect al dente noodles, sauteed in some olive oil, tossed with chicken, and seasoned with just the right amount of buffalo sauce. It was barely enough to coat each piece of meat, not overpoweringly spicy, just the right amount to complement the noodles. Fire-roasted tomatoes and blue cheese crumbles rounded out the dish. It was amazingly delicious.

Becca and Devin were gracious hosts, putting them at ease. They asked questions about their families, genuinely sympathetic when Elijah mentioned the recent loss of his parents. They laughed with Tyler when he told them of some of his siblings’ antics. The interest they showed in what he and Elijah had to say was genuine.

Tyler had a sense of déjà vu, but couldn’t quite put his finger on the reason why. Maybe it was because he could picture his own parents when they were the same age as the Laramees.

Halfway through dinner was the first mention of the twins and it occurred so naturally, Tyler almost didn’t realize what turn the conversation took.

“So, as I was saying, Ashton and Austin love family gatherings, too,” Becca commented in response to Tyler’s remark about how big holidays were in his house.

“Does it get any easier?” Elijah asked softly.

“Missing them?” Becca asked.

Elijah blushed and nodded.

“No, it doesn’t get any easier,” she replied. “But how we deal with it does. At least for the most part. We still have days where it’s all we can do to drag ourselves out of bed, but those are few and far between now. Coping is easier. Most of the time.”

She stood to clear the plates, and Tyler automatically got up to help. She didn’t say a word as they cleared the table together. Elijah chipped in as well, while Devin busied himself making coffee for dessert.

“Would you boys like to see what our twins are like?” Becca asked.

Tyler nodded at Elijah when he looked over.

“We’d love that,” Elijah replied.

Becca led them back to the living room, nodding at the mantle. Several framed pictures lined the shelf. One immediately caught both his and Elijah’s attention. It must have been taken shortly before they were abducted. The boys in the photo looked about thirteen. They seemed happy and carefree. Their appearance took him by surprise. He heard a sharp intake of breath, not sure if it was his or Elijah’s.

“Wow, they are stunning!” Elijah commented.

Tyler looked closely. Even at such a young age, the two boys were beautiful, almost pretty even. Dark hair, the same shade of black as Devin’s, glinted with a healthy shine. Bright smiles showed off perfectly straight white teeth. The most amazing feature, however, was their eyes. Each boy had one turquoise blue, and one true green eye. Oftentimes, people with green eyes actually have hazel eyes with green tones. Ashton’s and Austin’s green was the same shade as new grass. Long, thick lashes complemented the unusual coloring. Positively stunning.

“They’re mirror-image twins with heterochromia,” Becca informed them as Devin stepped up behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder and hugging his wife from behind.

“What exactly does that mean?” Tyler asked. He never heard either of those terms before.

“Mirror-image means they are exact opposites of each other and heterochromia are two different colored eyes. Ashton is on the right. His left eye is blue, while Austin, who’s on the left, has a right blue eye. Ashton is right-handed, and Austin is left-handed. It sure does make it easy to tell them apart.” Tyler noticed the glimmer of unshed tears in Becca’s eyes. No one had to tell him how proud she was of her sons.

Tyler couldn’t help staring at the picture. They were by far the most beautiful set of twins he’d ever seen, male or female. Elijah bumped his shoulder as if reading his thoughts.

Dammit, they just had to be alive. For Becca and Devin’s sake and whatever other reasons he couldn’t fathom, they needed to believe it.