Tiger nodded. “On it. You next, though.”
Kendrick knew damn well he wouldn’t leave this place until all his Shifters were accounted for and Addison was safely above. “What about Lachlan?” Kendrick asked. “Tell me someone found him and gutted him. Don’t worry about saving him for me.”
“Haven’t seen him,” Tiger said.
“He tricked me into thinking he’d taken my sister and her family hostage,” Addison told him. “So he could get you. I want to gut him.”
“I bet he’s as trapped down here as you,” Jaycee said. “Caught under all the rubble like he wanted you to be.”
“We need to make sure,” Kendrick said. “Tiger, send as much help down as you can.”
Tiger gave another nod and assisted Darien up over the rubble. Tiger boosted Jaycee out then looked Kendrick and Addison over with his strange eyes.
“Touch of a mate,” he said, then he scrambled up over the rocks and was gone.
Addison looked after him in bewilderment then turned to Kendrick. “What does that mean?”
Kendrick opened the bottle of water and took another welcome drink. “Touch of a mate heals,” he said. “When the mating is true.”
“Did he mean you were hurt?” Addison’s hands moved over his chest again. Kendrick was sore, cut, bruised, and aching but he’d live. Not that he’d stop Addie touching him for any reason.
“I’ll be all right,” he said.
“Did Lachlan do this?” she asked. “Cause the cave-in?”
“Yep. He came down here, robbed the Shifters that lived here of everything they had, lured me down, and collapsed the tunnels, trapping me and his own followers. That’s the kind of fine Shifter he is.”
“I thought he’d taken Ivy. I couldn’t stay at the ranch and let that happen.”
Addison spoke defiantly, as though she expected Kendrick to grow enraged, but he only kissed her soft hair.
“A leader has to make decisions like that,” he said, enjoying her warmth. “You weigh your safety against that of others and make your choice. I don’t blame you for going.”
“Really?” Addison blinked at him in the glow of the flashlight Jaycee had left. “Jaycee was convinced you’d skin her alive.”
“She kept you safe. That’s all that matters.” Kendrick made himself release Addison. “They should be out by now. Show me the way.”
He boosted her to the top of the rubble then handed her the flashlight. Kendrick turned to retrieve his sword from where he’d stuck it point-first into the rocks and watched in momentary confusion as the boulders seemed to part and turn to dust.
A flash blinded him, then came a roaring in his ears. “Addison!” he shouted, but couldn’t hear his own words. “Go!”
The rock in front of him parted and became dust, the rest of the room falling on him. He saw Addison roll back down toward him as a slab fell on the opening she’d been about to crawl through.
Rock and debris rained down on Kendrick’s back. Addison slammed into him, and Kendrick swiftly put her under him, trying to block the worst of the fall from her. He was pinned, trapped, and the rock was crushing him, filling his mouth, his nose, his lungs.
A light shafted through the dust, and into it strode Lachlan. He kicked Kendrick’s head where it protruded from the rock fall, and another blinding flash flared before Kendrick could see no more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Addie wriggled and squirmed, trying to fight free of the weight crushing her back. The flashlight had gone out, buried, but a pinprick of light pierced the blackness.