Nat was strong. He had survived Giblin Turkeyson and one kidnapping; he could survive another.
He had to. Duke didn’t know what he would do if Nat didn’t; it made him sick to imagine it.
Nat was a joy all by himself. He made Duke laugh without even trying; he was so sweet, cuddly and kind. Duke had forgotten what it felt like to wake up in bed alone; his heart skipped whenever he opened his eyes to find Nat snug in his arms, sleeping peacefully.
If he lost Nat, if he never got to see Nat smile again...
Duke swallowed hard, his instincts raging.
Blade stepped into the lobby before Duke could punch something. Blade was an alpha, broad-shouldered with chestnut hair and reddish-brown eyes. He was in his police uniform. “Duke.”
Duke nodded at Kylie’s crumpled body on the floor. “I’ll tell you what I know.”
Blade pulled out his tablet. “Ready when you are.”
Crush and Raptor jogged in when Duke was close to done. Like Duke and Blade, they were alphas, tall and muscular in a way that sent Xannon scampering behind the receptionist’s desk. The newcomers were too busy scanning for threats to notice, though.
Raptor whistled when he spotted Kylie’s body on the floor. “What’s going on here?”
“She tried to kidnap Wanda,” Duke growled.
Raptor sobered up real fast. He had black hair and golden eyes, and he wasn’t usually this serious. “Damn it. More baby kidnappers?”
“No, this was a grudge kidnapping.” Duke wanted to rip out Kylie’s throat and kill her again. “She wanted me and was jealous of Nat. So she had Nat’s ex kidnap him, and she snatched his baby while he was gone.”
Raptor rolled his eyes. “Obviously, the way to your intended’s heart is to dispose of their mate and kidnap their baby.”
“And try to sell her,” Duke growled.
The other alphas scowled.
“Yeah, no,” Crush muttered. “I’m glad you neutralized her.”
Crush was the only wolf shifter amongst them. He even looked wolfish, with longer canines and a nose that twitched as he sniffed. “Give me something of Nat’s so I can start on the scent trail.”
Duke handed him a cushion that Shelby had retrieved from Nat’s nest. Crush took a few good sniffs. Then he handed it back and headed for the elevator.
“He was here not too long ago,” Crush said thoughtfully, looking around. “Smells panicked.”
Duke wanted to kill Kylie a third time, and also Giblin Turkeyson. In fact, he wanted to kill Turkeyson several times for daring to hurt Nat. “Where did they go?”
Crush’s nose took them out of the building.
“Right, I think I’ve got most of your statement,” Blade said, tapping on his tablet. “Stop by the station to finish up the rest of it.”
Duke nodded tersely. “And the body?”
“I’ll make sure it’s gone,” Blade replied.
“Thanks.”
“Will it leave stains?” Raptor asked with some distaste. “I liked your black marble floors. Very classy.”
“I don’t know,” Blade said. “Having your enemies’ blood on your territory gives it a certain kind of charm. A blessing and a warning rolled into one.”
“I’m not about to build a temple around it,” Duke muttered. “If the tiles end up stained... We’ll see. I’ll ask Nat what he thinks.”
Because they were going to get Nat back. Any number of terrible things could be happening to him right now.
