It was Talon, the most responsible of them all. He was sounding cheery, and Gage felt a bit guilty about shattering his sunny disposition.
“They have her,” Gage said frantically. “They took her to Elder Ramos.”
Talon’s tone altered immediately. “We got you, man,” Talon said. “We’ll meet you there ASAP. Try not to worry too much.”
Gage hung up before he could ask him what the fuck else he was supposed to do.
He climbed into his car and put the pedal to the metal. Thankfully, the shifter clinic wasn’t far from headquarters that looked like a giant psychiatric institution externally. It sat in an open field, surrounded by lilacs and lilies. The non-shifter person would have no clue what the building was for, and because of that, it was able to remain mostly discreet.
Gage rammed through the front gate without a care. It was black iron but folded like a deck of cards as he raced through the long driveway of the establishment. He didn’t even take the time to park properly.
By Gage’s estimation, Talon, Leo, and Draco would arrive about five to ten minutes after him. He hoped they would arrive before anything turned too volatile.
But he had to try. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Rylee, especially because of his stupid fear of intimacy.
Gage stomped through the front lobby, not taking heed of the receptionist who called to him down the hall. He found the lounge area where he knew the elder would be.
The double doors were open, and Gage could hear a fire crackling. He walked into the room to see the elder sitting in a tall recliner, casually raising a mug of tea to his lips. He caught Rylee's scent, twisting to see her sitting on the edge of a red leather couch.
When they caught eyes, it took everything within Gage’s power not to fall to her knees and kiss her feet.
“Gage!” she hollered.
Gage went for her, and they collided in the middle of the room. Her head met the center of his chest, right where his heart sat, and beat every moment for her. She was sobbing, her shoulders shaking with anguish.
Gage’s muscles and bones ached to feel her so drained and upset.
“I didn’t know what was happening.” She wept into his shirt. “I don’t understand, Gage!”
Gage pulled her face from his chest, holding it in his two strong hands. He looked at her thoughtfully, searching her lovely eyes for any indicator of torture beyond the emotional.
“Did they hurt you?” Gage said in a low voice.
Rylee shook her head, her face still contorted with angst and bewilderment.
“No, Gage, it's you,” she said, grabbing hold of the hands that held her face. “You’re hurting me! What is this shit? Are you involved in something illegal?” Gage felt his heart sink like a stone receding into the abyss. She clapped onto his hands, fueled by anger. “Answer me!”
Before he could respond, Talon, Leo, and Draco entered the lounge, all in a fighting stance. Gage and Rylee turned to them, and Rylee forced his hands away from her face in a sharp whip. It broke his heart.
“Are you all involved in this too?” Rylee yelled.
“Now, now, let’s all calm down.” Elder Ramos was stirring his tea with a tiny spoon, his legs crossed, watching everything unfold before him like a personalized play. He was an older-looking man but appeared like someone half his age. His black hair was slicked back over a thin skull, matching the shadowy hood of bone that were his eye sockets.
“You really should have kept her away, Gage,” Elder Ramos said, looking him deep in the eye. “You know that we have listeners at every clinic, especially shifter ones.”
Gage looked back at Rylee, who had taken a step back near Talon and the boys. Her eyes flicked back at him, hazel swimming with realization.
Elder Ramos let out a harsh laugh.
“Are you going to explain it to her, or should I?” he asked.
Rylee’s eyes were full of tears, glassy and beautiful, and Gage couldn’t bear to look at her. He knew everything that was happening was his fault. He deserved to feel a thousand stabs of her icy eyes to his heart.
Gage stood still, letting his head hang low. Elder Ramos stood from his chair and placed his cup of tea on the fireplace mantle. He sighed and tapped the wood three times.
“Your beloved here, sweet Rylee,” Elder Ramos said, turning to face her, “is what, in our world, we call a bear shifter. That means that whenever he wants, the man can turn into a bear. But what this also means is that we follow very strict customs.”
Gage was looking at the floor and heard Rylee’s voice behind him, a wave of despair. “I know what shifters are,” she breathed. “I have a few friends whose partners are shifters.”