by Eva Gordon
Lev felt a stab in the gut. That part was true. If he could convince them to take him instead of Rachel, he could pretend to join and then take them down. “Tell me who your pack is and then I can consider your offer.”
“Not so fast. First, we get the girl.”
His wolf fought for release. To rip them asunder for threatening his mate, but Lev remained in control. This was his chance to infiltrate the pack. “Leave her and I’ll go willingly.”
A beta took out a tranquilizer gun and aimed at Lev. The alpha glared at Lev. “Despite your mutant strength, this dose, created by our most gifted alchemist will bring down the most powerful alpha. Even you.” He paced before him. “Bring you under our control.”
Adrenaline coursed through Lev. Dr. Becker said no tranquilizer could bring him down. Yet, could this pack keep a brilliant scientist capable of such a drug? Lev flashed a hard stare at the beta and used mind control. Put the weapon down.
The beta dropped the gun as if it had burnt his hand.
Lev commanded the beta. “Who sent you?”
“Master War…”
The alpha growled. “Don’t look at him.”
The beta snapped out of it. The alpha dove for the gun; Lev leapt on him and with his claw ripped the alpha’s arm off.
The alpha shifted but too late, Lev sliced his throat. Blood sprayed the white snow. I do know the carotid’s location, Rachel, smart ass.
The betas attacked. One bit him on his shoulder, deep into the tendons and ripped off muscle.
Lev howled in agony. He twisted and grabbed each by their throat. In rage, he banged their heads together, crushing their skulls so hard brain matter spilled like tapioca on the ground. He clasped his bleeding shoulder and collapsed to his knees. Damn. He’d lost reason and killed them all before learning anything useful.
The military grade helicopter lifted and hovered closer. A human leaned out, the bearded man who had inquired about Rachel back at the lodge. He aimed an SR Wolfsbane rifle at him and fired. Snow exploded around him.
Lev shifted to natural wolf form and despite the pain of his torn shoulder, he drew them away from Rachel.
The helicopter closed in, and shot at him again, but missed. Lev headed up a high peak, hoping the pilot would crash against the mountain in the low visibility.
Instead, the pilot pulled away and headed in the direction of the cave. Bone retrieval.
In wolf form, Lev dashed back to the house and hid behind the boulders. The woman had stopped screaming. He stiffened. Then he heard the wailing infant. On his belly, he listened.
He cocked his head. Rachel spoke. “She is one feisty little girl.”
Lev grinned. You certainly are. He should head back and gather evidence. He turned and trotted back to where he’d last fought them.
Too late.
The distant sound of whipping rotor blades meant they were back. They must have decided to collect the lycans he’d just killed first and then later return for the others up at the cave.
Lev raced toward the helicopter. Two humans stepped out and retrieved their dead comrades onto the helicopter. This rogue pack needed to be stopped. Yet, what would happen to Rachel if he was killed?
He’d have to kill the bearded human with the werewolf weapon and then capture one or all of them. However, the helicopter lifted and left. It disappeared into the horizon as gray clouds moved in.
Lev growled. Cowards! There goes all the evidence. Just as well, his first priority was getting Rachel to safety.
Had they given up or would they come back with more soldiers? Very few packs outside the LIA had such resources including military helicopters and teams to abduct one human woman. The human onboard must have surmised if he failed to kill Lev, he’d make mincemeat of them.
Lev limped back to his clothes and boots. He shifted and winced. The open gash bled even as he returned to human form. Luckily, the coat he donned hid his wound.
Chapter 14
Rachel gave the baby her first examination and quickly cleaned up. Healthy, with a scream that could bring down another avalanche. Rachel said goodbye to the exhausted but happy mother and the rest of the family and friends. After the successful delivery of a healthy baby girl, they had offered their home for the night, but she politely declined. It was enough. She didn’t want to risk the family with a pack of werewolves descending on them. The rumble of a helicopter followed by the boom of a rifle during the birth nearly shattered her nerves. Not her first time delivering a baby under fire, but she’d never get used to it. Knowing Lev had been their target pained her. Had he been shot or mortally wounded? With the right weapon, any beast could be brought down, even an alpha werewolf.
She donned her coat and stepped out of the home, expecting to make a run for it, although not sure where.
Her heart gladdened on seeing him moving up the trail. Like they’d been separated for years, she ran toward him. “Lev.” The bear of man hugged her and she whimpered. “I was so worried.”
Lev lifted her chin and smiled, his blue eyes beaming, melting her with desire. “No need to. Your protector is invincible,” he said with confidant bravado.
“I hate to admit it, but if anything happens to you, I’m up shit creek.”
“I trust you would find a way to save yourself.” He sighed. “Ready for a long hike, Doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He folded his arm in hers and they headed down the path to Namche. “Normal delivery?”
The feel of his rock hard arm muscles pressed against her took Rachel’s breath away, reminding her of last night’s view of his deliciously muscular naked body. “Yes, fortunately.”
“Yet, you had the young woman sterilize a knife. For Cesarean?”
In that case, she would have sent someone to get transport to the nearest hospital. “Oh, that. I wanted a sterile knife in case I needed to do an episiotomy, but turns out I didn’t.”
“A what?”
“An incision between the vagina and anus for easier delivery.”
Lev scrunched his nose. “I’m sorry I asked.”
“So the big bad-ass werewolf gets grossed out?”
“About such things, yes.”
How ironic was that? The damage his bear form did to her abductors had been pretty horrific. On par with what happened to the Boko Haram terrorists who abducted her. She turned back to make sure they were far enough away from human ears. “What happened with the helicopter?”
“You heard it?”
“Yes, and gunfire. Except for the women assisting me with the delivery, everyone ran out to see. Imagine that, we heard a too close for comfort helicopter with our human ears?” Rachel smirked.
He chuckled. “Sorry, I occasionally need to be reminded you can hear and even smell things.”
She gently elbowed him. “Smart assed werewolf chauvinist.”
“I kid.”
“So how many did you fight?”
“Three werewolves attacked me to get to you.”
“And?”
“I terminated them.” His cool manner made him sound like he told her he just took the trash out not killed to protect her.
Rachel shook her head. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s the right word.”
“How about tore to pieces?”
“Okay, I get the picture. All dead.”
He blew out a breath that rattled his lips. “Not all. The men in the helicopter gathered their dead and left.”
Rachel brushed a dark strand of hair from his brow. “You saved me and survived. That’s all that matters.”
“You are my charge. Nothing will ever harm you.”
“Team member not charge,” she corrected, and they continued down the trail.
He snorted. “Not until you sign the contract.”
Blood drained from her face. Speaking of leaking evidence about their existence. “What if the family reports the gunfire to the authorities?”
“They don’t remember a thing.”
&
nbsp; “You erased their memory?”
“Only of the sounds they might have heard and what we looked like. Their memory of you will be of a male doctor and his climbing partner.”
“Oh?” She shrugged.
“You saved two lives, Doctor, no matter what they remember.”
She paused and he stopped. “Lev.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for not erasing my mind.”
He threw her a cocky smile. “You are almost one of us, Goldilocks. We are forbidden to attempt mind control on our pack members and humans. Except for special circumstances.”
“Good. Although I vowed to keep your secret, as a doctor I’ve taken the Hippocratic Oath. I don’t plan on leaving medicine.”
“As long as your practice doesn’t interfere with our affairs, we won’t care.” He narrowed his eyes. “However, until I get you to safety, no more emergency doctor business.”
“I’m not sure I can…promise that.”
They continued walking. “Not a request, but a command from your alpha.”
She quickened her pace to keep up, nearly out of breath. “Excuse me?”
“Your father will explain our social behaviors.”
“I’ve seen documentaries about wolves and I’m not going to wait until the alpha has eaten the best part of the meat while I wait for the scraps.”
“Don’t worry. I will save the best steak for you.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Our rules are not so terrible, but they can be disconcerting for humans until you get used to it.”
Rachel had visited plenty of societies where people, especially women, had been treated as second class citizens or worse. Yet, she couldn’t imagine her father, who once served in the army, groveling to a werewolf alpha. “We’ll see about that.”
Lev mumbled something in Russian that sounded like a curse. It’s not like she had a choice to join them. Better the pack I know than the pack I don’t. Best to avoid the ones who wanted to abduct her to some isolated island. Rachel shaded her eyes from the setting sun. “It’s getting dark fast.”
“Don’t worry. Glowing eyes and wolf vision.”
“True, but cold.” She shivered, out of breath.
“I’ll give you a piggy back to the lodge.”
Rachel’s stubborn desire to prove the strength of the human race waned as her lungs protested with each step. Exhausted from last night’s hot sex and hours helping a woman give birth had taken its toll. Her independent streak fought with her sensible desire to listen to her protector. She wouldn’t last the hike back. “You are not too tired?”
“No.”
“You just fought three werewolves.”
He chuckled and bent on one knee. “I would run up Mt. Everest and back if it meant your comfort and safety.”
Her heartbeat quickened. Never had anybody treated her with such love and devotion. “Just running back to the lodge works.” She climbed on his back and he winced. The warmth and metallic smell of blood seeped through his thick jacket. “Were you shot?”
“No. Just a bite, but it’s healing.” He stood.
“How bad?” He held her in place with a firm hand on her bottom. If she struggled to get off, she might hurt him.
“Not sure, but perhaps my doctor can make one more emergency call.”
“I can walk.”
“Not as fast as I can run.”
“No. The wound will get bigger. Let me look first.”
Before she could argue any more, he ran at the breakneck speed he used earlier to escape. She closed her eyes and held on like a barnacle on a wave-splashed rock.
Lev sat in her lodge room and gritted his teeth as Rachel stitched him up. The gash had been deeper than he expected. The beta’s bite more potent than normal, as if corrupted by poison. A cold chill rattled him. The tinge of magic.
“This is bad. Unfortunately, I only have topical antibiotics in my med kit.”
He released a slow breath. “This bite is healing much slower than the wounds from the battle at the cavern.” She had sterilized the gash with alcohol which should have been enough to immediately close his wound.
Rachel furrowed her brow. “The skin coloration looks like snake venom. Are you sure a werewolf and not a snake bit you?”
“The ass had a dirty mouth that smelled of decay.”
Rachel sniffed. “I noticed the rotten smell, but now it’s not as bad.” She pulled and tugged the last stitch.
He grimaced and growled.
“Sorry.”
“Lucky for you I don’t need a muzzle.”
She rolled a bandage over his wound. “Have you had your rabies shot?”
“Does not work for us.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
He winced as she tightened the bandage. “Yes. Although, unlike animals, we don’t foam at the mouth and go on killing sprees. The disease takes us quickly. Within a day or two.”
“Really?” She bandaged his wound. “That’s unusually fast.”
“Yes, a good thing. Imagine a rabid werewolf in the countryside?”
Rachel finished taping the bandage and then fingered the bite on her neck. “Lucky for me, I’ve been vaccinated.”
Lev snorted. “You go around petting wild animals?”
Rachel laughed. “Only tame handsome werewolves.” She repacked her med kit. “As a disease specialist traveling abroad, I take extra precaution.”
To think Ebola almost killed her. No more such risks. “Your father runs an excellent research facility.”
“Making sure my father is doing better is worth cutting my vacation short.”
He cupped her chin. “And last night?”
She blushed and smiled. “You have ruined me for all men. And yep, you sweetened the deal.”
“Good. I’m glad I ruined you.” He drew her in and ravished her with a long hard kiss. Feeding on her sweet mouth.
Rachel returned his passion with her own. Moaning as if climaxing from his kiss. So responsive.
The lodge phone rang.
Damn. “Hold on, my Goldilocks.” He had left a message for Rylee to call him at this number. He straightened. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Is she safe?”
Rachel mouthed, “Your boss?”
Lev nodded. She had changed into body forming blue jeans that accentuated her ass and a red wool sweater. Her hair cascaded down her back. Her lips swollen from his kiss. “Yes, very safe.” But not from me.
“We sent a jet to Kathmandu. ETA, tomorrow at 3 p.m. your time. Our pilot will wait for you.”
“That was fast.”
“Took some scrambling, but I pulled a pilot from Germany.”
“Good. The pack pursuing Rachel is well armed. Military helicopter and a Wolfsbane rifle.”
Rachel threw him a quizzical look. She’d no clue about the weapon that nearly ended his life and left him crippled for months. His spine shattered. Between his internal healing powers and her father’s brilliant surgeries, he was here today. For Rachel.
“How many did you take down?” Rylee asked.
“Eight werewolves, but unfortunately, I was unable to identify them. Except for an unusual pentagram with flaming wolf paw tattoo.”
“That’s it, just the visual?”
“Sorry, but yes.” He sighed. “A human onboard shot at me.”
“I’m glad you had the good sense to leave. Your first priority is Rachel.”
“I did get a good look of the bearded man who carried the Wolfsbane rifle.”
“Once you are airborne, call me about more details. When you get to HQ, I’ll send you to our sketch artist to draw him and the tattoo. In the meantime, Jesper will dig in the archives for anything on the symbol.”
“Do you have any idea what pack uses the pentagram and flaming paw print?”
“Not an unusual tattoo amongst humans, but I’ve never seen any known pack use it.”
“I was bitten by one of the betas and the wound had a rotten odo
r. He might have laced his fangs with a toxin.”
“Is your wound healing?”
“Yes, but slowly.” He winked at her. “Dr. Becker sterilized and stitched me up.”
Rachel whispered, “Ask about my father?”
“How is Dr. Becker?”
Rachel sat next to Lev. Her amber eyes wide, pleading for the latest prognosis on his condition.
“Better. I bit him to improve the healing. Still in the hospital, but now eating and complaining about the room service.”
“Good. I’ll let Rachel know.”
“I take it she’s marked and warned about revealing anything about our kind.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. We rarely bring in humans like this. It won’t be easy.”
If only Rachel knew how difficult her new life will be. “I’ll be in charge of her training.” He stiffened as if preparing to defend his territory. Mine.
“We’ll discuss that once you return.”
“Yes, ma’am.” As the werewolf who brought her in, it was his duty to teach her. However, Rachel having Stallo’s blood made things a hell of lot more complicated. Rylee may want to mentor her, rather than risk the most powerful werewolf in their arsenal having Rachel as his blood mistress. Perhaps, he would not fall prey to her. Dominic seemed immune to Mia’s control, perhaps because she had no desire to rule over him.
“You can’t stay at this lodge.”
“I know. We’ll leave after I hang up.”
Rachel poured hot water for tea, but paused to shake her head.
“Or I could stand guard all night.”
Rylee’s tone turned stern. “That’s an order. Whoever the hell they are, they’ll come back with reinforcements.”
“The helicopter never landed to seek us out. Only three humans and the beta pilot were left to do their bidding.”
“Just remember, human or not, they are armed with the weapon long forbidden to our packs. I doubt they’ll miss again. If you wish, call your Russian comrades to taxi you out.”
“Yes, ma’am. Will not be a problem.” He hung up.
“How’s my father?”
“Greatly improved.”
“So your boss is cool with you know…” she whispered, “the executions?”