Dale sighed. “I can understand the reason for your animosity. I heard of the attempts to snatch Miss Dwyer. I know you believe I was to blame, but that is not the case. I have never meant her any harm.”
“You sent the wolf,” Bree pointed out. “He said I had no choice but to go with him. He was ready to force me to get into his car.” Her cat hissed at the memory.
Dale’s brow furrowed. “I did not tell Frasier to take you by force. I simply made it clear that I was intent on speaking with you.”
“And you did speak to me … over the phone.”
“Yes, and you told me the same thing you told me that day in the street: Paxton Cage is dead. But I’ve heard through the shifter grapevine that you may not believe that anymore.”
“Maybe he is alive, maybe he isn’t. In any case, you’re wasting your time with me. I am not, nor have I ever been, in contact with Paxton since he left the pride. I have no wish to ever see him. And, quite frankly, I’ve no idea why you would.”
Dale rested his elbows on the table. “Let me tell you a story. My daughter was snatched at the age of eleven only to be dumped near the border of our territory by her kidnapper a few days later. She was unharmed. Didn’t have a single scratch on her. She told us that her captor fed her, kept her blindfolded, said little to her, and never once so much as threatened to harm her. All she was able to tell us about him was that he smelled of bitter apples, smoked wood, and black pepper.”
Bree’s stomach twisted. That was Paxton’s scent, all right.
“She once overheard him talk on his cell to a man he called ‘Desmond,’” Dale went on, his voice remarkably flat, considering the subject matter. “This happened to be the name of the Alpha of a rival hyena clan. We managed to capture the bastard. It took a while to get him to talk, but he admitted that he’d hired a lone shifter to kidnap my daughter and kill her in the most brutal way possible. A shifter known for sadistically torturing and maiming his victims until they are almost unrecognizable. A shifter named Paxton Cage.”
Fuck.
“I’d heard of him, of course,” Dale continued. “He had never been known to spare anyone but, according to Desmond, Paxton had refused to kill her. I eventually traced him back to your pride. I wanted to thank him. And, yes, I wanted to understand why he hadn’t harmed her. I found out that he had a true mate he’d never claimed. I found what information I could on you, Miss Dwyer. And then I understood. You see, my daughter is an omega.”
Bree’s breath caught, and her cat stiffened.
“I believe he couldn’t bring himself to harm my daughter because she reminded him of you. Perhaps she even made him think of the life he could have had if he hadn’t left you. I think he then gave up a very profitable lifestyle because he wanted to deserve you.”
Bree snorted. “Such a pretty theory. Come on, use your brain. If he felt that way, he’d have come out into the open and tried to claim me. He clearly has no instincts compelling him to do so.”
Dale twisted his mouth and his eyes darted to the side for a moment.
“If Paxton is alive, he is not at all in contact with me, so all the money you spent hiring people to take me was for nothing.”
“I did not hire the fox or the polar bears—and yes, I’ve heard all about that as well. I have no wish or reason to harm you, Miss Dwyer. Paxton spared my daughter’s life. I would not repay that by hurting his mate.”
“You don’t think it’s highly fucking suspicious that you turn up looking for Paxton and then I have people coming at me from all sides?”
“It does indeed look suspicious,” Dale allowed. “It also makes me wonder if someone else is sending danger your way hoping you’ll blame me and my clan. I am not your enemy. But you do in fact have one. I’ve even been in contact with them.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is that so? And just who is it?”
“They didn’t give me their name. I only know that they are male. But Paxton’s parents should be able to point you in the right direction. I spoke with them shortly after I first talked with you. I left them my card, asking that they the pass my cell number to Paxton if he ever contacted them. A few days later, I received a call via a spoofing website.”
Vinnie’s eyes narrowed. “And just what did your caller say?”
“That I shouldn’t trust a word ‘that little bitch Bree’ said; that you’re definitely in contact with Paxton and know where he is, but that you’ll never tell me. I can only assume this person got my number from Paxton’s parents. They’ll be able to tell you who they gave it to.” Dale studied Bree closely. “I can see you doubt my claims. Read me.”
She sensed Alex tense behind her; knew he didn’t like the idea of her touching this male. But if she read Dale, she might just catch some of his thoughts; might even hear something that would help. So she laid her hand over his and lowered her shields.
Curiosity. Determination. Confidence. Wariness. All of it struck her chest, but the pain wasn’t too bad, since none were ugly emotions.
She gritted her teeth as snippets of his thoughts were carved into her mind.
… know you can hear thoughts when you read …
… so hear the emotional truth in my words …
… did not hire the fox or the polar …
Now that the pain had faded, she slammed up her shields.
He eyed her curiously. “You didn’t use that nifty ability you have to push emotion into people. I wondered if you would use it on me.” And yet, he’d invited her to touch him.
“I don’t use it without a person’s consent. Unless it’s a matter of self-defense—then all bets are off.”
He inclined his head. “Having spoken to you at length today, I believe you, Miss Dwyer, that you’re unable to help me in my search for Paxton. I am going to leave my card with you. I ask that you give my details to him if he does make direct contact with you.” He fished a business card out of his pocket and put it on the table.
Shaya let out a breath. “Well, I’d say that concludes the meeting. Dale, you and your clan mates will leave first. Vinnie and his pride mates will leave ten minutes later. This prevents confrontations occurring between parties. Thank you, everyone, for attending.”
The hyenas left without another word. Only then did Alex sit on Bree’s other side and clasp her nape. His muscles hurt from how stiffly he’d stood, tense as a fucking bow at the sight of her so close to people who may or may not want her dead. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Fine. Just annoyed that I don’t know what to believe.”
Alex could relate to that. “What did you read from him?”
“Only determination, curiosity, confidence, and wariness.”
“Did you catch any of his thoughts?”
“He projected them at me; tried to ‘talk’ to me. He said he wanted me to hear the ‘emotional truth’ in his claim that he didn’t hire the loners. If he wasn’t a hyena and, therefore, an expert liar, I’d believe him wholeheartedly.”
“Do we think his daughter was truly taken, or do we think he spun us a tale?” Luke asked as he, Tate, and Greg came out from behind the bench.