The Dragon's Mate

by Emilia Hartley

  “Why did you save me?” Samantha asked from the silence.

  “What?” Connor asked.

  “You jumped in the way of the gun to save me,” she said, “Am I really that important to you?”

  “You’re the only one that knew where the bear den was,” Connor replied, with a chuckle. Connor could tell he’d struck a nerve in her as she sunk into the driver’s seat. Honestly, he knew he was lying to himself.

  “Don’t make that face,” he said.

  “What face?” she asked.

  Connor sighed.

  “I said the wrong thing, okay?” he said, “I’m just upset with everything that’s going on and you’re doing your best to make everything right. You don’t deserve that from me.” Connor wasn’t sure what words to use. Samantha had grown on him. She was willing to do things that few of his own boys in the pack would volunteer for and he was starting to consider her a friend. “Listen, Samantha. I had one thing in mind when I saved you, and that was keeping you alive. There was no special reason, no powerful emotion; it was just my need to make sure you survived.”

  “I wonder if I could have done the same,” she said. She sat up a little higher in her seat. “Seeing all those dead wolves in the den was a real eye opener for me. I know I look tough but I hate fighting.”

  “We all hate fighting like this. Anyone that prides themselves on their ability to kill doesn’t belong in my pack. It’s one thing to kill for defense but another to go out and cause trouble.” Connor said.

  Tess kissed Connor on the shoulder then rested up against him.

  “You ask me if you would have done the same thing,” Connor asked, “You’re a strong young woman. I’m glad to call you my friend, even if I did leave you in a prison cell for a few days, I’m sorry for that,” he said sheepishly. “That’s not the point, though. When you have something that you need to protect, like I do, then you won’t hesitate to protect it no matter what.”

  “Thank you,” she said. She returned to her thoughts but she didn’t seem so glum anymore. For that, Connor was thankful.

  Connor wondered where this self-sacrificing nature was coming from. His own father forced him to spend so much time away from his pack in his youth. Something his father said would ‘toughen him up’, a line that was losing all of its meaning. What did he mean by that? Was he really trying to make him not care for the rest of the pack? If so, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

  Maybe he was becoming entwined with the idea of becoming a father. Perhaps his own need to protect the young one that would be a part of his life soon was stamping a new idea in his head about what it meant to lead.

  But, then it hit him. He’d spent so much time away from the pack, pulled apart from lust, alone and frustrated. The nights he spent hungry because he was unable to find enough food gnawed at him. If he’d had others with him he could have easily taken down a deer and feasted like a king. The times when he was frozen, huddled around a tree for warmth made him beg for the heat of a group. Is that what he was supposed to learn? The pack was strength and the alpha was the one to make sure that everyone had a share.

  “This is some shit situation we got ourselves in, isn’t it?” Samantha broke the silence with a laugh. “It almost reminds me of the time my dad caught me with one of the local boys.”

  Tess cocked an eye; Connor leaned forward in his seat, surprised.

  “When you say caught, do you mean …”

  “Caught,” Samantha replied. Her smile lit up her tiny face. She didn’t even look old enough to be dating. She brushed her hair out of her face, the leather of her jacket squeaking as she did.

  Connor and Tess had such looks of surprise that Samantha decided she needed to clarify.

  “You guys know I’m 22, right?” she said.

  “You barely look 18,” Connor replied, shocked. “How long ago was this?”

  “About six months ago,” she said, she looked a little embarrassed but continued to share. “He was sweet; I’d known him for a little while. We would chat, maybe play in the lake. He was super into me, but I wasn’t really havin’ it. Still, I was super horny one day and he was the closest thing.”

  “Are you always so cavalier with your sex life?” Tess asked.

  “Are you?” she retorted.

  Tess was shocked she’d say such a thing, but had to admit she had a point. Granted, Tess had never slept with a guy she wasn’t at least dating.

  “How the hell did your dad find you two?” Connor wondered.

  Tess slapped him in the chest. Why was he so curious about where she got caught? Did she need to put a muzzle on him?

  “Well, my dad was busy around the house and I thought he wasn’t going to be working in his shop. So, we snuck into the shop. I was on the work bench and we were goin’ at it pretty hard. I guess I was being a little loud because when dad came in, he was on a warpath.” She laughed, “I swear to god I had never seen a boy run so fast with his pants around his ankles. I thought he was goin’ to die at first, but I knew I’d be in for the worst of it. Ended up stuck doing chores without a single second of free time … till lately anyway.”

  Tess just pictured Connor trying to run away from her father with his pants around his ankles. It tickled her a bit and she laughed into her hand. Meanwhile, Connor had his hand on Tess’s leg which he massaged gently. She could tell there was only one thing on his mind. Was he really that easy to turn on?

  “What about you guys? I bet you have a ton of stories,” Samantha said. Her eyes were glued to the road which showed no end in sight.

  “Well, this one time-”

  Connor grabbed Tess’s attention and shook his head from side to side so fast she thought his head might fall off. Tess widened her eyes, wondering why she wasn’t allowed to tell their story.

  “Nevermind,” Tess continued.

  “Oh, come on. I shared an embarrassing story, the least you could do is help make me feel less awkward about it,” Samantha begged. Tess sat still, as did Connor. Eventually Samantha gave up releasing a deep sigh on the steering wheel. “Man, you guys are no fun sometimes. Geez.”

  The car was silent again for a long while. Connor stared out the open window with Tess still leaning on him. They almost didn’t notice the tears running down Samantha’s cheeks.

  “Are you okay?” Tess asked.

  “I miss him,” she said, she brushed the tears away with the sleeve of her jacket which did no good as they were only replaced with more tears.

  “Who is it that you miss? Did you want to talk about it?” Tess released Connor and gripped Samantha around the shoulders.

  “My dad,” she said, “I miss him.”

  “What happened to him?” Connor asked.

  “He died,” she said. Tess hugged her close, or as close as she could while she drove. “It was a hunter. He got wind that my dad was a shifter. Came in like a regular customer. When my dad’s back was turned, the bastard put two barrels in his back. When I saw Eli I thought he might have been the one, but I only saw it happen through the kitchen window. I didn’t get a good look at the one that killed my dad.” She sniffled. “I swore that the next hunter I saw I would tear in half. But, when I saw Eli, I was scared. I couldn’t move, couldn’t shift because of the cast on my leg, I was helpless.”

  She punched at the steering wheel with anger. The truck weaved in the lane. Tess held the wheel to steady the car.

  “I won’t let it happen again,” she said, “This time I’ll be brave. Even if Eli didn’t kill my dad, I still need revenge for my grandma.”

  Tess had no words to console her; only the warmth of her tender touch and whatever love she could provide to the ailing woman. Everyone in the car knew what it meant to lose someone important. Whether a mother, grandmother, father, or friend. Her tears were a tapestry of loss that wove itself together with their own. For a moment they’d become a real family.

  CHAPTER 6

  This wasn’t right. There were supposed to be a ton of bikers
here. Mutt’s gang and the remainder of the biker gang that Crunch used to lead should be here. There was no other safe place on the mountain for them to hide. Henry and his bears were making damn sure of that.

  Connor pulled the truck to a stop on the side of the gravel road. Tire marks covered the ground. Dozens of motorcycles must have been here recently but were nowhere to be found anymore. Not a single engine noise could be heard. Just the sweet sound of birds tweeting out their early spring mating calls.

  “I don’t know what’s going on,” he said, “this is weird. I would have thought there’d be at least 50 guys here all ready to attack as soon as we got close.” He said.

  The girls stepped out of the truck, taking in the sights. The tips of the trees were still ashen from the fires that had spread from when Eli’s van was blown up. Down the road, a couple cabins stood but were nowhere near livable.

  Tess turned away. Connor knew it must have been difficult for her to return to somewhere she’d been so powerless before. Even though Connor managed to rescue her, the memories would always haunt her. He wished he could take those thoughts out of her head. Let her return to a quiet, peaceful measure of living.

  “Maybe they’re hiding,” Samantha wondered. She had an adventure here as well, but she never had a knife to her throat.

  “No,” Connor sniffed at the air, “If they were here, you would be able to smell them.” He said. “And, you wouldn’t even need to be shifted for that.”

  “Well, what’s the plan?” she asked.

  Tess gulped down the lump in her throat to join the conversation.

  “Crunch said there were caves around the cabins. I think I remember seeing a few guys walking up behind the larger cabin with some of those crates when I was being brought in as a prisoner,” Tess said.

  Connor reached out to Tess, embracing her. She was holding up well, for what it was worth.

  “That’s my girl,” he said. She struggled for a smile up at him, but the tears in her eyes betrayed her attempt at confidence. “If you want to stay here and guard the truck, it’s fine. You don’t have to go any further than this.”

  “No,” she said, adamantly, “Stop treating me like I’m helpless. I might be scared but I’m going to help. My brother might be here.” She scanned the forest and the road. “Besides, there might not be anyone here anyway.”

  Connor pulled Tess close to his chest in apology. Tess was right, and they needed all the help they could get. He shot Samantha a weary look. It was possible to hope for the best, but Connor was used to planning for the worst. Occasionally, what you plan for wouldn’t turn out to be the worst of it, either.

  “Sam,” Connor said, “Can you keep her company? I’m going to scout ahead.”

  Samantha nodded so Connor released Tess into her care. At least they would be together if someone were to show. He would have taken them with him, but going it alone would allow him opportunities he otherwise wouldn’t have.

  He tore off his shirt while the girls watched. Tess tilted her head. Samantha did the same.

  “I’m not here to give you girls a show,” he replied.

  “Then why are you giving us one?” Tess asked, biting her lip.

  Connor grunted and continued to undress. He kicked off his boots, but paused before taking off his jeans. Samantha was lifting her head up to get a better view. Feeling embarrassed, Connor turned around before removing his last article of clothing.

  Stupid girls.

  The scar on his leg stung terribly, but it was nowhere near as bad as it was. The stitches had already been pulled out so there was no way it would come apart now. He called out to his wolf and it obeyed. His vision shimmered as it took over. Cracking bones, snapping muscles, and tearing at his raw sinew. They ripped and reorganized beneath his skin. Fur sprouted from every pore, his hands shrunk and fused into paws with tough nails. His mouth jutted forward to become his muzzle.

  He stalked into the now familiar wood. He’d passed through this way just under a week ago, so the knowledge was still fresh in his memory. The thick underbrush snagged on his fur causing his progress to be slow, but he needed to be slow.

  His senses were telling him that there were strangers about, humans. The only way for a human to beat any kind of shifter was with silver. The smell of sulfur from gunpowder was overpowering. They must have been sitting on more ammunition than they knew what to do with. This could be bad.

  He paused when he heard footsteps through the wood. If it was a guard, he would have to deal with it quickly. He got low, ducking behind a bush as the leather vested biker came into view. The insignia on the vest was the exact same one on Samantha’s jacket, the jacket Alex had given her. He had a rifle slung low over his shoulder. Still, as a human he was weak, but if that rifle had silver bullets there would be no contest, Connor would lose. He couldn’t risk a head on fight.

  As the biker past, Connor leapt from the woods. His large, powerful alpha body easily knocked the man clean out. With his jaws he bent the tip of the barrel so it couldn’t be used to harm anyone else.

  That solved one question, was the base abandoned? Surely not. If there is one guard, there are bound to be more. He decided to be even more cautious than before.

  As he pushed his way through the dense forest, he emerged by the lake. The water was choppy from the light wind that was nipping at Connor’s fur. The cabins that dotted the hillside before were burnt to a crisp. The large cabin that stood proud in the middle of the grassy hill was licked with cinders but still usable. Maybe they were still staying there?

  A row of motorcycles stood against the side of the single road that led into the camp. Connor counted eight in total. Considering he’d already knocked out one of the guys, if the rest were single riders then there was a chance he only had 7 more to deal with.

  He edged through the forest, around the lake and toward the outer rim of the camp. He sniffed again at the air. Two more guards were close. He could hear their voices on the wind. Their terrible body odor didn’t help either. When he found them, he almost wanted to roll his eyes at how stupid they were. They were just sitting on the sand near the lake, chatting about women.

  Connor probably would have just walked right past them if he were alone, but considering Samantha and Tess were just a way up the lane, he didn’t want to take chances. He pounced, landing a paw on each of them. Their faces smashed into the sand and they fell unconscious.

  If the rest of the guards were as tough as these two then Connor didn’t think he had much to worry about.

  “Hey!” a voice carried on the wind, “We got a wolf!”

  Shit.

  Connor searched around the camp. He’d missed one of the guards lying on the opposite side of the row of motorcycles.

  Not a time to be careless. Shit!

  There was no time for caution now. There were a couple other voices making noise across camp. They’d spotted him for sure. Just deal with the first problem; that was the only thing on his mind. Connor pounced on the nearest biker as he was reaching for his rifle. His head hit the cement, knocking him out like a lightbulb.

  The other two across camp were just shouldering their weapons. Connor ducked a shot from behind the bikes. It pinged into a nearby gas tank. The pungent odor of gasoline stifled his sense of smell. It didn’t matter though, he already had his targets.

  More shots fired out blindly in his direction. He sprinted hard past the line of bikes and took cover behind a burned out cabin. Their footsteps came closer to flush him out, but he wasn’t going to wait. Their shadows betrayed them in the afternoon sun. Once the first was close, Connor whirled out of cover, ripping into the biker’s leg. He screamed in agony as he shot his rifle into the air. Once he was on his back, Connor planted a massive paw in his face, knocking him out.

  The last of the bikers proved to be smarter than the rest. He knelt down behind a half burned out wall with his gun trained toward Connor. He wouldn’t be able to make it back behind cover before the gunshot would get
him. Since there was no chance for cover, he tried for the shooter. He dashed as fast as his legs would allow, trying to close the gap.

  Another shot rang out, whizzing just past his ear. He watched the barrel closely, doing his best to stay out of its way.

  That one was so close it bit at his fur as it passed. Then from nowhere, a bear reached out and smashed the shooter upside the head. Blood flew from his nose as he landed lifelessly on the ground.

  The bear roared and as it did, it shrunk. Its fur receded as the mountain of a creature turned into a lanky girl who stood over the gunman, laughing with her hands on her hips.

  “Serves you right,” Samantha said, “you got what you deserve.”

  She didn’t even realize she was still naked. Her slender body was different than Tess’, but since Connor only had eyes for his woman, he put his paw over his face to avoid looking.

  “Oh grow up. They’re just boobs,” she said, “I’ve seen enough of you to be able to draw your dick blindfolded.”

  He slumped down on his haunches. Tess joined the pair with a bundle of clothes in her arms.

  “Is that all of them?” she asked.

  “I think so,” Samantha replied.

  The sound of screams caused Connor’s ears to perk up. It was close, very close. It must not have been loud enough for the girls to hear it. Connor walked toward the sound. He would have tried sniffing it out but the gasoline made tracking by scent impossible, at least for now.

  Samantha pulled on her leather jacket and zipped it to the top while she followed. It covered her just to the top of her thighs, which must have been enough for her. Tess still carried the bundle of clothing.

  “What did you find?” Tess asked, “Is it Alex?”

  It did sound familiar. It might have been. It didn’t hurt to find out. Even if it wasn’t Alex, whoever it was, they could use the help.

  Connor found a walking path that lead past the high cabin. It was a thin line of upturned dirt that led from the cabin, up over the hill. He followed it, hoping it would lead to the sound. Low lying brush tried to cover the tracks.