She was about to ask what blood, when she saw it. A piece of cloth hanging from a notch in a tree.

Lyonis went to it immediately. Knowing his senses, he’d probably noticed it right away while her untrained eyes had searched the area for anything unusual. Lyonis was stiff as he stopped before the white, torn cloth. He sniffed it and his frown grew graver.

He picked up the meager scrap and examined it. “It’s a piece of her sleeve. The McLannahans said she left in a white t-shirt. Three drops of blood are on it.”

Willow wrapped her arms around her stomach. She felt like she was intruding on something that she had no right to see. She kept her mouth closed as her gut rolled with worry. She wanted to ask questions but she knew they were all stupid, and no one had the answers to them.

“I want a search team sent out into town. Look over the whole state and get it done now! Find her.” Jackie and Thane nodded as if the task he’d set upon them wasn’t going to be difficult.

Lyonis folded the small cloth into a small square and gently tucked it into his pocket. He didn’t meet her eyes as he walked past her with heavy steps. Willow hesitated to go after him. Hell, she had no experience in this. What the hell was she supposed to do? She couldn’t comfort him.

Jackie came up to her. “Go to him.”

“I can’t.” Nothing she could say or do could bring back Stephanie or make this any better.

Jackie grasped her shoulder in a firm hand. “He needs you. Just go to him.”

Willow nodded as the harsh look on his face ran through her mind. Before she knew it she took one step after him then another, until soon she ran hard through the forest. Her heart hammered in a fast, scared rhythm. He would have to tell the parents what he’d found. She’d only met the girl once and Willow felt like her heart was on the edge of breaking. What would he be feeling? What about the family?

Willow burst through the trees and came to a staggering stop. Lyonis stood a short distance away, his eyes watching the dark, cloudy sky. He had the appearance of someone who was lost, but as Willow peered closer, she realized...it was anger. Deep, raging anger. Willow swallowed hard and slowly came up to him as if the smallest movement might set off that coiled anger inside him.

He didn’t yell at her; didn’t step away, so she slowly reached out and laid her hand on his chest. He looked down with a startled expression. Willow didn’t know what came over her, some undeniable need that she couldn’t ignore, and she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself close.

He was stiff like a brick wall, hard and unmoving. She pressed her ear to his chest and could hear the fast rhythm of his heart. She stayed that way and simply held him.

It was several minutes before he reached and held her back.

Dammit. Draven couldn’t wait any longer while the couple comforted each other. He dissolved near them and coughed loudly. Willow and Lyonis broke away with a start.

“What do you want?” said Lyonis. Anger was in the Alpha’s eyes. Draven recognized that look; it was one he’d worn many times. It clearly stated: piss me off so we can fight. He might be happy to oblige the Alpha on any other occasion, if there wasn’t a more pressing matter.

“I found something you might want to know about.”

Willow pulled away from the Alpha and stepped several paces away. Draven almost laughed at her. He’d already seen the way she’d held him, there was no denying it now.

“What is it?” she said.

“Out where you found that piece of the girl’s clothing—I smelled demon.”

Lyonis took an aggressive step forward, his hands curling into fists. Willow gasped at the quick surge of anger and nearly stepped forward to halt him.

“Bullshit. I would have scented it.” Draven shrugged elegantly.

“Well I did smell it. It had a familiar tinge to it. One that I smelled while I was in Germany.”

It took a minute for his meaning to become clear to Willow. “You mean the one that’s—”

Lyonis took another step forward, his eyes starting to glow dark amber. “You lie. My guards or I would have scented it. It was probably just a human who took her.”

Draven slowly shook his head. “Listen, I know you don’t like this but it’s true. The demon has her.”

Lyonis tensed to pounce and Willow acted without thinking. She jumped forward and grabbed Lyonis’ arm. His reaction was instantaneous. He swung out his arm and knocked her back.

Willow cried out as the hit landed against her stomach and flung her back into the air. The air whooshed harshly from her belly like a whip. She wheezed as she struggled to suck in air over the pain. Her body tightened up, ready to slam against the ground, but then Draven was there. He grabbed her before she landed and picked her up. He sent Lyonis a disgusted glare.

“What is wrong with you, man?” Willow wheezed in breaths at the tight, constricted pain in her abdomen. Lyonis stared, shaking, his mouth hanging open.

“Tawicue. Willow—” His hands traced over her face then curled them around her body. He gave Draven a hard look she was glad she wasn’t on the other end of. “Let her go.”

Draven nodded but before he released his grip on her, he pinned Lyonis with an answering look. “You ever do that again, accidental or not, and I’ll take her out of here faster than you can blink.”

Lyonis growled a fierce, territorial warning then took her into his arms. Willow didn’t know where Draven went then because Lyonis took up all her attention. He talked quickly, quietly to her in a pained voice. He apologized repeatedly as he carried her all the way back to his home.

By then Willow’s stomach didn’t hurt and she was struggling to get out of his arms. Her face was bright red as they walked past a town of on-lookers. Fuck, she thought.

At his house, he was still apologizing. Willow finally squirreled her way out of his arms and dropped to her feet.

“Shut the fuck up!”

They both tensed. Okay, she should have handled that a little more delicately.

“I never should have…I can’t believe I…” He scrubbed his hands over his face. Breathing hard, he slammed his back against the wall. Willow gaped at him, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. It was one thing to see him sad, another to see him angry, but this? This was self-loathing.

Slowly he slithered down the wall, kicking his legs out in front of him until he was a slumped mass against the door.

“I hit you,” he whispered harshly, as if he was speaking to himself. “I hit my mate.” He sounded so broken that Willow’s heart cracked inside.

She wasn’t thinking anymore. She dropped to her knees before him, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled his head to her chest.

“It hurt for only a moment. It really was an accident. I shouldn’t have surprised you like that. I saw that you were angry. I’m fine, Lyonis. I must be if I can still yell at you.” His arms came around her, nearly squeezing the breath from her.

“No, it isn’t fine. A man never lays a hand on his mate in any form of anger.” Willow rolled her eyes. Okay, obviously this holding thing wasn’t going to work, so she grabbed his face in her hands and turned his head up to meet her eyes.

“Listen to me. I’m saying it only this once or I really am out of here. That was truly an accident. I am not hurt; it just knocked the breath out of me and surprised me. If you really ever hit me, I would fight back, and then I’d be gone faster than you could imagine.”

Slowly, he nodded. That look of self-disgust was still in his eyes but at least he got off the floor.

“Do you need to feed tonight?” Willow’s gut tightened with excitement, but she saw the tired, haggard look on his face and knew neither of them was ready for that tonight.

“No, no. I’m fine. Why don’t we go to bed?” His eyes jumped to hers with surprise. Hell, she’d surprised herself, but he needed her right now. So if that meant sleeping next to him with his ridiculously heavy arm/leg around her, then so be it.