by Milly Taiden
He reached the spot where he and his friends turned off to avoid the hunter. His wolf pressed on. That tree grew closer with every step he took. He wanted to do this in his human form, but his wolf repeated mate telling him Juliet came before the past because that’s what it was—the past. Juliet was the future.
Regardless, the wolf paused at the base of the tree where he had found the young wolf bleeding out. He wanted to rant and rave and scream at the unfairness of life. Why take someone so young? What was the purpose? There was none. That’s what hurt the most, knowing there was no reason, nothing came from the boy dying.
The saying everything happens for a reason—well, that was a bunch of bullshit. His wolf bowed his head to acknowledge the tragic loss, but that was it. If he wanted to continue to wallow in his own pity party as he had for the last decade, his wolf said he’d have to do it later. They were on a mission. Tevrik would find a way to memorialize the tragedy, to do all he could to make sure the boy was never forgotten.
Yes, Juliet was his mission. He couldn’t provide for her now, but he would find a way. He would not fail her as he had the others. Frost had asked him to carve out a few furniture pieces in the past which the dragon sold and he ended up with several hundred dollars. That much money lasted for years. He could use that skill to take care of his mate.
The shortcut across the tundra cut the time to get to Book Mountain in half compared to going through town. That road twisted and turned around a peak connected to Crested Peak. The tundra stopped at its base.
Reaching the cave that saved his life so long ago, he hurried through it, shifting into his human form. There on the ledge was the gap in the rock where his life was changed forever.
22
Juliet sat crushed between the pair of wolf shifters in the two-seat snowcat. The last couple of hours had been miserable. These guys smelled worse than dog breath.
She’d done what she could to stall as long as she could, hoping Tevrik would find her. With her senses about her now and in familiar territory, it looked like she’d have to save herself. How a little lady like her could escape shifter with super smelling and superhuman speed, she had no clue.
The snowcat that she’d rented when she arrived sat exactly where she had left it. Snow had covered the tracks, but it looked ready to drive away.
James pulled a roll of duct tape from the floor between his feet. “Put your arms out,” he ordered. She could only comply and watch as he wrapped the tape around her wrists. Well, that put a crimp in any escape plans.
“Where do we go from here?” Petey asked.
“We have to get out and walk the rest of the way,” she answered. There wasn’t any need to lie to them, they could smell it on her anyway. It was just gold. A boatload of gold. But not worth her life especially now with Tevrik in the picture.
On the journey here, it occurred to her that the reason Tevrik wanted her to leave was because he’d been alone for so long, that he didn’t know how to be with someone else. Everything he did showed her how much he cared, how much he wanted to make her happy. That’s not what someone who wanted you to go away did.
She’d take it slow with him. Raven always yelled at her for being so in-your-face. Get him used to being around another human, having someone in his space. Yes, that would be the plan. She could camp out in the company’s cabin condo and visit him every day, every minute of every day. Every minute of the night sounded better. Her body heated remembering last night.
Both men in the snowcat looked at her, an evil glare from each. “What are you thinking about, princess?” James slid his hand up her thigh. “Whatever it is, it smells delicious.”
Oh fuck. They smelled her getting hot for her mate. The thought of either these assholes touching her made her want to puke.
The truck stopped and the men climbed out, yanking her across the seat.
“Where to now, princess?” James flashed a razor-sharp claw in front of her face then placed it against her neck. “The truth the first time with no funny business is what we’re wanting. If something doesn’t go right, I’ll slash your throat and leave you here to die.”
The ass leaned back and breathed deeply. “Smell that fear floating off her, Petey. Doesn’t that just crank up the ol’ shaft.” He reached between his legs and grabbed himself. Juliet looked away disgusted.
Petey grabbed a fistful of her hair and shoved her to her knees. He stepped closer and pushed her face into his crotch. “I’d say even more than that.”
She’d had about enough of this shit. Her hands taped together, she made one big fist and thrust her arms upward as hard as she could. She hit her target and the dick fell back into the snow, hands cupped around his groin.
James laughed and grabbed her arm, lifting her to her feet. He plastered his front side to her back. He nodded toward Petey. “You stupid fucker,” James said, “you have to do it from the back like your wolf would. Then she can’t do anything while you fuck her, dumb ass.”
Oh, she was sure she’d find a way.
James pushed her forward. “Lead the way.” He followed her to where the repelling gear was still attached to the rock. The avalanche hadn’t touched this high up, just where she had been poking around.
“The cave is at the end of the rope. You’ll have to dig for it if it’s covered with snow. It’s not that deep.” James looked at her skeptically. She huffed. “Do you smell a lie anywhere?”
He stepped toward the rope. “Petey, get your ass over here and watch her. I’m going down to check it out.”
The man lumbered up behind her. “Go, man. I’ll take care of things up here.”
James turned to him. “Keep it in your pants, asshole. After this, we can tie her up in the hunting shed to fuck whenever we want.” He winked at her. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Juliet watched as he took the rope and walked himself backward down the slope with no harness or other gear. He was going down using only his shifter strength. She wondered if there was a way to cut the rope. Within moments, she heard a whoop. How had he found it already? She’d hoped it would take a while, long enough for her to figure out a plan.
Shit. Now what?
Tevrik peeked out of the hole in the cave where he’d come to meditate and thank the gods for their goodness and blessings. He saw James raking his clawed hand through the snow, searching for the opening, most likely.
When the man whooped, Tevrik pulled himself up through the hole and shifted into his wolf. The snow had been cold on his naked body, but his mind was set on search and destroy. He smelled Juliet. She was up top.
Crawling on his belly, his wolf blended in perfectly with the white powder around him. There was a reason arctic wolves were snow white.
As he approached the hole from below, he slowed. He wanted to make sure James wasn’t standing at the entrance. Tevrik needed to be inside to take out the bastard. Or he’d just wing it. Sticking his nose into the opening, he smelled James was deeper in the cave. He crawled in, then shifted into human form.
Like all shifters, he was able to see in the near darkness. With the cave being soundless, hearing where James stood was effortless. Tevrik slid along the wall, wanting to sneak up on him. Coming to a bend in the rock wall, he paused, not able to see around.
Suddenly his instincts told him to dive for the floor. As he went down, a rusty pickax swung around the corner and embedded in the rock where his head had been. Tevrik rolled to his feet, coming up to face James.
“What are you doing here, wolf killer?” James said, a hint of surprise in his voice. Then he smiled. “Petey said the princess and you were talking in the store, but he didn’t say you were sweet on the little thing. Too bad we’ve decided to keep her around. Her pussy smells too good to let go.” He laughed at Tevrik’s expression.
Tevrik was barely holding it together. His wolf didn’t want to kill now. It wanted to disembowel and leave the fucker for the bugs.
James pulled out a gun. “Now, don’t get any id
eas there, baby killer. We don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
He snorted. “Really? A shifter with a gun? Isn’t that a bit cowardly, James? Not depending on your wolf to protect you? How pathetic is that?”
The dickwad thrust the weapon toward him. “Shut the fuck up. My wolf is as strong as an alpha. Stronger, in fact.”
That was interesting, he thought. Why bring up the alpha if not wanting the position?
Tevrik smirked. “So, you’re planning on taking over the pack then?”
“Your father has done nothing but run it into the ground.”
“The reason is because the oil companies went away,” Tevrik clarified, defending his dad. “How do you think you’re going to run the pack then?”
James’s smile widened. “Why, look at all this gold.” Behind the asshole, Tevrik noted a chest and several bags on the ground. “I’d say a million, wouldn’t you?”
It clicked then. “You’re going to bribe the pack into making you the alpha?” Tevrik said. “You’re dumber than I thought. Why don’t you crawl back into the hole you came from?”
James didn’t seem to like his reply. He raised the gun, pointing it at his head, and fired. Tevrik dove to the side, but with little space to move in, that wasn’t far enough. The bullet slammed into his shoulder. He fell backward, stumbling to the ground. James stepped toward him, gun in his outstretched hand.
“Some human inventions outdo claws,” James smirked. “Looks like the pack has two wolf killers now.” He raised the weapon again.
Tevrik had nowhere to go to avoid the fatal shot to his head. But under his hand rested a fist-sized rock. If his aim was true and the timing perfect, maybe he’d walk out of here. He studied James’s hand holding the gun. As the forearm muscles tightened to squeeze the trigger, Tevrik hurled the rock at the muzzle.
When speeding metal smashed into rock, the stone exploded, particles spewing in all directions. The stunt startled James enough for Tevrik to dive forward to tackle the man. But James twisted away, stepped on the pickaxe, losing his balance. He went down with a sickening thud of his skull against the cave wall.
Tevrik knew instantly that James was dead. Even though a moron, he didn’t need to die. Tevrik felt sorrow at the loss of life, but he wasn’t going to dwell on it. His mate wasn’t in his arms yet.
23
After James had been gone several minutes, Petey turned to Juliet and raked his eyes down her body. Seriously, she was going to throw up.
If he stepped closer, her boot would go someplace that was already tender on him. “Stay away from me, prick,” she said, backing.
His eyes lit, probably from smelling her fear. Seemed she needed to do something about that. Pulling confidence from her self-defense training, she stood straighter and felt calm roll through her. She might take a beating, but she could give as well as she took. Petey stopped in his tracks. A frown marring his ugly face.
“I’m going to wait in the truck.” She backed around the front of the snowcat. He grunted at her but stayed where he was closer to the edge. They both knew he had the key in his pocket, so she wasn’t going anywhere.
What he didn’t know was that she never took the key out of the ATV she drove up here.
A sound like a muffled gunshot resounded through the air. Petey turned to look over the side. “What the fuck? James,” he yelled. “James, you okay?”
This was it. With Petey’s attention elsewhere, she ran for her all-terrain vehicle. Her taped hands weren’t helping any, but she’d work around them. She yanked the door open, slid inside and locked it. The sound of the engine sputtering had Petey turning around.
“Come on, come on,” she prayed, hoping the damn thing would start before he reached her. She turned the key again, but the engine didn’t catch. It had been sitting in the cold too long.
Just before Petey got to her, she gave up on the key and slid onto the passenger seat. When Petey’s beefy arm came through the side window, she plastered herself to the far door. His alligator arms didn’t reach her. Then he wised up and stepped back to open the door.
Juliet pulled on the latch and fell backward into the snow. Again, with her hands tied, she had trouble getting up. Roaring like a beast, Petey dove over both seats of the small vehicle and grabbed her ankle.
She delivered the toe of her boot to the bottom of his chin. His head snapped back and she was able to get away. But now what? Running was her only option, and it wasn’t a good one. Before she gone more than a few feet, she felt a hand grasp the back of her coat and jerk her back. She lost her balance, but he continued to drag her back to the ATV.
When they reached the guys’ snowcat, Petey grinned down at her then tightened his grip and launched her into the air to slam against the side of the truck. Her head smacked the hard surface, dizziness making her collapse. He lifted her by the arms and hooked her bound wrists on a latch that held skis to the top of the vehicle. Her toes skimmed the snow.
Shoving her legs apart, he scooted forward against her, killing any hope she had of kicking him. There were other ways to fight back, and she would once the world stopped spinning.
He unzipped her coat and squeezed her breasts. She wiggled and thrust against him. Desperate to get him away, she dug the heel of her shoe into his thigh. He yelled out then slapped her cheek, wrenching her head to the side. Blackness was quickly eating away the scene.
No. She fought to stay alert as his hands fumbled with the button on her pants. What the fuck did he think he was going to do? It was below freezing. Didn’t he know what happened to dinkies when it was cold?
In a blink, he jerked away from her and his body slammed, twice, against the side of the snowcat like she had earlier. Then Tevrik growled as he threw the dickwad over the roof to the other side.
“Juliet,” he said, studying the hook her hands were attached to, “are you hurt?” Carefully, he lifted her, freed her from the latch, and put her on her feet.
“I’m okay except for my head. I’m too dizzy to stand. Wait. How did you find me? How did you know—”
Another gunshot went off, this time ringing her ears. Tevrik disappeared from her view and she started to slide down the vehicle’s side.
“Come on, bitch.” Petey grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder. There, she saw Tevrik lying in the snow. Two things she noticed right away. One, he was naked. Two, blood was spilling onto his chest from the bullet wound.
She screamed his name or at least thought she did. With the ringing in her ears, she couldn’t hear anything. Petey dumped her head first on the passenger side of the truck. Her head in the footwell, her legs were free to kick as hard as they could. And she laid into him as he drove.
He smashed his fist against her shinbone, sending a numbness to her toes. He grabbed her other ankle and pinned both her legs between the seats. In that position, she was stuck—still unable to use her hands. Goddamnit, that pissed her off. Using her teeth, she started tearing away at the tape. Enough of this shit.
From the corner of her eye, she saw movement at the driver’s side window. Tevrik, except for the blood covering him, ran alongside the vehicle. Wolves were fast and snowcats were slow. Great combination as far as she was concerned at the moment.
The side glass shattered and her mate reached in, wrapping his hand around Petey’s throat. Instead of releasing her legs, the dickhead took his hand off the wheel to punch and scratch at Tevrik.
She tried to pull herself into the seat but had nothing to hold onto. Fuck, this was so not good. At least her hearing was coming back. She heard Tevrik yelling at her.
“Juliet, get out!”
No shit, she wanted to tell him. What did he think she was doing? Enjoying the view from down there?
“Now, Juliet,” he continued as he fought Petey to grab the steering wheel. “There’s a cliff.”
24
Tevrik lay in the snow, a second bullet in his body in as many minutes. The son of a bitch shot him. What a wuss. What happened to a go
od ol’ challenge to the death? Claws versus claws. Teeth versus teeth.
After James had fatally hit his head, in Tevrik’s human form, he climbed the hundred feet to the peak. The rope was quite helpful in making that task fast. Standing on the rocks, he looked around for Petey and his mate. He didn’t see either but saw the snowcat in front of him shimmy and heard a crash against the side. He raced around and found his mate hanging from a bar on the roof and Petey with his hands unfastening her pants.
Fury like he’d never felt ripped through him. Tevrik reached to tear the bastard’s head off, but he moved and Tevrik got a handful of jacket. With that, he slammed Petey’s body into the already dented side and then threw him over the vehicle, but that wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy his thirst for the man’s blood.
A whimper from Juliet instantly quieted his animal. He got her to her feet, then the asshole came around the front of the snowcat with a hunting rifle in hand. He must’ve pulled it from inside the truck. Tevrik should’ve known—if James had a gun, so would his dumb fuck buddy.
The pain in his chest radiated like lightning burning through him. He needed to shift to heal the wound, but unlike James’s shot which exited Tevrik’s body, the rifle’s bullet didn’t. Shifting wouldn’t do much but stop the external bleeding. He could still bleed to death internally if he didn’t get help quickly. That was nice and all, but he had more important things to take care of. His mate.
Borrowing speed and strength from his wolf, he took off after the truck with his mate and Petey inside. Fortunately, vehicles with tank tracks didn’t move as quickly as a wolf shifter. He caught up fast. Petey drove over the ridge where there was no place to go. What the fuck was he thinking? Or was he?