“Apparently,” Hayes concurred.
“Molly can’t hear anything surrounding your house, but that doesn’t mean no one is there. If it’s a shifter, they could be alone and not speaking to anyone, including telepathically.”
Hayes sighed as he entered his mate’s nursery to find her a pair of panties and some leggings. He didn’t want her exposed to whatever the fuck was outside. “Or,” he growled, “whatever is out there isn’t a creature Molly is capable of eavesdropping on.”
“True,” Gavin agreed. “You think we should come?”
“No. Felix, Khloe, Isaac, and Jayce are all on their way here. I’m sure Felix alerted the elders. One of us will call you if things change.” Hayes ended the call and set the phone on the changing table so he could focus on dressing his mate. After putting panties and leggings on her, he grabbed a pair of tennis shoes too. They were undoubtedly going to end up outside. In the end,he opted to yank his T-shirt back over her head and quickly pull one of her yellow sweatshirts onto her body instead. It would fit better and give her more protection. He put his T-shirt on himself. Now they were both covered.
Seconds later, he had her back in his arms, heading for the front of the house.
“They’re here,” Rylee murmured.
Hayes inhaled deeply. He hadn’t yet figured out what she meant when she said something like that because like earlier in the day, she was indicating someone had arrived before Hayes could sense them in any way.
He grabbed her chin as he approached the front door. She was in a strange trance like he’d never witnessed from her before. He wanted her full attention. “Look at me, Rylee.”
She blinked a few times and glanced around as if just then realizing where they were. Meeting his gaze, she licked her lips.
“You do not leave my side for any reason. Understood?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl.” He hated this. His heart was racing. He finally understood how Gavin, Felix, and Damon felt when their mates behaved so unpredictably. His Little girl was shaving years off his life.
He could finally scent the arrival of their backup and opened the door. Lights were on all around the perimeter of his house. They always were.
Four wolves bounded into the clearing, one of them much larger than the others. That would be Khloe.
Hayes stepped onto the porch, holding Rylee on his hip, unwilling to put her down.
Rylee had a grip on the front of his shirt over his chest, and she fisted the cotton tighter as she twisted her head around in both directions, breathing hard.
“Talk to me, Baby girl,” he encouraged, unnerved by how focused she could get. He’d heard that Molly got like this when she was listening to her surroundings, too. Apparently Rylee had a similar reaction when focused on scents.
“Bears bounding this direction,” she murmured.
Felix shifted to human form.
Khloe turned in a slow circle. Isaac and Jayce remained in wolf form, prowling around the clearing as if expecting a fight. They growled under their breaths repeatedly.
“Lion,” Rylee whispered.
“Lion?” He didn’t mean to doubt her. Never. But it had been a long time since a lion had been spotted in this territory, and why would it be stalking their house? That wasn’t normal behavior. Plus, Rylee would have never smelled a lion in her life. How could she know their scent?
“Shifter,” Rylee added.
Hayes frowned. “Another wolf is coming, or more bears?”
She turned to face him, eyes wide. “The lion.”
He gasped. “How do you know that?”
“I have no idea. I just do. Male.”
Felix was close enough to overhear. His brow was furrowed as he held up his phone. “Molly says the bears are close. Surge and Thorn.”
“They are,” Rylee confirmed.
