With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

them.”
    Aubrey nodded. “Thanks.”
    Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Rhys continued. “What I do know is that Jordan Ackart is from
    Tennessee. He’s twenty years old and an only child. His father is a stockbroker. His mother is an
    elementary school teacher. He’s a member of the Chattanooga pack, and he’s been at Georgia State for two semesters. No criminal record, not even a speeding ticket.” Rhys shook his head slightly and frowned.
    “Matt has a good head on his shoulders, and he keeps calm in a crisis. He’ll be okay.”
    Jake’s brows pulled together. “Why does that pack sound familiar to me?”
    Rhys shrugged.
    Aubrey shook his head. “I don’t know. None of that rings a bell. I just know when Matt introduced
    me to him I picked up a real hostile vibe from him.”
    “Hostile toward Matthew?” Gadget asked, coming back around the corner of the house.
    “No. Hostile toward me. He was a little too friendly toward Matt for my tastes.” Aubrey tried to think
    back on his one meeting with Jordan. Had the man said anything that would give them a clue as to what
    this was about?
    “For some reason I feel like this has to do with the Chattanooga pack.” Jake slapped Gadget on the
    back as the other man climbed the steps. “How’re you holding up?”
    “I’ve been better.” Gadget smacked Jake on the shoulder and dipped his head at Rhys in greeting. “I
    could give two shits about Becky, but I want Matthew back. Hell, I want blood over Matthew being taken
    in the first place. What’re our options as far as pack law? Have you contacted the guy’s pack yet?”
    “Not yet. I wanted to talk to you and Aubrey first and see what motive we could come up with and try
    to figure out what we’re dealing with.”
    The fierce look on Rhys’s face intensified. “You’ll get blood over this, I promise you.”
    Damned right he would because Aubrey was going to personally kill the guy when they found him.
    “Aubrey, do you think this has to do with some obsession over Matt?” Rhys asked.
    “It might.” And that terrified Aubrey to death. He tried not to think about it. He had no idea what kind of psycho they were dealing with, or more importantly what kind of psycho Matt was dealing with at the
    moment. What if the son of a bitch raped Matt, or…killed him? It was a little more difficult, but not
    impossible, to kill a wolf. Aubrey closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. He hadn’t apologized to Matt or told him he loved him, or— Please be okay, sugar.
    180
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Abandon
    Jake’s nose twitched as he walked over to Logan and Chris, who were still searching the perimeter.
    “The guy’s scent is strongest over here. I can barely smell Matt.” He turned back toward Aubrey with his forehead furrowed. “Why can I smell the other guy better?”
    Aubrey shrugged. “I don’t know.” A pang hit him right in the chest. He wanted Matt back…now. “I
    was hoping to pick up a scent trail to locate them, but the trail stops.”
    Closing his eyes, Rhys tilted his head and lifted his face as if he were concentrating. He leveled his
    gaze on Aubrey. “You have three forms too. Keaton never mentioned it.” As if he hadn’t said a thing, he closed his eyes again, turned toward the bushes and dismissed Aubrey completely.
    Aubrey blinked in surprise. Rhys was either sensitive to power or very perceptive. Aubrey had made
    such a habit of hiding his power that he hadn’t stopped just because he’d been found out. Concealing his abilities was second nature to him.
    Jake’s eyebrows shot up. “I hadn’t realized.”
    “I hide it well.”
    “Yes, you do.”
    “I caught a bit of his scent when we got here. It stops in the front. The guy must have been in a car,”
    Rhys announced without turning toward them. “He was scared.” Swiveling around, he focused on Jake. “Is
    that fear? Is that what I’m smelling?”
    Jake nodded. “I think so.”
    “That makes sense as to why his scent is stronger than Matt’s.” Aubrey walked around to where Rhys
    stood. What did that mean? That Matt wasn’t scared?
    “Okay, so the guy was scared. Of what?” Jake stepped behind the bushes where Logan and Chris
    stood watching him.
    “That he’d get caught?” Logan asked.
    “This has to do with Aubrey,” Rhys said. “The pictures were sent to him. The man wants Aubrey to
    fear for Matt’s safety.”
    Jake snapped his fingers, garnering everyone’s attention.