Bonded

by Nicky Charles

  “But—“

  “No. You’re too young and it’s too dangerous.” When the girl looked like she’d protest again, Brandi switched tactics. “Besides, you know this area better than any of them. What if the ACS doesn’t arrive in time? If the halves and their families need to find a new hiding place you’d be able to show them where to go.”

  “Well… ” Katie mulled the situation over before finally agreeing. The girl’s eyes glinted with mischief and Brandi suspected she was probably already plotting escape routes and defensive moves.

  Pleased to have one problem solved, Brandi headed towards the others. She doubted the wisdom of heading towards the Purists’ meeting but understood how the human males felt. And while she really wanted to find and help Reno, she knew duty came first. Pack before personal wants and needs. It was the way of her people.

  For a moment, she debated if the situation warranted accessing her connection to him. The ethics of poking about in his mind warred with her desire to have a sense of how he was doing.

  “Are you ready, Brandi?” Peter spoke and she blinked, surprised to find him beside her. Checking on Reno would have to wait. It was probably for the best anyway. If he was in trouble her concentration and loyalty would be divided and she was needed here.

  Sometimes it was better not to know.

  Chapter 27

  Reno splashed through yet another stream, the water blessedly cool on his heated body. It felt like he’d been running for ages trying to shake the wolves chasing him and he was starting to feel the strain. The idea of stopping for a drink was tempting but he didn’t dare pause, at least not yet. Instead, he contented himself with licking up the drops that landed on his muzzle while proceeding to race up the far bank before doubling back through the stream and heading towards town.

  For all that he’d told Brandi running through water wouldn’t throw trackers off a scent, it might slow them down and at this point he’d take whatever advantage he could find. The group following him was skilled—more so than he’d expected after his encounters with Walt and the threesome who’d accosted him outside his motel room. They’d seemed more like caricatures and he’d erroneously assumed the rest of Victor’s men would follow in the same pattern. He was wrong.

  More than once they’d split up, fanning out and trying to force him to change course, likely wanting to herd him towards a dead end or some form of terrain that would put him at a disadvantage. Luckily, he was experienced enough to recognize their tactics. If circumstances had been different, he’d have enjoyed the opportunity to match wits, but now it was a matter of survival. Purists had no love of Enforcers and there was no doubt that if he were caught, Victor would eliminate him.

  Despite his best efforts, the five wolves following him persisted. His only advantage seemed to be his size and stamina. Over the miles, his longer stride had eventually allowed him to pull ahead just enough that he was out of visual range at least part of the time, and he had some sense that those following him were beginning to tire. Unfortunately, they still showed no signs of giving up and if his next ploy didn’t work, he might end up having to fight in order to be rid of them. The odds—five to one—weren’t exactly in his favour. He might survive the battle but at what cost? And would it leave him too weakened to confront Victor?

  Reno wanted the Alpha’s hide. His wolf rumbled its agreement, eager for a fight where it didn’t have to hold back as he’d forced it to at the motel the previous night. Not only was Victor a Purist who’d resorted to trickery to take over a pack and ignored the Rights and Freedoms Act as it pertained to halves, he’d also insinuated he would lay claim to Brandi. Reno wasn’t about to let that happen. Brandi was his.

  Concern for her weighed heavily on his mind. When he’d seen Katie heading straight towards danger, he’d had no choice but to try and become the target. But it meant he’d left Brandi unprotected. At least the wolf that had stayed behind had been smaller and relatively young. Surely Brandi could handle the pup… he hoped.

  Reno swivelled his ears back and listened intently. From the sound of things his pursuers were still following but considerably farther behind than last time he’d checked. Good. There was still a chance he could lose them when he cut through town. If there were enough scents and criss-crossing paths laid down they might become sufficiently confused that they’d break off the hunt. Of course, there was always a chance that one of the residents might decide to challenge him but it was a calculated risk. He was counting on the fact that, with the Purist leaders holding a meeting near the town, the rest of the pack might be busy or perhaps Victor would have ordered them to stay home. After all, the head honchos were known to guard their anonymity.

  A corner of his mouth curved up as he contemplated the fate of the leaders once the ACS arrived. With any luck Damien would be able to intercept the squad and clue them in on the news that a group of Purist leaders were in town. They’d capture the whole group and cart them back to Lycan Link, thus putting a serious dent in the Purists’ force.

  His stride faltered as he considered that the ACS might arrest Brandi as well. She wasn’t guilty, of course. It had to be a mistake. In his gut he was sure of it and his wolf grunted in agreement, yet a tiny grain of doubt remained. Was he letting his personal feelings cloud his judgement? He didn’t think so, but…

  The town came into view and once again he focussed on losing the wolves tailing him. He mentally ran over his plan: circle the town, cut across several of the main streets and head back into the mountains. By intersecting his paths, the trail should become a maze that leads nowhere. Once he was free of those chasing him, he could concentrate on tracking down Victor.

  Reno veered to the left, skirting the outer buildings. The town seemed eerily quiet as he ran by, only the clicking of his nails on the sidewalks creating any sound. His supposition that Victor had confined the pack to their homes must have been correct. Well, all the better for him. He quickly completed his planned course, before heading back towards the cover of the forest.

  His sides heaved from the exertion of the prolonged run and once he was well hidden by the trees, he finally paused to rest and slake his thirst at a small puddle. A five minute break and then he’d be off again. Sinking to the ground, he sighed in relief, his exhausted muscles thanking him for the reprieve. Slowly his heartbeat returned to normal and his breathing calmed. Resting his chin on his paws, he studied his surroundings; the spot where he’d chosen to stop providing a good view of the town below. There wasn’t much happening except…

  The door of the town hall opened and two people stepped out. Narrowing his eyes, Reno concluded it was Walt and Victor. Slowly, he sat up, keeping his gaze fixed on them. Now what were they up to and why were they still in town? Surely, the Purist leaders had arrived by now. Was Victor trying for a show of authority by arriving late and keeping the others waiting? Perhaps. It was just the sort of tactic the man would employ.

  After conversing for a few minutes, Victor got in a vehicle and drove off leaving Walt standing in the street. Now that was also curious; could it be that, like Klaus, Victor also suspected Walt of being duplicitous and didn’t trust him near the leaders? Even from a distance, Reno could tell by Walt’s stance that he wasn’t pleased. So there was dissent in the ranks; Reno nodded. That fact might prove useful later on.

  Walt watched Victor drive off and then paced back and forth several times before turning to stare up at the mountain, seeming to look right in Reno’s direction.

  Reno resisted the urge to slink down low. Remaining still was the best way to hide. Eventually, the man went inside and Reno shifted his gaze to Victor’s truck. The vehicle headed out of town then began winding its way up a dirt road. Clouds of dust betrayed its progress even when it was lost from sight by the trees. When the dust cloud stopped, Reno mentally marked the location. Hmm… It appeared to be only a few miles from the coal conveyor—the mine entrance he and Brandi had used earlier that day—just higher up. Hell. If he’d only known h
e could have been there ahead of Victor, lying in wait.

  A frustrated growl escaped him as he contemplated retracing his steps back up the mountain once again. This was better than any workout routine the trainers at Lycan Link had ever devised!

  The sound of howling drew his attention back to the town and he noted with satisfaction that those hunting him seemed to be milling about in confusion. His lips curled into a smile as he took a moment to enjoy their obvious frustration, but didn’t allow himself to linger. They were clever enough to figure out his trick and he wanted to be well away before they picked up his scent again.

  Rising to his feet, he headed towards Victor’s location, resisting the urge to detour and check on Brandi. He had to believe she was capable of taking care of herself. And she wasn’t alone; the humans and their mates were with her plus whatever assistance Klaus had put in place. A short bark of laughter escaped him when he realized this was the same pep talk he gave himself whenever Brandi went into a Purist pack as a DC to do clean-up. Logic couldn’t always soothe feelings when you cared about someone.

  Briefly, he wondered if a second shift of Victor’s wolves would arrive to guard the halves. Had the ones following him alerted anyone they were leaving their post? Or had the mixed families and halves been left unguarded? If that were the case, would Peter and the others stay put or take the opportunity to leave the mines and seek safety at the base of the mountain in one of the towns? And would Brandi go with them?

  Reno concentrated on finding the quickest path possible up the mountain. The sooner this mess was taken care of, the sooner he could find Brandi. Something inside was urging him to hurry, to not waste time but exactly why, he was unsure.

  Despite the growing tension within him, he was careful to approach from downwind, wanting the element of surprise to be on his side. Constantly scanning the area in case Victor had guards posted along the way, he finally found himself back at the conveyor entrance. Approaching with caution, he sniffed the air to see if anyone was about.

  Faint whiffs of other wolves drifted by but none had been in the vicinity recently. His scent and Brandi’s still lingered bringing back memories of their close encounter. Had it only been a few hours ago that they’d played in the nearby pond, totally oblivious that they were but a few miles away from the site of a major Purist gathering? Damn, they’d been lucky. It would have been all too easy for Purists to take them unaware while they were wrapped in each other’s arms.

  Reno grimaced at how close a call that had been. The captain was right; emotional involvement clouded your senses and put you at a tactical disadvantage. That was another reason rogues made good Enforcers; the fact that they seldom formed deep, lasting bonds with others meant they weren’t distracted when carrying out their duties. He frowned and wondered where that left him and his relationship with Brandi.

  He tried to ignore the unsettling question and moved on towards where Victor and his cronies were likely gathered. The Purists had to be his main concern right now and he needed to keep his wits about him.

  Picking his way along, Reno used the shadows and outcroppings of rock to hide his progress. Recent rains had left the plant life green and lush which meant his paws moved silently over the moist ground; no betraying crunch from dried leaves would alert his quarry. The winds remained light and he was able to keep his downwind advantage. No squirrels or birds called out warnings as he passed by. Yes, all in all, things seemed to be working in his favour.

  Yet, if that was the case, why was he second guessing his plan the closer he came to the meeting site? Why was there foreboding growing inside him? Was this what he’d heard the old ones talk about? A sense that your time was almost up?

  A shiver passed over him at the idea this might be the day he died. As an Enforcer it was always a possibility but he’d never really worried about it before; there’d been nothing binding him to this earthly life. Now, however, he was on the verge of building a relationship with a female and he wasn’t ready to die without having explored that possibility further.

  He gave a snort of disgust when he realized the path his thoughts had taken. Quit whining like some wussy romance character, he muttered to himself. Suck it up. Today’s as good a day to die as any. Wasn’t that what he was supposed to be saying?

  Giving his head a shake to clear his thoughts, he focussed on the present. He needed to stay alert. It was obvious from the scents in the air that dozens of wolves were about. No doubt each Purist Alpha had brought along their own contingent of supporters. Narrowing his eyes, he grumbled his discontent. Somehow, he’d envisioned taking Victor off guard or luring the Alpha away from the others, but apparently that wasn’t likely to happen. The man was probably surrounded by protection.

  Reno cursed under his breath at his own folly; he’d let emotion rule his judgement. By concentrating solely on the fact that he wanted a confrontation with Victor, he hadn’t analyzed the situation properly. Only an ass would come charging up here by himself for some grand showdown.

  No, the most he could do was lay low, perhaps carry out some reconnaissance and then report the relevant details to the ACS when they arrived. Of course, that was only if the ACS was willing to talk to him. It hadn’t escaped his mind that he was considered a possible co-conspirator in Brandi’s supposed leaking of information to the Purists. Maybe that was the source of his unease, the fact that his own men might have turned on him. He recalled the oath of allegiance he’d taken upon joining Lycan Link and the fact that both he and Brandi could be court-martialled and possibly found guilty.

  Of course they weren’t guilty, but by time the charges were disproven and the real culprits found, his reputation and Brandi’s would be ruined. Everything he’d worked for would be lost, the only home he had—his pseudo-pack—would no longer welcome him. He pushed the thoughts from his mind. Negative speculation wasn’t helpful. There was a job to do and duty came before personal concerns.

  The sound of car doors opening and shutting let him know he was close to his destination. Noticing a small ledge just a few yards away, he dropped to his belly, crawling along with utmost care, keeping out of sight and ensuring he stayed downwind of the gathering. Once in place, he peeked over the edge, biting back an instinctive snarl at the sight of his enemies.

  Before him a large bowl-like depression, at least a hundred yards wide, was cut into the earth. At the far end he could see an opening to a mine tunnel and at the other was a gravel roadway. The whole area showed signs of recent excavation; the sides of the hollow were bare soil and stone with only a few straggly native plants beginning to take root.

  Several vehicles were parked in the middle of the space, some having out-of-state license plates, while others were local. Thirteen in all, including Victor’s truck. An unlucky number, he mused, but unlucky for whom?

  Weres were milling about, some in small groups, others staring around assessing the location. Reno kept himself pressed low to the ground, thankful his fur blended in with his surroundings.

  With the wind blowing his way, he was able to catch snatches of conversation. General greetings, comments about the trip. A few were discussing the benefits of the location while Victor visibly preened. The man was easy to pick out of the crowd, his dull blond hair slicked back and his clothes too perfectly pressed. Reno snorted wondering if the man even knew how to get dirty.

  “Yes, it’s a pure Lycan town with minimal access to the outside world.” The sound of Victor’s voice drifted up to Reno’s location. “And the rooms I’ve developed underground are perfect for meetings. They’re secure, sound proof, and I’ve installed reinforced beams throughout. If it meets with your approval, I’ll proceed with my plans to add steel plates for extra structural stability and install more generators.”

  “Isn’t it better that we keep changing our location?” Someone questioned. “Constantly gathering in one place might draw undue attention from Lycan Link.”

  “I’m a visionary, Roberts. I’m preparing for the day when
we begin to take over.” Victor lifted his chin. “It won’t be easy. There’ll be bloodshed and hardship before we make Lycans see the truth of our ways. And during those dark days, our leaders will need secure locations such as this.”

  “Well spoken, brother.” Another man stepped forward and clapped his hand on Victor’s shoulder. Something about the fellow led Reno to assume he held a high rank within the organization. “Your work for our cause hasn’t gone unnoticed. The information you’ve provided on upcoming raids has saved many of our members. You won’t go unrewarded.”

  Reno’s ears perked up. Victor was the one providing information to the Purists about ACS raids! The man obviously had someone on the inside of Lycan Link and logically that person would be… Brandi.

  A stone settled in his gut as the puzzle pieces fell into place. Victor had information. Brandi was a member of the pack. She worked for Lycan Link. And her computer was the source of several cases of hacking. The evidence was damning and he shook his head, not wanting to believe it.

  “Hey! What’s that?”

  Reno jerked from his introspection and swore. He’d been so busy thinking he hadn’t noticed the shift in the wind. The Purist Alphas were all looking in his direction and several of their guards had already shifted forms and were heading his way!

  Scrambling to his feet, he turned and ran. A wolf suddenly appeared to his left so he swerved right, leaping over a fallen tree and around a bush only to see another wolf coming at him from that direction. Changing course, he ran another few yards but two more were bearing down on him. Bits of dirt and grass flew into the air as he skidded and tried to alter his path yet again. A couple of strides to the left and still more wolves came into sight. Reno pivoted around, darting his gaze about, desperate to find an escape. When none was apparent, he chose the smallest looking wolf and charged directly at him.