by Sabrina Rue
Reaching through the cargo hold, she scrambled for her pack and they ran into the woods that lined the road. In the distance, they heard more vehicles skid to a stop.
Growling, she said, “Put him down and get ready, Alpha.”
She loaded her weapons and assembled her rifle, sliding huge bullets in the chamber and dropping more in her jacket pocket.
“I can take out several before they reach us but this is going to get ugly.” Looking over her shoulder, she watched Talon’s Wolf rise to the occasion. “Alright then.”
Crouching along an old stone wall on the boundary of someone’s property, she estimated shot conditions.
Sighting through the scope, she waited for the Weres in pursuit to show themselves. She took down seven before the others realized she was using a long-range rifle.
They scattered into the trees and used them as cover. She was only able to take down two others before standing, removing two more pistols from holsters on her thighs, and looking up at the man who had the misfortune of bringing her back.
“Thank you for coming, Talon. I’m sorry.”
“You think we won’t win?” He laughed. “They’re rogues. They don’t stand a chance against an Alpha and the daughter of Slade Kassis.”
“Not the right daughter for this, I’m afraid.”
Seconds later, the first Weres broke through the trees and she kept turning, shooting them. Talon flowed through the males, ripping out their throats and snapping their necks.
A dozen, two dozen, and Hope knew she’d soon be out of ammunition. She’d never considered Montana Pack would swell their local ranks with so many rogues.
As she spent the last bullet, she tossed away her guns and let her Wolf take over. Never comparable to her big sister, there was no doubt that Hope’s training was well above and beyond what most of these males had received.
From the corner of her eye, she realized two rogues were dragging an unconscious Ryan from the clearing.
“No!” She leapt the dead bodies that surrounded them and attacked the two who thought to steal her prize. “He’s mine.”
Ripping out the throat of the smallest one, she faced the biggest damn Were she’d ever seen.
“He’s mine, rogue!”
“Traitor bitch! I’ll enjoy taking your head back to my Alpha!” He attacked her and his weight alone drove her back several feet. “Dirty whore Kassis!”
Wrapping both hands around her throat, he lifted her off the ground and said, “I should kill you quickly but I think I’ll claim you as battle price. You have fight left in you and I much enjoy it in my females.”
She kicked him in the balls and he stumbled but didn’t go down. Raking her claws over his face, she tried to remember everything her father and Harmony taught her but she was dizzy, unable to breathe, and knew she’d soon lose consciousness.
Hand-to-hand combat had never been her strength.
There were spots in front of her eyes so she thought she imagined the sight of Harmony leaping on the huge Were’s back.
Both hands on either side of his head, she twisted and there was a sickening snap as his hands loosened on her throat and they both hit the forest floor.
Her big sister knelt in front of her. “Stay here.” She shouted to someone else. “I need a guard!”
Ready to throw up, Hope watched her twin tear through the ranks of rogue Weres and couldn’t help a slow smile.
The woman had a gift for destruction.
Then it was quiet and Harmony threw her head back and howled in victory. The males joined her and Hope tried to drag herself to her feet.
Strong hands lifted her easily to her feet and she stared up into Talon’s face. He was covered in blood and most of it didn’t belong to him. He tilted her head up and to the side to inspect the massive hand prints on her throat.
“Are you alright?” She nodded tiredly and he smiled. “How many did you kill?”
“Two magazines worth plus three with my hands. I suck in a physical confrontation.”
“I disagree, Hope.”
She turned as her sister charged her and gripped her in a hug so tight that it hurt. She didn’t mind even a little.
They stood in silence, holding each other, for almost a minute before Harmony leaned back and seemed to inspect her from head to toe.
“We need to get back to the helicopter. We have several miles to cover. We’ll talk when we’re on board.”
Hope nodded. “I’m so glad you got here. Someone needs to carry Ryan out of here.”
“Already handled. Run now and we’ll talk later.” She ran her hand over Hope’s hair. “I have missed you, sister.”
Nodding, Hope blinked against the tears in her eyes.
A blonde man with a beautiful face and deceptively gentle brown eyes wrapped his arm around her twin. “We need to move, Mate. Now.” To Hope, he added with a smile, “I’m Jax. Proper introductions when we’re in the air.”
Then all of them were running.
They left behind several dozen bodies for Montana Pack to either clean up or explain to the local human authorities.
Had Harmony gotten to the scene five minutes earlier, Hope wouldn’t be covered in gross ass blood and guts.
She still would have reeked of deer piss but some things couldn’t be helped.
Hope needed many things but a fucking shower was at the top of the list.
CHAPTER THREE
Several miles from the scene of the fight, Hope stumbled and almost fell. Talon caught her before she hit the ground.
“Th-thank you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Tired…”
“No. It’s more than that.” Frowning, he lifted her in his arms and started running again.
Hope should have objected. She wanted to be strong, independent, and resilient like her sister.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around the huge Were’s massive shoulders and let someone else do the physical shit for a minute.
They entered a clearing where a large military-grade helicopter revved up in the center. A dark man raced toward them and roughly inspected Harmony’s body.
“Are you well, Mate?”
Harmony nodded with a smile. “Of course.” Looking behind her, she told him, “We need to put as much distance between us and Montana Pack as possible. We killed a bunch of folks.”
“Naturally. You were involved.” He smiled at Hope. “I’m Ryker Blackwell. Alpha of Texas Pack.”
“My sister was downright smitten with you when we were sixteen. I’m sorry it took her so long to get to you.”
Passing Talon holding Hope, Harmony slapped her on the butt. “This is my baby sister. More on that later.”
“Bitch…you’re still referring to me as the baby?”
“Stop asking me stupid questions. Let’s go, people!” Harmony jogged for the helicopter. A male from Texas Pack followed carrying an unconscious Ryan.
Within ten minutes, they were lifting off the ground.
Talon buckled her into the seat beside him and Harmony sat on her other side. Hope removed a tranquilizer dart from her vest and threw it at Ryan who’d been laid on the floor of the chopper. She smiled as it lodged in his neck.
Everyone stared at her with wide eyes.
Hope snapped her teeth. “He’s lucky I haven’t started ripping off his fingernails. He’s a male Were. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Then she laid her head against the seat and tried to sleep.
Harmony’s blonde Mate murmured, “I can definitely see the family resemblance.”
Her sister chuckled. “Oh yeah.” Wrapping her arm around Hope’s shoulders, she pulled her closer. “Sleep, Hope. When we get back, you can shower and rest…”
“I can’t. I need to get back to Arizona after I sweet-talk some details out of Ryan.”
Tilting her face up with the side of her hand, Harmony stared into her eyes. “Hope…” She went silent for a long moment and then growled so menacingly that two
of Jax’s men edged slowly away from her. “He stole your daughter?”
Hope nodded, tears slipping over her cheeks. “Within minutes of her birth. Then he tried to murder her brother because he said Montana Pack didn’t need more males.”
“You have a boy and a girl?” Then her twin hugged her hard. At her ear, she said, “I’ll get her back for you, Hope. I’ll kill every person who helped steal your child from you.”
“Oh, gods, I’ve missed you, Harmony.”
Hope clutched the woman who’d always been stronger and faster. Her rock. The only family she had left until she brought her twins into the world.
In seconds, she was sobbing and her own twin held her hard as she smoothed her hand over her back. When her breakdown faded, Harmony took off the black cap Hope still wore and asked one of the males for the medical kit.
No one said a word as Harmony cleaned Hope’s face of the smudge she’d used, her tears, and more than a few scratches.
Jax tossed his Mate a pouch filled with nutrient packs and water. Only when she’d consumed all of them under Harmony’s watchful eye did she feel as though she wasn’t going to pass out.
Harmony held her close and whispered, “Tell me the names of my niece and nephew.”
“Juliette and Justice. They’re almost three. Uh, Harmony?” Identical eyes to her own lifted. “Justice is…unusual.”
Tilting her head, Harmony grinned. “Unusual, how?”
“It’s hard to explain until you meet him.”
“I’m going with you to pick him up. No way you’re going alone.” Her sister’s Mates sat forward and Harmony held up a hand. “Which means my Mates are also going because they’re not going to let me out of their sight now.”
Hope grabbed her hand. “You’re pregnant?” It had been a long time since she’d shed happy tears. Holding her twin as hard as she could, she whispered, “I’m so excited.”
She didn’t mean to fall asleep but the chaos of the day caught up to her. Her energy was depleted, her body ached, and Hope knew she’d have to address the biggest issue soon or eventually, it would kill her.
When the helicopter bumped down, it was twilight. Her head was in Talon’s lap and he lifted her into his arms and jumped to the ground.
She could hear many voices but she was exhausted and hurting.
Talon carried her into a home that smelled strongly of her sister and her Mates. It made her smile to know that Harmony had finally made her way to Texas Pack.
She imagined she’d done a lot of shaking up.
Her back touched a bed and Talon stepped back but didn’t leave the room. A lovely older woman with black hair and dark blue eyes appeared at her side.
“Hello, darling. My name is Redbird Blackwell. Ryker is my son and Harmony my daughter of the heart.” She reached out to smooth a cool hand over Hope’s forehead. “How happy she is to have you safe with her again.”
“Thank you.”
The woman took Hope’s hands in both of hers. “Harmony’s Secondary Mate has the best nose in Texas Pack. He asked me to call one of our doctors. He smells too much blood inside you. Can you tell me what happened?”
Struggling to sit up, she hid the pain it caused her. “First, is Ryan secured? You need to place a guard on him but he can’t know anyone suspects his past deeds.”
“My son took care of it. Don’t worry. Tell me where you hurt. I can see the tightness around your eyes.”
“It isn’t important. It can wait.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I need my children and then I’ll rest.”
Ryker’s mother stared at her for a long moment. “What good will having your children do them if they lose their mother? Let us help you and then we’ll do everything necessary to bring your children home to you.”
Hope placed her palm flat over her belly as Harmony and her Mates appeared in the doorway with a young woman who had to be related to the Blackwells.
Redbird reached out to smooth her hair from her face. “All of us wish to see you reunited with your babies, Hope. We won’t rest until our female Alpha’s blood is safe.”
Looking at the people in the room, Hope inhaled carefully. “When Harmony and I were separated in Reno, I was able to make it all the way to Kentucky without hunters. I knew she would run them as far from me as possible to give me a better chance to hole up. We knew my fourth Heat was coming.”
The older woman smiled warmly. “Another powerful female.”
Thinking nothing could be further from the truth, Hope went on. “I found a cabin in the middle of a lake. I thought with such a head start, I wouldn’t have to worry about moving again until after my Heat passed.”
Turning her head, she stared through the big window on the other side of the bed. “Ryan knocked on my door. He hugged me, he cried, and told me he’d been searching for me. All he wanted was for me to be safe, he said.”
A low growl entered her voice. “I’d never endured Heat around a male Were. I…wasn’t prepared for how it would be.” She swallowed. “How…I would be. No control, no limits, no shame throughout. The shame came later.”
“I’m so sorry, darling,” the kind woman said softly.
She shrugged her shoulders and didn’t wipe the tears that slipped from her eyes. “He told me he loved me but he’d been telling me that since I was fourteen. I-I just wanted to stop running. I wanted my life back. A life with Pack and time to read books and safety.”
“That’s understandable, Hope. It wasn’t foolish to want such a thing after everything you’d been through.”
“I wanted to be strong. Harmony was always so powerful and I felt so fucking weak. Looking back, I should have seen all of it but I never suspected a thing. I played house with him for months. During my Heat, when I found out I was pregnant soon after, and up until the day I gave birth.”
“You were alone?”
“Just Ryan and me in that cabin.” Closing her eyes, she said, “After I tell the story, I’ll never discuss that day again.” She met her sister’s eyes.
She could see the fury that vibrated off her twin. “Ryan insisted he was my Mate even though I knew when I was young, knew when he got me pregnant, and knew when I brought my children into the world that it was a lie.”
Releasing a bitter laugh, she gripped Redbird’s hand. “We were exiled before we were even eighteen. I felt affection for Ryan but never loved him. To be safe, I would have pretended.”
“We do what we must to survive, Hope. There’s no shame in it and you should feel none.”
“Those months were the most peaceful of my life since we lost our mother. I-I cooked and prepared for my children. I acted as if none of the horror had happened. I blocked it out because I wanted to sleep in a bed again and not be hungry.”
Her growl grew louder. “I let him touch me, I told him I loved him, and learned to hide the scent of my lies.”
The claws of the hand that rested on the bed slowly shredded the linens. “I went into labor. I was terrified. The pain was unbelievable and I didn’t know why. He kept saying everything was fine, I was doing great. He placed my son in my arms and I could barely hold him.”
Hope knew her eyes were glowing and could feel her teeth extending but could do nothing to stop it.
“I tried to focus on him. His smile was smug, cruel. I was out of my mind with pain. Weak from what I learned later was severe blood loss. He thought I was unconscious. A Kassis female was a lot of bargaining power, he whispered to himself. I saw him lift my daughter and wrap her in a blanket.”
Her fury rose up to engulf her as it did every time she remembered that day.
“He stood and let two male Weres I’d never seen before into the room. He told them he had what he came for and I’d served my purpose. My son was useless, he said, because there were too many males in Montana Pack and they didn’t want him to grow up to take over.” Her smile was cold. “He was right to fear a male of Kassis blood.”
Snapping her teeth, Hope leapt from the bed and sto
od by the window, her fists clenched. “He didn’t care what they did with me, use me if they wanted, as long as both of us were dead by the time they left the cabin. He reminded them not to take too long because they still had to catch my sister and wouldn’t it be great if they could get another girl on her?”
Turning to face the room, she growled, “They walked him out because they thought I was out of it and helpless anyway. Ryan forgot my name. He forgot my father. I grabbed my guns. By the time the sound of Ryan’s truck faded, the others were dead on the floor. One in the brain, another in the heart.” Her laughter was cold. “The one in the groin was overkill, I admit.”
Harmony approached her. The Wolf Hope had known since conception peered from identical green eyes. She rubbed their cheeks together and said, “I will take pleasure in gutting him.”
“I took everything they had. Weapons, cash, credit cards I used in the nearest town for supplies before I dumped them in the lake and drove away with my son in their truck.”
She swallowed and it was painful. “I’ve been searching for my daughter for almost three years. They kept moving her around. A few weeks ago, I hid my son with a woman who runs one of those groups for abused women. She thinks my abusive ex is trying to take him. She doesn’t know about Juliette.”
Her smile was vengeance. “Until I find my little girl, I can’t kill Ryan. I must play a role I once did that now turns my stomach. Gods help them all if anything has happened to her.”
Harmony asked, “The pain, the infection…what causes it?”
She laughed. “He cut my children from my body. A piece of the knife he used is embedded in the bone of my pelvis. I’ll likely never be capable of bearing another child.”
Raising her gaze to Talon’s across the room, she said, “I know who you are to me but you’d do well to keep from pursuing a Mating. I’m likely barren…and male Weres don’t take to another male’s offspring well.”
Walking around the room, he stared at her for a long moment.
“You don’t know dick about real Were males, Hope.”