Oscar cooed, loudly, startling himself.
“That was all you, big guy.” She laughed. How could holding something so small make everything feel better? She lifted Oscar and sat back, bracing him on her knees. He pushed his legs straight and flailed his arms in excitement. “I know. You are adorable.”
Oscar squealed, his smile full or bubbles and gurgles.
She shook her head. “You don’t say?” She ran her hand over his head, smoothing the blond curls. “Want to read a book? I have this amazing one that counts to five.” She picked up the padded red, white, and black illustrated book, and Oscar’s gaze focused. “Riveting stuff, right?”
She flipped the pages, watching his animated expressions as his bright blue eyes narrowed then drooped. She hadn’t realized she’d drifted off until a shrill beep flooded the room. Her arms tightened around Oscar’s sleeping form, senses immediately on alert.
It beeped again.
“Fire alarm?” she asked, holding Oscar close as she stood.
Jessa’s door opened, and Hollis emerged. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know.” She bounced Oscar on her hip. “Oscar and I were chilling out with Tess—”
Tess was gone. Olivia spun, searching the corners for the woman’s favorite spots. No sign of her.
The alarm beeped, setting her nerves on edge.
“Brown?” Hollis asked.
She shook her head, foreboding crushing in on her. “Still in the control room?” Something was wrong. Her wolf was pushing, eager to come out.
Another beep.
Hollis ran down the other hall, past the gym to the control room. Olivia waited, staring after him. When Hollis came back, her fears were confirmed. “No Brown.”
“Jessa?” Olivia asked.
“She’s close.” He ran a hand over his face.
“I’ll find him. Tess was freaking out over Jessa. He’s probably calming her down.” It was a logical explanation. But her wolf didn’t believe a word of it. “Or maybe she got scared and ran, and Brown followed her.” Another possibility her wolf dismissed.
Finn came stomping down the hall, wild-eyed and tense. “What’s happening?”
“Tess is gone. Brown isn’t in the control room,” she said calmly.
Finn stiffened, bracing. “Call Mal back,” he told Hollis.
“Wait,?
?? Olivia said, knowing how important their mission was. “Give me five minutes to find them.”
Finn’s eyes narrowed. “What does your wolf say, Olivia?”
She frowned. “Something’s not right.”
Finn nodded. “Call them back.” Hollis headed again to the control room.
“Let me do something, Finn. You kept me here for a reason. Don’t tell me it was to babysit while the others are protecting the pack.” She swallowed. “I need to do something.”
Finn rolled his neck. “Track them—at a distance. I mean it, Olivia, stay upwind and out of sight. When you find them, head straight back to report.”
She nodded, her wolf thrilled.
“At a distance. If something is wrong, you get back here.” Finn’s brows rose high. “No taking chances, you hear me?”