Irregular (mlm)

Chapter 22

Bit of a shorter chapter cause I've been sick but oh how the plot with thicken~

Kai slipped into the shower after Owen, grumbling. "Why do we need to get up?"

Owen started to scrub his scalp as Kai hunched over to rest his head on his shoulder. "Amy is coming over to check on us. And I'm sure she'd rather we don't smell like we've been fucking for days straight."

Kai pouted. He hoped showering wouldn't make them lose the scent mixing they'd been doing. He liked how intertwined they were.

Kai took over scrubbing his hair for him, then it was his turn to be cleaned by Owen. Once they had finished showering, they got dressed and Owen made them both breakfast—or lunch, because it was mid afternoon—as they waited for Amy to arrive.

When she knocked on the door, Kai opened it for her. Paxton was behind her, glowering at him. He was probably still mad over the last time they had been here. Kai let gave him a warning glare right back.

Amy smacked both of them upside the head and walked into the kitchen. "Stop it, both of you. Good lord."

Paxton looked away from his mate. Owen glanced between them. But said nothing about the tension between them or the bags under Paxtons eyes.

Owen set Kai a plate of eggs on the counter and told him to eat. He offered their guests some, but they declined.

Amy set her medical bag on the counter and looked between the two of them. "So? How are you both feeling?"

Owen smiled. "A lot better."

Amy looked at Kai. "And you?"

Kai nodded. He still didn't like talking to strangers much.

After they ate, Amy did a quick once-over on both of them. When she was done with Kai, she smiled at him. "I don't think you need to take heat inhibitors anymore. You seem to be perfectly healthy now, and since you've mated you have someone to help when it comes. You should be on a regular cycle."

Owen sighed and smiled. "That's a relief. I think those shots bothered me more than they bothered him."

Once they had their clean bill of health, Owen noticed Paxton looking at his phone, frowning. He got a sinking feeling deep in his gut. Something was happening.

"Whats wrong?"

Paxton looked up from his phone. "We know where Kai's father is."

Kai stiffened. Owen instinctively reached for his hand and squeezed it. "Where?"

"Another warehouse a few dozen miles outside of town. Deeper into the woods." Paxton looked at Kai. "Did you know about it?"

Owen scoffed. "Are you accusing him of helping his father hide?"

"It's okay." Kai squeezed his hand. "I knew it existed. But my father told me he burned it down. It were my sister, mother, and I lived until my father killed my mother. He moved me shortly after that because he didn't want Alice calling the police and them finding us."

"It was burned down. But there's a network of tunnels and basements underneath, according to public records. It used to be a factory of some kind." Paxton slid his phone across the counter, showing them his screen. "We have drone pictures. The infrared scanners are being blocked by something."

Owen looked at the phone. There were a few photos of a large, charred lot with a burned pile of rubble.

He glanced at his mate. Kai had grown up there, seeing it burned down had to be strange. His jaw was clenched. "I know the tunnels. I was allowed to walk around with my mom and sister once a week for exercise, so I learned where things were." He swallowed. "I don't think I can draw it though."

"Then you'll have to come with us."

Owen shook his head. "No. No way. Kai isn't trained for any kind of police work, let alone infiltration."

Paxton crossed his arms. "We need someone who knows where things are."

"How do you even know where this is?" Paxton was quiet, and Owen knew he'd hit a nerve. There was something he wasn't telling them. "Well?"

Amy broke the silence. "He got a letter at the police station."

Paxton looked at his mate, eyes flashing with anger. "Amy!"

"Do not take that tone with me." She turned to Paxton and jabbed her finger into his chest. "This concerns them. Owen is one of your officers and this is Kaia father. Either you tell them or I will."

Paxton looked like he wanted to shout, but he bit his tongue and turned away from his mage. Owen had never seen them fight before. Bickering, yes, but actual fighting no. He had a feeling they had been arguing about this before they even got here.

Owen looked at his pack leader, hand still holding Kai's. He was scared to hear what he had to say, but he knew he needed to know. He had a duty to his pack as much as he did to his mate, and he'd been neglecting that duty lately. It was time to do some actual police work.

"What happened?"

Paxton rubbed his face and sighed. "We got a letter last night. Just left in my office. No sign of a break in and the cameras had been cut off."

"They got into the station unnoticed?" Owen has set up some of their security measures himself. That should be impossible. "What did the letter say?"

"It was from Kai's father." Paxton reached into his pocket and pulled out an evidence bag with a cream colored folder inside. "They want you both to come in exchange for a hostage."

Kai picked up the bag and ripped it open so cash Owen startled. He pulled the letter out, but something fell the the floor as he did so. Kai read the letter, but Owen bent down to pick up what had fallen. It was a photo.

Owen turned it over and his heart dropped into his stomach. It was a photo of a little girl, no more than five, chained in a cell strikingly similar to the one they found Kai in. She had wolf ears and a muzzle, too.

Kai set the letter on the counter, eyes wide and jaw clenched. "He made another one of me."

Owen picked up the letter. It was short and to the point. Not even a greeting, it just read:

I am giving you one opportunity to resolve this peacefully. A trade. Kai and his mate for this child. She was useful in learning what to replicate during the pregnancy in order to create another wolf genetically similar to Kai, but I have no use for a girl. You have a choice to make. Her life for theirs. You have until sundown Friday to decide.

He didn't sign it either. There was just a set of coordinates written at the bottom of the page. Owen set the letter down. "Shit."