by V. Vaughn
With Marion upstairs, it would be fine if I leave, but then I think about how Carly and her mother have gotten closer. I think it would be nice for them to be together for the birth, so I say, “Marion is with Sven right now. Would you rather your mother come?”
“Would that be easier for you?”
I glance through my kitchen window to the dorm. The section that contains the families with young children is dark now that it’s late in the evening, but the rest of the building is lit up. The idea of leaving my home and the De Rozier while Tristan is gone feels wrong, so I say, “I think it might be best if I stay here.”
“I understand completely. I’ll ask Marion.”
My worry is forgotten for a moment as I think about the babies that are about to arrive. I ask, “How far apart are your contractions?”
“About two minutes right now.” There’s a pause, and then Carly adds, “Don’t tell Brady. He doesn’t need the distraction.” She chuckles dryly before she says, “Besides, it’s not like he can do anything.”
“Got it.” I imagine Carly will deliver by the morning, and I send a wish to the powers that be that I’ll have children in my house tomorrow too.
Carly’s voice is strained when she speaks again, and I wonder if she’s mid-contraction. “Annie?”
“What is it?”
“I had a premonition, and I think I need to act on it.”
Carly’s dreams have been known to come true. “Sure,” I say. “What was it?”
“I saw Audrey, Everett, and Connell in cages.”
“Oh my god.” The human hunters have a bigger plan than I suspected. Poor Carly. She’s used to taking charge, and right now there’s nothing she can do to keep her toddlers safe. I ask, “Who’s left to guard you?”
“Ian’s already here per Brady’s orders, and I could get Garret to join him.”
The kitchen table is gritty under my hand as I swipe crumbs into my palm, and I think about the latest werebear to arrive. “I’ve got a better idea. You only need Ian, because I’m sending over the final De Rozier warriors, the Lindquist quadruplets. They arrived tonight.”
Carly sighs. “Thank you. I feel much better being cautious.”
“Me too. Please keep me posted if you can.”
“You know I will,” she says. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
After I go to the dorm to send the Lindquist brothers over to Carly’s I make my way back to Sven’s bedroom to relieve Marion. She smiles at me when I enter, and I know Carly spoke to her. She says, “A bright spot in our sad day, Annie.”
I smile back. “It is. Now go experience the miracle of life with your daughter. She’s going to need you.”
I glance over at Sven. He’s healing quickly, as werebear do, and a little color has returned to his face. I think he’ll wake soon. I say to Marion, “I’ll keep you updated on Sven.”
“Please do.” She leaves the room, and the chair next to the bed creaks as I sit down. I lift the sheet that is over Sven to inspect his wounds. Marion removed his bandages, and the man’s finely sculpted body is covered with angry red scars from where he was shot.
It’s amazing that he’s still alive. Dr. Reynolds was drenched in sweat by the time he finished treating Sven. The doctor said he’d never seen a live werebear with such extensive injures. I think Sven is lucky to be a polar bear. Not only are they ferocious, but they seem to be harder to kill.
I get up to make my way to the bathroom and get a clean washcloth to clean off the remaining bits of dried blood on Sven’s skin. Water rushes as I fill the bowl. I pour a drop of lavender oil in and watch it float on the surface for a moment before I swirl it in with my hand to see it disappear. In a world dominated by humans, werebear could be wiped out with little notice. A chill runs down my spine, and I shake it off before I return to Sven.
I gaze at the man that came to us more bear than human. As Tristan’s right-hand man, he’s lived life in a primal way. Killing to survive and protect his clan, Sven’s instincts dictate his actions. But he’s got a strong human side, and I smile as I recall how Sven treats Echo, Ellie, and Eva with love and compassion. He’ll be a wonderful father when he and Lucy have children. My throat tightens in response to the emotions that well up in me.
Sven stirs, and a moan escapes his lips.
I move to be in his view and say, “Welcome back. The doctor says you’re going to be okay.”
His face contorts in response to the anguish he’s feeling as he calls Lucy’s name out telepathically. I say, “She’s alive but probably sedated right now.” He gazes into my eyes as I go on. “She and the girls were kidnapped.”
Sven shoves me away as he swings his legs over the edge of the bed. “I must find her.”
I speak to Tristan in my head as Sven staggers to the door. “Sven just woke up, and he’s trying to leave to find Lucy.”
Tristan alpha orders Sven while keeping me tuned in. “Sven. You are to stay and heal. We’ve got this.”
I watch the fierce polar werebear in front of me as he clenches his fists in his struggle to follow an order and deny the primal urge to save his true mate. Sven’s claws extend, and his fangs lower before he lets out a loud roar in response to his torture. The physical exertion is too much, and he collapses to his knees.
I’m tempted to go to Sven and help him to his feet, but the ferocious werebear needs dignity. I whisper, “I’ll be downstairs.”
Sven’s bear retreats, and he climbs back on the bed and stares at the ceiling. The muscles in his jaw are clenched tight as he says, “They will pay.”
I nod at him as my stomach rolls with dread. I think we’re all going to pay, and I’m afraid of the price.
Chapter 5
Isabelle
One of the distinguishing features of polar werebear is our ability to track a scent hundreds of miles away. In the Arctic, once we find what we’re sniffing out, it’s only a matter of how long it takes to run to the location to get what we want. But here in Maine, our gift is challenged by the problems a human population presents. Because we have to be in bear form to smell Lucy and the triplets’ scent at great distances, the logistics of traveling are tough.
Tristan speaks to me telepathically. “Izzy, you can’t streak through neighborhoods naked. Someone called the police.” Tristan has a police scanner with him to monitor any unwelcome attention.
Jean Luc’s telepathic chuckle makes me smile. At least my mate has a sense of humor. Humans freak out when a bear cuts through their yard, and we’re spending a lot of time circumventing housing developments to get where we need to go. I thought running though them as humans might not garner any notice. But when we tripped the automatic floodlights in the last neighborhood, we must have gotten someone all worked up. Apparently nudity is just as much cause for concern as a bear.
I glance at my team as I grin. “No more streaking.” While our mission is serious business, a little humor goes a long way to relieve the tension that builds before a potential battle.
In addition to Brady and Ashton, we have the best Robichaux warrior with us, Ryan. He’s a friend of Luke’s, and glancing at him now makes me wonder how my ex-boyfriend is doing. Luke’s bound to have heard I’m alive now, and I wish I could have told him first.
The team chuckles as Brady lifts the GPS that hangs from a string around his neck. He reads off our coordinates, and I relay it to Jean Luc. Tristan will share it with the two groups of De Rozier-led warriors that flank us. It was decided we’d travel in three groups to minimize our exposure.
A growl rumbles in my throat after I shift back to lead the team through the forest. I have no doubt Tristan and Jean Luc are annoyed too, since they have to make frequent stops in the Hummer as they wait for our location readings to be able to travel by road.
The thumping of bear feet and snapping of twigs and brush fill my ears as Lucy’s scent gets stronger. I communicate with Jean Luc and Tristan. “We’re getting close.” I nudge Brady, and we all slow to a
quiet walk as we try to make as little noise as possible. When I see a clearing, I stop. Our ears detect the sound of soft breathing, and I speak to Tristan and Jean Luc. “Found them.” I shift into human form and read off our location.
I sneak up to the edge of the property to scan the area. A large barn is set back from a farmhouse, but no horses are present. I’m grateful, because they’d be able to smell us and might have alerted the hunters of our presence. Lights are on in the home, and a cough makes me notice the man guarding the trailer. He’s on the porch, and I shake my head at his dull senses. If he were a werebear, he’d have heard our approach as well as detected our odor.
But I know better than to underestimate the power of his gun, so I wait for the rest of our rescue party to arrive as I speak to my brother and my mate. “I smell the triplets and Lucy in the trailer. One man is guarding them with a large gun that might be semi-automatic. Number of occupants in the farmhouse is unknown.”
Tristan replies, “Annie says Marion made contact with Lucy earlier, and nobody is injured. Grab everyone except two guards and come meet us on the road.”
Brady and I leave Ashton and Ryan behind as we shift and go meet up with the rest of the rescue party. When we get there, we shift back, and Jean Luc hands me something to wear. Cotton rasps against my legs as I pull pants on my human body. We’re stealthier in the woods as people and less likely to be shot.
We know from Lucy’s communications that she and the triplets are locked in cages, so the two best lock pickers are assigned to the trailer, with Keith and another Le Roux named Laurent to watch their backs. A group will spread out around the perimeter of the property, while Tristan and Brady will lead a team of us to enter the farmhouse.
Because I can speak to Jean Luc and Tristan, I’m paired with my mate to enter the home from the back. Tristan will take the front with Ryan, while Brady and Ashton will each grab a De Rozier warrior to help them watch the windows.
The first step of the plan is to get the trailer open and unlocked. That will require the gunman on the porch to be disabled quietly. Tristan’s teeth gleam as he smiles when Brady suggests he do it. It’s been a while since my brother has been involved in violence, and I think he’s missed it. We both have.
Even though the new version of me is happy, I love a good adrenaline spike. I take pleasure in the fight, but I think now I’m going to be just as satisfied by the success of our mission. Something beyond self-preservation is driving me to take out the hunters. The thought startles me, and I wonder if perhaps mating with Jean Luc has been a catalyst for more than my magic and healthy mental state. Maybe I’ve unlocked a few leadership qualities too.
That would be handy, considering I’m going to become the Ouellette prima as soon as Jean Luc and I marry. I catch myself smiling about the woman I’ve become. Thank you, destiny. I like my new path.
Tristan interrupts my thoughts as he speaks telepathically. “Feels good to be back in the game, doesn’t it?”
I nod. “It feels good to be doing it for the right reasons.”
“You’re happy, Izzy. That’s good.”
I throw a soft punch at his chest. “Careful, or I’ll tell Annie you’ve gotten warm and fuzzy.”
Tristan slaps my arm, and I say, “Thanks, Tristan. I am happy.”
The true mate connection zings through me when Jean Luc places a hand on my shoulder. He says, “Let’s do this.”
I nod and place my hand on the gun in my waistband. The metal is warm from my body heat, and I follow him as we move to our position. Because there are guns involved, the usual werebear tactics of hand-to-hand combat don’t apply. My bear isn’t happy about that, because it likes nothing better than a good physical fight. But as my mate walks in front of me, I think about the fact that we’re about to endanger our lives to save more than Lucy and the triplets. We’re saving our clans, and I’m thankful I get to be a part of something so important.
Our feet move soundlessly over the forest floor as Jean Luc and I move around the perimeter to get to our spot. Before we make it very far, Tristan’s voice breaks through. “Patricia is about to arrive. We’re going to hang back and figure out how she’s involved before we make a move.”
My heartbeat quickens, because now that a werebear is involved, we have to be vigilant about staying hidden. Patricia has the ability to hear our movements, and while the scent of Lucy and the girls should cloak the rest of us, she could notice if she took the time to focus on their odors. But at least she’s not a polar bear, and chances are good she won’t figure out we’re here until it’s too late.
The rumble of a car approaching makes me freeze in place and reach slowly for Jean Luc’s hand. His grip is tight as he squeezes my fingers and says, “You look good in black.”
“Now I know why true mates aren’t usually paired up for things like this. Focus.”
“I am. I’ve got your back, ma chérie.”
My heart swells as I think about how much I love Jean Luc, and I say, “And I’ve got yours. Forever.”
Chapter 6
Tori
Lily and I managed to keep Patricia talking until nine o’clock. She finally got rid of us by claiming it was her bedtime, and Lily and I left without any intention of going home. We drove a few houses away from Patricia’s cottage and sat facing out of the driveway of a vacant summer home, waiting for when she’ll drive by.
I ask, “Have you ever tailed someone before?”
“No, but how hard can it be?”
“I guess we’ll find out.” I communicate with Keith. “Lily and I delayed Patricia as long as we could. Now we’re waiting to follow her when she leaves.”
“Good. We’re still tracking Lucy, and we’re close. I’ll let you know when we find them.”
“Got it.”
I say to Lily, “They still haven’t found them, but Keith says they’re close.”
We sit in silence for a while before I ask, “When you became a werebear, did you feel like more than your body changed?”
“Yes.” I make out her silhouette in the near darkness as she turns to me and says, “It was like I was injected with self-assurance.” She shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe I grew up too, but I went from being insecure and timid to someone that could command a presence. You know?”
“Totally. I feel like I drank power juice or something. I mean, the idea that we’re about to follow a dangerous woman to a place where hunters have kidnapped people is insane. Yet here I am.” I shake my head. “And the craziest part is that not only do I want to, I need to.”
Lights indicate someone’s driving toward us, and I think it’s Patricia. “There she is,” says Lily. Once the car passes, Lily pushes the start button on her dash, and we roll out behind it without turning on the headlights.
Unfortunately, the moon is barely visible, and my teeth practically rattle as we seem to hit every pothole while Lily works on staying between the trees that line the road. She says, “This is a little harder than I thought. But once we get near the main road, we can see which way she turns. Then we’ll give her space and turn our lights on again.”
“Good. My spine will thank you for it.”
Lily falls back farther when we see the streetlights on the main road. We watch Patricia turn right, and once she’s out of our line of vision, Lily turns on the headlights. “Wow, that’s so much better,” she says. “This road isn’t very well traveled, but there isn’t anywhere she can turn off until the end of it. A straightaway is coming up, so I’ll let her stay out of sight until we get there.”
The tires hum over the smooth asphalt as we stay quiet. I notice the red taillights of Patricia’s car where Lily said we would. I have a sudden urge to communicate with Keith, but his situation is more volatile than mine, so I don’t. My grandmother turns left at the end of the road toward a highway. Now we see other cars and can get a little closer, especially since one passes before we can turn and separates us from Patricia. We’re headed toward a business section popul
ated by the typical interstate exit establishments.
When Patricia slows I say, “She’s stopping at the gas station.” I grip the door handle as Lily swerves quickly to turn onto the road just before the building and where there is another entrance. She flips off the lights and does a quick U-turn to stop on the shoulder, away from lights. It gives us a perfect view of what my grandmother is doing. I say, “Good idea.”
Lily lowers the windows before she cuts the engine, and we notice Patricia get out of the car. She parked by the convenience store, but she doesn’t go in. Instead she moves toward the back of the building as her car flashes, indicating she’s locking it by remote. A man steps out from the darkness. He has a thin build and is average human height, which tells me he probably isn’t a werebear. I’m shocked when Patricia rushes into his arms. Lily whispers, “Oh my god. She’s hugging a human?”
When they kiss, I whisper back, “Holy crap.”
Lily groans when their embrace becomes more passionate, and I do my best to block out their little noises of pleasure as she continues to speak in a voice Patricia can’t hear. “I can’t believe I’m watching this.”
“I know.” When they stop, the man puts his arm around Patricia’s shoulders and leads her to a large SUV. “Whoa.” I ask, “Is she having an affair?”
“I think so, but I bet that man is involved with the hunters.”
The man says, “I wish you weren’t so late and we had more time.”
Patricia sighs. “I know, I’m sorry I couldn’t get away sooner, but I must keep up appearances so I don’t blow my cover.”
He lowers his voice to what I guess he thinks is a sexy tone and says, “It’s so hard to be away from you, honey.”
Patricia dips her head and says, “We’ll have plenty of time later.” She clears her throat and is more serious when she adds, “Tonight we have an important job to do. People are counting on us.”
“I know you’re right. What we’re doing matters to all of mankind,” says the man. The passenger door to his vehicle groans open, and he adds, “The animals are secure. But I don’t feel good about this.”