Healing Minds (The Shifter Chronicles 5)

by M. D. Grimm

  Healing Minds

  The Shifter Chronicles 5

  Beginnings Book Five

  M.D. Grimm

  Healing Minds

  The Shifter Chronicles 5

  Beginnings Book Five

  By M.D. Grimm

  Cover Art by Catt Ford

  Copyright 2021 M.D. Grimm

  Smashwords Edition

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  About This Book

  About M.D. Grimm

  Other Titles by M.D. Grimm

  Connect by M.D. Grimm

  Prologue

  “My lords,” he said, “come quickly!

  Look at this marvel—

  this beast is humbling itself to me.

  It has the mind of a man, and it’s begging me for mercy!

  Chase the dogs away,

  and make sure no one strikes it.

  This beast is rational—he has a mind.”

  ~Bisclavret, The Lais of Marie de France

  One year ago

  “Show me what you got, pup,” Poe taunted. Excitement made his muscles bunch as his body braced for attack. The rogue, murderous wolf shifter had dodged the first shot of the tranquilizer gun, and Poe wasn’t in a hurry to try it again. It had taken months to track down this beast. He wanted to taste success.

  The wolf shifter growled before launching at him. Poe easily sidestepped before grabbing the wolf’s fur and lifting him. Then Poe tossed him into a tree. The wolf slammed with enough force to crack the bark. The wolf whimpered and somehow managed to stagger to his feet. Poe wasn’t even panting. He straightened and smoothed out his black shirt, picking dirt off his shoulders.

  “You’re only humiliating yourself,” Poe said coolly. “Well?”

  The wolf howled, and the two big shepherds Brian owned barked. Poe glanced at them, and at Derek, the other wolf shifter, and made sure he stayed put. He didn’t need civilians getting mauled. The rogue shifter growled before attacking Poe again. He met the wolf head-on and grabbed those snapping jaws before wrestling the large shifter to the ground. Claws dug into his skin but Poe only let go of the wolf when the shifter was on his back. Then he landed a hard kick of his steel-toed boot into the shifter’s jaw. The shifter went still except for the rapid movement of his chest. Poe loaded his tranq gun again and shot it into the wolf’s shoulder. The body jerked but didn’t wake.

  Poe smiled. “Gotcha, bastard.”

  He heard Derek and Brian moving but kept his eyes fixed on the wolf shifter, making sure he was truly knocked out.

  “I never want to do that again,” Brian said from behind him. Poe smiled slightly at the conviction in the man’s voice.

  “Me, neither,” Derek said. He was the good wolf shifter in this situation. Apparently, he’d shifted back into human form, which made him delightfully naked. The mates embraced and Poe felt a little green worm wiggle in his heart.

  He still smiled at them.

  “Never again, Agent,” Derek said, his skin rippling, indicating his wolf was still near the surface. “You hear me? And Brian, you hear me?”

  “Absolutely,” Brian said with such conviction that Poe smirked.

  “Must say I’m envious,” Poe said. “You two are good together.”

  Derek frowned. His rich brown eyes glittered with intelligence and fatigue. The last couple of weeks had been hard on the couple. “Don’t you have anyone?”

  “Not allowed to.” Poe gave a careless shrug. He turned away, walked over to his bag, and pulled out a metal collar. He moved back to the shifter and snapped it around the beast’s neck. A chain was attached to the collar, and Poe yanked it over his shoulder, grabbed his bag, and began to drag the wolf shifter behind him.

  “Need help?” Derek asked.

  Poe smiled and looked over his shoulder. “No. Besides, I doubt you want to stay naked for very long. Even though….” He intentionally gave the rangy shifter a good look-over before winking. “Nice ass. I’ll have pleasant dreams tonight.”

  He left after that, chuckling to himself. He liked shocking shifters, to intimidate them, just a little. They were intimidating creatures themselves, and he always thought it did them good to keep them on their toes. Besides, Poe had been honest—he would have pleasant dreams tonight. Not just because of that fine ass but because he’d finally captured the damn shifter. He glanced behind at the wolf he dragged, and a satisfied smile spread across his face.

  Damn wolf had already killed a dozen or so other shifters.

  He walked through the wooded park, putting distance between him and Derek and Brian. Only when he was convinced he was alone did he pull out his phone. He speed-dialed Genii, another agent who knew the circumstances behind this mission.

  “It’s Poe. Get that copter over here.” He gave her the coordinates. “Got him.”

  “You rock, Poe,” Genii said joyfully. “You really do.”

  He grinned. “I know. Let’s get this jackass behind bars.”

  “Is it what you suspected?” Genii asked.

  “Think so.” Poe looked over his shoulder again at the unconscious shifter. “His eyes were—strange. Almost manic. A bloodlust that seemed unnatural. The light in them was wrong, and he never attempted to talk or shift. He’s out of control.”

  “Knights?” Genii asked.

  Poe narrowed his eyes. “Knights.”

  “We’ll find a substation that can house him.”

  “Keep it on the downlow for now. Don’t make noise. And find somewhere isolated.” Poe stopped for a moment. He took a deep breath, trying to fight down the anger that tried to crawl its way up his throat. “High security. I have no idea how we might help this guy. Or if we can.”

  Genii’s voice was soft. “We have to.”

  He nodded. “I know. But if they messed with his brain… how do we fix that?”

  Genii didn’t answer. Poe hadn’t expected her to. There were no answers to the questions both of them had. He hung up, turned around, and knelt beside the shifter. He gently touched the wolf’s shoulder.

  “We’ll try to help you,” Poe whispered. “I swear we will.”

  Chapter One

  Josh tried not to resent the fact that he wasn’t in on the infiltration of the Knights’ headquarters. He wasn’t a full agent, after all. He was just an aide. But damn, the wait was agonizing, and it was hard to focus his mind. Here he was, in one of the Agency’s many substations that were spread around the country, doing data entry and filing reports while agents could be storming the base of those murderous bastards right now!

  Grumbling, Josh stood and pushed back his chair. H
e’d been sitting at this boring desk for hours, and the computer had burned his retinas. He stretched and let out a relieved moan. This substation was bigger than most around the country and resembled a simple office building, one that would blend in seamlessly in the big city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. While the outside fit with the unique building structures of the city―the rounded edges, the stark colors, the pueblo heritage―the inside was so modern it was like stepping into a New York City office. Everything had a function, everything was useful and efficient. While Josh could appreciate the practicality of it all, it just seemed so cold. The front door led into a reception area that was just for show. The real work was done through a door that only opened with a card and a PIN. Two desks were set against opposite walls with computers and comfortable chairs. Filing cabinets lined the walls; a small break room in the back held a fridge, a sink, and a microwave. Through the break room was a restroom. Personal items were discouraged, because no one was ever permanently stationed here. There were stations like this in most major cities in the US, and their main function was to act as safe houses for agents on assignments.

  The stations were usually staffed by at least one aide, usually two. Research and data were collected, part of a greater web that crisscrossed the country, making sure agents were never stranded during their missions to protect shifters. They were also used as training facilities for aides who wanted to actively seek becoming an agent. Some didn’t—some were perfectly happy with staying safely at headquarters or substations, answering phones, filing papers, assisting agents.

  Josh wasn’t one of them.

  Closing the hardcopy file he’d entered into the computer, Josh stepped away from his desk and headed toward the back. Not to the break room, but to another room. It was one that also required a card and a PIN and was restricted to those personally assigned to the station by Captain Odin himself. For a year now the Santa Fe facility had served only one purpose and that was guarding the subject safeguarded in the back room.

  Despite the fact that Josh always enjoyed his time in this city―the culture, the people, the food, and of course the unique blending of old and new, from the buildings and old churches to the new industries continually popping up―right now he was frustrated at being stationed so far away from the action.

  Josh swiped his card and punched in his PIN. He opened the door when it clicked and stepped through, the lights flickering on overhead as they detected motion. The fact that they were off meant their… guest… hadn’t moved recently. That concerned Josh. The door clicked shut behind him, and he approached the large holding cell in the center of the room. It was a giant plexiglass box, but the box was several layers thick with small circles evenly spaced around it, allowing the occupant adequate air. The cell nearly spanned the entire length of the room, and there were monitors and cameras everywhere, recording every move their guest made.

  Inside was a comfortable bed, a sink, a toilet, and standing shower with a curtain that allowed for some privacy. A small desk and chair finished the humble furnishings, and all were comfortably spaced, diminishing the sense of claustrophobia. Josh’s sneakers squeaked slightly as he walked across the metal floor, knowing his every move―his every breath―was being recorded. He was used to it by now.

  Josh had been stationed here for the last six months. There was a short flight of stairs that led from the break room up to a small dormitory that offered beds for the occupying agents. The other aide residing here, Mac, had been called away when the Agency went after the Knights, and Josh felt rebuffed. Rejected. He knew it was stupid to feel that way, but he couldn’t fight it. Apparently, Mac was more important to the Agency than he was…. But maybe that was more to do with the fact that Mac was the personal aide to Captain Odin. That probably made a difference. Mac had been sent here because the Agency’s resources were stretched significantly, and everyone had to chip in. They currently had more substations than they did aides to sufficiently staff them. And should the invasion against the Knights be successful, they would be stretched even farther. Capturing and questioning the surviving knights, treating the shifters who might be held in their facilities, collecting those knights who might escape, going through documents… it was going to be hell trying to stay organized.

  Josh stepped up to the cell and observed the occupant, trying to quiet his thoughts. It was no easy task―if Josh wasn’t talking like a motormouth, he was thinking and worrying himself to the point of insanity.

  “Hey, wolf, you up?” Josh asked softly. The guest in the cell was a wolf shifter, and he was responsible for multiple shifter murders over a span of several months. Agent Poe had finally tracked the shifter down in Washington, and after beating him up good and proper, he’d taken him into custody. But as it turned out, the wolf shifter was also a victim.

  Josh remembered reading Poe’s report and feeling his entire body shake, his stomach tighten in greasy knots, and his head pound. Experimentation on shifters was something the Knights had been doing in recent years, but Josh had never seen one of their subjects up close.

  The lump in the bed moved and slowly sat up, the blanket sliding off and pooling at the shifter’s waist. The shifter was cared for, and it showed. All the nutritious food had removed the gaunt, skin-and-bones appearance he had upon arrival, and since he worked out nearly every day in his cell, he’d regained some muscle mass. His clothes were still baggy on him, but that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. Approaching him was still a delicate business. It was discouraged until he began to talk, which he hadn’t yet, not one word. His black hair fell stringy around his face since no one was able to give him a haircut. He had a tendency to fall into fits that made him shift and attempt to tear everyone’s faces off. But it was in his unique gold-green eyes where Josh could see his madness―that madness done to him. Even now, with the shifter’s body relatively calm, Josh noticed the wildness in the gold-green and gave fervent thanks that there were several layers of reinforced plexiglass between them.

  Josh kept his face open and friendly. He’d noticed a slight change in the shifter, at least when he was with him. The wolf always seemed to give him his undivided attention when he spoke, which was often. Though it was rather eerie to be a sole focal point.

  “Feel any better today?” Josh asked, as he always did.

  The wolf shifter simply stared at him, his body at ease and his eyes intense. Josh forced himself to smile.

  “It’s nearly time for food.” Josh turned toward one of the monitors that analyzed the wolf shifter’s bodily state, and all signs looked good. But it wasn’t his body Josh and the other agents were worried about. It was his mind. What did the Knights do to him? There were theories but no hard proof.

  Josh fisted the printout in his hands and needed to take a deep breath to gain control over his anger.

  “Do you remember anything?” Josh asked, a question he was instructed to always ask.

  “Are we alone here?”

  Josh’s eyes widened, and he swung around, staring at the shifter. That was the first coherent thing the shifter had ever said.

  “Y-yes,” Josh answered, his body shaking with adrenaline. He told himself to breathe, to stay calm. He didn’t want to cause the shifter to close up again.

  “You sure?” the shifter asked again, his eyes narrowed on Josh’s face, as if trying to detect a lie. That was also remarkable. The shifter would usually stare blankly into the distance. But now his mind appeared sharp, aware of his surroundings. Comprehending.

  “I’m sure. The other aide, Mac, had to leave because―” Josh bit his tongue. He was forbidden to tell the shifter anything about the Knights without prior approval. No one knew what could trigger a fit. “He had another mission,” he said instead.

  “So, it is just you and me?” the shifter asked.

  Josh nodded and realized he stood close enough to the cell that he was almost touching the plexiglass. He blinked in shock and took a healthy step back.

  “Why do you ask?” He didn
’t know what to do with his hands and so stuck them in his jeans pockets.

  The wolf shifter stood and walked slowly to the glass. Josh felt frozen, unable to move. There was something in those eyes, something he’d never seen before, something alongside the wildness, the madness. He recognized strength and determination. And calm. It was strange that as the shifter moved, the light seemed to change the color of his eyes to just gold, the green fading. Such strange eyes.

  Being entranced by those eyes, Josh didn’t immediately notice when they were only inches from each other with the cage between them. The wolf was only a few inches taller than Josh, who was a gangly six feet tall, though he still felt intimidated.

  “I need your help,” the wolf said softly.

  “Of course,” Josh said, much too eagerly. He swallowed again. “That’s why I’m here. That’s why all agents are here. We want to help you.”

  The shifter put his palms on the glass, and Josh’s breathing sped up, as did his heart.

  “If you want to help me,” the shifter continued, never breaking eye contact. “You will help me out of this cage. You will set me free.”

  Josh was speechless for a moment, something that never happened to him. “I―I can’t. You know I can’t. The Agency―”

  “They can’t help me!” the shifter growled, his eyes flashing, the gold turning deeply green. “I cannot find help here.”

  “Why not?” Josh asked, realizing he’d closed the gap between them. Now they were both close enough to the plexiglass to have their breath fog it up.

  “This place smells too much like the other place.”

  Josh’s eyes widened farther. “The other place? Where you were held and….” The shifter nodded, even without Josh finishing his thought. “Why? Why does it smell the same?”

  “I don’t know.” The shifter closed his eyes, finally breaking eye contact. Feeling as if he’d been released, Josh stepped back. But then the wolf’s eyes flashed open again. “If you want to help me, you will let me go. I need to figure this out, but not in a cage. How can I heal when I’m caged like a monster?”