Out of the Shadows

by Raven Darkwing

  Chapter 5

  Sammy sat by the fire and looked at the two sleeping wolves. It had been close, too close. They had been walking for over two days now. Unfortunately, as far as she could tell, they had a long way to go before they’d be safe. She glanced at the two pups who were sleeping soundly next to her. They couldn’t keep going this way.

  Her brother and Shadow were badly injured. It could be a few more days of shifting before either of them would be able to resume the journey. She only had about three days of supplies left for the pups, and then they’d be without sustenance. While they could survive a few days after that, she hated the thought of them suffering.

  As much as she hated to think about it, one of them would have to go ahead in wolf form and bring back help. The problem, what if Alpha Clifton sent more shifters? She’d be leaving both men and the pups undefended. If it had just been the two shifters, she wouldn’t be so conflicted. But the pups? Something warned her not to leave them behind.

  She glanced at her brother as he groaned and slowly sat up. “Did you get the name of the semi-truck that ran over me—twice?” He winced as he reached for the sling she’d made for him. He placed it over his head to support the broken limb. At least the bone wasn’t sticking through the skin any longer.

  “You need to be careful with that arm. I set it as best as I could, but it might still heal wrong,” Sammy said softly as she moved to sit beside her twin. She watched as Jake stared into the night for a moment before his golden-brown eyes met hers.

  “You know what you need to do, Sammy,” Jake said softly as he glanced at the unconscious wolf beside him. He gently ran his hands through the black fur before he let his hand rest on the animal’s head.

  “You care for him,” Sammy stated, her eyebrow raised daring her brother to disagree. She’d seen the sparks between the two when they first met. The problem was, even though she was now a grown woman, her brother still thought of her as his little sister. “You have to let LeRoy,” she paused and put a hand on his arm, “and me go.”

  “How?” Jake asked quietly. “It was my fault that LeRoy died. He would never have joined the war if I’d done what he asked.” He glanced down at the black wolf and slowly began to stroke the fur. “You only get one semme’ mate, Sammy; you know this. Shadow may still have his out there. Besides, he’s a warrior.”

  “What does that have to do with anything? So are you, brother.” Sammy placed her hand on her hip, “Who taught me how to fight? It was you! So, don’t give me that warrior crap, big brother.”

  Jake shook his head, “You wouldn’t have had to learn to fight if I’d had the guts to walk away from Alpha Clifton. Look at what you did; you spent the last few months with the bastard trying to help others. Meanwhile, I spent my life trying to stay under his radar. I’m a coward, Sammy.” He shook his head when Sammy tried to reach out to him. “No, don’t—I had my chance, and I won’t keep him from his.”

  “Don’t you think he should get a say in it, big brother?” Sammy asked quietly. “He has his own demons. I get the sense that between the two of you, you could slay both of your pasts and have a wonderful future together.” This time she did pull him into a hug, “You can finally be who you were meant to be, my brother. Get past the fear before it’s too late.”

  “When did you get to be so wise?” Jake chuckled as he pushed to stand. He swayed for a moment but managed to remain upright. Sammy stood as well and brushed off her jeans. She was worried about Shadow; the wolf hadn’t come to yet. While they didn’t break his bones, he was missing chunks of skin and had bled out quite a bit before she could get it under control.

  “He’ll be fine,” Jake said softly. “He has to be…”

  “I’m sure he’ll pull through,” she glanced over toward the pups. “I know I have to go for help, but I’m worried about the pups.” Sammy glanced at the two bundles. “I can’t explain it, but something is telling me not to leave them.”

  Her brother grinned. “Motherhood looks good on you, sis.” Sammy punched him on his good arm before she walked a few feet away. She watched as Jake walked toward the larger backpack and knelt for a moment before he began to empty it.

  “What are you doing?” Sammy asked, intrigued.

  “Well, I think you’re right. If you leave them with us, in our condition we might not be able to protect them, much less care for them,” he paused and wrinkled his nose, “and just for the record, I don’t do diapers. Geez, what died!”

  Sammy laughed as she went to the other backpack and pulled out a couple of diapers. She quickly changed both pups. “Good thing you’re gay then. You probably won’t have to deal with pups except to babysit.”

  Jake shuddered. “Only when they’re potty trained. Now, why don’t you feed them while I figure out a way to get you and the pups out of here.”

  A short time later, Sammy shifted and stood silently as her brother wrestled the backpack onto her back. He’d managed to make the large backpack into a sort of baby carrier. He’d used her clothes to stabilize the pups. Between them and the bedspread buntings she’d made, the pups were snug in their new home. At least for now.

  By using the shoulder straps to help secure the pack to her back, she’d be able to shift and not drop the pups. Of course, the plan was for her to run in wolf form until she found a way to call the Windy River pack or reached the pack lands. Either way, it was going to be a rough trip.

  At least she’d managed to do some hunting before Jake had the pup carrier done. She’d eaten her fill and left enough for her brother and Shadow to have something to help them heal. They would follow along as quickly as they could and try to slow down any wolves who might be trying to catch up with Sammy and the pups. It was a desperate plan, but Sammy knew in her heart, it was the only way.

  Jake patted her head before he slowly knelt beside her. “Okay, little sis; the pup-poose is all set.” Sammy rolled her eyes, which in wolf form wasn’t easy. She heard her brother chuckle. “What? I made it. I get to name it. Who knows, maybe it will be the next great invention of this century.” She huffed as she shook her head.

  “You be careful, Sammy. We’ll do what we can to slow them down.” Jake paused and looked back at the black wolf who still hadn’t moved. “And I’ll think about what you said, okay? Now go!”

  Sammy took off, glad that the pups were with her but worried about the two men she was leaving behind. She had to believe they’d all make it through this. Failure wasn’t an option. If the fates were on her side, she’d make sure they all made it.

  Shadow groaned. He quickly closed his eyes as the sun blinded him for a moment. His head felt like it was going to explode and his body, well maybe it would be better to focus on his head. “Look who finally decided to join the living,” Jake’s voice sounded behind him. “If I help, do you think you can sit up?”

  He grunted as he slowly began to sit. He blinked for a few moments before he managed to keep his eyes open. “What happened?”

  “Before or after you became a wolf’s chew toy?” Jake asked. The shifter stood and walked carefully over to the backpack and returned with a bottle of water. “Can you handle this?”

  Shadow took the bottle and nodded. “I’m fine.” He slowly remembered the battle, which explained the pain in his hip. He glanced at his shoulder and saw that it seemed to have healed most of the way. It would be stiff, but he could use it if he needed to. A couple more shifts and some rest and he’d be fine. The question was, would he have the time? “Where’s Sammy?”

  Jake sighed. “I know you like to make all the decisions, you being the senior officer and all. But since you were sleeping so soundly, Sammy and I came up with a plan.” Shadow listened while Jake explained what they’d done. He had to admit, while desperate, it was their best chance of success.

  “You did the right thing,” Shadow stated as he began to move his shoulder to loosen it up. “We should try to get moving as soon as we can. If he sent more wolves, they will be here sooner rather than
later.”

  “Yeah, I figured that out. Sammy left some food for you. Once you’ve eaten, we can try to get going.” Jake turned to the fire and returned with pieces of cooked meat. Shadow quickly began to eat. He realized it had been too long between meals as the food hit his stomach. The shifter watched as Jake put out the fire and gathered the backpack with one arm.

  “What’s wrong with your other arm?” Shadow asked between bites.

  Jake looked down and shrugged. “They broke it pretty badly, but I managed to shift a couple more times. I’ll have a limp and probably won’t be winning any arm-wrestling matches, but I should be able to run just fine. Do you think if you shift you can move?”

  It was a good question. “The only way we’ll know for sure is if I try it.” Shadow finished the last few pieces of meat and began to remove his jeans. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Jake did the same. Jake gathered their clothes and put them in the backpack before he put his arms through and cinched it loosely.

  “Let’s get moving,” was all Shadow said as he shifted. He stood unsteady for a moment but luckily, he was able to move. His injured hip wouldn’t allow him much speed, but at least he would be able to go faster than in his human form. He watched as Jake limped past him. He hoped they didn’t meet up with anyone along the way. Neither wolf was in any shape to battle.

  Sammy had been running through the night and well into the day without taking a break other than to drink in some of the streams she came across. She had heard the pups whimper periodically but knew there was nothing she could do to help them until she found a place to stop for the night.

  She glanced at the sky and realized that she’d have to find a place soon as the sun would set in three or four hours. Just a few miles further, she told her weary body. Then she’d have to build a fire and hope for the best. So far, there had been no sign of other shifters, which was good. However, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t acknowledge she had been watching for two shifters in particular.

  Part of her still felt guilty about leaving them behind. It didn’t help that there hadn’t been any other choice. She continued until she reached the top of a ridge. As she gazed wearily down into the valley, she almost cried. There nestled next to a stream was what looked like some kind of lodge. Off to the left, she saw ski lifts filled with skiers. Where there were humans, there would be transportation, and more importantly, there would be a way to call for help.

  She silently walked through the woods, praying the pups were too tired to make any noise. She noticed there were cabins scattered throughout the area. The trick would be to find one that was empty. She used her senses and after what seemed like hours, managed to find one that didn’t have any recent scents.

  Sammy took a quick look around before she shifted. She had to quickly find a way inside before someone spotted her. It would be hard to explain a naked woman, carrying two babies. Besides, it was cold out here.

  She walked up to the door and lifted the mat. The she-wolf smiled when she saw the key beneath it. Whoever owned the cabin probably left it in case a skier got lost or needed help. She remembered a time when her parents had taken both her and her brother to a ski resort. It had been one of the last good memories she’d had with her parents before they died.

  Sammy adjusted the backpack as she opened the door. A quick glance inside showed a large great room with a fireplace. There was a seating area on one side with a small kitchen and dining area on the other. A large staircase in the middle of the room led up to a loft where she bet, she’d find a bedroom. She carefully placed the backpack on the leather sofa and removed the squirming pups.

  “Shh, little ones. Today we’ll heat your bottles the normal way and maybe even give you a bath before letting you sleep in a real bed again. But first I need to find a phone.” Sammy couldn’t keep the squeal of joy when she found a phone in the bedroom. She picked it up and pumped her fist when she heard the dial tone. For the first time in months, the goddess was finally smiling down on her.

  Chapter 6

  Blaze sat in the family room at the alpha’s house. It had been almost a week since they’d heard from Shadow and Jake. David and Jason had been working on trying to locate possible locations for the rogue alpha, but so far, they had come up empty. Of course, the fact they found a large number of properties located throughout the northwest didn’t help matters any.

  Alpha Grant and his father had been on the phone with their contacts with various paranormal communities with no luck so far. It was as if Alpha Clifton had disappeared into thin air. Blaze watched the flames in the large stone fireplace. His crew had been together for decades. They had survived the Great War without losing a single member. Now he had one member missing and the other who may never be able to fight again.

  They had managed to get Radar back to the pack lands, and most of his injuries had healed. But according to the Doc, the bullet wound to his shoulder had done a large amount of damage. Radar would most likely never get the full use of his left arm or hand. Then there was the mental damage. While Radar insisted he was fine, Blaze knew the man spent most of his time in his wolf form.

  He never slept inside at night and shied away from any confined or dark places. Alpha Grant had given Radar one of the larger suites in the house because the bathroom there had a large window in it. Otherwise, even with a light on, Radar would panic in there. It was as if he needed to know there was a way out.

  He glanced up as Jason entered the room and flopped down into one of the large leather chairs. “We are making a list of properties that he might find remote enough to use. Then we can all get together and figure out who goes where. It could take weeks to search them all.”

  “It’s better than sitting around here,” Blaze replied. He watched as Jason sat forward and gazed into the fire, his hands clasped between his knees. The man looked lost. “Is there something else wrong?”

  Jason remained quiet for so long Blaze figured he wasn’t going to answer. But then the shifter sighed and ran a hand through his dark spiked hair. “It’s just, since the attack I’ve been rethinking things.” Jason shook his head and leaned back in the chair. “I mean, for a short time I was alpha, I saw some things that made me open my eyes a little.”

  “What do you mean?” Blaze leaned forward.

  “I mean, Sheila for one. When she found out my brothers and father were dead, all she could think about was me being the new alpha. She didn’t seem upset at all that I’d lost my family.” Jason looked at Blaze, “and according to Ricky, she kept trying to get Sandy to follow her into the tunnel well before the battle came to them. It’s like I don’t know her at all.”

  “People sometimes act funny when they face danger,” Blaze replied. He saw the sorrow in the young wolf’s eyes. He thought back to when he’d seen the she-wolf, but if he was honest, he hadn’t taken much notice of her. They’d been a little busy since he and his warriors had arrived here.

  “I know, but it’s been almost a week since the attack, and she hasn’t come by to see me. When I call, she’s always busy.” Jason stood and walked to the fireplace. He placed his arm on the mantle as he began to stoke the flames with the poker. “You know I was going to ask her to be my mate on Valentine’s Day and now—”

  “And now you wonder if maybe she is the right person for you?” Blaze finished his sentence. How in the world had he ended up having this conversation, to begin with? He was gay and never had to worry about figuring out the she-wolf mind. But Jason had been working hard to help them find their missing team members. The least he could do is listen.

  “Right? I mean, maybe it would be better to wait until things settle down a bit before we take the plunge. Besides, since Grant and Sparky have met their semme’ mates—maybe I should wait just in case.” Jason turned and smiled sadly at Blaze. “And you don’t need to hear my sorry tale. I honestly just came in here to give you an update. We’ll meet tomorrow morning at six to figure out our plans based on what we have.”
>
  Blaze watched the shifter turn and leave. Personally, if it was him, he’d probably not wait around for his semme’ mate to appear. After all, many shifters had found mates to love. While it may not have been with the person the fates set aside as their other half; he’d known many who had lived happy lives.

  He was just getting ready to leave when he saw Charlie walk into the room. The man looked like someone had kicked his puppy—twice. Before he could help himself, Blaze found himself asking, “Let me guess, you and Sparky are on the outs again?”

  The shifter-hybrid glanced up as if he’d just noticed someone in the room with him. For a moment Blaze thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then the man sighed and took a seat in the same chair Jason had just left. “You know I never thought I’d ever find a mate, much less my semme’ mate. I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid feelings of any kind and now—”

  “Now you find yourself overwhelmed with them,” Blaze finished. He watched as the man nodded. He’d been around Charlie long enough to know his magi half caused the shifter problems over the years. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to hear other people’s thoughts or feel their emotions.

  “I’m trying to understand why my mate insists on putting himself in danger. When I tell him my concerns, he laughs and reminds me he is part of the damn inner circle. I wasn’t sure I’d get a mate, and now that I have one, I just—just can’t lose him.” Charlie hit the arm of the chair with his fist. “I’ve tried ordering him, and he gets mad. I’ve tried asking him, and he laughs at me. He won’t let me in to see how he feels or what he’s thinking. It’s like I’m blind for the first time in my life, and I don’t like it!”

  Blaze watched as the flames in the fireplace surged. “Whoa there, Charlie, you might want to tamp down the anger a little. I don’t think the alpha would appreciate his house being burned down.”