The Pack and The Ruffian

Tracking the Ruffian

“Where are you?” Sam asked quietly. They were standing on the edge of a clearing, watching Morgan, Alex, and another woman set up a barrier around Ava, Taylor, and Mya.

“I was thinking about what happened to me,” Amber said. “The whole Tribrid thing.”

“Oh.” Sam tried to suppress the growl that rose from her depths.

“Stop, I told you Loki is a part of me. There’s nothing to be jealous of.”

“She shares your mind with me. Something that I thought was ours alone,” Sam grumbled.

“She is me.” Amber took Sam’s hand in hers. “I’m yours, I have always been, and I will be until the end of time.”

“I know.” Sam lifted their joined hands and kissed Amber’s knuckles. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to say sorry. I’d be upset if I had to share your mind too.”

“So, you admit I’m sharing you with her.”

“No.” Amber laughed softly. “I’m saying IF I had to. I’m still not clear about what I could get from the fae side.” She’d not shifted since she'd caught Jake and brought him back to Silver Moon. Sam had not seen her yet. “I should warn you if I have to shift, I’m not the same anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, for one, I’m comfortable with what I am now. I’m faster, stronger. And heal faster than I get hurt. And another, I’m silver now.” She laughed again as Sam stared at her.

“Silver, as in silver fur?”

“Yes. And I’m in control now, and much more agile.”

“You need to show me!” Sam insisted.

“Not here, I won’t intimidate Ava on her turf.” Amber smiled. “As soon as we get a moment alone,” Amber kissed her cheek. “I promise.”

“Good.” Sam turned to watch the others. “Do you think this will work?”

“I hope so. Mya needs something to focus on. She’s hanging by a thread.”

“I know, and I hate it. She’s on the edge and I can’t help her.”

“All we can do is help her, be there for her.”

“Yes.” Sam rolled her head. “If we can’t pinpoint where she is, how do we stop her from hurting Mya and Taylor more?” She looked over at Amber. “I can’t keep her locked up in Silver Moon and expect her to wait for this woman to come to us.”

“No.” Amber nodded. “Let’s see what this gives us and hope Hunter and them have more luck.”

“Have you heard anything from Dom?”

“No, the man she killed and dumped at the hotel was human, so they’re handing it over to the local detectives. They won’t find anything either.” Amber frowned. “She’s good, Sam. And she scares me.”

“Yeah, me too.” Sam rolled her eyes when Mya caught her eyes and glared. “She holds a grudge like no other person I know.”

“She’s angry, she’ll get over it.”

“I hope so. I’ve gotten used to Mya without a stick up her ass. It’ll be an adjustment if she goes back to that.” Amber laughed and slapped Sam’s shoulder. “It’s true. You can’t argue.” Sam smiled.

“We’ll get her through this,” Amber said. “We’ll be with her, every step of the way.”

“I know. That’s not what’s worrying me. The fact that we’re away from home a lot, worries me.” She shrugged one shoulder to try and dispel the discomfort. “My father has been going down to Jake’s cell, they spend hours just talking.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this…”

“So don’t say it.” Sam interrupted.

“But your dad loves him. And Jake loves your dad.”

“He had a very strange way of showing that,” Sam growled. “Trying to kill his daughter and her family. Surely it would have been better if he’d bought us presents.”

“Grief and anger make us do stupid things.”

“You think we should give him a second chance,” Sam stated. “No, a fourth or tenth. Who can remember?” Sam shook her head. “No.”

“Are you really going to let your dad visit the love of his life in a cell for the rest of his life?” Amber took Sam’s hand. “Maybe you should trust your dad. Let him tell you what he thinks and needs. And go from there.”

“The last time I trusted someone with Jake, I almost died.” Sam pulled her hand free. “Let’s deal with one problem at a time.” She walked away, leaving Amber staring after her. Something was eating at Sam, and Amber thought it was about time they talked about it.

“We found her!” Mya shouted, drawing Amber’s attention back to the group under the barrier.

“Where?” Sam asked.

“Amber City, but also not,” Mya answered.

“What does that mean?”

“It means we are picking up her movements in Amber City, but she doesn’t seem to be staying anywhere there.” Mya shrugged. “Ava says it could mean she has a block on her fixed location. But we do know she’s there.”

“Okay. I’ll call Hunter.”

“I want to go.”

“No.” Sam shook her head. “At least not yet. Let’s see what Hunter can find out. And we’ll make a plan from there.”

“I don’t have time for waiting and planning!” Mya stepped from the barrier and went nose to nose with Sam. “You’ve kept me ‘safe’ long enough. I want her caught and taken care of today.”

“And I’m telling you, you won’t be going there until we know exactly what we’re dealing with!” Sam lowered her voice. “Do you really want to put Taylor exactly where she can get to her easily?”

“She will stay here!” Mya growled.

“Oh sure, of course, she would! Don’t be stupid, Mya.” Sam threw her hands up in the air. “She’s not going to let you out of her sight! And you going off half-c****d is just going to put you both in danger!”

“Don’t tell me how to take care of…”

“Enough!” Amber snapped.

“You both keep quiet now.” She placed a hand on their arms. “Taylor needs you to keep your head now. And you’re not. And you, you need to take care of your people but realize that they are strong in their own right! Stop biting each other’s heads off and work together.” Amber shook her head to where the rest was staring at them. “They need stable leaders, and right now both of you aren’t. For the lack of a better phrase, man up!” She walked away and left them staring after her.

“She’s right,” Mya said at last.

“She usually is.” Sam rubbed a hand over her face and then looked at Mya. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Paine. I’m sorry for snapping at you and treating you like shit.”

“Yeah, me too. I’m just so f*****g scared, Sam.” Mya looked at where Taylor stood speaking with Ava. “If I lose her too, you may as well kill me.”

Sam took her arms and shook her. “You won’t lose her! You have all of us fighting with you. And I’m not losing either of you!”

Mya dropped her head on Sam’s chest. As a sob, chocked out, “I failed Jane. I can’t fail Taylor again.”

“You won’t!” Sam’s heart clenched at the raw sound of Mya’s voice. “If we have to burn Amber City to the ground to find this b***h, we will!” Sam promised.

Mya straightened. Wiped her face dry with the bottom of her shirt. “Then why are we still here, and not on the way there yet?”

“Because we have people there who care just as much about you as I do. And they are good at what they do. If they can pinpoint her, we can plan to get her caught. If we rush in there now, guns blazing, she’s going to rabbit.” Sam took her phone out. “She has eyes somehow. She knew Hunter and they were there. So, she’s going to know if we all show up there, and that will give her the upper hand.” She dialed and held the phone to her ear. “We’ve been behind her long enough. Let’s get ahead and finish this.”

Mya nodded. “I trust you with my life, Sam.”

“I know,” Sam said as Mya walked away, and Hunter answered the call.