Rogue Wolf

by Terry Bolryder

  Reno looked even sadder at that, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I want you to be my mate. I want to be with you forever.” He took her hand in his. “That hasn’t changed. I’ll find a way to make it work, to come back for you.”

  Dani laughed ruefully. “How? When?”

  “I-I don’t know.” He looked away, eyes refusing to meet hers. “This is all so sudden, and right now, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to keep you safe.”

  “Why don’t you stay?” she asked. “Right now, this is still the safest place to be.”

  “Maybe, but as long as I’m still here, who knows how long they’ll keep coming for us?” Reno shook his head. “This is what’s best.”

  Dani felt another wave of tears begin to fall down her cheeks. She hated everything, hated fate for bringing them back together, giving them a taste of happiness, only to pull the rug out from under them.

  She’d honestly thought that they would be together, that whatever happened, they would face it together.

  But she’d been wrong, and now her heart was breaking in two because of it.

  He lifted her chin to face him. “I need to get some stuff ready. Then I’ll come see you before I leave.”

  No.

  He wasn’t listening, wasn’t even considering what she wanted. He was too busy protecting her to realize that their lives could pass them by before he even got back from this self-sacrificing mission.

  “No,” she returned, breaking away from his grasp and stepping away from him. “If you’re not even going to ask what I want or listen to me, maybe you should just go. Leave. It’s what you’re best at.”

  Dani regretted the words even as they left her mouth, hated the sting in Reno’s eyes as they registered, but she was too frustrated to care.

  Even more heartbreaking, he didn’t seem to have a response, so with one last angry look, she ran inside, slamming the door behind her and leaning back against it, feeling achy.

  She heard footsteps, then a soft knock on the door.

  “I’m sorry, Dani.” It was Reno. “I love you… so much.” Then, he stepped back down the porch, his footsteps receding.

  Dani turned to face the door, forehead practically against it as she stared down at her shaking hands.

  Was the past doomed to repeat itself? Would it be another ten years before she saw him again?

  How did it all go so wrong?

  Suddenly, there were more footsteps, then a knock at the door. Dani’s heart leaped. Could it be Reno? Could he have decided not to leave her? She breathed in deep, wiping away the rest of her tears, then reached down and pulled on the handle.

  The door creaked open, and Dani froze as she took in the figure standing in front of her.

  It wasn’t Reno.

  23

  The barn was silent except for the rustling of tools and other items as Reno rummaged around, deciding what he should and shouldn’t take with him.

  He paused for a second, the sinking weight of reality crashing down on him once again. He was really leaving, and he had no idea when he would be able to come back.

  Fuck, not even the torture his family had put him through when injecting him with dragon blood had hurt this bad. In fact, he’d go through that a thousand times over if it meant there was some way out of this.

  But there wasn’t, not that he could see, and he was wasting precious time thinking about it.

  When Dani had looked up at him and asked to come with him, he’d wished with all his heart that he could take her and run from the world. But he just couldn’t do it. They would never have peace. They would always be running, watching their backs and looking over their shoulders.

  And Dani deserved better than that. Reno would make sure she got it.

  Eventually.

  All he could do was hope that he didn’t return to find her hating his guts or, worse, mated to another man. The thought sent a wave of fury through him.

  She would have every right to hate him, but someone had to be real about the situation, and no one knew what they were facing better than him.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Reno saw Beck open the barn doors and step in, his expression livid.

  He folded his arms and leaned back against the barn wall. “Where are you going, wolf?”

  Oh boy.

  “I’m doing what I have to do.”

  “Looks to me like you’re runnin’ like a yellow-bellied coward,” Beck replied pointedly.

  Reno scowled, telling himself the words meant nothing when, deep down, even on a small level, they rang true.

  “I’m doing the right thing,” he retorted, looking up and glaring at Beck. “It would be selfish to put her in harm’s way. This is better.”

  Beck snorted and stood up from the wall. “You know what’s selfish? Fuckin’ thinking you can say what’s better or worse for someone else. Especially your mate.”

  Reno’s hands flexed at his sides as he tried to contain his anger. “You don’t know shit about—” But he didn’t get to finish his sentence, as he felt Beck’s fist collide with his cheek, sending him stumbling back. “What the hell was that for?” he asked once he’d regained his balance.

  “That was me knocking some sense into my idiot of a best friend,” Beck growled, stepping forward. It had been a long time since Reno had seen him this mad, but he refused to back down.

  He was about to leave his mate. Now was not a good time for someone to mess with him.

  But Beck was undeterred, and he shoved Reno back. “I don’t care if you use your stupid lightning so long as it keeps you from makin’ the biggest mistake of your life.”

  Mistake?

  Reno’s rage and anger finally boiled over, and he snapped. Before he knew it, his fist had become friends with Beck’s nose, and the bulky mountain dragon staggered back, holding his face.

  Reno shook out his wrist, the ache in his hand a welcome reprieve from everything else he was feeling right now.

  Anger, rage, frustration. Damn his family. Damn his brother. To hell with this whole stupid situation. Life was horrible for what it had done to him, dangling promises of happiness, then cruelly yanking them away.

  “That’s right,” Beck said, cracking his neck as he walked forward. “Fight. Prove you’re not a coward who abandons his mate.”

  “I’m not abandoning her. I’ll come back,” Reno retorted angrily before Beck’s fist rammed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

  “I doubt she sees it that way. Take it from me. Mates don’t like to be left for any amount of time.”

  Reno feinted, then hooked his fist into Beck’s jaw, earning him a satisfying grunt of pain. “I damn well know that. But she deserves better.”

  “Hah!” Beck leaned back, and Reno knew the mountain dragon was coming in for one of his infamous headbutts, so he prepared himself and launched forward.

  Their foreheads collided, and when they both stumbled back, rubbing their heads, Reno could see disappointment in Beck’s eyes.

  “You think you’re the first shifter to think his mate might deserve better?” Beck asked. “Not even close. And you won’t be the last.” Then his fist swung up, connecting with Reno’s jaw and sending stars dancing across his vision as he fell back. “How could you leave her?” Beck demanded, stalking forward.

  I’m trying to keep her safe.” Reno huffed, rolling back up to his feet and holding up his fists. But honestly, was he? He’d seen how hurt she was when he had to tell her. Was he really doing the right thing?

  Was his fear for her physical safety really more important than her fear of losing him for good?

  Was he really being fair to her?

  “There’s keeping her safe, and there’s being a goddamn coward. Things happen in love, even to the people we love. But we don’t just get to push them away or run for fear of losing them.”

  “Then what do I do?” Reno demanded, ducking under another of Beck’s punches. “Tell me because I don’t know. I can�
�t bear to lose her, even if it means I have to give up time with her.”

  Beck stopped and folded his arms. “You listen to what she wants for a start. Have you done that?”

  “She wants to come with me. More than that, she wants me to stay.”

  “Then stay,” Beck said. “At least consider it. We can figure somethin’ out together. After all, Clancy is coming back at the end of the week. With three dragons, a tiger, and you, who could stop us?”

  Reno paused, considering it. “But that’s not fair—”

  The mountain dragon rolled his eyes. “To hell with fair, Reno, you’re family.” He waved a hand. “Fine. Leave if you want. But damn you, let her decide for herself, then protect her with your own hands and never, ever let her go. She’s your mate, for Pete’s sake.”

  All of the fight suddenly left Reno’s body, and he lowered his hands, realizing that Beck was right. Stay or leave, he couldn’t decide all on his own. He needed to at least stand by her decision even if it was to run.

  “You’re right,” Reno said finally. “I can’t leave her like this. It’s not fair.”

  Beck looked relieved. “You’re damn right it’s not.” He pointed to the barn door. “Now get over there and tell her that.”

  Reno nodded slowly and was about to respond when the barn door opened and Gunnar peaked in, looking around.

  “Where’s Ajax? Seen him?”

  Reno frowned. He hadn’t seen the basilisk since yesterday.

  “Nope, I haven’t,” Beck replied, shaking his head. “Not since early this morning at least.”

  “Your truck is gone,” Gunnar said stiltedly, pointing at Beck and then over his shoulder. “I thought you went with him.”

  “Thick-headed, presumptuous bastards,” Beck muttered. “Stealing my truck. Go get her, Reno. I’ll handle this.”

  Reno nodded, heading for the barn door and stepping out as Beck muttered more profanities behind him. Ajax was probably just off taking Beck’s truck for a joyride. If so, that basilisk had one hell of a death wish, but Reno didn’t have time to think about it.

  He jogged over toward his small home on the ranch and made his way up to her door, taking a deep breath and then knocking lightly.

  Nothing.

  He frowned, then knocked again.

  Still nothing.

  Reno scented the air, taking in the smell of earth and rocks lingering around her doorway.

  Something was wrong.

  He leaned back, then crashed his shoulder into the door, sending it flying off its hinges and falling to the floor. Once inside, he looked around.

  Dani was gone. But all of her things were still here. She hadn’t taken any of her bags, not even the backpack that held all of her camera equipment.

  What the hell was going on?

  Then Reno’s phone dinged again, and he pulled it from his pocket, body going cold as he read the text that danced around the screen.

  It was from Drenton.

  D: You didn’t think I’d actually attack your ranch full of monsters head on, did you? No, I’ve always got a backup plan.

  Reno’s hands shook with anger as he typed in a response.

  R: Where’s Dani?

  He waited for a second, then Drenton responded with a short message containing coordinates and another text with instructions.

  D: Either you come alone, or I’ll make sure this pesky little human that’s been fucking up our plans for years finally gets what she deserves.

  He didn’t doubt it. Drenton had a cruel streak longer than the Mississippi, and though Reno couldn’t be sure what would happen in a confrontation, he couldn’t risk his mate.

  His blood boiled as he thought about the idea of Drenton having Dani. The bastard would pay.

  Reno made his way back down the stairs and outside to his motorcycle, which leaned in the small plot in front of his home. As he hopped on, he could hear Beck spouting more obscenities about a damn basilisk taking his precious truck.

  Ajax must have been tied up in all of this, though how, Reno still wasn’t sure. He couldn’t have handed Dani over, could he?

  Reno guessed he would find out soon enough. He watched carefully, waiting for a moment when no one was looking, then rolled sneakily out of the ranch. In his rearview, he saw only one person watching him from the porch.

  Diesel.

  That was fine. The basilisk hardly talked, and he had more important things to worry about at the moment.

  He revved the engine, then took off, dirt flying behind him as he raced off to save Dani. Reno still didn’t really know what he was going to do. He just knew that he would do whatever it took to save his mate.

  24

  Everything had happened so fast.

  One minute, Dani had been arguing with Reno, dreading the idea of them breaking apart even though it was clear he was hoping to find a way they could be together later. The next, Ajax had appeared at her doorway, and with only a gruff grunt, he’d covered her mouth and picked her up over her shoulder like she weighed nothing before tossing her into a truck and driving away from Dragonclaw at a reckless speed.

  Asking him questions hadn’t worked. He’d just ignored her until, sometime later, they’d pulled up to a large brick warehouse where men had been waiting for them outside.

  She cursed the fact that she hadn’t had her phone on her or any other way of contacting Reno and the others. And though Ajax wasn’t talking, there’d been a stoic, silent determination in what he’d done, though she had no clue why.

  Once they were inside, she noted the astonishing amount of people around her, all of them built and tall, going back and forth and setting up huge metal coils in the corners of the room.

  After a minute, she and Ajax were brought to meet a man that looked surprisingly like Reno yet nothing like him at all.

  He had wavy light-blond hair and blue eyes that were more of a dull gray than crystal blue. But instead of having a striking, handsome face, this man’s face was sharp and cunning, looking a few years older than she and Reno were. And his tailored, perfectly fitted semiformal clothes only added to the sense of wealth and privilege that she knew Reno had come from but never seen in person.

  “It’s about time. I wasn’t going to wait all day.” His voice was a little higher and a thousand times more pompous, but there was no mistaking the relation between this man and her lover.

  “She’s safe now,” Ajax said, and Dani wondered what a basilisk could have to do with this huge operation of people.

  “You’ve done well, Ajax. Mind if I have a minute alone with her?” The man asked in faux pleasantness, and Ajax nodded and walked off to the side.

  Leaving her alone with the person who had to be Drenton, Reno’s older brother.

  She could see why he never talked about his family, given the air of effortless, unearned superiority this man walked around with.

  “You’re the little human that’s been ruining our plans for years, aren’t you?” He advanced on her, glowering, and she shrank back. He reached out and took her hand in a blinding motion and pulled her toward him. “My name’s Drenton, though I’m sure you’ve heard of me. After all, my brother Rembrandt must have spoken of me at some point.”

  “Just to point out the fact that you and the rest of his family are monsters,” she spat, trying to pull away, but his hand was like a vise.

  Behind her, Ajax growled, and Drenton’s grin widened as he let her go finally.

  “She and I are having a friendly chat,” Drenton said to Ajax, but his face fell to a grimace as he readdressed her. “Come with me. Or I’ll make you.”

  She marveled at how Drenton’s bearing had changed so utterly whenever talking to Ajax. She wasn’t sure who she was safer with right now. But as several tall armed men approached from behind her, all but pushing her in the direction Drenton began to walk, she followed along, not sure what to do next.

  If it bought her time to look for an escape, she’d pretend to play along.

  And
it still didn’t make sense why a basilisk, which apparently came up from the desert, was somehow working with these people.

  “Finally, I can talk without that dull-witted creature getting all uppity over a pathetic human.” Drenton spoke over his shoulder, taking long steps. There were dozens, maybe even hundreds, of people going to and fro, moving boxes, loading and unloading things, making what looked like preparations for… something. “Though, he accomplished what we intended for him to do splendidly.”

  “Which was?” she asked, pretending to sound interested while she continued to survey her surroundings.

  “Infiltrate that blasted ranch and steal you of course. After all, why try to corner a monster when all you have to do is exploit that monster’s weak spot?”

  Dani frowned. Her fists clenched. Just the casual way Drenton spoke about his own brother was more than enough reason to hate this jerk.

  “It was actually easier than I expected.” Drenton continued, clearly enjoying the sound of his own voice. “After that fiasco with the Blackheart Assassins that cost far more than it was worth, I sent some of my own people out to find the next basilisk for myself. Want to know what basilisks obsess over more than anything else?”

  “What?”

  “Protecting smaller, weaker things. Especially humans. They’re ancient creatures, very territorial, you see, and once they’ve decided something needs their help, they latch on to it with an obsession I could only describe as feral. That’s how we lured Ajax out after finding where he was. We set up a pretend situation where several of my men pretended to attack a woman. In an instant, he was there, though he beat my men half to death in the process.” Drenton shrugged nonchalantly. “More than worth it. Once we had his attention, it was only a matter of time before we convinced him there was someone else he needed to ‘save.’ A human with black hair and green eyes being followed by an evil wolf with light-blue eyes and light hair.”

  He pulled a picture from his pocket, a picture of her from only a couple of years ago, one that must’ve been taken when she wasn’t looking.