by Kimber White
“He doesn’t care about me anymore,” she said. “That’s the only reason he hasn’t come to drag me back. I don’t know why. My guess? He’s forced himself on another woman he likes better. And maybe the Alpha doesn’t think we pose any kind of threat. I suppose we don’t. Not really. But someday, he will figure it out. Because Gunner will tell him about us.”
Her words stabbed through my heart. These were the kind of things Vera had said from day one. It never occurred to me that Melanie believed it. “Then why?” I asked. “If you were afraid of that, why in the hell didn’t you side with Vera and ask him to leave?”
Melanie smiled. “Because he’s not like the rest of them. Not yet, anyway. And....well...he’s yours. I’m still holding out hope that your bond with him will be enough to save the both of you. It might be. I don’t know enough about these things. But, you’re not going to be strong enough to hold things off with Gunnar forever. He might be; he’s a shifter. You’re not.”
“Why don’t you let me worry about that, Mel?” I said. “Vera’s rubbing off on you. Come on. Let’s get back to the camp and make sure Vera hasn’t killed Gunnar yet.” I said it with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. I hoped to my feet but Melanie didn’t rise. She just stared up at me, cupping her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun.
“Jett,” she said. “She will kill him. She’ll have no choice, maybe.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We need Gunnar to help Caroline so we can get out of here. But, after that, he’s going to have to leave. Then, you’ll have a choice to make.”
I squatted back down and faced her. “Are you threatening me?”
“No,” she said. “Vera never wanted it to sound like that, and I don’t either. It’s not your fault. It’s fate. I understand that. But, if you really search your heart, you’ll know why it has to be this way. You can’t be with both of us. If Gunnar marks you like he’s supposed to, then you belong with him. Are you going to sit there and lie to my face? Are you going to tell me the Alpha’s not already in his head?”
I opened my mouth to argue then clamped it shut. My head swam from the driving beat of my pulse. I couldn’t think straight.
Melanie dusted off her ass then finally rose to her feet. “I told you. We love you. I want you with us. But Gunnar’s not going to be safe to have around forever. So, decide what you want. Him or us. I will not let him lead the Pack back here.”
I forced a smile to try and lighten the air. “It’s going to be okay,” I said. “You have to trust that I know what I’m doing.”
Melanie had a faraway look; her gray eyes misted then flicked back to mine with laser focus. “It will be the same for me someday. The difference is I already know it. Vera doesn’t. I would appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to her.”
“What do you mean?” My insides felt hollow.
“Someday, Gunnar will pose a threat to the rest of us. And so will I. I’m on borrowed time. I’m ready to do what needs to be done to protect the people I love. Will you?”
She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek as I stood speechless before her.
Nineteen
Jett
The plan was to leave at first light. The girls slept in the cave like always. Tonight, I couldn’t. Gunnar’s slow, steady pulse called to me as he stood by the water’s edge.
I went to him. A full moon lit my path.
At first, I couldn’t find him. Then, his mournful howl vibrated through my core. His wolf stood tall and majestic on an outcropping of rock on the other side of the lake.
God, he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. His fur was thick and gray with slashes of black around his eyes and across his shoulders. He sat, sniffing the air. The fur near his throat and down his chest gleamed white. He saw me and his silver eyes flashed with magic.
He bounded off the rocks on powerful haunches and ran toward me. He had a smooth, long stride that made him look as if he were running in slow motion. My breath caught as he approached. He stopped then pawed the ground.
I went to him. I had never been this close to him while he was in his wolf. Reaching for him, I buried my hands in the thick downy fur of his neck. Sinking to my knees before him, I pressed my cheek against his flank.
His powerful heart beat steady beneath my touch. My own matched his rhythm. I ached inside when I wasn’t near him. But this, this felt good and natural. Gunnar nuzzled against me, lowering his head.
I let him go. Gunnar took two loping steps to the side then arched his back. His fur rippled, the moonlight catching the silver strands. He dropped his head low and his tail went up. I heard a quick pop of bone before his paws stretched out, morphing to hands right before my eyes. Energy crackled around him as he drew on elemental magic. My hair stood on end the way it would in an electrical storm. My heart raced as Gunnar’s fur became flesh and he rose tall and steady on two powerful legs.
Gasping, awestruck, I fell back on my ass. Gunnar’s slow smile warmed me. He reached for me, taking my hand.
“Come on,” he said, his voice not quite human. “It’s still gets cold at night.”
I knew I should go back to the caves. But Melanie’s words had me unsettled. I knew I should say something to Gunnar. Before we moved with the others, he should know what I’d been asked to do.
Could I make that choice? Could I let Gunnar go to save Melanie and the others? Two months ago, it wouldn’t have even been a question. Now though? Hot tears sprang to my eyes at the thought of leaving Gunnar behind.
He sensed something. His eyes narrowing with concern, he threaded his fingers through my hair and put a chaste kiss on my cheek. The chill of twilight finally reached me. I shivered. At the same time, I became keenly aware of Gunnar’s nakedness in the wake of his shift. I wanted nothing more than to run my hand over the solid curve of his ass and bring him to me. Somehow, I found the strength to keep my hands to myself as Gunnar grabbed his jeans off the beach and put them on.
“You heading back up?” he asked. It was a casual question, but my answer hung heavy in my heart.
“Maybe later,” I said. “Right now, I like the air out here better.”
Gunnar smiled and headed to the cluster of trees where the beach ended. He liked to sleep under the canopy of poplars and elms. Close enough he could reach the water and mask his scent if he sensed the Pack. And close enough that he could get to the caves if he felt me in distress.
He settled himself, staring up at the stars. He had his arms behind his head and I lay down beside him. He didn’t move. He just let me curl up, resting my head on his chest. His strong heartbeat comforted me. This was as intimate as we’d been since that morning in the woods when he let me explore his body but kept still.
“Are you scared?” he asked.
I debated telling him what Melanie said. I didn’t want to believe it. She was wrong. Gunnar was an Alpha himself. He wasn’t weak like her wolf. He could fight off Able Valent or anyone else who came along. Couldn’t he? Of course, I knew I was naive. But, I just wanted things to stay the way they were.
“Are you?”
Gunnar turned to his side. He smoothed my hair back as the moonlight caught his eyes. “Yes,” he answered simply.
Again, Melanie’s words thundered through me. I should tell him. I should decide now. I couldn’t. Vera, Melanie, Caroline and me...we’d been through so much together. Each of us had risked our lives to save the others time and again. We’d lost so much together too. No one would ever understand what I’d been through more than they did. We carried the memories of the other eight women of Birch Haven as well. We were all that was left.
Then there was Gunnar. It should have been an easy choice. He was a shifter, after all. The Pack’s most hunted rebel. And yet, here I was lacing my fingers with his and leaning in for another kiss. The Birch Haven women held my story, but Gunnar was starting to hold my heart.
“How is it supposed to be?” I asked. Gunnar’s eyes flashed
. He knew exactly what I meant. His fingers curved around my neck. A wave of desire coursed through me as he traced an outline at the base of my neck where his Alpha’s mark belonged.
“I don’t know, exactly,” he said. “That’s the truth. But, I’ve seen other wolves and how they are with their mates. Their true mates. They tell me it made them whole. It’s a bond that holds no matter how great the distance. But, I’ve also seen what happens when it’s broken.”
“How?”
Gunnar dropped my gaze. His face grew hard. “A friend of mine, Jagger. His human mate was killed by the Pack. He hasn’t recovered and I don’t know if he ever will. It’s made him crazed, wild. And he was among the strongest of us.”
A chill ran through me at Gunnar’s words. It was almost as if I could feel his pain right along with him. I knew in my heart that a marking would make that even more intense. And yet, I craved it with everything I was.
“You should head back,” he said, his voice thick with desire. I wasn’t the only one craving something tonight. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow and you need your sleep.”
I touched his face and sat up. Though it tore at me to leave him, I knew he was right. I only hoped I had the strength to do the right thing tomorrow. Whatever that was.
Twenty
Gunnar
Tension ran through the group as we left their cave encampment. For my part, I felt relief. The women had stayed too long in one place, and the Pack patrols had reached at least the edge of the woods near the lake. Sure, they hadn’t come back since, but even that was cause for concern.
Able was quiet inside my head. Jett was the reason. When I was close to her, my mind felt clear, steady, and strong. She took the lead as we hiked north, staying along the Rockcastle River. I tried to keep my mind blank. With each step we took, I feared the border patrols.
I shifted Caroline’s weight on my back. She had no strength in her legs, so I held them around my waist as she gripped my shoulders. She was sicker than she’d let on to the others. The pulse in her right leg was weak and thready. The heat of her infection seared through her jeans where I held her. Without proper medical care, she probably wouldn’t survive the month. Even with it, I wondered if it weren’t already too late.
Molly would know what to do. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to drive out thoughts of her and the others back in Mammoth Forest. Partly because I didn’t fully trust my own mind. Ever since Able Valent invaded it, even thinking about my friends could put them at risk.
“We’ll hit the Gold Rock in about three miles,” Jett called out. She took point. Sweat poured from her brow and made her tanned skin glisten. Her gray t-shirt clung to her. I dropped my eyes from the outline of her taut nipples beneath the thin fabric. Caroline tightened her grip around my shoulders.
“Keep following the river,” Jett said, her eyes catching mine. She adjusted the rifle-strap on her shoulder. Melanie walked directly behind me. Vera brought up the rear, walking backward much of the time. She carried the other rifle. I’d been against it. I thought the weapons would slow them down. Plus, I’d never believed either of them could get a shot off in time if they were ever in range to hit one of the Pack. They moved way too fast. Except, I’d seen Jett do exactly that. Twice. Even with everything we’d shared, she stayed cagey about that. We still had secrets we weren’t willing to share.
I gave her a quick nod to let her know I’d caught no scent of the Pack. We read each other’s nonverbal cues more and more. Vera would never trust me. If she thought Jett was making decisions based on anything I relayed to her, we would fight every step of the way.
“We should stop to rest for an hour or so,” Melanie said. “Caroline could use it. We need to eat.”
I opened my mouth to protest but Jett made a quick downward gesture with her hands. There was something going on between her and Melanie. I’d sensed it yesterday, but Jett hadn’t wanted to talk. I let it go. Staying in the wooded areas and away from towns, we’d reached a small clearing. Two fallen trees formed a natural bench. Jett trudged up to the moss-covered hill between them.
“Fine,” Vera said. She slung her rifle over her shoulder and reached into Melanie’s backpack. She’d packed nuts, berries, and dried venison for the rest of them to eat. The deer had been my contribution, much as Vera hated admitting it. The simple fact was, if it weren’t for me, they wouldn’t have been able to leave the caves at all.
I put Caroline down as gently as I could. Her ashen color alarmed me. She shot me a quick smile and made her own nonverbal gesture, showing her palm. I’m all right. I knew damn well she wouldn’t be.
Vera doled out rations. Jett sat a little away from the group on the end of one of the logs. She shot me a wink and patted the space beside her. “You eat,” I said, wanting very much to lean down and kiss the top of her head. We refrained from any displays of affection around Vera though. “I’ll keep watch.”
Vera shot me a hard look. I ignored it. Part of me could respect her ferocious loyalty to the group. As an Alpha, I understood it. She wasn’t here to make friends; she was here to protect the others...from me. I touched Jett’s shoulder, then stalked the perimeter.
Letting my senses take over, I scanned the woods. It was quiet here, almost eerily so. Two miles to the west, one of the major highways ran through this wilderness. I could hear the distant rumble of semis. Civilization never seemed so close and yet so foreign to me. I wondered if I’d ever be able to walk among regular people again. I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
Out of the group’s line of sight, I slipped out of my clothes, folding them neatly at the base of a thick oak tree. I let my wolf out. Vera would probably try to shoot me if she saw this, but it didn’t matter. She would run out of rations in two or three days. No matter what, I had no intention of letting Jett starve.
Clean air filled my lungs as I chased smaller prey. Within a few minutes, I’d taken two rabbits and three grouses. Anymore and Vera wouldn’t be able to carry it. She refused to let me help her, thinking Caroline was enough. She had no idea how strong I really was. None of them did. They’d only ever encountered beta wolves before.
Satisfied that the girls would have enough for a while, I shifted back and tugged on my jeans. I could hear Melanie’s lilting laughter in the distance. Caroline was talking. I knew the effort of it would make her even more tired as we got going again. For now, I would help keep her secret from the others. Her fate was not my choice. Though, it made me sad. Caroline was bright and sweet. She seemed to understand that I wasn’t here to hurt anyone, least of all Jett. Soon, she’d have to make a decision unless I took it out of her hands.
I could risk it. I’d done it a hundred times for the humans who helped us in Mammoth Forest. I could take Caroline to the nearest town with a hospital. I could leave her near the entrance and slip away before anyone even knew I was there. They would care for her. She might be safe. Or it might be the very thing that brought the Pack down on the rest of them once and for all. No doubt, Caroline and the others were on a secret list somewhere like Jett said. The Pack’s spies were everywhere.
Grabbing my shirt, I started to slip my arms through the sleeves. The woods around me went deathly quiet all at once. Melanie’s bright laughter was the only sound. Vera said something gruff and Melanie answered her back. My wolf flared with alarm. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
There you are!
Able’s voice filled my thoughts. My stomach rolled. My hand flew out and I dug my fingers into the rough bark of a birch tree to steady myself and feel something real. Everything in me compelled me to shout a warning to Jett. I didn’t make a conscious choice to do it, but I ran. Nothing would stop me from getting to Jett’s side. She was unaware. She sat at Caroline’s right, her heart full of love for her.
There were two of them. I sensed them clearly. One charged in from the north, the other south. Crouching low, I skidded to a halt. Predatory instinct roared inside of me as I caught sight of the nearest wolf. His red c
oat made a shadowy streak as he headed for the sound of voices. His eyes gleamed as he reached the edge of the clearing. They were blood-red and trained right on Jett.
My wolf ripped out of me. No power on this earth could have kept it in check. Jett sensed me first. She was quick. Thank God, she was quick. She saw the red wolf from the corner of her eye and turned in one fluid movement, raising her rifle.
The red wolf froze, his back arched and his head low in an attack stance. His eyes glowed, fading to silver, then back to red. He was no more than five feet from Jett. Melanie’s screams filled the air as Vera threw her to the ground and stood over her, rifle raised.
Twenty feet, ten, I ran as fast as I could.
Jett squeezed the trigger, hitting the red wolf straight through the heart. The sound of her gunfire drew the other wolf. He was smaller than the other but faster. His gray fur tufted off of him as he took cover under the brush. Vera sprayed the woods with her own gunfire, but she couldn’t see him.
I reached the clearing. Jett was frozen to her spot, rifle raised. The red wolf had made one last, desperate charge toward her. His limbs gave out as blood poured from the gaping wound in his chest. It shouldn’t have mattered. Jett’s shot shouldn’t have killed him that quickly. But, I knew those were no ordinary bullets. It was one more secret Jett kept to herself.
I put my body between her and the second wolf. Vera couldn’t see him, but I didn’t have to. She kept on shooting. In the back of my mind I realized she might be aiming for me. I didn’t care. It only mattered that I got to Jett.
Getting her behind me, I turned, facing the coming threat.
You’ve been holding out on me, Gunnar. So this is what you’ve been fighting for. She’s beautiful. What is her name?
No. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. It was so much harder to drive out Able’s voice when I was in my wolf. He wanted her name. He saw her through my eyes. Oh, God. He would make me betray her!