Pack Wars Complete Box Set: Paranormal Menage Werewolf Military Heroes

by Vella Day

  “Your memory is good.”

  She held up her fork. “This might not mean anything, but I can tell you about the people who came in and out of the warehouse.”

  Clay’s eyes lit up. “Tell me.”

  Her best description was of the Russian guard and the matron who gave her the clothes. “The day they came for us, the man who you gave the money to showed up at the warehouse. A lady came with him.”

  Clay’s brows rose. “John Hood. Tell me about this woman.”

  She described her the best way she could.

  Dirk shoveled down his meal then pushed back his chair. “I’m going to check it out. I’ll videotape what I find. Maybe you can tell me if I have the right building.”

  She was relieved she didn’t have to go back there. “I can try.”

  Dirk leaned over and kissed her. “Clay will be your shopping guide today.”

  While she needed shoes, only now did it occur to her that Dirk was walking straight into danger. Her heart seized.

  Chapter Six

  Clay tried to convince Dirk to let him go to the warehouse district instead.

  No. I need to get out of here. It’s for Elena’s own good.

  Last night had changed something in him. Dirk had slept with a lot of women, but none as special as Elena. Her level of trust turned him inside out. He never dwelled on how his father walked out on his mother and never returned, nor did he have the desire to find out what happened to the old man, but he did yearn for a family.

  Other than Clay, he hadn’t allowed himself to get close to anyone. He loved women and enjoyed their bodies, but he hadn’t made a connection with any of them like he had with Elena. As much as he wanted to go slow, his body kept prodding him to speed up. Twice his fangs had extended and his bones had cracked, and twice he’d had to force his mind to the Colters to stop the change.

  He almost regretted going into the bathroom this morning. He knew she was in there. He’d heard the shower running. What the fuck had he expected to find—Elena standing at the sink fully clothed? She must think he only wanted her for sex. Walking out of the bathroom wasn’t cool either, but he hadn’t trusted himself.

  Dirk left and then relayed Elena’s description of the warehouse location to headquarters. The general asked if he needed help.

  “I’m only there to find the right spot, not to capture a bunch of Colters.”

  “See that you don’t stir up a mess.”

  As he drove down Seaside Drive, he slowed to check out the area. The seaport was expansive and dotted with a ton of metal buildings. If there were two windows on one end of Elena’s warehouse, it was possible she was housed in a building attached to another and hers was the end one. Shit. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  Dirk drove up and down Seaside Drive until he spotted a building with red lettering. Across the road, set far back, was a lone warehouse that fit the description. He parked and got out with his camera phone in hand. Tourists wouldn’t come here, so he needed to be as discreet as possible. He videoed both the building across the street and the potential warehouse where Elena might have been held.

  Unsure if she’d recognize the building from the side, he strode toward the warehouse for a better angle. While there were no fences or no trespassing signs, he didn’t want to attract attention by walking right up to it. Instead, he headed to an area a few buildings down. If he came in from the rear and took the picture from there, his chances of being spotted were slimmer.

  As he inched closer, his senses shot to high alert. A werewolf was near. Many wolves, both good and bad, worked the docks, so he couldn’t conclude this one was a Colter. He slipped his camera phone in his pocket and acted as if he belonged there. Several vans were parked in front, and cranes sat two buildings over. A large tug was in dry dock.

  He got within three feet of the side door and sensed a werewolf inside. He moved closer and tested the door. It was locked. Fuck.

  Time to retreat. He stepped behind one of the vans and kept an eye on the exit believing the person would investigate the handle jiggling. While he waited, he emailed the video of the area to Clay. He’d show it to Elena. He also texted the werewolf’s presence.

  Time seemed to slow the moment the door to the warehouse squeaked open. The werewolf would know another member of the clan was nearby, but hopefully he wouldn’t assume it was a member of the Pack. Best case scenario, he’d conclude Dirk belonged to Hood’s team.

  As soon as the large man stuck out his head, Dirk snapped a picture and sent it to Clay. This guy could be her Russian guard. The question was whether he worked alone. Colters often recruited humans to do their dirty jobs.

  Drawing on his acting skills, he stepped from behind the van, looked up at the building, and shielded his eyes, hoping the mark would think he was there to check out the building.

  “Hey,” shouted the man. It was hard to tell much from one word, but it might have been laced with a Russian accent.

  Dirk returned his gaze to the man. “Hood sent me.”

  The man grunted and mumbled something foreign. The guard pulled out his phone. Shit. So much for deception.

  * * *

  Clay had graciously offered to take Elena shoe shopping. Not only didn’t she want to walk around in four-inch heels every day, she appreciated the diversion of going to the mall. The place was packed and being in a crowd made her feel safe. The only negative was that Dirk was out there looking for Hood’s men and in possible danger while she enjoyed herself with Clay.

  Clay looked around and moved her away from the rush. He held up his phone and pressed a button. “Dirk just sent this over. I’d like you to watch.”

  For the next twenty seconds, the nightmare returned. Chills raced up her spine and her pulse raced. At first, she wasn’t sure if he had the right warehouse until he moved across from the building with the red letters. She swallowed the lump in her throat and slapped a hand to her chest to calm her beating heart. As much as she tried to push aside those horrible two weeks, she couldn’t.

  “Yes. That’s it.”

  Clay texted her message back to Dirk.

  Because they were within hearing distance of a ton of people, it probably wasn’t safe to say too much. “You said he sensed a you-know-what. Do you think that could be the guard or Hood himself?”

  “I’m sure Dirk will find out.”

  “What if it is? Shouldn’t he get someone to help him?”

  “He can handle himself. Dirk won’t go on the offensive if the odds are stacked against him.”

  She hoped so. As ridiculous as it sounded, she might be falling in love with Dirk. She was sure her friends would say it was some kind of white knight syndrome, but she disagreed. Not that she had a little black book that listed her criteria for a man, but if she had one, she could check every box in regards to him.

  “How about this shoe store?” Clay’s comment jerked her back to the present.

  “Too expensive. We don’t have to shop here.” Discount shoe stores were everywhere.

  Clay wrapped an arm around her waist. She thought it would have been strange to have another man besides Dirk hold her, but she liked it. Ever since they’d broached the idea of her being both of their mates her mind had wandered. She failed to comprehend what it would feel like to have four hands, two mouths, and two penises at her disposal. Stop it. The whole concept was too much and definitely not right.

  Clay escorted her into the shop that only sold shoes. “Pick out a couple of pairs. I know Hood’s men took your luggage.”

  “You’ll have to wait until I get a job to pay you back.”

  He pulled her to his chest and heat raced up her face. People crowded the store, and she wasn’t used to such public affection. “You’re with us now. You don’t have to worry about money.”

  His words were nice to hear, but she couldn’t take advantage of them. “I appreciate that, but I need to pay my way.”

  He kissed her forehead and let her go. “Suit yourself.”


  She roamed around the store and picked out a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of comfortable looking sandals. Once she tried them on, Clay paid for her purchase.

  As they were leaving the store, he stopped near the entrance. “Come with me.”

  “What’s going on?” Her heart spiked. This constant pressure wasn’t healthy.

  He led her to a bench. “Put on the sneakers. You’ll be more comfortable.”

  He wouldn’t get an argument from her, but she didn’t like the way he was looking around as if he’d spotted something or someone. As soon as she laced up the sneakers and stashed her heels in the empty box, he took her hand.

  “We need to get out of here.”

  That scared her. “Why?”

  “Because I sense a few Colters.”

  Her heart slammed against her ribs. “You don’t think they’re here because of me, do you?” She wasn’t that important.

  “I can’t be sure.”

  “I’m with you now. You bought me. They can’t say they want me back, can they?” Her pits dampened and her heart hammered.

  “I wouldn’t put anything past Hood and his gang. Stay by my side.”

  “Trust me. I’m not letting go of your hand.”

  With her packages in one hand, Clay strode toward the exit one notch short of jogging. He moved so fast, she had to run to keep up with him. With each step, her anxiety doubled. Through her entire ordeal, Clay appeared calm. Now he was rattled and so was she.

  They stepped outside, and she thought he’d slow, but he didn’t. His head swiveled right and left as he led her toward his car.

  Before they arrived at the row where he’d parked, growls came from nowhere. He stopped. “Fuck.”

  Her nervous system short-circuited. She didn’t know if it was better to run, hide, or stay right behind him.

  “They’re here?” Her voice squeaked out.

  “Yes. Run back toward the mall and keep your eyes peeled.”

  “Wh-what if they come after me?”

  His shoulders tensed and his hands fisted. If more than one Colter was here, and she became separated from Clay, she’d be dead meat.

  “Maybe you’re right.” He slipped a hand in his pocket and tossed her the keys. “Get to the car and lock it. Now.”

  She wouldn’t argue. From the direction he was staring, the animals were in front of him and his car was behind him. She took off. Her legs were still weak from weeks of being cooped up, but she ignored the burn.

  Her gaze searched the cars, praying she’d find his. Press the remote, dummy. She did and his car beeped. Her rapid pulse reached the stratosphere. She tugged on the door handle, but her sweaty fingers slipped. The low growl came from behind and paralyzed her.

  She was tempted to look but didn’t waste the time. After the second attempt, the door opened. She jumped in, pulled it closed, and locked it. Her breaths whooshed out, but her heart refused to slow. No sooner had she locked the door than three wolves appeared two parking spaces away. One had to be Clay, but she had no idea which one. As hard as it was to drag her gaze off the fight, she stuck the keys in the ignition, ready to slide over to the driver’s side in case Clay needed help.

  The yelping and scraping of their claws on the asphalt jacked up her heartbeat. She had to shield her eyes after one of the wolves sunk his teeth in the other’s flank. That animal retreated and the remaining two fought. The first wolf attacked the one with the white spot on its rear. Keeping her gaze on those two, she clenched her fingers and hoped Clay survived.

  Clay was a hero and didn’t deserve to die. Just then, the first wolf that had been bitten returned to the fray. It was two against one now. They approached the one with the white spot. That had to be Clay. The injured wolf grabbed Clay’s neck and twisted his head. She screamed and buried her face. This was bad. Really bad.

  She moved over to the driver’s side and started the engine. Her finger hovered over the lock waiting for the fight to finish and for Clay to hobble back to the car. Dizziness overcame her and she rolled down the window partway to get more air.

  The door handle jiggled on the other side. When she looked up Clay stood there in human form, motioning for her to hurry. Her brain froze, but her finger managed to press the unlock button.

  He jumped in. “Go.”

  She backed up, burning rubber as she went. If any car pulled out as she tore down the lane, they’d hit her for sure. She couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop.

  As soon as she reached the exit, she came to a rolling stop, looked both ways, and floored it. Only when they were out of the lot did she look over at him. His face was covered in blood, as was part of his body. She willed her stomach not to throw up.

  “Are you okay?” That was a stupid question, but she needed him to assure her that he would make it. “Do I need to go to the hospital?”

  “No. Take me home. I’ll be fine.”

  He didn’t look fine. Elena had to slow once she turned onto the main thoroughfare. She kept glancing in the rearview mirror, but it seemed like everyone was going in her direction.

  “Take a left at the stoplight.”

  She put on her signal. “Will they follow us?”

  “I doubt it. I think they were more interested in taking me out since I was protecting you.”

  They wouldn’t have attacked him if they hadn’t wanted her. “Maybe they wanted to resell me.”

  “We can’t be sure.” He didn’t sound all that certain.

  “Or kill me.”

  “Depends on whether they think you know something that can destroy their clan.”

  Thanks for sugar coating the danger I’m in. Now, she wouldn’t dare go for a walk alone for fear they’d attack.

  Clay gave her directions to his home, and she couldn’t wait to get inside. Those wolves were insidious. A shiver raced up her spine, and she feared she’d never be safe again.

  As soon as they stepped inside, the adrenaline rush eased. “I need to tend to your wounds.”

  “There are some bandages in Dirk’s bathroom.”

  There was a sizable gash on his arm. He’d need a large gauze pad. “You need to wash off the blood.”

  Clay moved toward her. “I’ll take a shower. I have cuts on my back, too. Do you think you could wash them for me? I can’t reach there.”

  Her body clenched. That would mean she’d have to get naked.

  He saved my life—again.

  Clay was injured and not asking to sleep with her, just to help him heal.

  What had she been thinking? She could clean his back before he stepped in the shower.

  She wanted to make love with him. Her vagina cramped as she thought about having sex again.

  What the heck. She’d tumbled this close to hell, she might as well enjoy the ride into the devil’s inferno.

  “Be happy to.”

  As she turned to go toward Dirk’s bedroom, she thought she caught Clay’s lips lift into a smile. He followed her into the bathroom.

  She turned on the showerhead. As soon as she took off her sneakers and removed her shirt, her sensibility returned. “I can’t.”

  “Sugar, if you don’t feel comfortable getting undressed in front of me that’s fine. I’ll wash the best I can.”

  Guilt swamped her. She could leave on her bra and panties, which looked like a swimsuit anyway. “Okay.”

  He stepped closer, looking strong. “Okay, what?”

  “I’ll help.” She turned her back and removed all but her undergarments and faced him.

  Clay’s jaw sagged and his eyes sparkled. “You do realize that sooner or later we’re going to be together?”

  Elena admitted that he was right. But how soon was soon?

  Chapter Seven

  If this guard sent his photo to Hood, Hood would spot Dirk as a fake. Before the man had the chance to click send, Dirk charged. Taking him down shouldn’t be hard. Dirk had a good twenty-year advantage. What he didn’t count on was the knife in the man’s hand that sliced
right through Dirk’s belly. The pain arrived quickly. It would soon disappear but not before it slowed him.

  If he’d had time to shift, he would have, but five seconds was an eternity. The guard outweighed him by thirty pounds. The guy grabbed Dirk’s shoulders, shifted his weight, and did a leg sweep. The two tumbled.

  Once on the ground, the man swung the knife again. This time Dirk was prepared. He delivered a chop to the man’s wrist, and the knife clattered to the ground then elbowed the guard in the face. The man grunted.

  That split second of distraction allowed Dirk to reach for the knife and slit the man’s throat. Werewolves healed fast unless the injury hit a vital organ or an artery. The blood spray coated Dirk’s chest, and he rolled out of the way. His belly ached, forcing him to place a hand over his wound. In minutes, he’d return to normal. The guard wouldn’t be so lucky.

  Remaining outside with the downed guard in plain view wasn’t smart. There was no telling when another Colter would arrive. Crouching, Dirk lifted the giant on his shoulders and stood. Dirk grunted as he hauled the massive man into the warehouse and dumped him on the floor.

  Squeaks and whimpers caught his attention. Holy fuck. Two cages sat in the far corner. With what little light came in the window, it was hard to see who was inside. He trotted over. Once he neared, his heart broke.

  One girl in ripped clothes had her back to him, but the other one cowered at the end of her cage. The idea that Elena had been housed like this sent a violent streak up his body so hard he almost shifted. The cages were padlocked. He might have been able to find something to smash open the lock, but the key was the way to go. He rushed over to the guard and checked his pockets. Not only did he find the key, he removed the man’s phone and wallet. Maybe the identity of one of Hood’s men might lead him to Hood’s location.

  Once Dirk unlocked the cage doors, he wiped his bloody palm on his pants and knelt. He held out a hand. “Girls. I’m here to free you.” He doubted they’d believe him. “We need to hurry.”

  The brunette in the corner came closer. “Really?” Her voice was raspy.