Greyriver Shifters

by Kristina Weaver

  This time Logan slams his fist into my face over and over, until I feel blood coat my skin and smell the coppery scent all over. That small scent is a game changer for me because it covers the immediate smell of Mika’s blood and helps me focus, flipping the switch back so that my conscious mind centers and becomes clear again.

  “Don’t fucking shift! If you shift and the sonofabitch under your skin figures out she’s gone, we’re all fucked. You’ll go feral, and what good will that do? Mika needs you strong, Bear, not losing your shit and going into the feral half change,” he mutters, shoving me back and getting to his feet.

  Rolling, I do the same and walk over to Flame, who doesn’t seem aware of anything around him but the scent of his mate and the unborn young she’s carrying.

  Seeing him so broken, as if he has no will to live, not even enough fight to go feral, has my heart seizing, but I shove it back and clasp his shoulder, squeezing until he raises bloodshot blue eyes my way.

  “We’re going to find our females and kill those fuckers. Don’t puss out on me now, Flame. We need you to get your shit together and help us track them,” I say, getting a dead glare that is full of impotent rage.

  I prefer it, even if having Flame go fury on me isn’t my idea of fun. At least the male isn’t ready to just lay down and die yet.

  “They touch her. I will bathe in their blood,” he rasps, the rage inside him making his wolf more prominent than usual.

  His eyes are stone cold but swirling with dark blue and green flecks that let me know he’s not kidding, and knowing Flame, I more than understand. Nothing riles a male more than his mate being in danger.

  Add to that the life of his young, and we’re fucking lucky this male hasn’t started tearing everything in his path to shreds.

  “I hear you, brother. Trust me, I’m not far behind, but Logan is right. We need to get our shit together and come at this from a different angle. Something isn’t right about the way they’ve done this shit. The scent or lack thereof, the victims’ inability to identify them at all, given the fact that shifters can hear a fly buzzing a mile away if they try. The randomness of the attacks. Losing the trail on the water,” I say, my mind working furiously.

  We’ve been at this for so long now that I know each attack personally from the moment those fuckers appeared until they left without a trace. The thing that’s been bugging me lately is that after each invasion and attack they just leave.

  Surely, if they had another purpose, they’d come further into town and—

  And they couldn’t!

  The thought hits me, and I feel a sense of excitement, as things start adding up. They’ve been playing the field and opening up a path. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before, but as my mind races and the facts start adding up, I feel my heart sink.

  “Fuck! How did we not see this before? They’ve been clearing a way into the town from the outskirts,” I say, giving Logan and Flame both pause when I turn and start pacing.

  “What do you mean? So far it’s just been random.”

  “Logan, think about it. Most of the attacks have been concentrated on the eastern boundary and working up towards our area of town.”

  “Not true. What about the attack the night before last? That was way over on Birch and nowhere near our area of town,” he points out.

  “Yeah, but it’s a pattern. They attack in the east at least twice before making one attempt on another border to throw us off. Most of those other attacks haven’t been too severe. A few broken bones, maybe a male put in the hospital for a few hours, but nothing as severe as in the east. Those attacks saw families moving out because the males have been hospitalized for days. Leaving their homes empty.”

  “And making it easier for them to make progress,” Flame snarls, getting my meaning. “Okay, so this is a mission with a purpose. Good to know, but that doesn’t explain why they took my mate and your Mika.”

  I flinch at his wording, hating that he won’t call her my mate, but knowing that he has every right to make the distinction. If Mika was truly mine, she’d have my scent mark that is injected with my essence when I bit her, and she’d have a link to me of some sort.

  Mostly, it’s a faint mind link that only works with close proximity, which is why Flame is so close to losing his shit. Not having even a piece of Gretchen’s mind in his thoughts must make him feel like a part of him is gone completely.

  “I don’t know. That part doesn’t make sense. Mika isn’t, as you say, a mate yet—”

  “Yet?” Logan barks, calling me out with a growl. “I hope that means you’re finally going to stop being such a fucking pussy and actually do right by that poor female. Honestly, if I have to lie awake while she sex dreams about you anymore, I will kill you with my bare hands.”

  I grin, liking that Mika still dreams of me, even out of heat, and shelve that information for later when I can actually do something about it. Because I fucking will. No way, no how will I accept that I am not getting my female back, and when I do, I am marking her so hard no one will ever doubt how much I want her.

  “Calm down. I am doing just that as soon as I get my hands on her. Now, about finding them. I know that they’ve been raiding on the Eastern line and scattering randoms to throw us off, but I don’t think that we should just assume they’ve gone east like the trail wants us to. We lose them at the water, but we all know a shifter would not go out on the water and lose the advantage. We can’t shift and fight effectively on anything but land.”

  Flame considers that with a narrow-eyed look and nods, pursing his lips.

  “I agree. Water is out. We should have thought of that sooner. So what, they’re luring us there, so we can lose the trail?”

  I nod, grabbing my map from the pocket in my black uniform pants and spreading it on the ground.

  “If you look here you can see that the tree break to the north is going to be a problem if they want to get out fast. There’s too much growth to make a quick escape without one of the enforcers on patrol running into them.”

  “Here,” Logan says, pointing to a spot near the water where it’s easy to run through the shallows to cover their tracks but leads into a part of the woods.

  Where I vaguely remember seeing caves.

  “Let’s go.”

  # # # #

  Meek

  My lungs aren’t working properly, and the pain tearing through me from the broken ribs and where that asshole kicked me is so bad I am panting in shallow breaths with every step I take.

  It hurts so bad I don’t know how I’ve gotten this far. My face is a mess of blood and bruises, and my back is on fire where that fuckface lashed me with his whip.

  “I can’t run anymore!” Gretchen gasps, falling to her knees, and I fall beside her, winded and gasping.

  I can taste blood bubbling up my throat, but I ignore it, knowing that I can’t afford to stop and assess my body. I am weak, tired, and in too much agony to do myself any good.

  We need to keep moving and get as far away as possible before my body gives in. I can’t stop now, not until we’re close enough for someone from the pack to scent us. If it’s even possible.

  “Do you know where we are?” I ask, pushing myself up with a muffled groan when I feel something inside me scrape against something vital.

  The taste of blood gets stronger, so I know I’m running out of time.

  Damn fucking freaks! If I make it long enough to get back to the pack, I am so telling Logan what a bastard that man was.

  I hope I live long enough to see Logan rip his throat out with his teeth. That would be a gift no one could top.

  “No. Sorry Meek, but I—oh God.” She moans, doubling over and clutching her stomach, shaking so hard I feel myself shake with her.

  “Oh God, what? What, oh God? Oh please, no. No,” I say as if my denial will make our situation any less true. “Gretchen—”

  “I’m having contractions, Meek,” she says and groans, clenching her jaw when the pain becom
es too much.

  My heart falls because I know we need to move, but Gretchen won’t make it, not if we have to stop for her to rest and get through this.

  “It’s too early! Shit, let me see.”

  She chuckles on a gasp and lets me check out between her legs, my breath coming out on a sigh of relief when I don’t see any blood or fluids on her jeans.

  “You’re doing okay so far, but we need to move, Gretchen. We need to get as far as possible. Someone must be looking by now.”

  The moon is shining, a full orb that illuminates our path, and with the enhanced vision we have, we should make it a little further if Gretchen’s water doesn’t break.

  She nods, letting me help her up, and we start jogging again, slower than before but at least we’re moving. We run that way for another ten minutes before she stops again and leans down to grasp her knees, breathing hard through the pain.

  I have no idea about labor or contractions or timing, but this is not right to me. It’s only been minutes, and yet here she is in the grips of it again, too soon.

  At this pace, we’re going to get caught.

  When we were just a few meters from the cave, I heard that howl, the anger and the intent, and I am so not into being caught again just so some ugly idiot can tear me apart.

  I don’t even know if the other one is up and healing from that bullet, but if he is, we are in deep shit.

  “You…need to go…on. Get help.”

  “No way. I am not leaving you!” I hiss, willing myself to keep strong because she needs me.

  “I can’t run anymore, Mika. It hurts, and I’m so tired already. It’s all I can do to keep standing. Go find Flame. Bring my mate to me.”

  Hell fucking no. No way will I leave her here. Those baboons will find her and either take her away where we can’t get to her or kill her and the kid. Not in this lifetime will I ever leave someone I love behind.

  Gathering myself, I thank God for what extra strength the blood gives me and grab Gretchen, hoisting her into my arms. It’s not a comfortable fit with her legs around my hips and her belly poking between us, but I have a strong grip—and that’s all I need.

  Every step I take hurts, and it’s slow going at first as I stumble forward, picking out the shapes of trees and roots in the dark. I gain speed though the longer we go, and before I know it, I’m running, my instinct giving me the speed and strength to keep going.

  I can hear something off in the distance behind us, probably baboon one and two coming for us but ignore the fear that spikes through me and keep going.

  Gretchen is a star though. She keeps a tight hold around my shoulders and breathes through her pain, every contraction of her belly letting me know when it starts and eases off.

  I swear to God, if we make it out of this alive I will buy her a sports car for being this awesome. The added burden does take a toll on me though, and eventually, we’re both breathing hard and I’m stumbling, my legs burning and threatening to buckle as another bubble of blood bursts in my throat and dizziness pours through me.

  I’m breathing hard now, my every breath a wheezing whistle of utter agony. It’s long passed the time of endurance, my body is stronger than humanly possible, but it’s not indestructible and another ten minutes later it gives out, dumping me to my knees into the leaves as all function deserts me.

  Gretchen grunts, rolling off me and lays there in pain while I fall to the ground and try to stay conscious. I smell blood now, blood that is not my own and realize that it’s hers, covering her thighs and my lower stomach where she was plastered against me.

  “Go Gretch,” I manage, my left lung collapsing as the words come out.

  Breathing is harder now, almost non-existent, and I know no “get-going” attitude will get me back up. I am done. I hurt all over, my face is a swollen mess of meat and blood and my headache is no longer a head ache but a screaming throb of constant agony.

  “Can’t. Can’t go on. So tired,” she whines, her anguish making my emotions come to the fore.

  As I lay there, broken and beat, it all converges on me and morphs into rage.

  They did this! Those animals with no mercy. They’re taking my life from me and Gretchen, along with the life of a baby who never stood a chance.

  The thought of them winning enrages me to the point that thunder rumbles and lightning splits the sky, the force of my rage bringing on a deluge of sound, light, and whipping wind.

  I try to calm it, wanting Gretchen to stay dry and safe from my storm, but it only gets worse the harder I try, the conflagration of seething anger turning the eye above us into a dark eddy that is beautiful in its danger.

  “I’m so sorry, Gretch. Tried,” I whisper, using what I have left to reach out and take her hand in mine.

  I see her smile in the darkness, grimacing when another pain sweeps through her.

  “You did great, Meek. No one could do better, my friend.”

  Tears come easy now, and I feel them spill free. I’m not crying for me or really even for Gretch and the baby, but for Flame and those we’ll leave behind. This will kill Flame and poor Logan; my best friend will never forgive himself for not being there for me.

  Sighing, my lung rattling as blood fills it; I look up at the storm and feel myself slip away.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Bear

  A crack of thunder hits hard somewhere to my left, and I glance up at the sky, the jagged lightning illuminating our path as the wind picks up. Hearing Flame snarl, I grimace because it’s blowing from our backs and hindering our senses even more.

  “Fuck! We need this like—”

  “No! Oh, Jesus thank you!” Logan yells, sprinting off in the direction of the storm while Flame and I follow, sharing a look of confusion.

  “That’s Mika! It’s her storm!” he yells over his shoulder, putting on a burst of speed that pushes him far in front of us.

  I run harder when his words hit me and feel Flame at my back, his breath coming hard and fast as we ignore the fatigue and run harder towards the storm and howling wind.

  It takes us mere minutes to break through the trees, but when we do it’s to a sight that makes my knees weak. Mika and Gretchen are there, on the ground and unconscious, hands clasped together as if they couldn’t bear to be separated.

  Flame howls, diving for his mate, and I hear him whimper and snarl when he touches her. She’s so pale her skin glitters in the moonlight, the round barrel of her belly leading to a pool of blood between her thighs.

  “Gretch, baby! Gretchen. Please lenia, please!” he cries, his big hands cradling her head as he yells at her to wake up.

  I feel for the male when she doesn’t respond, my own heart breaking when he throws his head back and howls, tears streaming down his face while Logan shoves at him and starts feeling for a pulse.

  I don’t wait to hear though because I’m on Mika before I can think, my knees hitting the dirt as I fall beside her. She’s almost unrecognizable when I look down, her beautiful face a swollen mess of blood and purpling bruises.

  One of her eyes is completely swollen shut, and her nose looks broken or at least fractured.

  What scares me most is the shallow breaths she’s taking and the smell of blood that pours from her mouth.

  “Flame, Goddammit she’s still alive! Stop trying to gore me!” Logan snarls, hitting at Flame.

  He throws his head back, howling for our pack and then goes back to checking Gretchen out. I can’t concentrate on that though because everything inside me is frozen. Mika.

  “Lenia! Mika, please open your eyes!” I plead, stroking a trembling hand over her face carefully, hating that she doesn’t so much as flinch when my finger scrapes over her bruised jaw.

  She’s barely breathing and pale, and I can smell death on her. The scent is so strong I can’t stop my wolf from howling, the denial so strong I can’t do anything but sob when she doesn’t respond.

  “Move!”

  Logan shoves at me, pushing me bac
k and putting his ear to Mika’s chest.

  “Goddammit, we need to move now. Her left lung has collapsed.”

  His snarl is cut off when males start showing up, my own father bursting into the clearing as men file in, taking in the two beaten females. I need to move now, take my female, but everything inside me is stuck, as broken as she is.

  “Bear! Bear, stop. He needs to get her to Althea and Grogan. Banner, help Flame move Gretchen. We need to move! Clarke, I want two patrols combing those woods. Find those bastards!” he barks before gripping me and shaking me harshly.

  “She needs blood before we move her, or she won’t make it to town. Logan—”

  “No. She’s mine,” I grate, shoving at my friend to get back to my mate.

  I don’t feel it when I sink my teeth into my wrist, the skin tearing when I savage it to open a vein. I could cut my arm off right now to save Mika. I’d do anything to help her heal and get her back home.

  Holding my bleeding wrist to her lips, I ignore my territorial snarl and let Logan massage her throat, coaxing her to swallow and take my blood. Mika doesn’t move at first, the blood pooling up and running out of the sides of her mouth.

  Desperation hits me, making me fight a shift before I see her throat work minutely, her body accepting the blood.

  “She’s taking it. Good. Good. Just a little more, and then we need to move out. Banner, let Flame blood his mate before you move her and then fucking go!” Dad yells, his eyes turning silver with the anger he feels.

  I don’t notice much else until Logan grabs my wrist and licks it, sealing the wounds.

  “I need you to snap the hell out of it Bear or move aside. She’s in bad shape; I don’t have time to wait for your ass to get with it. Either carry your female or let me do it.”

  That lights a fire under my ass, and I’ve got Mika up and in my arms in a heartbeat, my wolf whining when she lets out a whimper when I stand, jostling her wounds.

  I can’t think about that now. Just run.

  I do, ignoring the other males who flank me, shoving at my wolf as he paces in the background, his feral fury licking at the fringes of my mind. All I care about now is saving the female I love and never letting her go again.