The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse (Mate Tracker Book 1) by Ingrid Seymour (book recommendations website TXT) 📕

to be Stales, but my sharp nose told me otherwise. Plenty of supernaturals mingled in the crowd, shifter werewolves, most likely.

We walked further in, approaching a line of tall tables. People stood around them, chatting and drinking. Beyond the first row, another one followed, then came a crowded dance floor with fog twirling around the ravers’ legs. A DJ and a group of dancers stood at the back on a raised platform, the centerpiece of the entire place.

On pedestals above the crowd, both men and women gyrated provocatively, wearing a variety of leather bottoms and tops that left little to the imagination. A blonde wrapped her legs around a pole, defying gravity, and a man mock whipped a were-cowboy with a crop. Many openly displayed their shifter traits, glowing eyes, furry ears, and claws, and playfully growled and howled as they danced.

I tore my eyes from the interesting scene, reminding myself that I hadn’t come to check out the merchandise, no matter how hot.

To the left of the dance floor, a fully-stocked, busy bar glowed with neon strips, the bartenders dressed no different than the dancers on stage. They skillfully juggled liquor bottles and handed out drinks left and right.

“This way,” Jake said, leading me forward.

Tucked in a corner, round tables and comfortable red-leather booths lined the wall. At the far end, Ulfen sat with a group of people: two men and four women.

“You go first,” Jake said. “I’ll be right behind you. He’ll get pissed faster if he sees me first.”

Which meant that, either way, the alpha was going to be pissed. Lucky me.

I swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, preparing for Ulfen’s intimidating glares. Like Fiore, he had the reputation of being ruthless. Not that I needed to go by hearsay, I’d experienced his tough nature firsthand. He had always scared me. And the fact that Jake followed a step behind me did little to reassure me. This was Ulfen’s place, which was packed with his people.

But we were here to offer our help. Even if he hated us, he had to listen.

Squaring my shoulders, I walked in his direction, radiating a confidence I didn’t feel.

Fake it ‘til you make it, baby!

Ulfen’s nose twitched, and his eyes snapped in my direction, pinpointing me with the accuracy of a sniper. His upper lip rose, revealing his upper teeth. I pressed forward, my confidence growing as anger flared in my chest.

He pushed one of the women from his lap and shooed everyone away. His guests scurried quickly, scooting sideways out of the circular booth and disappearing into the crowd. I would never understand people who let others treat them that way.

I stopped in front of the table, holding his gaze. “Hello, Ulfen.”

“What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear I didn’t want to see you again.”

Even though I stood above him, he made me feel small with his don’t-fuck-with-me presence and rumbling voice. Still, when I spoke, my own voice came out steady.

“I’m here to offer my skills to help you find your son,” I said.

His blue eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

I nodded.

“Stephen has been missing for over a week, why the sudden interest? I thought you only tracked people’s mates these days.”

At that moment, Jake stepped forward, peeling away from the crowd, and joined my side. Ulfen’s blue gaze flashed threateningly, grabbing the edge of the table with white-knuckle strength as if he meant to fling it at Jake.

“I convinced her to help,” Jake said.

A low growl sounded deep in Ulfen’s chest. The table groaned under his grip. My bones turned to Jell-O, and before I realized what I was doing, I reached over and interlaced my fingers with Jake’s.

For a beat, Ulfen looked like he might blow his top and spew lava like a volcano. It would be Pompey all over again. Would a virgin sacrifice calm him down? I doubted we could find one in here, though. Time to run.

To my surprise, the werewolf got his rage under control and let go of the poor table. He smoothed his dark gray jacket and loosened his tie. “Sit down.”

Jake and I exchanged a glance. With an awkward grin, I quickly let go of his hand and slid around one side of the booth. Jake went in through the other, leaving Ulfen in the middle, a fair distance away from both of us.

“Thank you for doing that,” Ulfen told Jake between clenched teeth. “The trackers I’ve hired have had no luck.” He turned to me. “I hear you’re good.”

“I am.”

I was young, and I couldn’t boast about having the years of experience other trackers had, but I had found little Emily Garner when everyone else had failed. That had given me a certain reputation. Yet, I had to assume the people Ulfen had hired were halfway decent. He had the money to pay for the best.

“What do you need?” Ulfen asked.

Every tracker is different. Some needed specific items like a comb with hair or something the missing person wore around their neck or wrist, and for these trackers, nothing else would do. In my case, I can use anything that belongs to the mark, anything they’d ever laid a claim to... from a toothbrush to a house.

“Anything that belongs to Stephen will do,” I said.

Ulfen nodded, reached in his jacket pocket, and pulled something out. He slid it across the table in my direction. It was a silver cufflink in the shape of a crescent moon. I blinked up and scrutinized Ulfen’s face. His blue eyes rested on the cufflink, appearing heavy and regretful as if he didn’t want to part with it.

“We found this in his car the day they took him,” Ulfen said. “It was attached to a torn sleeve. He fought them. There was blood. I’ve been carrying it with me since that day. Will it do?”

I swallowed a lump in my throat. I would’ve never taken Ulfen for a sentimental man, but at the moment, he didn’t resemble the person I