Page 77 of Bound

Were the human and rogue working together?That doesn’t make sense.The rogue seemed to target the kids, not her, so is this man, Blaze? The one who left her the note? Did he just use the distraction of the rogue to get to her?

As we approach the clearing, Max is waiting at the treelinewith a large dog cage beside him. I freeze in my tracks, holding her tighter to me.

“What’s that for?” I ask as Gage steps slightly in front of us, trying to block her from his view.

“I found it, just over there behind the trees,” he says, pointing behind me. I relax a little, knowing he didn’t bring it here for her, but that only brings up even more questions. Who put it there? Was the rogue in there, and why?

“Is she okay?” he asks in concern, motioning toward the unconscious little wolf in my arms.

“We need to get her home,” I say, not answering his question. “Can you let Alpha Kane know?”

“Of course,” he says as we move to walk past him.

“Maddox!” Trevor yells, jogging over to walk with us. He looks around, then lowers his voice, “The rogue you caught… he’s gone.”

I stop on the spot and turn to him, anger thrumming at the edge of my voice as I growl out, “What do you mean, gone? Gone where?”

“Two of Kane’s personal guards took him away for questioning, but they came back shortly after saying that the rogue escaped.”

My brows pinch in confusion. “He had cuffs on. He wouldn’t be able to get those off, especially in his wolf form.” I glance at Gage, who looks just as worried, then back at Trevor.

“I know,” he says with a look that says he doesn’t believe the story either. I nod in thanks and turn back toward our vehicle.

“Theories?”I ask Gage through the bond so we’re not overheard.

“The rogue getting in wasn’t an accident. They let him go to cover something up,”Gage replies.

“Guys, we got him!”Hunter yells through the bond.

“Good. Don’t bring him back here,”I tell them.

“Why?”Chase asks.

“The rogue mysteriously escaped.”

“Goddess-damned fucker!”Chase swears.

“Hunter, meet us at the SUV. We’ll take Red home, then you can meet Chase and Bain at Jackson Point with the vehicle and a set of cuffs,”I instruct them as Gage and I reach our SUV.

“Where are we taking him?”Bain asks.“I don’t want him in the same house as Red.”

“We need to question him, and there’s nowhere else to put him. We will have video surveillance and a guard on him 24/7, and as soon as we have answers, we will get rid of him one way or another.”

He doesn’t respond, which is his way of letting me know he agrees, but he’s not happy about it.

“How is she?”Chase asks.

“Still unconscious,” I reply.

Nobody speaks again as Gage and I close ourselves in the back seat of our vehicle, our eyes glued to the unconscious little wolf and wait for Hunter. It doesn’t take him long. Within a couple of minutes, he’s climbing in the driver’s seat and taking us home.

I hold on to Red tightly, hating that I was unable to protect her from whatever happened out there. And knowing she can’t even tell us when she does wake up makes it that much worse.

Once we’re parked in the driveway, I open the door and instantly the smell of burned vanilla hits my nose, making me growl as I look toward the front door.

“Blaze,” I growl out loud. Gage and Hunter quickly appear in front of me, their teeth bared as they slowly move toward the house. I hold her tight as we approach the front steps, and the small object lying there. As we move closer, I see it’s another rose with a note.

Hunter starts to inspect the rest of the property, makingsure Blaze is gone, but the scent is old enough that I know he hasn’t been here in over an hour.