Out of the Shadows

by Raven Darkwing

“No!” The woman said as she grabbed Sammy’s arm. “It’s too late for me. Please, take care of them for me. Don’t—don’t let the alpha get them.”

  Sammy glanced down at the two pups and felt her heart clench. She didn’t know why, but something told her to protect them. “I don’t know if I can, but I’ll do my best.”

  The she-wolf smiled. “You’ll make a good mother. I just wish—I…” She stopped speaking as the doctor entered, followed by the alpha. Sammy picked up the two pups and stepped back.

  “Can she be moved?” The alpha asked as he glanced at the two pups in Sammy’s arms. He walked over and calmly pulled the towel back on each child before he growled, “I thought you said it would work this time?”

  The human shrugged, “It should if what you told me was correct. But then, we don’t know about the others—it could have worked with one of them. What do you want to do with the whelps?”

  “I don’t have time to deal with them right now,” the alpha turned to look at Sammy and grinned. “Sammy girl, you’re in charge of them until we can find them a proper home.”

  “Me?” Sammy shook her head, “I don’t know anything about taking care of a baby, much less two of them.”

  “You’re a female; it’s part of your DNA to know how to care for them. The doc will provide you with what you need, so stop complaining. Consider it practice for when our pups arrive.” The alpha turned back to look at the half-conscious she-wolf. “What a waste,” he spat out as his claws grew. Before Sammy could react, the alpha slashed the woman’s neck so deep it looked like he had decapitated her.

  For the first time, Sammy couldn’t hide the horror on her face. “Why?”

  The alpha shrugged. “She was no longer of any use to me.” He glanced back and looked at Sammy. It was clear from the way he looked at her that he was sending her a message. She had to get her shit together, or the crazy wolf would get rid of her too.

  A loud cry brought Sammy out of her memories. She stood and went to the now awake pups. “I promise you both—tonight we leave this place.

  Chapter 2

  Shadow lay beneath the bushes, glad that his black fur allowed him to blend in. Jake was on the other side of the compound watching, at least that’s what he better be doing. As he thought about the wolf, he sighed. The man ticked off all Shadow’s buttons. From his light rust colored brown hair to the eyes that appeared to have golden flecks mixed in with the brown. In the right light, they seemed to glow with their own inner fire.

  Of course, the fact the man had muscles in all the right places didn’t hurt either. There was just one big problem; well, maybe two. First, Jake would not do anything until they found his sister. The wolf had even bucked a direct order from their alpha and lost his rank as an enforcer because of it. It could have been worse, but luckily, Alpha Grant seemed to understand how important Sammy was to Jake.

  Then there was the bigger problem. Apparently, Shadow’s gaydar was malfunctioning because Jake told him he was only into women. The wolf wasn’t his true mate, but damn if he didn’t want the man warming his bed for as long as they both lived. Besides, finding one’s semme’ mate was almost unheard of until recently. Shadow figured if it happened, he’d deal. But if not, he wasn’t opposed to setting up house with someone he could love. He wanted someone to focus on him for a change.

  The wolf snapped his head up as he saw a limousine drive up to one of the large buildings. He watched as a couple of wolves exited and got into the car. It was hard for him not to react when he recognized one of them as Alpha Clifton. Well, at least they knew they had the right spot. While the alpha was away, perhaps it was time for him to mingle a bit and see what he could find out.

  Shadow inched away from his hiding spot and went in search of Jake. He smiled when he saw the rust-colored tail hanging out from a bush. For a moment, he wanted to pull it and see if the wolf would chase but now wasn’t the time. Instead, he nudged the wolf and motioned for him to follow.

  Once they were far enough away, so they wouldn’t be noticed, both wolves shifted. Shadow swallowed as he saw all the chocolate brown skin in front of him. What he wouldn’t give to take a bite or two. “What do you want?” Jake growled as he turned sideways to look back toward the mine.

  “Alpha Clifton just left.”

  “Great! Then Sammy must be here. Let’s go!” Jake vibrated with excitement. Unfortunately, Shadow had to throw cold water on his enthusiasm.

  “Hold on! We don’t know that for sure, and we certainly don’t know how many wolves are at this location. If we go in with no backup, then not only will Sammy be killed, but so would we.” Shadow grabbed Jake’s arm, “I know you want to help her, but there’s another way.”

  Jake stepped back and yanked his arm from Shadow’s hand. He stepped back and crossed his arms. “I’m listening.” For a moment, Shadow wanted to hold the man and let him know it would be all right. But the way things were going, it didn’t look like that would happen—ever.

  “With Alpha Clifton gone, I should be able to infiltrate and see if I can find your sister. I’ll also gather intel so that when the Windy River pack attacks, there won’t be any more surprises. You remember what happened at the mental health facility. One near death experience a day is more than enough for me.” Shadow watched the fight going on within Jake. It was clear he didn’t like the idea.

  “Let me guess, you want me to stay here and watch,” Jake growled.

  “I need you to watch my back, Jake. If I don’t come back within an hour, you have to make your way back to Blue Sky and try to contact Alpha Grant.” Shadow held up his hand, “If you ever want to be an enforcer again, you need to learn to follow orders. Even when you don’t agree with them. Emotion has killed more men in battle than any weapon.”

  Jake sighed and ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. “Okay fine, I don’t like it, but I also know you’re good at what you do. After all, you got in and out of the Willow Creek Pack without any issues even when it was under lockdown.”

  “Well, at least there is something you like about me,” Shadow mumbled before he turned and shifted back into his wolf form. It was time to see what was going on at the mine and then get out of here before they caught them. This was the second day since they’d left the mental facility and he knew by now that Blaze would be worried.

  Sammy began to quietly move around the room. Luckily the window hadn’t been sealed shut. So far, she’d only seen one of the wolves go by in the last hour. It appeared that she’d have at least an hour between rounds. If she were alone, it would be easy to escape. She could shift, jump out the window and be gone before anyone was aware. But now she had two pups to worry about.

  She glanced over and smiled at the two babies as they watched her move around. It was almost as if they knew to be quiet. The two looked identical, except for their hair and eyes. One had crystal blue eyes, and the soft fuzz on his head appeared to be light colored. Of course, that could change as he grew, but for now, it was cute. The other had golden brown eyes and had a few strands of dark hair. When they grinned at her, she couldn’t help but feel her heart melt.

  “Okay you two, I’m going to have to figure out a way to carry you. But first, let’s feed you and see about finding something to keep you warm.” Sammy spent the next half hour feeding them, changing their diapers and repacking what she didn’t use into the backpack the doctor had given her. She did a quick inventory and realized that she might have enough supplies to last two or three days if she was careful. Once she escaped, she’d have to avoid towns so stopping at a store to restock was out of the question.

  Luckily the backpack was large enough that she could put her own clothes inside. The problem was carrying the backpack and the two pups. She gazed outside the window and saw the shadows were getting longer. While it might be best to wait and leave after dark, if she had to keep her human form, she would need to be able to see.

  “Okay, let’s get you two ready for our little trip,” Sammy said softl
y as she grabbed the thick comforter off the bed. She used her claws and quickly tore off a couple of pieces she could use as a sort of bunting to keep the pups warm. She grabbed one of the drapes and tore it into strips to help her tie the babies to her front. It was going to be awkward, but she had no other choice. If she stayed, the pups would be sold off and she—well, after seeing how the alpha treated the pups’ mother, she didn’t have to guess her fate.

  Shadow had managed to sneak in and grab a change of clothes from one of the rooms. He had also grabbed a backpack and put a change of clothes in it for Jake. Of course, covering the man’s body was the last thing he wanted to do. However, February in the mountains was still cold.

  Luckily, they were both about the same size. It made it easy to grab what he needed. He managed to throw in a couple of jackets as well as some boots. If they had to stick around, there was no reason for them to freeze to death.

  So far, the security around here was lax. But he’d only managed to get into the main building so far. He dropped the backpack outside the window in the room so he could grab it later. It was time to get more information, and he knew where to start. He’d seen two wolves sitting outside a room. They’d pulled up a table and chairs. The shifters appeared to be more interested in the card game they were playing than their surroundings.

  “Who’s winning?” Shadow asked as he calmly walked up to the men.

  “Smithy is cheating,” one of the men stated as he dropped his cards on the table.

  “Am not, you just suck at poker Jameson,” the other man grinned as he collected his winnings. Shadow leaned against the wall and watched the two play another hand. It appeared that Jameson was right; his friend was cheating, but it wasn’t up to him to confirm it for him.

  “Other than cards, what else is there to do around here?” Shadow asked.

  Smithy snorted, “Well, you can always go and see if you can find any left-over silver in the mine. I can’t believe we are in an even more remote location than the last one.”

  “Yeah, would it hurt the alpha to locate close enough to a town so we could let off some steam once and awhile? I mean, I’m getting tired of being acquainted with my left hand,” the other shifter complained.

  “Why are we here, anyway?” Shadow asked. “I thought we were going to see some action.”

  Jameson shrugged. “Hell, if I know. The pay is good, so I’m willing to hang around for a bit. Besides, I heard this is just a temporary stop while he sets up his next location.”

  “Let’s hope its near civilization at least,” Smithy added.

  “Makes sense, I guess. I wondered why there were so few of us sent here,” Shadow continued as he glanced at the door. He could have sworn he heard a baby cry, but why would there be one here? Smithy must have seen his reaction because he stood and knocked on the door. A moment later, Shadow almost fell over when he saw Sammy’s face appear. He saw a flicker of emotion cross her face before she quickly recovered.

  “Yes?” Sammy barked.

  “Keep those brats quiet!” Smithy growled. “They’re interrupting our game.”

  “Well, you could always come in here and take care of them. I didn’t sign up for being a nanny to some whore’s pups.” Shadow watched as Sammy looked behind her for a moment before she continued, “but then the alpha would probably kill you. If it gets too loud, get some cotton and stuff it in your damn ears.” Shadow grinned as the door slammed in the other wolf’s face.

  “I can’t wait until the alpha gets tired of her. She could certainly help relieve some stress,” Smithy grinned as he grabbed his crotch.

  “Don’t let the alpha hear you say that, I heard he plans to mate with her once she gets pregnant with his pups.” Jameson began to deal another hand, “Now get over here and let’s play.”

  Shadow had gotten enough information. He glanced at the door one more time before he stepped back from the wall. “Well, I guess I’ll head to the mess hall, at least I can pass some time eating before it’s my turn to patrol.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that. The guy who cooks could burn water,” Jameson replied. Shadow didn’t wait to see what else he had to say. From the quick glance he had of the room, he was guessing that Sammy was getting ready to run. The fools hadn’t seen the backpack by the window, or the two pups bundled on the bed. So far, the wolves Alpha Clifton had gathered seemed to be from the low end of the gene pool.

  Sammy leaned against the door. For the first time in months, she felt the beginning of hope grow inside her. Sure, she was going to run, but she had known on her own with two newborn pups the odds were against her survival. But the man named Shadow could only mean one thing; somehow, they’d found her. The she-wolf jumped when she heard something tap on the window.

  She glanced at the bed before she quietly moved to the window. Her claws formed as she prepared to defend the pups that had been put in her charge. However, she sighed with relief when she spotted the shifter who had visited their home so many months ago. Sammy quickly opened the window and watched as Shadow climbed inside.

  “Well, they tell me that Rapunzel used her hair to help her lover rescue her, but how about we just skip the fairy tale and get the hell out of here?” Shadow grinned as he glanced back out the window.

  Sammy groaned softly. “Really? Somehow, I don’t think I have the right body parts, now my brother Jake on the other hand—” She stopped as she saw the brief flash of pain pass through the shifter’s eyes. “He’s—he’s not…”

  “Dead? No, although with the way he charges in without thinking it’s not for lack of trying.” Shadow paused as he glanced around the room. “If you have everything you need, I suggest we blow this popsicle stand before dumb and dumber out there are replaced with someone who might have at least one brain cell functioning.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “I thought you were the quiet one?”

  Shadow snorted, “You have me confused with Tank. Do you have everything you need?”

  “Yes, I was getting ready to leave when the idiot knocked. I’ll have to carry the pups. I thought I could tie one to my back, and the other to my front.” Sammy watched as Shadow grabbed the backpack she had filled and dropped it outside the window.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out once we get out of here. I’ll take one of the pups while you take the other. Head straight ahead to the woods and don’t be surprised if you find your brother lurking.” He shook his head, “I’m surprised he’s not already here. Your brother was ready to storm this place to find you.”

  Sammy shrugged. “It’s what family does; especially when you lived under Alpha Clifton’s thumb your whole life.”

  Without another word, the two wolves climbed out the window. Shadow grabbed her backpack and another one that had been sitting outside the window, and he followed behind the she-wolf. It would have been easier if they could be in their wolf forms, but it wasn’t possible with the pups and the two packs.

  Luckily, for some reason, the sentries assigned to guard the outside never showed up. It just confirmed his intel that this was a temporary location or else security would have been much tighter. Once the bastard alpha found out his ‘mate’ was missing, he was pretty sure the shifter would disappear again. Too bad there was no way they could stick around now, not with Sammy and the pups to consider.

  For now, he had to figure out how to get Sammy and the two pups back to the Windy River pack. Then maybe, he could figure out if there was a future for him and Jake.

  Chapter 3

  Jake saw Shadow walk up to a window and tap on it before disappearing inside. Everything in him wanted to run up and see what the wolf had found. But as much as he hated it, Shadow had been right. If he wanted to become an enforcer again; he had to learn to stop letting his emotions rule his decisions. After all, look how that had worked out for him so far.

  He hadn’t thought about LeRoy for a long time, but the pain still ran deep. It had been his fear that kept him from claiming what was rightfully
his. LeRoy was the shifter who had brought his parent’s bodies back when they died in a car accident. Of course, both realized immediately that they were semme’ mates. The problem? No one could see Jake with another man.

  Even now, he remembered the look on LeRoy’s face when he told him it would be impossible for them to be together. The man had offered to take him and his sister back to his pack. However, Jake knew his alpha would never release him or his sister from their pledge to him. While he might be willing to live as a rogue and take the chance, he couldn’t allow Sammy to be caught up in it. Even though she begged him to reconsider.

  It was his fear of Alpha Clifton that had made him watch his one chance at a true soul bond walk away. It was that same fear that kept him so far in the closet he didn’t think he could ever find his way out again. He still shivered at the scene when Ricky’s lover showed up at their pack. The alpha had not only whipped the man but then called a hunt on him. No, being gay in his pack was to invite certain death.

  Jake was brought from his musings when he saw his sister climb from the window carrying something that looked like a baby in her arms. He closed his eyes, “Goddess no!” He’d hoped his sister had been spared. But when he saw Shadow follow closely behind her with another pup in his arms, his greatest fears seemed to have come true. The bastard had bred his sister.

  He glanced around to make sure no one saw the two as they moved as quickly as they could toward the woods. He wanted to move to meet them but for once he used his head. If someone spotted them, he’d have to take them out before they could sound the alarm. For a few tense moments, he thought one of the sentries was going to come on the side of the building. Luckily, at the last moment, the wolf turned and headed toward the front door. He sighed with relief when he went inside.

  Still, Jake kept watch until he knew Shadow and his sister had managed to get deep enough into the woods that it would hide them from any patrols. He quietly turned and headed toward them while keeping an eye out for the enemy. Since they had been here, it didn’t appear they sent any patrols to the woods surrounding the mine. However, now that Sammy was free, he couldn’t take any chances.