Well, not much to say except enjoy the chapter!

Jake sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through the husky's soft snow white fur. "Everest, I'm sorry this happened . . . I never should've let it go this far." He gave a small sigh. "Well, at least Katie says you'll be waking up soon. . . I just don't know how I'm going to tell you the rest."

As if on cue, the pup let out a soft moan and blinked open her sky blue eyes. "What happened?"

"Hey Everest, welcome back from sleepy town," Jake smiled.

She looked up at him, and narrowed her eyes. "That was not ordinary sleep. . ." The husky groaned. Everest looked around. "Where am I?"

"Katie's clinic. . . Marshall and Rubble brought you here after you were hit with a tranquilized dart." He said.

She closed her eyes for a few moments, trying to remember. "I was running through the forest. . ." She began. "I was feeling tired, but I knew I had to get back to the Lookout because" . . . Everest stopped and her ice blue eyes flew open wide. "Dundee! Is he okay?" Jake didn't respond right away she stood on the bed and spoke again. "Is Dundee okay?"

"He was pup-napped," Jake said simply. She stared at him in disbelief for a few moments, but he couldn't look her in the eye. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" she asked.

He sighed, "Because I was stupid." He stood up, "I'm going to get Ryder and the others." He took a deep breath. "I need everyone to hear this."

She hopped of the bed, and ran after him. "I'll just come with you." He stopped at the door and raised a curious eyebrow. She gave a small smile. "Trust me, I'm fine."

Jake shook his head. "Okay, come on." They quickly walked down the hallway without a word until they reached the waiting room.

"Everest!" Skye said running towards her. "Are you okay?"

The husky gave her a quick friendly nuzzle. "I'm fine Skye. . . But I'm worried about Dundee."

Marshall nodded, "us too." He turned to the man. "Jake said he would explain when you woke up."

Jake walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. "I am. . ." He took a deep sigh, "I should have told you about this sooner. . . Maybe then it wouldn't have gone this far." He paused for a few moments, and then looked back up at them. "Like I told Dundee, about a month ago a real estate developer came to me and wanted to buy my lodge. He said my Lodge and the cabin are built on what is now prime real estate. . . And he's right because I checked after he called me the first time." He took a deep breath, and then let it out. "My land is worth tens of millions of dollars"

Several pairs of eyes grew wide. "I knew it was probably worth a lot." Marshall said surprised, "but not that much."

"The first offer he made me was eight figures. . . But I said no . . ." Ryder could see the tension in Jakes face as he continued. "My land will never be for sale in my lifetime, ever . . . It's not just what I do, it's who I am."

Katie glanced from Jake to the pups and caught the mix-breeds confused look. "Rocky, are you okay?"

He shook his head slightly. "Jake that doesn't make any sense. If Jakes Mountain is a national park, how can he buy the land?"

"It's kind of complicated." Jake fixed his grey eyes on the pup's dark brown ones, "but the national park 'Jakes Mountain' is made up of several thousand acers of land.

The land the Lodge is built on is mine to do whatever i want to do. . . A few months ago, i got a call from a middle man. . . His client want's to but my land, and even though I keep saying no, he keeps calling and offering more and more money. . . That much I told to Dundee and Drake."

"But?" Marshall raised an eyebrow knowing there was more.

Jakes eyes started to become moist. "I didn't tell them that the last offer was more like threat."

The husky's eyes grew wide, "threats . . . Against you?"

He shook his head. "No . . ." Jake swallowed hard, "They said that if I didn't sell soon, I better keep an eye on my pups to keep them safe."

Everest just stared at him for a few seconds. Then she finally spoke with anger in her voice. "You knew we were being threatened, and you didn't tell us!" The normally cool pup was losing her temper. She started to walk away.

"Everest please," Jake said. She stopped to listen, but didn't turn around. "The threatening phone call didn't even come until yesterday. . . I didn't think anything would happen, you're usually safe with me at the cabin, or safe with Ryder and the pups at the Lookout!"

She turned her head around, and looked him in the eye. "Well, something did happen. . ." She walked toward him and let out a low growl. "Because of you keeping secrets, my mate has been kidnapped and I may never see him again!" She turned and ran out the door.

"Everest!" Marshall said running out the door after her.

Ryder fixed his brown eyes on Chase. "Could you follow them please?"

The shepherd nodded. "You got it, Ryder." He said as he went out the door as well.

Chase looked around for a moment, but didn't see the Dalmatian or the husky. So he put his nose to the ground and took a few whiffs. It didn't take long for him to catch the very familiar scent of his mate. He inhaled deeply, and smiled. He always loved Marshall's scent.

The Shepherd shook himself for a moment, and then put his nose to the sidewalk again. He followed the scent along Adventure Bays Main Street until he reached the beach. He cast his eyes on the sand and water until he saw a familiar figure, Marshall, approach another figure, Everest. They were best friends, so he decided their conversation was none of his business. He kept watch where they couldn't see him, but stayed far enough away so he couldn't hear them.

Marshall noticed the even though the husky's face was in shadow, he could see the tears running off her muzzle into the sand. Everest was one of the strongest pups he knew, so the sight of her in so much emotional pain made his heart drop. As he moved closer, she looked up.

"Oh, Marshall." She sobbed and buried her face in the Dalmatians chest.

He wrapped an arm tightly around her and placed his head gently on her own. "Shhh. . . It's okay." He whispered and rubbed her back. "Just let it all out." She continue to sob into his chest letting all her worry over Dundee, and all of her frustration and anger at Jake come to the surface.

After a few minutes, Everest began to calm down enough to talk. "I'm sorry," she sniffed, "I just couldn't be in the same building with Jake." Her voice held a tone of anger. "How could he keep that kind of a secret from me?"

"Well. . ." Marshall spoke softly. "Sometimes the people we love keep secrets from us, because they think their protecting us." After a few moments, the Dalmatian spoke softly again. "Rissy," she smiled. He used the nickname he gave her when they became friends. The Dalmatian didn't use it very often, and he knew that was strictly for their ears only. "You're part of his family and he loves you. He desperately wants to protect you and doesn't want to see you hurt in any way. . . And," he added, 'He also knows what hurts him, hurts you." She still looked skeptical, so he tried a different angle. "He knows he messed up really bad, and he doesn't need you reminding him of it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours," he said quickly. "Just cut him some slack, okay?"

The husky was still worried, but she felt a little better. "Okay."

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