by Vella Day
“We’ll see.”
“They won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
“We’ll need you to debrief us first, so we can rescue Kenzie. Then we’ll see about that call.”
“Okay.” Cheryl leaned back and tried to make sense of everything. She hadn’t been harmed, for which she was grateful, but being kept a prisoner had made her feel grimy, vulnerable, and scared.
The car stopped, and the men escorted her inside a large brick façade. “I thought we were going to an Army base.”
Jay smiled. “The General is retired. We’ll try to explain everything once the dust settles.”
She didn’t need to have them spend time giving her a tour. They needed to find Mac. They led her into a conference room. Whoa. A man with gray hair, wearing camouflage pants and shirt, was seated at one end. Four other men, who all looked like body builders, surrounded the table.
The older gentleman’s eyes sparkled as he stood. “You must be Cheryl.”
“Yes.”
“Boy, are we glad to finally meet you. Have a seat. Can we get you some water, juice, or a power bar perhaps?”
Now that she was safe, food sounded good again. “Juice and a power bar would be fantastic.” She almost wanted to pinch herself to be sure she really had been freed.
The General walked over to a smaller table, pressed a button, and spoke into it. He then nodded to a man she hadn’t spotted when she walked in. A blueprint flashed up on the screen, and the General returned to his seat.
“I’ll forgo the introductions for now,” he said. “Time is critical. This is a blueprint of Medlock’s home. Can you tell us where you were kept? Or perhaps I should have asked, since your abduction, have you been here the whole time?”
“Yes.” She studied the floor plan. “Part of the house is missing.” She pushed back her chair and went up to the screen. It would be faster to show them. “There is another suite of rooms here. I can draw you a diagram.”
“Excellent.” He nodded to the man at the back who immediately produced a tablet and a stylus.
A miniature of the house was on the screen. She drew in the rest the best she could.
“Perfect. Now, we’d like more details.”
For the next hour, all of the men pummeled her with questions about how many men Medlock had, how often she was in the main part of the house, and other logistical questions. Unfortunately, Medlock hadn’t let her out until recently. “All my meals were brought to me in my room, so I’m afraid I don’t know that much.”
The door to the room burst open and two men rushed in. “Where is she?”
Cheryl twisted around. Both of them were large, but the one on the right was huge. And angry.
The man who everyone called the General raised his hand. “Take it easy, Sam. This is Cheryl. She’s been very helpful in outlining what’s happened.”
His face was a myriad of emotions. Both men ran over to her. The other man knelt on one knee and picked up her hand. “I’m Brandon. We’re…Mackenzie’s boyfriends. Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. She broke into the house this morning and got me out. She was supposed to follow, but when I looked behind me, she wasn’t there.” Her throat started to close up again and she sipped the rest of her juice.
Sam turned around. “I’m going to get her.”
“Sam,” the General commanded. “We have a plan. Sit down and I’ll explain.”
* * *
Mac was pretty much terrified. It wasn’t a feeling she was used to either. The ice that used to flow through her veins when she was on surveillance had melted. These two werewolves seemed rather unhappy that she’d taken their prize possession. She dubbed them Baldy and Chunky only because she didn’t have the heart to label them Heartless and Bastard, which would have been closer to the truth.
Baldy approached and grabbed her shirt. He leaned close, his breath smelling like day old fish. “Who the fuck are you?”
She debated lying, but once they called Medlock, he’d know. According to Jay, her Hannah Atkins pseudonym had been compromised. “Mackenzie.”
The man let go of her shirt, hopefully because she’d told the truth. “Where’s Cheryl?”
“I’m not sure.”
Baldy backhanded her across the face. Fuck, but that stung. No way would she give them the satisfaction of breaking down or reaching up and swiping the blood from her lip. The warm liquid trickled down her chin. Fuckers. Mac focused on the fact Cheryl had escaped. Mac could handle these two a lot better than her cousin could.
“Where is she?” Chunky asked, his eyes turning a shade lighter as the anger took over.
“I helped her out of the window.” Sticking as close to the truth seemed best. “If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d be with her now and know where she was.”
He looked back at Baldy. “We need to let the boss know.”
Her mouth opened before she thought. “Medlock or Statler?”
He yanked her close again. “What do you know about Statler?”
“Everyone knows he’s real boss.”
Baldy shoved her backwards, but she remained on her feet. A look of confusion filled his face. “You work for him?”
Her mind reeled. She’d be damned if she said yes and they actually called the man, and she’d be damned if said no. “I was trying to escort Cheryl to where she belonged. All of the women purchased from John Hood were to be escorted up north to a lab for testing.” She lifted her chin, hoping they’d buy her story. “Medlock defied Statler. He never sent Cheryl away. But you stopped me. You let her get away.” She poked him in the chest.
The lab could be as far south as Miami, but chances were, it was north of Florida. They glanced at each other.
Chunky stepped close. “We’ll see if what you say is true.”
They turned around, pressed some numbers on a keypad, and strode out the moment the door opened.
What the hell? Were they seriously going to leave her alone? It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to waste one second. Mac ran back into the bathroom. Shit. The window was shut and her lock picks were nowhere to be seen. After stepping into the tub, she tried to lift the window, but it wouldn’t budge. Damn. She looked around. Other than some cosmetics and toiletries, the bathroom was devoid of anything she could use to break the window.
Mac returned to the bedroom and checked it out. If these had been humans, she would have found something sharp to poke them with. Unless, she had a gun with poison bullets, she was shit out of luck.
Her hope now was that Cheryl had found someone to help her. Most likely she was at the local police station. Medlock probably owned half of them. Cheryl wouldn’t think to contact Jay, and she had no idea Brandon and Sam even existed.
Damn, damn, damn.
Chapter Thirty-One
Twice, Brandon had to calm Sam down, who kept insisting they go right now and save Mackenzie. To hell with a plan, he kept saying. Thankfully, the General was able to rein him in. Armand had called his wife and asked her to escort Cheryl back to their home. Not only would she safe, but Mrs. Armand had a way of helping the captive women cope.
“Why not involve the entire Pack instead of the ten of us here?” Brandon asked.
“We don’t need an out and out war. Any more than this team here, and Statler would call in his troops. I’m putting Trax in charge of contacting headquarters if he believes we need more reinforcements. Morale isn’t the best right now, which is why I’m not ready to reveal Statler’s diabolical plan.”
That made sense.
“When do we go?” Sam asked, looking ready to shift and attack the General.
“Now.”
Yes! He only hoped that Sam didn’t go crazy. They each had their assignments. The first thing that needed to be done was to blow up the alarm system. That was Trax and Dante’s job. While the wires that provided electricity to the house were underground, the main alarm system was in the back house. Trax, Dante, Kurt, and Drake were assigned to take out the alarm as well
as any werewolf or man who tried to stop them.
He, Sam, and Jay would storm the house, and figure out a way to get into the back room. Riley wanted to tackle the bathroom window, claiming it doubled their odds of reaching Mackenzie. He, too, was an excellent locksmith. If Mackenzie could get in, he bragged, so could he.
They arrived in five different vehicles and parked in different locations. They left the keys under the mats in case a different Pack member needed transportation. They’d already contacted Dr. Deland to stand by with an antidote to the werewolf poison should guns be employed. Brandon felt more confident fighting in hand-to-hand combat, but that wouldn’t stop the guards from employing weapons.
As soon as they neared Medlock’s property, only telepathy was to be used to communicate. The team tasked with taking out the alarm system went first, along with Riley. Brandon, Sam, and Jay hid, biding their time until the explosion. Once the chaos descended, they’d pick the lock to the front door and rush in. If Riley did break Mackenzie out, he’d signal by blowing a whistle, signaling the end of the rescue.
It’s taking them too long. Sam stood. Let’s go in.
Brandon expected Jay to object since the alarm system hadn’t been disabled, but he was the first to dart toward the house. Brandon followed behind Sam. The three of them were able to make it to the front door without meeting any resistance. What was up with that? With his weapon in hand, Sam rang the bell. The blast should occur any second. He had total faith in the Field brothers.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Brandon whispered.
“Does it really matter if we break in or they let us in? The result will be the same.”
Sam had a point. A maid answered; her expression blank. “May I help you?”
As soon as Brandon lifted his gun, the woman’s eyes widened. She turned and ran. “Smart choice,” Brandon called after her. “It’s going to get ugly, darlin’.”
He motioned for Jay to head to the room that Cheryl claimed housed the keypad. He and Sam would take care of anyone trying to stop him. No sooner had they neared the den, than two beefy men arrived with their weapons aimed at Sam’s and Brandon’s hearts.
Shifting made fighting easier. Brandon was spinning and changing, when a gunshot sounded, and a sharp pain cut into his arm. In a few seconds, the wound would heal, but the poison in his system would kill him unless he received the antidote. Sam shifted, too, but he was able to avoid injury. As they charged the two men, both guards changed. Now he and Sam had the advantage, or rather he would have had the advantage had poison not been racing through his system and weakening him.
A small blast came from Jay’s direction. Brandon had to assume it was some kind of explosive to bypass the touchpad. Right now, the two of them had their hands full, and didn’t have time to check it out. Guard One seemed focused on Sam, while Shooter Man had chosen to fight him. Bring it on.
Wanting to preserve his energy, Brandon circled his foe, waiting for the right angle to attack. Sam squealed. Brandon glanced his way. Fuck. Guard One had Sam by the neck. Chancing a rear assault from Shooter Man, Brandon charged Sam’s enemy and bit the wolf in the rear, causing him to let go of his death grip on Sam. Bleeding from the neck, Sam spun around and snapped at the wolf. For a split second, the two of them were on the same guard. But the respite was short-lived. The one who’d shot him returned with a vengeance, biting and scratching.
Brandon’s flank was savagely bitten, forcing him to retreat. His strength was waning. Just as both wolves twisted and came at him, a huge explosion rocked the back of the house. Howls split the air.
Shooter Man and Guard One must have decided they were needed in the back and raced away. Brandon collapsed.
You were shot. Sam licked Brandon’s wound.
Poison’s getting to me, but I’ll be okay. Go check on Mackenzie.
Noise sounded in the main part of the house. As Sam took off toward the hidden alcove, Brandon used all of his remaining energy to limp to the main living area. He wanted to investigate the commotion. Holy shit. Half the Florida Colters seemed to be there. Jay was in their midst facing none other than Paul Statler. Brandon wanted to help, but he wasn’t sure he was able.
“Thought you were dead, Jay,” Statler said as calm as could be.
Jay didn’t waver. “Guess not.”
Brandon debated charging Statler, but with his three henchmen by his side, Brandon didn’t stand a chance of reaching the man. It didn’t help that he was getting weaker by the minute. This poison was kicking his butt. If he didn’t get to the doctor soon for the antidote, he wouldn’t live. Time was ticking.
“Had to come back when I found Cheryl Johnson. Seems Medlock didn’t send her to the lab like he was supposed to.”
Brandon dropped down to his haunches, the poison speeding through his veins. Riley appeared behind him. He dropped down next to him, worry lining his face. Mackenzie is safe. Sam has her, he telepathed.
She was all right. A trickle of energy pumped through him.
“That right?” Statler responded. “I’ll deal with Medlock later.”
Footsteps sounded from the front entrance. “Deal with me later, about what?” Medlock halted as he took in the devastation. “What the hell is going on?”
Paul Statler turned toward Medlock and shot him three times, but from the wounds, it didn’t look like he’d hit the heart. The man collapsed, his breathing quick. He didn’t have long without the antidote either. Paul turned back to Jay and smiled. “Anyone else?”
The moment Statler lifted his arm and aimed his gun at Jay, Jay shot Statler. A red stain spread around his heart. Instead of falling, Statler stumbled backward. “You prick. You’ll pay.”
The three henchmen grabbed Statler and half dragged him out. How was it possible the man was still alive? If Brandon hadn’t seen Jay shoot him in the heart, he wouldn’t have believed it.
A loud commotion drew Brandon’s attention toward the back. Pack reinforcements had arrived. Tons of them in fact. The rest of the Coulters raced to attack, ignoring Jay. Fur flew, bones cracked. Yelps and growls sounded as claws scraped against the tile floor. Within minutes, the Colters were either dead or close to it. Then Brandon’s world turned black.
* * *
When Sam rushed into the back room, Mac had never been so happy to see anyone. He’d hugged her once then quietly led her into the hallway where chaos surrounded them. She’d wanted to ask a million questions, but the shouts, growls, and yelps prevented her. With incredible efficiency, Sam managed to get her out of the house. Once safe, the two of them zigzagged their way toward the front, away from the rioting in the back. He held open the truck door and she piled in.
He didn’t say a word as he sped out of the neighborhood. Mac was still trying to catch her breath when Sam pulled out his phone and asked it to call a Dr. Deland.
She didn’t like the doctor part. She wasn’t injured and Sam didn’t appear any worse for wear. Oh, no. She clamped a hand on his thigh. “Is Brandon hurt?”
He held up a finger. “Doc. It’s Sam Crenshaw. Brandon was shot. Can you fix an antidote? Not sure. Will do.”
He discontinued the call and looked over at her. “Brandon will be fine. Jay’s with him.”
“How do you know?”
“Riley’s there, too. They’ll keep Brandon safe.”
“Why don’t you let me off and go back for him? I’ll hide.”
Sam’s grip tightened on the wheel. “Brandon will get the needed help. My role is to make sure you stay safe.”
Clearly, he wasn’t in the mood to argue. Once they arrived back at his house, Sam lit into her. There was no use defending herself. She’d taken a big risk by breaking into Medlock’s home. Now that she was here, unharmed—well, kind of—she was happy she’d done it.
“Is Cheryl safe?” Mac figured she was if they knew where to find her.
“She’s with the General’s wife.”
Good. Her cousin’s well-being was all that mattered.
Sam strode into the kitchen and came back with an ice pack. “Put this on your cheek. I’d ask how it happened, but then I’d end up driving back to Medlock’s and killing someone.”
Mac loved this man with her whole heart. He was a protector and always would be. Not only had Sam almost lost her, he might lose his cousin, all because of her. She understood the effects of poison on a werewolf. Her father hadn’t received help in time and had died.
What seemed like forever, his cell finally rang. “It’s Riley.” He swiped the screen. “How is he? What did he say? We’ll be right over.” Sam hung up and faced her. “Seems Brandon will live.”
The drive over was a bit strained. It hadn’t helped that Sam told her about how they’d dropped everything and driven to Indiana to be with her only to find out she’d skipped town without a word.
“I said I’m sorry. You would have done the same thing if I’d been kidnapped and someone found me, right?”
“Yes, but I’m a man. And a warrior.”
She glanced to the truck roof. “Do you think Medlock will carry out his threat?”
“I don’t know. As soon as Jay found your room, I was too worried about saving you to ask questions.”
Everything had happened so quickly, she didn’t understand the order of things. It made sense that Jay or Riley wouldn’t have called Sam with details if they were fighting for their lives. Sam pulled to the curb in front of a house. “I thought we were going to a clinic.”
“This is The Pack clinic. Dr. Deland likes to keep a low profile.”
She didn’t wait for Sam to come around and open her door. She was in too big a hurry to see Brandon. Inside was a foyer with a desk that sat empty.
“They’ll be in the back.” Sam led her down a hallway and seemed to know where Brandon would be.
He probably had used telepathy to find out. Sam opened the door, and her heart lurched. Brandon was stretched out on a table, a patch on his side, and an IV in his arm.
She looked up at the man who must be the doctor. “How is he?”
“Give him a few minutes,” Dr. Deland said. “It takes time for the antidote to work. He went a long time with the poison in his system.”