Fighting for Her Wolves: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Hungry for Her Wolves Book 5)

by Tara West

  She kicked and punched, smacking a few shins before a big man threw her on her stomach and pinned her down.

  “You son of a bitch!” she yelled, panic making her heart pump overtime. “My mates will kill you.” Or she would if she could just get those darts out of her body.

  “You hurt her, and I’ll kill you,” Roy hollered.

  The man laughed.

  She screamed and thrashed like a fish out of water when the man threw her over his shoulder and carried her out the door. Fathers, save me, she thought, fearing she was about to be raped or worse.

  JAX FRANTICALLY DUG under the fence until his paws bled. He’d learned the hard way the fence was electrified, which meant he had to dig even deeper to avoid being shocked again.

  Luckily he’d found a section that wasn’t well lit and covered by a thick bush which had a burrow made by some animal, so he didn’t have to dig for long. He picked up the lighter in his mouth and crawled into the hole.

  Once he was through, he froze when he saw how bright the area was. Lights were hung everywhere. He’d never make it to the barn without being seen. A tall shadow fell over the place, blocking the overhead lights. Squinting at it, he could’ve sworn it was in the shape of a protector.

  A sudden gust of wind ruffled his fur.

  Go, an ethereal voice directed.

  Who was helping him? Could it have been the Ancients? Knowing he needed to hurry, he crawled to the back of the barn and nudged open a rotting plank with his snout. After he barely squeezed inside, he found himself behind several wooden crates. The smell—almost like a blend of window cleaners and rotten eggs—was not one he recognized, but he knew it wasn’t natural.

  Common sense told him he was in a meth lab, and as it was highly flammable, he’d just need a bit of kindling to start the fire. He only hoped it didn’t lead to a deadly explosion, or if it did, that it didn’t injure Annie. The house was a good two hundred yards away. Any explosion shouldn’t go that far. He didn’t know how he knew it, but Annie was inside the house.

  When he heard voices outside the barn, he cursed himself for his indecision. Shifting into human form, he pulled the lighter out of his mouth and gathered stray pieces of hay, tied them together with discarded pieces of twine, and set it alight. He dropped it into a stall laid with old, dry straw. It quickly caught fire.

  He did the same in the other three stalls. When the barn filled with smoke, he shifted and went back outside, barely getting out before an explosion rattled the barn and the whole thing lit up like a flaming inferno, singing the fur off his back. With a yelp, he scurried toward the hole as more explosions rocked the ground, his backside still on fire. Shots rang out. He yelped when a bullet hit his back paw. After crawling into the hole, he limped out the other side and rolled to put out the fire. Another shot struck his ass, and he yelped again, dodging bullets while racing up the ridge. By the time he limped to his brothers, he was physically and mentally exhausted. Shifting, he looked at his injured foot with concern, crying out when Frey touched the wound on his ass. His entire backside felt raw and exposed, as if his skin had melted.

  Jax cried and thrashed when Frey tried to apply ointment.

  “Jax.” Frey cupped his face. “Look at me. You need to stay still. You’re bleeding everywhere.”

  Jax tried to speak, but all that came out was a gasp, and then his world dimmed, his brother’s worried eyes fading into darkness.

  ANNIE SCREAMED WHEN the man carried her to a room, slamming the door behind them and dropping her on a squeaky bed with a crusty bedspread. Her nose wrinkled as she inhaled the familiar lavender perfume, which overlaid a musty urine smell. Muscles too big to be natural, he was a ’roided Latino covered in tattoos and had several earrings on his ears and face. So why did he smell like Balban, who was dead? Then she remembered Roy, or whoever that was, had smelled of lavender when he’d abducted her.

  A sickening feeling twisted her stomach when the man looked at her with red in his eyes.

  “Don’t you dare touch me, you demon fuck!”

  “How’d you know I was a demon?”

  “I can smell it.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “Can all the shifters smell it?”

  “How’d you know I’m a shifter?”

  “I’m not stupid, that’s why.” He snorted, then chewed on his nails, a surprisingly feminine gesture for a buff guy covered in tattoos. “What is the smell like?”

  Annie put off telling him. She didn’t want to give away too many of her secrets. Not that he probably didn’t know them all already. “You don’t know your own smell?” She laughed.

  His eyes blackened to two lumps of coal. “To you.”

  “Like the most noxious gas imaginable,” she lied, then discreetly rubbed her leg against the side of the bed. If she could break open her wounds and get the amethysts to fall out, she might stand a chance at defeating this demon.

  “That will never do.” Her captor rocked on his heels. “It looks like we will have a change in plans. Your mates will never accept me if I smell.”

  Annie gasped. “You were going to steal my mates?”

  “And your body.” He gave her a pointed look. “I think I’ll still take the body, but I’ll hold off on the mates.”

  A terror unlike Annie had ever known made her temporarily see spots before her eyes. She fought him when he latched onto her arm, his eyes glowing red.

  His face screwed up tight, he grunted and groaned and his cheeks flushed bright red. Finally he let go of her with a curse, shaking his hand as if he’d been burned.

  “I don’t understand. Your magical defenses are down. I should be able to get through.”

  So this was why Roy had tricked her. He’d been possessed by this demon, who had tried and failed to steal Annie’s body.

  She forced a smile, though she felt anything but happy. “Aw, tough luck.” Why was she taunting him? Was she nuts? But maybe she could buy some time. Her mates had to come for her soon. If not, then her fathers had to have heard her prayers.

  The demon’s eyes pulsed red like a strobe light. “I have too much on my mind, that’s why.”

  “Uh-huh.” She laughed, hoping he didn’t hear her nervousness. “Or maybe you’re just an incompetent demon.”

  He slapped her so hard, she thought she saw stars. The sound of his large hand striking her cheek ricocheted through the room. She blinked at the dizzying pain and then felt something fall from the back of her neck. The amethyst! Her face would probably be bruised and swollen by morning, but at least it had fallen out. One more to go. If she could just get at the one stuck in her leg, she could shift and bite the demon’s face off.

  He grabbed her again, this time circling her neck with his meaty fingers. “Stay still,” he commanded.

  As if she could go anywhere with his gigantic hand around her throat. She coughed and sputtered when he pressed against her windpipe, veins popping out of his forehead and neck.

  “You might as well give up,” she rasped. “You’re not getting in, and even if you do, my mates will not let you get away with it.”

  “Of course they will.” He flashed a feral smile. “They won’t harm your body.”

  She could barely breathe. “My mates will,” she sputtered, wanting to add that they’d hunt him to the ends of the earth, but he tightened his hold, and she couldn’t speak anymore.

  “I will claim your body or kill you trying, and then I will switch bodies so they never find me.”

  Annie’s vision tunneled while the demon swore and squeezed harder, sweat dripping down his brow.

  Fathers! she cried.

  The bed suddenly shook so hard, she thought it was possessed. The demon let go and fell back against the wall, crying out when a section of the ceiling fell on top of him. Annie rolled off the bed, gasping for breath while crawling underneath the frame, waiting for the tremors to stop.

  She didn’t know if the earthquakes had been a freak of nature or her fathers sent them, but she was
grateful for the chance to regroup. She needed to free Roy and get out of here.

  As soon as the tremors stopped, she crawled out from under the bed and scrambled on top of the debris crushing the demon. Choking on smoke and dust, she found her way in the dark to the basement with the cages, which appeared to be intact after the earthquake, made from impenetrable steel to keep the prisoners secure.

  Several girls were screaming and crying while a guard lay in the center of the room, bleeding out, the pointy tip of a chandelier stuck through his chest. Annie dug through his pockets and found the cage keys.

  “I’m here, Roy,” she said, fumbling with the keys. There were too many, and her hands were trembling.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, gripping the bars with whitened knuckles. “The explosions didn’t hurt you?”

  Explosions? She thought they had been earthquakes.

  She coughed on drywall fumes. Her throat was already sore from being choked, but now it felt like it was on fire.

  He held out his hands, waggling his fingers. “Let me do it.”

  She gladly handed him the keys, and he was out of his cage in a matter of moments, taking her in a fierce hug. She cried and clung to him, relieved they were both still alive.

  Pulling away, he clutched her shoulders, desperately searching her face. “Did he rape you?”

  “No. He was trying to steal my body.”

  Roy frowned. “Where is he now?”

  “Buried under rubble.”

  Roy heaved a shaky breath. “We have to get out of here now.”

  She swallowed back a lump of emotion, silently nodding as tears of relief streamed down her face.

  He opened the rest of the cages, encouraging the girls to escape, but they refused to leave, trembling and cowering with their arms wrapped around themselves.

  “Por favor,” Annie pleaded, trying to recall what little Spanish she remembered from high school. “We won’t hurt you. It’s not safe here.”

  Still the girls refused to budge.

  “Leave them.” Roy took Annie’s hand. “We’ll come back for them after we get backup.” He kicked the dead guy onto his side and pulled a set of car keys from his pocket. Then he took the man’s gun.

  Holding onto Roy like he was a lifeline, she followed him down a darkened hallway. They stopped, hearing panicked voices. Looking out the window, she saw the reason for their alarm. A large barn was on fire, and the guards were trying to put it out with garden hoses and buckets.

  “Probably their meth lab,” Roy grumbled. “Drugs and slavery go hand in hand.”

  After carefully making their way down a crumbling set of stairs, they found themselves in the kitchen. She grabbed two water bottles off the counter, relieved to have something to soothe her parched throat. Another explosion rocked the house. Annie screamed, ducking while Roy shielded her from falling debris.

  They tiptoed out the back, relieved to see all of the guards were too preoccupied with the fire to notice them. When Roy clicked a key that he pulled out of his pocket, a newer King Cab’s lights came on. They climbed into the truck, and Roy drove off, forcing Annie to lie down in case a guard saw her. He didn’t turn on the headlights until they were a safe distance away from the house.

  She clutched the water bottles, peeking above the seat at the fire as it shrank in the distance. Only when it had completely disappeared from view did she sit up and breathe a sigh of relief. But that relief was short-lived. Though the demon was buried under rubble, what if he’d survived? Or worse, what if he’d found a new human body and chased her again?

  MAGNUS SAT BEHIND A bush, his tail tucked between his legs, alternating between watching the rise and fall of Jax’s chest as he erratically strained for breath to scanning the horizon for threats below the ridge. A nearly full moon made it possible to see what was going on. Most of the guards were busy putting out the inferno Jax had created. Now was the time to strike.

  The plan was simple. Get Annie out as quickly and stealthily as possible, which meant he couldn’t go full-on protector no matter how badly he wanted to crush her captors’ skulls, especially after what had happened to Jax. If he survived, he’d be scarred for life, and all because Magnus had let Annie out of his sight.

  As much as he hated having to leave Jax, that’s exactly what they had to do, praying to the Ancients he’d be okay until they returned.

  They would sneak into the back of the house as wolves, shift, and break down every door until they found her.

  You ready? he asked Frey and Raine.

  They answered with growls, still too angry with him to look him in the eye. Not that he blamed them. He’d been a fool for leaving her for even a minute.

  Ears pinned against their skulls, they crept down the ridge toward the house, their coppery fur muted by the darkness, as clouds moved in, blocking out the moon’s light.

  Suddenly violent tremors shook the ground when another explosion lit up the night sky. No doubt they were having difficulty containing the fire. Good. The more distracted the guards were, the better.

  Magnus howled when a large stone hit his head, bouncing off his skull and smacking Raine’s backside. Yelping, Magnus and his brothers scurried down the hill, an avalanche of rocks and debris following in their wake. Once they reached the bottom, Magnus shifted into a protector, shielding his two brothers and taking the brunt of the avalanche until the dust settled.

  Choking on dust, Magnus sat up and wiped blood and sweat from his eyes, then quickly shifted back into wolf form. Raine and Frey got up, shaking dust out of their fur. Nobody thanked him for acting as a shield. He didn’t deserve any praise, since he was the reason they were in this mess in the first place. He started off again, and his world spun. Dizzy, he whimpered, waiting for his four dancing brothers to turn back into two.

  Magnus, Raine projected. Are you too injured to go on?

  No, no. Give me a moment.

  We don’t have a moment, Raine growled.

  Magnus stood, and then sat back down. Maintaining balance on three legs was hard enough. Now with an added head injury, it was nearly impossible.

  You are too injured. You’ll slow us down, Raine said without a hint of sympathy.

  The world steadied long enough for Magnus to see a truck drive off down the dirt road behind the house, its headlights off. It disappeared like a phantom in the night. Though he saw only one silhouette inside, a man with cropped hair, instinct told him Annie was with him.

  She’s leaving, an unfamiliar voice echoed in his skull.

  We need to follow that truck, he blurted. She’s in it.

  Raine’s ears twitched. I see only a man inside.

  She’s with him, Magnus said firmly. We need to go after her.

  No! Raine was unyielding, his upper lip turning back in a snarl. We attack the house as planned.

  Are you more interested in vengeance or saving our mate? Magnus snapped. My instincts are telling me she’s in the truck.

  The fur on the back of Raine’s neck stood on end as he bared his fangs. And we’re supposed to trust your instincts after you let Annie get captured in the first place?

  Look, Magnus whimpered, I don’t blame you for being mad at me.

  Raine advanced on him, snapping. You don’t blame us? You’re lucky we’re letting you come along.

  Magnus stepped back, not wishing to get into a fight. Annie needed them, and they were wasting time. What do you want me to do?

  Nothing, Raine snarled. You’ve done enough. If you want to chase the truck, then go. We’re going to that house. He turned and ran, Frey trailing him.

  Tail drooping, he watched them go, then circled the burning barn and trotted along the dirt road behind the house. Though the truck was long gone, and he was still dizzy, he would not fail. He would find his Annie and bring her to safety or die trying.

  Chapter Twelve

  BALBAN KNEW HER TIME in the stolen body was almost up. She could scarcely breathe because of the pain in her chest and her lifebl
ood was slipping away after something had pierced her side. If someone didn’t come for her soon, she’d be forced to join Aosoth at the bottom dimension of hell. She trembled at the thought. The Prince of Darkness would certainly punish her for her escape, and she shuddered to think what Aosoth would do to her.

  “Miguel!” Jose shouted.

  She listened to a distant chorus of girls screaming, followed by the slamming of metal cage doors. Footsteps finally thudded into the room, and she heaved a groan of relief when a heavy weight was lifted from her chest.

  Jose frowned down at her, clucking his tongue. “Lo siento.”

  She tried to give commands, but blood poured from her mouth when she tried to talk. Jose knelt beside her, removing a rosary from his neck and placing it on her chest. That one touch was all she needed to slip inside Jose, squeezing out his soul and taking over his body.

  From her new position, she witnessed Miguel take his last breath, a look of pure shock in his eyes. She imagined Miguel wasn’t too happy, waking up from a demonic possession only to find out he was dying. She didn’t feel empathy for others, and she certainly didn’t feel pity for her hired slaver. He would most likely be escorted to the lowest dimension of hell after his sins of imprisoning and raping girls. Miguel would have an eternity to regret the time he spent on Earth.

  She stood, pleased with the elasticity and strength of her new legs. Kicking the rosary off Miguel’s chest, she watched with distain as it slid to the ground. Resolution hardened her spine when she stood and looked out the window. The barn was on fire. A sneaky suspicion told her the wolves had created it as a diversion, which meant they’d be in the house soon, tearing it apart while searching for the virgin. Swearing, she punched the wall. She’d come so close to avenging the loss of her lover. Though she couldn’t take over their bodies, she could still enact her revenge.

  She knew the Amaroki’s secrets. She knew their strengths and weaknesses. With that knowledge, she could destroy them.

  RAINE SWORE WHEN HE found the chaos had been diverted from the barn to the house. One young, wiry guard argued with the others, waving a gun in their direction from the porch. After an intense standoff, the guard finally jumped in an old red truck with orange flames and tore off.