“One of the men shot her when she tried to get Mateo back. They thought she was dead.”

“I saw her go down,” Isabeau admitted. “Artureo hid me in the trees and ran to help. They took him too. I never saw her animal form. I didn’t know about her being leopard.”

“Marisa crawled into the brush and shifted to her other form,” Gerald said. “The big man, Suma is his name, I saw him shift and he finished her off. No one would go into the forest after them once he took his animal form. The boy saw his mother die, the only mother he’d ever known. I heard him scream, Conner, and it was awful to hear.”

Conner pushed down his own rising grief. His mother would expect him to get the boy back—not only get him back, but take full responsibility for him. He turned his head slowly to look at Isabeau. He had no choice now. He would have to do whatever it took, pay whatever price demanded of him.

Isabeau could see the despair in Conner’s eyes, the sorrow and shock. And the distance. Her stomach did a small warning somersault and settled slowly. “Whatever you need, we’ll help,” she offered.

He let go of her hand and inclined his head toward Gerald and Will. “I thank you for making the journey here to give me this news in person. Assure Adan we’ll get the children back. Tell him to keep to the plan. Will, I’ll find your son. You know me. I’ll bring him home.”

Will nodded his head, his eyes steady on Conner’s. “You’re the reason I’m siding with my grandfather on how to handle this. We’ll help should you need us.”

Conner stood up, reaching down to draw Isabeau to her feet beside him. He waited until the other two men stood as well. “We’re counting on your cooperation. It’s essential that your tribe believe Adan is going to do as Cortez wants.”

Gerald nodded and held out his hand. Conner watched them leave with a sinking heart. He almost forgot to give the signal for safe passage, allowing the two tribesmen to get through the gauntlet of leopards on their way back toward their village. Rio trotted up a few moments later, still pulling on his shirt.

“Forest is getting crowded. What’s the news?”

“This just got very personal. It seems I have a little brother and Cortez took him along with the other children. If she finds out he’s leopard . . .” Conner’s voice trailed off. They’d never find the child. She’d hide him away and raise him herself.

Rio frowned. “That should get us some help from your village . . .”

Conner spun around, the growl rumbling in his chest a clear warning. The sound burst from his throat, a fullthroated roar. “We will not go near that village. Let’s get this bitch done.” He spun on his heel and stalked across the clearing back toward the cabin.