by M H Soars
Still staring at the spot the great wolf was standing on, I answer, “I accidently summoned it.”
“You were staring at it for the longest time without saying a word. You freaked us out,” Sam says.
I blink several times before I switch my attention to Dante and Sam. “It said stuff about me and Tristan. I must return to the place it all began to find answers about myself and my past. But I have no idea what it meant by that. All I know is that we need to get Tristan right now.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling Dante this whole time, but Dante can be such a mule.” Sam kicks a loose pebble in a frustrated gesture while Dante keeps staring at me without blinking.
Finally, after seconds of silence, he replies, “Okay.”
Sam pivots on the spot, his mouth agape. “What? I spent thirty minutes trying to convince you and you wouldn’t budge, but now that Red is on my side, you agree?”
Dante rolls his eyes at the same time a smirk plays with his lips. “I trust Red’s judgment.”
Sam flips his brother off with both hands from behind his back, making me chuckle. He can be such a child sometimes.
“He’s giving me the finger, isn’t he?” Dante asks.
“Yup.”
Offering me his hand, Dante says, “Come on. You’re getting dirt all over you.”
I twist my face into a scowl, being reminded belatedly I’m naked and I probably have mud up my butt crack. Gross.
“Zeke Rogers left us a list with names, and one of them was Robert E. Saint, the town’s mayor back in the nineteenth century. I have reason to believe Robert was involved with Natalia Petroviski.”
“What do those people have to do with me?”
“Red, I think Natalia was the Mother of Wolves.”
I feel the blood drain from my face when a piece of hidden knowledge seems to click in my brain. “Oh my God. Do you think I’m her?”
Dante nods before saying. “I went to visit Albert, the time traveler. He was Robert’s cousin, and he mentioned a spot Robert used to meet with Natalia in secret. They were lovers.”
My chest becomes unbearably tight, as if I’m suffering a brutal heartache. “Do you think that’s the same place the great wolf was referring to?”
“It’s possible. We’ve also retrieved an old diary we believe belonged to Natalia. Your grandmother has it.”
Xander exits the house, carrying a bundle of folded clothes in his arms. He stops halfway down the steps, glancing in Nadine’s direction. The teen has her chin down, gaze glued to the ground. She seems dejected. Surprising me, Xander veers in her direction first, offering her a clean hoodie that looks to be twice her size. Nadine raises her head, frozen for a moment, before accepting Xander’s offer. Then the alpha return to us, distributing the clothes he’s holding.
“I don’t have any women’s clothes here, so these will all be too big for you.”
“Don’t worry about it. They’re more than fine. I’m tired of parading around naked.”
“I don’t mind.” Sam winks at me.
“That’s because you’re a pig,” Dante retorts, earning a snort from Sam.
“Pot, meet kettle,” he says, and I squirm when I realize he’s referring to last night. My cheeks become warm, which prompts me to give my back to the three of them so they can’t see that my face resembles a tomato now.
Indeed, the borrowed clothes are enormous on me. The sweatshirt alone could double as a dress, and I need to roll the pants up several times. Despite the wrong size, I feel a hundred times better now that I’m covered up. I wish I had shoes on, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“Have you made a decision about what you want to do?” Xander asks.
“Yes,” I turn around. “We’re going back to the compound. It’s time to unmask that son of a bitch who betrayed us all.”
And then, I’m going to find out once and for all if I’m indeed the Mother of Wolves reincarnated.
Chapter 38
Tristan
We have a small holding facility in the compound, but we rarely had to use it. The last time this prison was occupied was when Seth brought one of the hunters here. He said the guy killed himself before he could be interrogated, but now I suspect Seth was responsible for it. I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid, so blind. Dante warned me several times that Seth shouldn’t be trusted, but I ignored my brother’s warnings. My misplaced trust in the enforcer might have doomed us all.
In the cell next to mine, Billy didn’t move a muscle throughout the night besides the low rise and fall of his chest. I spent the entire evening wide awake, trying to formulate an escape plan and also worrying about Red, my brothers, and Mom. My solace is that Zaya is with her, and I’m confident she won’t let Seth touch a strand of my mother’s hair. I’m hoping one of Zaya’s gifts is super hearing and she heard what Seth did to Billy and me.
Morning has come and with it, wariness that has seeped through my bones. Staying wide awake wasn’t the best idea. A low murmur catches my attention. Swinging around, I see Billy slowly emerge from his sedation. He stretches his body, then rubs his eyes before blinking in rapid succession as he stares at the ceiling.
“Billy,” I shout-whisper.
He turns at the sound of my voice, frowning. “What happened?”
“Seth has betrayed the alpha and taken over the pack. He shot you with a tranquilizer gun.”
Wincing, Billy sits down on the bench. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bulldozer. My head is throbbing like crazy.”
“I hope you’re rested at least. We need to find a way out of here to warn my brothers.”
Billy’s eyes turn as round as saucers, as if he just remembered something. “There was wolfsbane residue in the bottle of whiskey Lyria gave you.”
My nostrils flare as I deal with this new betrayal. I’d known I shouldn’t have trusted Lyria, not after I put a stop to her advances to be with Red. Goddamn it. Has my brain deserted me?
Rubbing my jaw, I start to move inside my small cell, not able to remain still. “Things make sense now. No wonder I couldn’t think straight after I woke up. I wasn’t suffering from a hangover.”
Billy pats his clothes, as if searching for something. He freezes, but then lets out a relieved sigh. Pulling a coin from the inside pocket of his jacket, he smiles.
“What’s that?”
“Something Nina gave me. She said if I got into trouble, this would alert her.”
Narrowing my eyes, I move closer to the bars separating our cells.
“Why were you hanging out with that fox? She’s a mercenary.”
“It’s a long story. You shouldn’t be too quick to judge her. She was the one who discovered you had been poisoned by wolfsbane. Besides, Sam trusts her.”
“That doesn’t comfort me.”
Billy frowns, standing up. “You’re one to talk. You trusted my brother, and look where that landed you.”
Damn. When had Billy become something more than a lowly omega? I don’t even sense the submissive nature in him anymore. He has evolved.
“Touché. How does that coin work exactly?”
“This is not a coin, but a dual-sided medallion.” A blush creeps up Billy’s cheeks. I don’t get his reaction.
“Fine. How does the medallion work?”
“Like this.” Billy presses his right thumb in the middle, and a faint glow bursts from the object. The light fades in the next second.
“Now what?”
The young wolf lifts his face to mine, then shrugs. “Now we wait.”
I hate having to rely on the help of a mercenary like Nina, but what choice do I have? Sitting down on the metal bench in my cell, I lean my elbows on my knees. “Since we’re not going anywhere for the time being, why don’t you tell me how you got tangled up with Nina Ogata?”
Billy glances at his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. “I met her during a dare. Then, when I slipped into Valerius’s territory on the—”
“Wait a second. What th
e hell were you doing in Shadow Creek?”
Glancing at the ceiling, Billy makes an exasperated sound only teenagers are able to. “Please spare me the lecture. Dante already covered that.”
Forcing my jaw shut, locking it so tight it hurts my cheeks, I count to ten in my head. I’m not equipped with the patience to deal with a rebellious teenager.
“Anyway, we came across a demon and I helped Nina escape. I guess now she owes me one.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I fight the sudden headache that is flaring up again. I have no idea how long wolfsbane will remain in my system. Or maybe the cause for my headache is the fucking bad news that keeps piling up. Now Valerius has a demon on his side. What other surprises await us? Can we even win this fight?
Loud shouts outside pull me out of my pity party, then comes the desperate yelling of women and children. We’re under attack. I get off the bench, then I turn to the small barred window in my cell. It’s not on my eye level, so I jump, grabbing the bars while my feet push against the wall.
“Do you see anything?”
“No. This window faces the forest, and there’s no one coming from there.”
I let go of the bars, landing back on the stony floor with soft feet. Billy is tense in his cell, bending his knees and curling his fists at his side. The screaming continues, but it’s not as loud as before, which means our people are either running in the opposite direction of us or they were taken. Wrapping my fingers around the metal bars of my cell’s door, I try to force it open. All I accomplish is making a rattling noise. Frustrated, I feel like kicking the damn thing. I pull my leg back do it, but I stop at the last second when sanity returns to me. I’ll end up breaking my foot.
Another noise reaches us, this time a grunt followed by a thud right outside the building. Imminent danger awakens my wolf, and I allow a partial shift. My canines are longer and sharper, my nails turning into claws. I don’t want to shift completely until I know what we’re dealing with. Morning light pours in suddenly when the front door bursts open, making it impossible to see who is the dark silhouette by the threshold.
“I knew you would get into trouble.” The woman strides in Billy’s direction, stopping by his cell door. She turns to me, her sleek ponytail whipping around like a snake. “Hello there, Mr. Wolfe.”
“Nina Ogata. A pleasure seeing you.” I let sarcasm drip from my tongue, despite the fact she’s here to save our asses. What can I say—old habits die hard? She was a pain in my ass when we were younger, and grew up to be an even pricklier thorn.
“How did you get here so fast?” Billy asks.
“I heard rumors your brother had taken over the pack. I was already inside the compound when I got your SOS signal.”
“How did you get in? The fences were supposed to be on, and we have sentries patrolling,” I say.
“The fences weren’t electrified, and the gate I came through was wide open. I knew something was off. Then I heard the screams.”
“Is it Valerius? Are we under attack?” Billy asks in a frantic manner.
“Yes. I saw a group of Shadow Creek wolves chasing some of your people.”
“Where the hell were our enforcers?”
Nina turns to me, her gaze serious. “I saw none.”
“Fuck. We need to get out of here. Can you pick these locks or not?”
With a snort, Nina pulls out a skeleton key from between her breasts, then uses it to open Billy’s cell first. She does the same to mine next. Examining the key in her hand, I realize it’s not one of ours.
“Where did you get that?”
She hides the key from view once more, sticking it back between her cleavage. I don’t miss how Billy follows the movement, nor when his gaze stays glued to her chest. Ah hell, the kid has a crush on the fox.
“That’s a secret I’ll never tell. Come on, let’s get out of here before Valerius’s minions find us.”
I follow the fox out of the building. The first thing I spot is a teen sprawled next to the bushes. He’s not an enforcer yet, only a cadet. Damn it. I can’t leave him behind like that. He’d be easy prey for Valerius’s ruthless wolves. Bending, I pick up the young wolf, throwing him over my shoulder.
“What are you doing?” Nina asks with wide eyes.
“What does it look like? Did you have to knock the poor kid unconscious?”
“I didn’t know what he was up to. I didn’t want him sounding the alarm.”
She starts moving toward the woods behind the prison building, in the opposite direction where we need to go.
“Where do you think you’re going? We need to help the pack.”
Nina glances over shoulder, leveling me with a glare. “I didn’t sign up for that.”
“Fine, then leave.” I begin to turn around when Billy gets in between us.
“Wait. Nina, you said we were partners. We can’t simply turn our backs on the pack. They’ll be killed. You know that.”
Partners? Oh, I can’t wait to hear the details of that story. The fox’s expression softens a little before she catches my eye over Billy’s shoulder. “I’ll help you out, but I want a favor in return.”
Suspicious, I narrow my eyes. “What favor?”
“Don’t know yet.”
She strides past me. As one, Billy and I follow close behind, sneaking around, staying close to buildings to avoid detection. The sound of fighting becomes louder, and with it, my headache increases to the point where I begin to see white spots in my vision. For fuck’s sake. Now is not the time to suffer from a migraine. I suck my lower lip in, biting it until I taste blood. The sting distracts me from the throbbing in my head and clear my thoughts.
The square in front of the alpha’s manor is a war zone, but it’s clear who has the upper hand. Blood has been spilled, and none is from the enemy. Valerius’s army is vicious, and they’re going for the kill. I need to get in there, which means I have to put the unconscious cadet somewhere safe first. Retracing my steps, I return to the window we passed on the side of the building we’re using for cover. I slam my palm against the wood panel, breaking the lock on the inside. Sticking my head inside the house first to make sure there’s no enemy in sight, I unceremoniously dump the kid on the floor, closing the window again.
By the time I turn around, Billy and Nina have already joined the fray, Billy in his wolf form. Nina chose to remain on two legs, and I don’t understand why until she sticks her hand in the satchel by her hip, pulling a fucking sword out of it. I don’t have time to wonder how the hell she did that because I feel a tug in my chest. My bond to Red has flared, which means she’s here.
My head knows I should shift and help in the fight, but my body moves of its own accord, turning in her direction, the alpha’s manor. I’m already sprinting toward it when the front door bursts open. My heart stops beating for a second before it jumps up my throat.
“Red,” I whisper, not believing my eyes. I don’t know if I want to cry or laugh.
She stares at my face wide-eyed for a split second before her gaze diverts to a point behind me. “Tristan! Watch out.”
Pain explodes in my shoulder where the teeth of a Shadow Creek wolf has sunk into my flesh. I fall with the force of the beast’s jump, locking my jaw tight as it keeps tearing at me. The sound of bone crushing comes first before the mutt’s weight disappears. Bracing my forearms on the ground, I lift my torso, catching Red holding an old baseball bat. She’s not looking at me, but at the fight not too far from us.
With a grunt, I slowly bring my body to an upright position. My shirt is torn, and blood is pouring freely from the wound.
“Shit, brother. He got you good,” Sam says from next to me, right before he takes off in a run, shifting midair during a jump. Show-off.
I recognize Dante’s white fur in the middle of the fight, thrashing his opponent like a rag doll. Not too far from him, a great brown bear fights three wolves at the same time, but he’s holding his own.
No enemy is coming our way fo
r now, allowing Red to take her eyes from the fight for a moment. Our gazes connect. Before I realize I’m going to do it, I’m pulling her into my arms, ignoring the searing pain in my shoulder. Forgetting the battle, I capture her beautiful face between my hands and kiss the hell out of her. I must look like a starved person with the way I take possession of her sweet mouth. There’s no doubt we belong together. I don’t care about anything else other than the woman in my arms.
She’s the one who pulls back first, only to rest her forehead against mine. “Tristan, I was so worried about you.”
“You’re one to talk. I was going out of my mind thinking about you in the hands of that deranged monster.”
She drops her gaze to my mangled shoulders, her green eyes turning darker. “You need help.”
“Is Zaya still here with my mother?”
“No. We searched the manor and the clinic. There’s no one there.”
I curse, not knowing if Seth took Mom or if she managed to escape.
The sound of a loud explosion makes us jump back as the ground begins to shake. A large blue glow in the center of the square is beginning to fade already, allowing us to see Nina at the edge of it.
“What the—”
She turns to Billy, then yells at him to stop. But the young wolf doesn’t pay any attention, heading straight for a specific wolf, his brother Seth. Grunting, I take a step forward, already feeling the tremors of the shift.
“Tristan, you can’t possibly join the fight. You’re hurt.” Red touches my arm.
“Seth is responsible for all this. I can’t let Billy face off his brother. That’s my fight.”
“Where’s Lyria?” Red narrows her eyes, gazing into the distance.
I follow her line of sight, not spotting the former beta anywhere. “She must have taken off already, back to her new master.”
Red turns to me, surprised. “So you know Lyria and Seth were behind my kidnapping?”
Rage takes over my body, and I do nothing to tamper it. “They’ll pay for it.”
“Lyria is mine,” Red hisses, and the fire in her eyes makes me want to kiss her again. My cock is rock hard and begging for action. It’s the most inappropriate time to have a hard-on, but lust and fury go hand in hand.