Born Wild

by Nikki Jefford

“Wolfrik, please,” Sparrow whispered desperately.

  His jaw clenched as he ran scathing eyes over the shoes laced over her feet and the blue bra strap peeking out through her tattered shirt.

  “You think I would put a single human life above the safety of my entire pack?” Wolfrik’s billowing words required no response.

  Sparrow’s mouth hung ajar right before her body sagged against Aden and the werewolf shifter was left holding her up rather than restraining her.

  “We should kill her,” Raider said, arms folded tight against his chest as he stood outside Jager’s hut.

  None of them were sitting, not after Wolfrik delivered the chilling news.

  He explained, again, why killing Sparrow would lead to worse problems. If Hawk found his sister dead, he’d want to know what had happened and wouldn’t stop until he found out. If she simply disappeared, he’d never stop searching. Either option could lead Hawk and his men to the hollow.

  “We’ll have to move,” Heidi said solemnly.

  “No one’s moving. This is our home,” Sasha snarled.

  “This is all his fault!” Palmer pointed a finger at Wolfrik. “He led the human straight to our home.”

  “He didn’t lead anyone here,” Sasha said, glaring at Palmer. “She found us on her own, and if she can, so can others. We already lost David because humans got too close. We need to protect our home—not point fingers.”

  Jager nodded. “Sasha is right. We’ve always known humans might venture into the woods. We can tuck tail and run, or we can fight.”

  The voices around him turned fuzzy as an idea began forming in Wolfrik’s head. Maybe Sparrow’s appearance wasn’t the doom the old shifter woman from Glenn Meadows had foreseen, but an opportunity to rid the world of Hawk once and for all.

  “We can use her as bait,” he said.

  The voices quieted around him, and six pairs of eyes stared into his.

  “Keep her on the outskirts—guarded in a cave by the Manama River—far from the glade and den,” Wolfrik continued. “Meanwhile, set up scouts on the hilltop to keep watch over the wasteland. If they see anyone coming, we’ll have at least a day before they reach our border on foot and another day before they come anywhere near our communal areas—plenty of time to kill them all.”

  Emerson frowned. “They have guns.”

  “We have arrows for long range,” Sasha said, “and fangs and claws for up close.” Her teeth gleamed when she smiled.

  Damn, she was an incredible female. He should have listened to her about serving on the council sooner.

  “It will be difficult for them to aim once they reach the woods,” Wolfrik added.

  Emerson looked at Sasha, eyes expanding on a thought. “Could Tabor knock them all unconscious like he did with the vulhena?”

  Sasha twisted her lips in thought. “Maybe. I’ll ask him.”

  “Who will guard the human?” Emerson asked next.

  “Aden,” Wolfrik answered.

  “We’ll need him in the fight,” Emerson said.

  “What we need is someone to prevent her from getting away and warning her companions,” Wolfrik returned.

  Sasha chewed on her bottom lip. “She’d do that?”

  Wolfrik rubbed the back of his head. “Doesn’t matter. Even if she tried to keep her mouth shut, her brother would torture her for information.”

  “His own sister?” Sasha asked.

  Wolfrik nodded.

  Sasha scoffed in disgust. “Humans,” she muttered.

  “We can ask Garrick to scout. I know he would be more than willing,” Raider said.

  Sasha flashed him a grateful smile that slithered inside Wolfrik’s gut.

  “First we need to take a vote,” she said. “We can stay and protect our home, or relocate north of the Glenn Meadows shifters—far enough from the wasteland that the humans could not reach us with their limited locomotion and supplies. Those in favor of staying, raise your hands.”

  Sasha, Wolfrik, Raider, Emerson, and Jager raised their hands at once.

  Heidi sighed. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect my children, and I believe that goes for all the parents in the den.” She glanced at Palmer, who inclined his head. “I will support the council’s decision, but I think we should allow den members to make their own choices and give families the option to relocate until a time when the threat has passed.”

  “I think that is more than fair,” Sasha said.

  The rest of the council nodded.

  “I will assign two teams to keep lookout,” Jager announced.

  “Thank you, Jager,” Sasha said.

  “Will you make the announcement at supper?” the old man asked.

  “I think you should,” she said. “I believe the pack will feel reassured hearing the plan from an elder.”

  Although Jager didn’t smile, there was a contented glow in his eyes. Wolfrik admired Sasha’s clever diplomacy.

  “And the two of you will alert our den members?” Sasha asked, turning her attention to Palmer and Heidi.

  “Yes,” Heidi said solemnly.

  Sasha lifted her chest and pressed her lips together in a line as grim as a dark horizon. “Then it is settled. Let the humans come and feed the animals and insects of the forest with their rotting corpses.”

  Wolfrik nodded.

  Yes, let them come. Let Hawk face me outside the pit. I will repay every blow, every wound, and every hurt I was forced to endure and inflict on others under his orders.

  One last epic match for Cujo.

  chapter fourteen

  Wolfrik didn’t come to the cabin that night. Kallie hadn’t expected him to, not after Jager’s explosive announcement at supper. Still, as she sat on the bed in the cabin’s shadows, disappointment settled deep inside her bones. She felt lonely and worried—mostly for Wolfrik and the emotions this had to be stirring up in him.

  Why did this human female have to come along and ruin everything?

  She gripped the bunched-up blanket at her side, pinching the edges between her fingers and pulling at the fabric.

  “Kallie? Are you in there?” Palmer asked softly from outside.

  The distress of his tone prevented her from grabbing the pillow and flinging it at the door.

  “In here,” she said flatly.

  “My wolf ran over from the den. I’m naked.”

  The fact that he didn’t barge in loosened her resolve.

  “Come in,” she said.

  The door creaked open gently. Palmer nudged a rock in front of it with his toes, so they wouldn’t be closed in together. Once inside, he stopped and remained near the door. Kallie sat up and stared at him.

  “You heard the news,” he said.

  Kallie nodded.

  “My family and many more are moving east. We will be a half day’s run from Glenn Meadows, should we need their help for any reason.”

  Kallie gasped, horror stricken. As much as she’d bemoaned her time in the den, she loved her packmates and all the pups who had only ever known the hollow as their home.

  Palmer sighed sadly. “If it were up to me, I’d stay, but I must put my family first.”

  Kallie stood up. “You’ll come back, though, right? The den mates will return once the humans are dead?”

  Palmer stared at her for a moment. “Yes.”

  Kallie released a sigh of relief.

  “Ford has volunteered to act as our go-between. After we settle in, he will return to the hollow then come back and get us when it is safe to return.”

  Kallie frowned. It could be months before the humans came—if they came at all. That was a long time to be separated from his family.

  “I considered doing the same, but I would miss my family too much,” Palmer said, as though reading her mind. He swallowed. “I’ve come
to beg you to come with us—not as a third mate, but as a den mate and member of our pack. If anything happened to you while I was gone—” Palmer sucked in a breath and shook his head. “My feelings for you blinded me. I was too aggressive in my pursuit, and my actions pushed you over to Wolfrik. You deserve to be treated right. I would treat you right. But for now, I just want you to be safe.”

  Kallie blinked several times. She could never truly trust Palmer, but he sounded sincere. For a moment her surprise made her forget about his appeal for her to leave the hollow. Her home. Her sanctuary.

  Kallie’s legs gave out, and she fell onto the bed. The springs sang beneath the slam of her body as she landed roughly over the mattress. She stretched her arms on either side to steady herself, but she was securely seated, even if it wasn’t graceful.

  Palmer’s mouth fell open, and he started forward before stopping himself, jerking to a standstill.

  “I’m fine,” Kallie said quickly. “I’m just heartbroken that the pack is splitting up.”

  The anguish on Palmer’s face made Kallie’s chest ache.

  “Will you consider joining us?” he asked again. “The children look up to you. They will be so scared, but if they see that you’re not afraid, they’ll follow your example.”

  Kallie clutched her heart. How ironic that she had tried to run to Glenn Meadows, and now that half her pack was heading in that direction, she no longer wanted to leave.

  “I don’t know,” she answered slowly. “What if they need me here?”

  When Palmer remained silent, her own mind dredged up scathing replies.

  “What possible use could the single shifters have for you? You’re slow. You’re weak. You’d only get in the way.”

  Kallie clenched her jaw, furious at the faceless voice.

  “You have some time to think about it,” Palmer said. “The den mates are spending tomorrow boarding up our homes and storing the goods we can’t take with us in hopes we will soon return. We will spend two more nights in the hollow then leave early in the morning. You probably want to speak to Wolfrik first.” Palmer wrinkled his nose.

  “I don’t know where he is,” Kallie ground out between her teeth.

  Shouldn’t Wolfrik be the one worried about her? They’d slept together. He’d told her to wait for him. Instead, Palmer was the one checking in, concerned for her safety, and it wasn’t just because he wanted to bed her. In his own warped way, he really did care.

  Unlike Wolfrik.

  Palmer shot her a pitying look. “He’s at the river caves with his human female.”

  Kallie’s mouth gaped open. His female?

  “She’s the reason Wolfrik escaped,” Palmer added. “She let him free.”

  “Just him?” Kallie asked, feeling a lump forming inside her throat.

  Palmer nodded. “Wolfrik told us he wanted to release the other prisoners, but guards attacked him, and he was forced to flee, leaving behind his female during the scuffle. Eventually she got away and followed him to the hollow.”

  There it was again. His female.

  Kallie winced. She knew Palmer had used these words on purpose, but it didn’t make them hurt any less. What had happened between Wolfrik and his woman in the city? Three years was a long time. They must have had a relationship. Why else would she release him? And how else would the female have found the hollow if not from Wolfrik’s directions? He must have trusted her a great deal to share such valuable details, especially with a human.

  And now, instead of meeting Kallie at the cabin, he was at the river caves with the woman—his woman.

  Kallie’s heart tripped and tumbled down to her stomach.

  “I’ll think about it.” They were the only words she could get out. She just wanted Palmer to go away.

  “Thank you,” Palmer said softly then left.

  She considered pulling her dress off to shift and run, but in the end, Kallie stayed in the cabin, drifting in and out of sleep, waiting in case Wolfrik showed up later. But he never did.

  “Please, Tabor. Don’t make me go.”

  When Kallie stumbled groggily into the glade after the ring of the gong, she saw a distressed Elsie clasping her hands in front of Tabor and Sasha.

  With a frown on her lips, Kallie moved closer, caught between wanting to help her friend, but not wanting to interfere in a family matter.

  “You can come back once the danger has passed,” Tabor said. “Even Heidi, Peter, and the kids are moving to safer ground.”

  “But I can help,” Elsie said, standing on her tiptoes.

  “No. My decision is final. We leave after breakfast.”

  “The pack needs you here,” Sasha said to her mate.

  “I’ll return as soon as possible.” Tabor clenched his jaw.

  “Or we could ask Jordan to escort her. She still owes you a favor.”

  Tabor shook his head. “Then Raider would have to go. He’d never allow her to travel back alone, and I don’t blame him. Besides, we need the strongest males here.”

  “You are among the strongest males,” Sasha said, running her fingers along Tabor’s muscular arm.

  His jaw loosened as he smiled lovingly at his mate. They stared into one another’s eyes and seemed to momentarily forget their discussion until Tabor shook his head and the hardened resolve returned to his green eyes. “I won’t rest until I’ve delivered Elsie safely to Balmar Heights and returned home to your side.”

  Sasha pursed her lips and sighed. Kallie chose that moment to walk directly up to the small group. “You’re leaving?” she asked, staring into Elsie’s forlorn gaze.

  “Tabor says I have to.” Elsie frowned at her brother.

  The pit that had formed in Kallie’s stomach widened. Everything around her was changing too quickly. She’d come to think of Elsie as a dear friend. Now that friend was being sent away all because a human woman had come running after Wolfrik. It also meant Tabor would have to put off his healing lessons with her. Kallie hated this human more and more with every passing second.

  “I’ll let Jager know,” Sasha said.

  Tabor followed his mate. “I’ll come with you while Elsie says her goodbyes.”

  Once they were out of earshot, Kallie leaned into her friend. “What about the curse?” she asked.

  Elsie’s shoulders drooped. “I’m afraid if I tell my brother, he’ll interfere in a disastrous way. He might go after Brutus, which wouldn’t change a thing and could get him killed. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to him. I waited my whole life to meet my brother.” She shook her head. “This isn’t a good time to look for a mate, anyway. Aden’s at the river caves helping Wolfrik guard the human, and Zackary has been assigned lookout. He won’t even be in the hollow. All I can do for now is go back to Balmar Heights and pray this all comes to an end soon. The sooner I go, the sooner Tabor can return and help defend the hollow. May the moon watch over you all.” Elsie threw her arms around Kallie and hugged her.

  Tears gathered in Kallie’s eyes.

  “Be safe.” Elsie let go and walked away, rejoining Tabor and Sasha across the glade.

  “You too,” Kallie whispered, watching her friend.

  Breakfast was a somber affair. Shifters spoke in whispers, as though humans were already closing in and might hear them. Garrick and Justin, and Zackary and Dylan were sent away on watch duty to patrol from the hill overlooking the wastelands and city beyond. Emerson and Heath, and Amber and Chase, were pulled off their patrol duties to gather all the weapons in the hollow—knives, axes, bows, and arrows—and carry them to the southern border. When the time came, Jager said they would have weapons in place, ready for all available shifters to run directly south of the glade, shift into human form, and grab a weapon from one of the hiding places. They expected the humans to have guns. Arrows would be used from long range to take their enemies out befor
e they had a chance to fire. Other shifters would hide in the brush, ready to slice the throat of anyone caught off guard. They would shift into wolves to finish off any humans left wounded but still breathing.

  “We won’t allow intruders to reach the glade or den,” Jager had announced.

  He almost made it sound easy, but humans had guns, and the shifters didn’t know when they would come and how many.

  Kallie limped toward the end of the breakfast line.

  “You can cut to the front of the line any time you want,” Hudson said as she passed.

  She forced a smile. “I don’t mind waiting like everyone else.”

  I don’t want special treatment.

  Moving in line didn’t require speed. Everyone shuffled along, just like her. As Kallie neared the cauldron, Maureen chewed on her lower lip and her eyes darted around, no longer greeting each shifter with her usual smile. When it was Kallie’s turn to dish up, Maureen’s eyes widened. “Oh, Kallie, thank goodness. Will you be able to harvest vegetables this afternoon? I can come by and get them.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do starting tomorrow. Heidi from the den told me they’re all relocating. All the den mates decided it was best if they stuck together. I don’t know what will become of the garden while they’re away.”

  “I can tend to it,” Kallie said, not stopping to consider her decision for a moment. It was the right one—one she didn’t have to think twice about.

  They’d worked hard to cultivate that garden. It wasn’t something that could be packed up and later rearranged. Weeds would take over, insects and vermin would devour their crops, and food would rot.

  Maureen smiled gratefully as she handed Kallie her bowl.

  That afternoon, while the den mates boarded up their huts and sheds, Kallie tended the garden with renewed vigor. She plucked weeds between her fingers as though they were an invading army and, once she’d eradicated every last offending one, added a fresh layer of leaf debris to the compost pile. She waited until afternoon to pick the freshest harvest for that evening’s stew.