by Milly Taiden
Her normal instinct would be to check on him. Make sure the man was okay, but something told her to get the hell away from him instead.
Her gaze never wavered from the prone body. Anger built inside her. Her wolf didn’t like feeling closed in. She stood, the chain dangling from the collar rattled. She grabbed the thick chain. An electric bolt shocked her. Fuck! She dropped the thing.
“No touching the chain.” A female voice filled the room through speakers mounted on the walls.
White-hot energy slid through her limbs, heating her blood until her entire focus was on the building fury. She glanced down, brown fur sprouted from her arms, legs, and all down her body.
A growl made her jerk her face up, the man stood, his limbs twitched in a half-shift.
Her vision went a hazy red. Bones twisted, but something yanked her back from a full shift. Whatever was on her neck stopped her. She clawed at the collar. Dropped on all fours. Blades of electric currents pierced her neck. Panting through the rage and pain, she swiped her claw on the metal around her neck.
“Stop it. You’re only going to hurt yourself.” The voice was familiar. “What a smart girl you turned out to be, Raine. A perfect case study.”
Tamping down the wolf was turning into a difficult task when she realized who the voice belonged to. Her wolf wouldn’t be deterred from tearing the weasel to shreds.
It was Joe Franks. Mandy’s weirdo scientist boyfriend.
“Calm down, Raine. I needed a test subject, and you were so perfect. No family to worry about if something went wrong.”
She could hear the enthusiasm in his voice. Oh but she was going to gut him as soon as she was able to get out of the collar holding her back. A wave of heat slid from her nipples down to her pussy, making her moan.
“Now, you are here for a second part to the experiment we never finished when you were a bad girl and escaped.”
The other man sniffed and snarled, tugging at his own collar and focused solely on her.
“I see you’ve met your new mate.”
What? No no no. Ryder was her mate.
“He seems pretty eager to get his hands on you.” The bastard laughed. As if her present situation was some kind of joke. “But I can’t have you going at it without formally introducing you,” he sing-songed, clearly enjoying the show. “Raine, this is my PE #2, and the one who helped me create you. Quinn Falkyn.”
Quinn!
She saw the man leap for her, but the thick metal held him back.
“He can smell your heat. It’s much more potent than any regular werewolf. And I didn’t want him all emotional and not wanting to do his job, so I put a special mix in his blood. He is so far gone he wouldn’t recognize his own mother if she stood in front of him. It should create one very interesting test subject when you conceive.”
She snarled, claws extended, ready to attack if Quinn came any closer.
“I am disappointed that you didn’t conceive with Storm.” He sighed. “I guess you needed more time in the sack. But don’t worry. I’ve added some special hormones to make you ovulate.”
The heat in the other wolf’s eyes made her stomach churn. She didn’t want it to come down to a fight between her and Ryder’s cousin.
“Raine!”
She jerked her gaze around the room until she spotted a small camera next to one of the speakers.
“I have your attention again. Good. Like I was saying, I wanted my first subject to be special. You.”
“What did you do?” Her growl bounced off the walls and mixed with Quinn’s snarls.
“I enhanced the infection. What could have been a gene that turned you into just another wolf was mutated to make you more. Better.” He sounded so fucking proud. “You were the very first of my created shifter project. He is my first created alpha. I altered his regular shifter genes, until he was alpha material. Then I used it on you. I mixed his new DNA with some of my special compounds and got you.”
“You sick freak!”
“I am a scientist. Not a freak.” He sounded offended. “Of course, there were some things I didn’t account for when I created you, but I made sure to take note for the other test subjects. You’re much more than just a werewolf, or an Alpha, even. You’re stronger than most, more aggressive, faster and deadlier.” And as soon as she figured out how to get the collar off, she’d also be the last face he saw before he died. “Because I used some very special drugs to mutate the wolf gene, Quinn can scent your heat. It’s stronger than that of a regular female werewolf. He can also smell the link you share with him. His blood runs through you.”
This was so wrong. She was Ryder’s mate. Her animal fought the restraints and Joe’s words. She didn’t want Quinn, and he’d die if he tried to touch her.
Quinn hurled himself her way, but the chain jerked him in place. She snarled. Hoped he’d get the hint to stay back. But it was clear whatever he’d been given dominated him. The wildness in his eyes told her the man was no longer in control.
“He’ll be breaking out of the chains in no time. I suggest you stop antagonizing him and focus on the need to breed.” Joe’s voice turned steely. “I can’t wait to see what your offspring will be like.”
Disgust rolled through her. She’d die before she let anyone other than Ryder touch her. “Fuck you, Joe. I’m going to get out of here, and when I do…” She growled and tugged at her chain again, glaring at the camera. “You’re dead, Joe. Dead.”
Joe cleared his throat. “Yes, well. As fun as that sounds, I don’t think I am.” His voice was unsteady. To know she put that insecurity in him gave her a measure of comfort.
Quinn jerked at the chain. The wall cracked, loosening the steel holding it in place. Her time was about to be up.
Ryder and Theo were going through the southern side of the Tenam Forest. None of his pack ever ventured this far, but he needed to find Quinn. As he neared the river side, he pulled out his cell phone. They still had signal, but no calls from Raine. She’d been out of contact for hours and it didn’t sit right with him. He dialed her number. It went straight to voice mail.
“Let’s go on a few more miles and then I want to go back.”
Theo frowned. “Everything all right?”
“Raine said she’d call me, but it’s been hours, and I haven’t heard from her. I’m not sure what’s going on. I want to go back and check on her. If she’s in some kind of trouble—”
“I understand. We’ll go soon.”
Theo sniffed. Then snarled. Ryder jerked his head in the direction Theo was staring at. There was a building down the hill. He’d never noticed that place there before. The wind whirled around them. Fear and anger wafted from the building in their direction.
Ryder inhaled deep. Raine’s scent and that of his cousin surrounded him. He roared. Her fear and anger punched him in the gut. She needed him. Without a second’s hesitation, he took off. Theo ran beside him, ready to fight whoever had the two.
The sun set in the horizon, surrounding the building in darkness. The stark gray structure had two armed guards at the gate. Four others climbed on a Jeep and left the holding. These were not your typical guards either. Mercenaries. Ryder’s hackles rose. Inspecting the building at a distance, they found an unmanned wall on the left side. Both men jumped into a narrow walkway. He followed the scent of his mate. The closer he moved toward it, the more powerful the fear and anger he could smell coming from her. A rumble sounded in his chest.
“Calm down, we’ll find them,” Theo whispered.
“You don’t understand. That merc tried to kill her. Would have killed her if she hadn’t been faster than him. I won’t lose her.” He ground out.
Their attention was drawn by the steps of a man walking in their direction. They plastered their backs to the wall, out of view. The guard turned the corner. Ryder pounced, put the man in a choke hold before twisting his head backward and breaking his neck. The guard’s body slumped into him. They dragged him deeper into the walkway before looki
ng out. Ryder removed plastic ties from the guy’s pocket and shoved them in his own. Only one of the armed guards remained. He stared out into the forest, scanning for anyone heading toward the building.
Theo silently walked up to the remaining soldier. Quick as lightning, he snapped the man’s neck. Ryder rushed toward the scent of his mate. She was distressed and angry. Inside the building, they found multiple doors leading to rooms with beds and gurneys with chains.
Each room they passed, made it clear in his mind this was the place Raine had escaped from. A woman, dressed in medical gear, stepped out of one of the cells and into Theo. He shifted her in a heartbeat to face the same door she’d walked out of. He shoved her hard against the door. Held her hands behind her back with one of his and covered her mouth with his other hand. Wide-eyed, the woman stood stock-still.
“I’m going to give you one chance to answer a question, darlin’.”
She nodded and mumbled something under his hand.
“Don’t try to run. I will rip you to shreds.” Theo’s deathly promise made the woman’s eyes almost bug out of her head. He flipped her over and gripped her by her neck.
“Where’s Raine?” Ryder snarled.
The woman glanced at Theo and then him, her eyes filled with fear.
“End of the hall.” She squeaked past the squeeze Theo had on her throat. “The breeding room.”
Ryder ripped the keys out of her hands and checked her pockets for a phone. After binding her hands with one of the plastic strips he’d taken from the guard, he walked backwards to an empty cell he’d seen. The space had been devoid of furniture or electronics. He shoved her in. Once inside, he put a second tie to hold her feet together. “If I catch you out of there before we leave, you’re dead.”
He fought the urge to kill her and shoved a balled piece of cloth he found in her pocket into her mouth. Theo locked the door behind him, cutting the woman off from being able to get help. Acid burned in his stomach as he ran down the corridor, desperate to find Raine and Quinn.
He heard Raine snarl and Quinn howl. His mate was in heat. Someone else was down there. A man’s voice taunted them, telling Quinn she was his.
His animal raged. Raine was only his. Would only ever be his. Claws slid out of his fingers like switchblades. He welcomed the stinging that came from the rapid half-shift. Yanking the door from its hinges, he rushed in to find a slim, pasty man over a set of computers and screens.
“What the—”
The little man tried to run, but Ryder was on him in an instant. He hauled him up and sank his claws into his neck.
“Ryder! Look.”
Theo’s call made him jerk to glance at the screen the man had been looking at. Rage spiked in his blood. Raine was naked and chained to a wall. She had a thick metal collar around her neck and snarled at the man tugging at the chain in the other side of the room.
“It’s Quinn.”
He squeezed at the man’s throat, enjoying the choking sounds he made as he tried to breathe. “Let them out.”
Ryder watched as the man’s face mottled in a dark red hue. He opened and closed his mouth in an attempt to get some air into his lungs, all the while scratching at his hold.
“Let her loose. Now!” Ryder snarled. His face shifted to show off his deadly canines.
He man gasped and pointed to the computer with a shaky hand.
Raine growled. Ryder glanced at the screen again. Quinn was tugging at the chain. Ryder drew out some zip ties and tied the man to his chair.
“Where are they?”
“There.” The man choked, pointing to the right.
Ryder saw it then. The door on the other side of the room he was sure led into the holding cell. Anger made it hard for him to focus on anything other than getting Raine. He slammed his fist into the flimsy metal and bent the door in. He turned to see Theo searching through the man’s coat pockets.
“Go! I’ll search him for keys to those collars and be there in a moment.”
Ryder’s wolf readied for attack as he shoved the door out of his way.
Raine’s eyes held pure relief when she saw him. He yanked on the chain holding her in place. She was about to scream at him to leave it, scared he’d get electrocuted, but it seemed the power on the chain was off and nothing happened when he jerked on it. Between him and her, they were able to tear it out of the wall with a couple of powerful tugs.
Quinn roared.
Ryder jumped in front of Raine while she tried to remove the collar from her throat.
“Quinn!” He yelled the words. Tried to take his cousin’s attention from Raine.
There was an empty, wild look in Quinn’s eyes. “Mine.”
“No!” Over his dead body.
Quinn’s garbled growl pushed the wolf inside him to the surface faster than anything ever had in the past.
“Mine!” Quinn tugged at the chain, until it finally snapped, leaving him free. Quinn snarled and tore the metal attached to his neck.
“Stand down, Quinn.” His focus was keeping the other animal away from his mate.
“He’s been heavily drugged,” Raine whispered. She moved by his side, having finally gotten the collar off her neck and dropping it to the floor with a clank.
Quinn snarled. His posture was pure menace, and his gaze was locked on Raine. “I made her.”
Theo ran inside, his gaze connected with Ryder.
“She’s mine, Quinn. My mate.”
“No!” Quinn launched himself at Ryder, his claws extended for ultimate damage. Theo shoved at Quinn, pushing him off course and crashing into the wall.
Ryder jumped in, throwing the full weight of his body on Quinn. The other man bucked but couldn’t push them off. Theo removed a syringe from his pocket.
“What is that?” Ryder took a quick glimpse at Raine. She frowned as she stared at the small needle.
“The guy outside had it in his pocket with a sedative label.”
ELEVEN
Raine watched Theo lift the needle to his lips, yank off the cover with his teeth, and bring it down on Quinn’s neck. The effect was instant. Quinn’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, his fighting stopped, and he panted as he gave in to unconsciousness. She fought the swarm of heat that made her squirm. If they didn’t leave soon, she’d end up shoving her hand between her legs to stop the building tension.
She stood. A movement from the entrance made her jerk her head. Joe. She didn’t think. She ran through the entrance. Saw Joe rushing out the door. Time to hunt. She got a burst of speed and attacked.
“Ahhh!”
She landed over him. Digging her claws into his already bleeding neck.
“Hi, Joe.” She said. Watched him grapple for something from his pocket. She squeezed his airway. “You looking for something else to hurt me with?”
He struggled to breathe, extracted a long blade, and shoved it into her thigh.
“Oh, Joe.” She tsked. “Have you forgotten that you made me strong. It’s gonna take more than that to kill me.”
She loosened her hold on his throat, wanting to hear what he’d say.
He cursed. “I…will…destroy…you.” He choked. “You’re…nothing…but a lab…animal.”
She squeezed his throat. Her grip tightened until every bone crushed under her hands. “I don’t think so.”
She raced back inside to her man.
Theo stood and lifted Quinn’s body over his shoulder. “I’m taking him to the truck we saw outside on our way in. I’ll call for the others, and get them to come in case anyone else shows up for further testing.”
Ryder nodded. Once Theo had stomped out the open entry, he turned her way. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. The wolf knew what it wanted. Their gazes met. The concern she saw in his made her move. One moment she’d been debating, and the next, she was in his arms, being hugged tight. An instant flare of lust pricked her body to life. It felt so good to be held by him, like being home. She rubbed her nose into his neck,
inhaled his scent, and was filled with calm.
“Joe, the scientist,” she added when he appeared confused. “He said I was in heat and that Quinn and I should mate.”
Just the thought of another man touching her made her shudder with revulsion. She moved into his touch, until her naked body was plastered over his. Arousal exploded inside her. What the hell? This was not the time or place for her to get horny. But her hormones were doing the mambo in her pussy and making her throb in need.
“I’m sorry.”
She frowned at the torture that filled his gaze. “Why are you sorry?”
“I should’ve gone with you earlier. I should’ve known this could’ve happened.”
She lifted her hands to stroke the back of his head. “Unless you’re psychic, there was no way of knowing this was going to happen.”
A soft whimper worked its way up the back of her throat. He trailed his finger up and down her spine. “I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you.”
His words tugged at her heartstrings. She fisted his hair and jerked him down for a kiss. The minute their lips met, she sighed, melting into his touch. She pushed him back against the wall, her mind turned blurry with need. “Ryder…” Her skin burned, her pussy throbbed and her nipples ached.
He studied her with alarm. “Sweetheart, it’s just the heat.”
She shook her head. “No,” she panted. “It’s more. He said I wasn’t a regular shifter.”
Her instinct was to rub her body over his, to spread her legs open and offer herself. Goddamn, she’d never been this horny.
“Look at me.” He glanced at her eyes, but all she wanted was to feel his cock inside her.
She doubled over when the fire made her pussy throb harder. “Oh god.”
“Raine!” He helped her straighten.