Running Red: Lost Moon

Chapter 25: Photos

Andrew paced between the beds in the hotel room as Tate finished writing down his own version of the events that had taken place. "If you keep that up, you'll make a hole to the second floor."

"I can't punch anyone."

"You already took care of the pack and anyone that would want to retaliate."

"He was sixteen. Sixteen! He should be in high school, causing problems for his parents. Not a punching bag for a whole pack of wolves. He has physical scars, Tate. I don't even want to think about the mental and emotional ones. If I find out even one of them..." He paused and looked at Tate there was an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry."

Tate sighed, "I'm fine talking about it now. Living on the streets means I had to survive somehow."

Andrew sank onto the bed with a sigh. "My mind keeps wandering to what ifs. One of them keeps swinging back around to the front of my thoughts. I know he's out there somewhere, and now I'm scared."

Tate tapped the butt of his pen on the table as he thought about it. "He could also be somewhere safe." He shuffled through the files next to him. "Remember that one girl. She was only taken in because the Alpha was dying, and they needed her to find his own daughter and the mediator that went missing with her. She was treated well. Had food, clothes, free to walk around the grounds."

"But not without an escort to make sure she didn't leave the pack grounds."

"Only because there were two hostile packs around them."

"They still kidnapped her."

"And yet she's going back in a few months to help them find these missing people. What if he's in a pack like that? Or maybe he got away and he's somewhere safe? Maybe someone we know noticed him and is keeping him hidden?"

"And not tell me?" Andrew rubbed at his forehead.

"Who knows? Maybe they're worried the kid will be taken again."

"But why did they grab him and leave Levi behind?"

Tate looked at the papers in front of him, "I don't know."

"Sorry," He rubbed his hand over his face. "I didn't - I don't..." His fingers tangled together as he seemed to curl in on himself. "This whole thing is making me worried."

"About?"

"What if they go after Levi next?"

Tate paused in his writing to look at Andrew. He looked away and fiddled with his pen before looking at Andrew with a smirk. "You forget who his mother is? She'd be next to you turning this world on its head." He pointed his pen at Andrew. "You didn't hear this from me, but she's been looking for your kid this whole time."

"Really?"

Tate nodded. "Act surprised when she tells you."

Andrew leaned forward, "She does know that we think Levi could be a way to find Paxton right?"

"Yeah. When she calls to check up on Levi, we talk about the different things she's been looking into." Tate turned back to the papers. "We'll find him. And we'll find the people who took him, and we'll make sure they can't do it again."

Andrew gave a nod as Tate looked back at the paperwork.

00

Brian looked up from his phone, where he was sitting in the driver's seat when he heard the front door of Levi's home close. He watched as Levi jogged across the yard towards Brian's car. He yanked the door opened and threw himself into the seat as he whispered, "Go! Go!"