Dane (Rise of the Pride, Book 8)

by Theresa Hissong

  Dane

  Rise of the Pride

  Book 8

  By

  Theresa Hissong

  License Notes

  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 the author, publisher, or retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Disclaimer:

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The names of people, places, and/or things are all created from the author’s mind and are only used for entertainment.

  Due to the content, this book is recommended for adults 18 years and older.

  Copyright 2018 Theresa Hissong

  Cover Design:

  Gray Publishing Services

  Editing by:

  Heidi Ryan

  Formatted by:

  Wayne Hissong

  Dedication:

  To my friend, my warrior, Kerri,

  You will never be forgotten, and you will always be loved.

  #fuckcancer

  Kerri Lynn James

  September 27, 1974 – June 22, 2018

  Contents:

  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

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  The panther’s powerful legs pushed off the solid ground, sending him up onto a low branch that hung over the pond in the back of the property. His keen eyesight scanned the water as the soft breeze blew ripples across its surface. The beast was hungry, and a big, juicy fish was in order.

  With precision, the panther dove into the water, landing with a splash. His massive jaws locked around a large catfish in only a foot of water. The beast prowled slowly toward the bank, the fish struggling to escape. He found a shady spot beside a few shrubs, laying down on his belly to enjoy the meal.

  Dane’s human side rested inside the panther’s mind. Today was his day off from protecting the bar. Booth was there, watching over Nova and Della as they worked the afternoon lunch hour. Was it selfish of him to be unconcerned about not being the Guardian at The Deuce that day? Usually, he took pride in his job of providing security, but knowing it was Cole and Olivia’s day off, he didn’t care to even show up at the bar. Booth could handle things without him. If Olivia or Cole had been scheduled, he would’ve made an excuse and sent the other Guardian back to the pride.

  Dane felt only he was capable of caring for the little human waitress and the bartender. She’d starred in so many of his dreams lately. Most of them were erotic in nature. Others were nightmares pulled from his past that involved both of them.

  He’d woken up that morning, sweating and calling out their names. The nightmares were always the same. He was back in the fighting ring. Olivia and Cole were there in the center. Other shifters were poised and ready to attack them, but Dane stood protectively in front of them with his fangs bared. It didn’t matter how hard he fought, Olivia and Cole always died a bloody death the moment before he’d wake up.

  Dane’s panther shook its head as it finished off the meal. Using his paw, he cleaned himself before standing to stretch. Dane didn’t rush the panther as it returned to the dorm where he lived in a single room at the top of the stairs. He waited until he reached the building before forcing the shift, and then walked inside without caring he was stark naked, taking the stairs up to his room.

  Checking the clock, he rolled his eyes when he saw it was only ten in the morning. He hated being off work for the day, and decided to make his way to the alpha’s home to see if he could help on the property. He didn’t make it far before he heard the grunts and punches coming from the gym attached to the Guardians’ dorm.

  Calla and Malaki were facing off in the center of the mats. Both wore gloves, at least, so he didn’t have to kick Malaki’s ass for fucking with his sister and her desire to learn to fight.

  “Does this mean they’re getting along?” Dane asked Ranger as he approached.

  “This means Malaki has given in and decided to train with his sister,” Ranger replied. “He’s still not happy, but he’s coming around.”

  “Who gave him the black eye? You or Calla?” Dane asked with a nod toward the young Guardian.

  “Ah, I did,” Ranger smirked. “He’s still unstable, so we’ve had a few…disagreements.”

  “Glad you’re in charge of him,” Dane snickered, raising a brow, “because I would’ve broken his face for being disrespectful.”

  Ranger excused himself to give Calla some pointers. Malaki stepped back and shook his head. His beast was close to the surface, and his eyes flashed between icy blue and the amber of his panther. It was obvious the male was agitated.

  “You good, my man?” Dane asked as soon as he took hold of the male’s arm, pulling him aside. The young male had hit his prime and had fought to gain his Guardian status at the Summer Solstice a few weeks ago, where he’d bested his opponent, impressing Talon.

  “Still feeling agitated,” Malaki panted.

  “Do you think sparring with your sister is a good idea?” Dane pressed, looking over the male’s shoulder. Calla was blossoming into a beautiful woman, and she’d already had several of the males in the pride asking her out on dates. At nineteen, she’d already been through enough trauma to last her a lifetime. Having her brother act a fool over her training during the past two years wasn’t helping, either.

  “It’s better than her working with Taze,” Malaki growled, rolling his sparking amber eyes.

  “Ah,” Dane chuckled and slapped him on the back. “You can’t stop Calla from finding her mate.”

  “They’re not mates,” the young Guardian snarled. “She’s too young for him.”

  “Whatever you say,” Dane teased. “I’d be careful if I were you. I don’t think you want to get your ass kicked for being disrespectful…again.”

  “She’s my sister,” Malaki growled. “She’s my responsibility.”

  “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.” Dane rolled his eyes and released his hold on the young male. He really wasn’t in the mood to kick his ass, but he would if Malaki got out of hand. It wasn’t the first time the kid had been knocked down and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

  The door to the gym opened and Dane didn’t even need to turn around to see who’d entered the room. From the look in Calla’s eyes, the one male her brother disapproved of was standing behind him. Dane reached out and squeezed Malaki’s shoulder, giving it a little shake. “We don’t want any problems.”

  “Understood,” Malaki replied, but it didn’t sound like the male was going to take it easy on Taze. Dane would let Ranger deal with that.

  The Guardian, Taze, ignored the stares of Calla’s brother and dropped his bag beside the bench. He walked over to the heavy bags and began working out without saying a word to anyone in the room. Dane took that as a good sign and waved to Ranger as he set off for his original locatio
n, the alpha’s home.

  He didn’t make it far before his phone rang. “Olivia?”

  “I need your help,” she sighed.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, turning toward the parking area behind the Guardians’ dorm. With his keys in hand, he slid into the seat.

  “My car is broken down at the grocery store,” she explained. “You’re the only person I know who might know what the hell is wrong with this bucket of bolts.”

  “Don’t hate on the car,” he chuckled, feeling his heartbeat slow.

  “Bring tools…or a few sticks of dynamite,” she huffed.

  “I’ll be there in less than fifteen minutes,” he said, pulling out of his parking spot. He only slowed as he passed the gate at the road, turning onto the main road to head to town.

  Olivia Stone sighed heavily as she attempted to crank her car again. The piece of junk was dead-dead…like, needed to be taken to a junkyard and pulverized in one of those crushing machines. She’d put more money into it than she cared to count.

  Thankfully, Dane had answered when she called him. She didn’t want to bother him on his day off, but she was stranded. The ice cream she’d purchased was going to be melted by the time she got home, but at this point, she really didn’t care as long as she got home sometime before dark.

  Dane’s large, black truck pulled in beside her car, and she waited for him to come around to her door. He made a motion for her to pop the hood, so she pulled the lever down by her feet, hearing the mechanism release with a clunk.

  “It won’t turn over?” he asked as he ducked under the hood.

  “No, it won’t do anything,” she replied as she came around to the front of the car. His blond hair fell forward when the wind picked up out of the north. She looked away when the action revealed the mangled edges along the shell of his ear.

  “Ah, this is an easy fix,” he announced as he stood to his full height.

  “What is it?” she asked, looking up into his icy blue eyes. In the daylight, they sparkled like ice, and she turned to look at whatever it was under the hood that was causing problems so she wouldn’t stare at his beauty for too long. She didn’t want to think about how he was a head taller than her, and she was already five-foot-eight. Nor did she want to fantasize about the shifter and his bulging muscles.

  Dane’s gaze appeared heated as it raked over her body. He’d never seen her in a dress before. It was usually jeans and a work shirt for her when she was at the bar. In her off time, she liked her gauzy dresses and comfortable sandals. It was just who she was.

  “Your serpentine belt is toast.” He cleared his throat and pointed to the source of her car troubles.

  “Well, that’s great,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest when he looked over her shoulder and became very still. His eyes flashed amber as she noticed him scanning the lot. When he narrowed his gaze, she frowned at the sight of three men getting out of a truck. They were large, almost as large as the Guardians, but they were out of place. It was obvious they didn’t belong in town, and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when they walked into the gas station attached to the grocery store.

  “Jump in my truck, and we’ll run to the parts store.”

  “Who are those people, Dane?” she asked, lowering her voice.

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care to find out when I don’t have any Guardians in the area,” he mumbled, never taking his eyes off the door to the gas station. “Let’s get out of here and get the part for the car. I will have Booth come with me to help change it out.”

  “My ice cream is melting,” she blurted.

  “Well, we can take your groceries home first if you’d like.” He hurriedly grabbed several bags and smiled warmly at her. Even with his bright smile, she saw a hint of concern in the tightening of his jaw. “I have the entire day off, and I was bored anyway.”

  “Ah, thanks,” she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “I appreciate you doing this. Can I make you dinner?”

  “Depends on what you’re cooking,” he said with a wink. “Come on, we need to go.”

  Olivia and Dane worked to transfer her bags into the backseat of his extended cab truck. She waited for him to move away from her each time, knowing she wasn’t allowed to touch him. As soon as the bags were in his truck, she jumped into the seat and gathered her white dress around her legs. Her eyes tracked him as he walked with purpose around the front of the truck.

  “I have a bad feeling about those men, Dane,” she said, fidgeting with the rings she wore on each finger.

  “So do I, Olivia,” he said with a frown as he pulled out of the lot and turned south on the road that lead to her home. “You’ll have to give me your address. I don’t think I’ve ever been to your place.”

  The ride to her place was quiet. Dane continued to look out his side and rearview mirrors the entire trip. He didn’t relax until they pulled into her gravel driveway. “My apartment is over the garage.”

  “Who lives in the house?” he asked, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the property.

  “My mother lives there,” she answered and opened her door, reaching into the back seat to collect half the groceries. Dane retrieved the rest.

  The front of her mother’s small, white house was neatly landscaped with beautiful shrubs and rose bushes at each corner. The garage was unattached and sat about thirty yards from the main home. The two-car garage had been her father’s workspace for many years as he repaired vehicles for a living. The apartment above was used for nothing more than storage before she moved home just over a year ago to stay with them while her father slowly died from brain cancer. She’d cleaned it up and turned it into her little cozy home, deciding to stay after his funeral.

  She took the stairs two at a time to reach the landing, fumbling with her keys to unlock the door. She pushed the door open and flipped on the light. The small kitchenette sat off to her left, and she placed her bags on the table, fumbling to get them off her wrists. “You can put the bags there. Give me five minutes to put these things away.”

  “Don’t rush,” he mumbled as he walked around her living space. He stopped to pick up a large, fleece blanket she kept on her couch. “You like things cozy, huh?”

  “Yeah.” She blushed and turned away to put the ice cream in the freezer.

  She occasionally glanced over her shoulder as Dane continued to move about the tiny living room, looking at the trinkets she’d collected over the years. The room was painted a bright white, per her mother’s request, but the décor was anything but plain. Olivia liked bright colors that reminded her of her time in Florida. Aqua blue curtains hung from the windows, with yellow sashes used for the tiebacks. He stopped and picked up a sand dollar she’d found intact on the beach a few years ago. Olivia watched as he touched the object with delicate fingers, placing it back in its place on the table next to her couch.

  “You like the ocean?” he asked, looking up at her through lowered lashes. His icy blue eyes were alive as his gaze passed over her body. She tried not to blush again, but it was hard with the way he looked at her like he was sizing her up for his next meal.

  “Um, yeah,” she shrugged, using the motion to turn around and place more of her groceries in the refrigerator. “I lived in Florida for three years.”

  “I’m going to call one of the Guardians to meet us at your car,” he said, clearing his throat. She could’ve sworn she saw a flash of amber in his eyes, but he turned away so quickly, she may have mistaken it for the light coming through the window by the door.

  While he made his call, she finished up and stepped into her room to pull out her clothes for tomorrow’s shift at the bar. They’d all be back at work together, and she hoped her car would be repaired by the time she left at ten.

  “Are you ready?” Dane asked from her doorway. When she turned around, he was leaning against the door frame. His large body filled the space, and she wanted nothing more than to stand there and stare at him all afternoon.
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  “Yes.” She nodded and grabbed her keys. “Let’s go.”

  Cole’s heart raced in his chest as he frantically searched the house for his baby brother. Landon was nowhere to be found.

  “Landon!” he yelled.

  There was no response.

  Landon’s belongings were exactly where they had been the night before when Cole had gotten home from work. His car was still in the driveway, his keys hanging on the peg by the door, and his cell phone sat on the bedside table on the charger. It’d been close to two in the morning when Cole had arrived, and he didn’t even peek into his brother’s room to make sure he was there.

  How long had he been gone?

  Did they take Landon while Cole was at work?

  Cole burst out the front door, looking at the gravel driveway for any footprints that didn’t belong to either of them. The gravel was disturbed at the walkway leading to the front door, but other than that, nothing. No footprints. No drag marks…nothing.

  He picked up the phone and placed a call to the old lady across the road, knowing Mrs. Lindell would’ve seen something if she was awake.

  “No, Cole, I haven’t seen your brother since yesterday morning when he got back from wherever he had gone. Looked like he had been to that jean store at the mall. He had a bag with the store name on it.”

  Cole had already seen the bag. Landon had bought a few pairs of jeans and two button-down shirts. They were still laying on his bed with the tags on them. If he wasn’t home when Cole got off work, he’d been gone for about twelve hours.

  Where was he?

  “Thank you, Mrs. Lindell,” Cole replied and hung up.

  His fears had finally caught up to him. The days of war and serving his country had come back to bite him in the ass. The cartel had threatened them for years, vowing to come for them and their families. As much as he kept to himself, Cole had always covered his tracks, but he hadn’t done well enough.