Their Fractured Bond. Ch. 34

Rhett

The pack tracker network responds faster than I expected, but their news isn't encouraging. Within hours of Harper's calls, I have confirmation that three other packs across two states have reported similar disappearances—wolves who vanished without a trace, always after showing signs of unusual behavior or instability.

"Pattern suggests organized hunting," reports Mario from the Eastern Ridge pack via video call. "But not traditional hunters. These people know how we track, how we move, how we think."

"Any recoveries?" I ask, though I already know the answer from his expression.

"None. Once they're taken, they're gone."

The call ends, leaving Harper and me in my kitchen staring at maps and reports that paint an increasingly grim picture. Maya is upstairs sleeping, blissfully unaware that her mother has become part of a pattern of organized disappearances targeting specific members of wolf communities.

"It's not random," Harper says, studying the geographic distribution of miss