The night was abnormally chilly for this time of year. Matthew worried about Cassidy being out in the elements. He knew what it was like to freeze, to starve, to survive brutal beatings just to live another day. He wanted nothing negative for Cassidy. She was a delicate female, his little human prize. He had to find her.
They arrived at the mine. Both trailers emitted a warm glow in the inky blackness of the closed mine, the office trailer and Garret’s private quarters. Matthew didn’t know what he expected to find. On one hand, Evan looked especially peeved when Garret ordered him to stay at the mine to watch over the inspector while they went in search of Cassidy. But then again, Evan was known for following orders blindly. He was like a robot some days, obeying commands the rest of the pack harped about.
“Matthew, shift and find out what’s going on with Sam and Evan. Tell him he has to come with us for a while,” said Garret. The rest of the pack prowled the area, three dark wolves slipping in and out of the shadows cast by the windows of the trailers.
Matthew tugged on a pair of worn Wranglers from one of several stash bins. He ran his hands through his mop of hair to give himself some semblance of decency, and then knocked on Garret’s door.
Samantha Tanner opened the door. She was scantily clad with candlelight in the background. She leaned against the doorframe, her curves barely covered with black satin and lace. “I was expecting Evan, but you’ll do just fine.” She ran a finger down his bare chest.
“Where’s Evan?” he asked.
She shrugged. “He took off in such a hurry. I’m glad you came in his place.”
“You’ll be safe here,” he said dismissively. “The mine is secure.” He backed away and stumbled out the door, attempting to avoid her reaching fingers.
“Wait! Don’t go!”
He raced out of her sight, his breathing heavy with concern. Where was Evan? Garret ordered him not to leave the inspector’s sight. He always followed orders to the letter. Something was wrong.
Matthew shifted his human form back into his wolf so he could communicate with Garret. Once on all fours again, he shook out his thick coat. Ever since he’d been unable to shift into his skin for the month during his captivity, he’d had a love-hate relationship with his wolf. He was closer with his feral side after spending so much time locked in the mind of an animal. But he also resented being trapped in a cage, forced to keep his animal form by those bastard loggers. Each time he shifted he was reminded of his torment. Cassidy was his peace, his drug of choice.
“Evan’s gone. He must have left over an hour ago as his scent is already faint.”
“I told him to stay here!” said Garret.
“Which proves something isn’t right. Evan would never disobey.”
“Unless it had something to do with Cassidy.”
It was true that Evan displayed moments of insubordinance when it came to the human girl. The only reason Matthew could imagine Evan disobeying the alpha would be because of Cassidy.
“We need to get our asses to Rockford territory. Now.”
* * * *
Evan had been hiding out in the office trailer, trying his damndest to avoid the inspector. She had lust in her eyes and her sights set on him. There was no way he’d sacrifice himself as her boy toy just to guarantee a clean inspection on the mine. Cassidy was worth more than that to him, and he hoped Garret felt the same way. Surely he put honor over the bottom line.
When the rest of the pack went in search of Cassidy, he wanted to help lead the search. But Garret demanded he stay behind and protect the inspector. He wanted to argue but kept his mouth shut. As usual.
While he was in the office trailer, a call came in long after closing hour. It was one of the northern loggers, the ones responsible for trapping and torturing Matthew. The ones who’d killed all those hikers in hopes of blaming it on the wolves. Just as he’d feared, and warned Garret about, they’d stolen the one thing that mattered to him. Cassidy.
He’d hoped she was safe since she’d travelled south to go shopping. He was wrong. A switch seemed to go off deep inside Evan. There was no right or wrong, good or bad. All that mattered was getting his girl back in his arms, within his protective reach. Just envisioning the loggers doing anything negative to Cassidy made him see red. Matthew was a powerful shifter, able to survive the nightmare they’d put him through during his captivity as a wolf. Cassidy was different. She was sweet innocence, caught in the middle of a shifter war that had nothing to do with her.
Evan had already staked out the logging camp earlier in the week. He knew the layout, the manpower, and the fastest routes in and out. Today he’d disobey. He wouldn’t wait for his alpha’s approval. It was time to make decisions, despite the risk of failing.
He avoided the three steps leading out of the trailer, landing heavily on two booted feet. Evan looked up to the half moon, absorbing its energy and white light. It was time to embrace his wolf, to fight for what he believed in, regardless of the risk. He shifted into his fur, savoring the layers of sensation as his body contorted. Once in his fur he could see and hear everything more clearly. He was truly alive. He had his destination in mind, and he would run nonstop until he reached it. If they harmed Cassidy in any way, he’d destroy them all.
“Get everyone out of the den before the fire reaches us.” Evan remembered those words. They were etched into his brain and always would be. He was confident the fire wouldn’t spread to their area. He only wanted revenge on the men who’d started the fire in the first place. His wolf craved bloodshed, an eye for an eye. Evan had raced through the forest on four legs, determined to make the loggers pay. They wanted to coerce landowners into selling their land by any means necessary.
He never did reach the loggers that day. By the time he returned to his den, shortly afterward, it was engulfed in flames. His alpha, also his father, had attempted to save the pack but became entangled in the burning briar.
Evan tried to save them, but it was too late. He could still hear their cries when he slept at night. After that day he was obsessed with compliance. If he had listened to his father’s words, his pack would be alive. However, his mortal mistake didn’t forgive those loggers who had set the fire in the first place. It was one of the driving factors pushing him to run harder and faster now.
They might have stolen everything good in his life all those years ago. They would not steal Cassidy, and he wouldn’t allow them to continually bring hardships to his pack.
Maybe he’d only find peace dying as a martyr.
Chapter Seven
Cassidy woke up in a haze. Her temples throbbed, and her mouth felt dry. She peeked open her eyes against the bright, unnatural lighting. The recent events slowly trickled into her mind. She’d gone to get firewood…then came the footsteps. She must have been kidnapped. Why wasn’t she more surprised?
Her first thought was Corbin. She’d spoken with him earlier in the day, and he seemed more obsessed with ruining her life than ever. The man didn’t take no for an answer. Now he claimed to want a relationship, which was ridiculous.
When she shifted her weight to the side, her wrist caught. Whoever had taken her had bound her hands in front of her. Cassidy struggled into a sitting position as her eyes attempted to adjust to the bright lights. They were some sort of spotlights aimed at her face.
“Don’t bother trying to escape. The place is surrounded by our men, and if you manage to reach the forest, the wolves and bears will eat you alive.” The male voice was deep and gruff with an inebriated slur. It didn’t inspire confidence in her. Was she at the Rockford mine?
“Where am I?”
“Don’t you worry about that. If all goes well, we’ll set you free without harm.”
“Who are you?”
“No more questions.” It wasn’t Corbin, but it could have been one of his many employees or henchmen. Despite her miserable situation, her thoughts drifted to Garret. She hated to put him through another goose chase trying to find her. Of course, that wa
s assuming he’d even bother with her anymore. Or if he even knew she was missing. The men were probably sleeping at the mine to be closer to their lovely guest, and by the time they realized Cassidy was missing it might be too late for her.
She fought to see through the glare, but it was no use. The men didn’t want her to see them for a reason. Cassidy hoped it meant they planned to release her as promised.
Time ticked by, but she had no way of knowing how much passed. Minutes felt like hours as she sat on the hard wooden floor with her wrists bound at an uncomfortable angle. “What did I do wrong?” she asked. Desperation slowly crept in. How long would she have to sit in the same spot? What if she needed to use the bathroom? Was this what Matthew had gone through? Then she began to wonder if these were even Corbin’s men at all. What if they were loggers? Her blood turned cold because she knew how ruthless those men could be. But what would they want with her? Cassidy had been living with a false sense of security. She believed her men would always be there to protect her—they’d told her the same time and time again. But now she was alone in a place virtually off the map. Who would miss her, beyond the borders of Climax, if she were to disappear like those hikers? Wild fears ran rampant inside her.
“You don’t keep the best company.” She could hear muffled voices at the other end of the room. This one was louder, directed at her. “Or didn’t you hear that Garret Gregor is a suspect in half a dozen murders?”
She shook her head. No matter what Garret might have done to betray her now, she knew he wasn’t capable of murder. “Where are you getting your information? Sounds like old wives’ tales and hearsay to me.”
They kept quiet after that. The room grew so silent she often wondered if she was alone at times. The heat from the spotlights became excruciating. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and between her breasts. At some point she must have dozed off because she was startled awake by loud shouting.
One of the large lamps was knocked over, the lightbulb shattering when it hit the floor near her feet. The sudden darkness was a godsend, an unexpected comfort after hours of intense heat and light, like an ant under a magnifying glass. There was shouting, cursing, and the sound of heavy footfalls going in all directions outside the door. What was happening? Maybe it was a police raid on these kidnappers. But she had to remember where she was. There was no support for civilians in Climax.
“Cassidy. Do you hear me? Are you okay?” The voice was familiar but not registering amongst all the chaos. He untied her binds and pulled her up to her feet. She felt unusually weak, unsteady on her legs.
“What’s happening?”
“I’m getting you out of here. I’m taking you home to Rockford.” Corbin wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders as he led her toward the door. Although she couldn’t see him clearly, she recognized his voice now.
“How did you find me? Why are you here?”
“I followed you. My…men are distracting the loggers.”
Her heart clenched. She’d been a hair’s length away from the same fate as Matthew. But what happened now? Would Corbin try to force himself on her as he had before? She had no love for him, no desire to follow him out of the strange cabin. It was like choosing the lesser of two evils. What Cassidy really wanted was to be rescued by her men, but they’d forgotten about her with the excitement of fresh meat. Her fairy-tale dreams were snuffed out as reality took their place.
“I’m not going to Rockford. I just want to go home.” Cassidy prided herself on her strength. It was all she had in such chaotic times. It had aided her from childhood onward, got her through many disappointments, and helped her quickly get over asshole ex-boyfriends. Now it was faltering. She was tempted to give it all up, to sink into a puddle of loneliness and despair. But she couldn’t. Night surrounded her, as did the cries of wolves. She needed Corbin to lead her out of this nightmare.
“Now’s not the time to be choosey, little lady. Either we leave together or I leave alone. Do you think these mountain men will show you kindness?” He scoffed. “Just give them enough time. You’ll be their plaything within a day.”
She shuddered at the prospect. Cassidy allowed him to lead her out the doorway into the moonlit lumber yard. The outdoor lighting was off, making it difficult for the distant loggers to fend off the wildlife. She could hear their cries, random gunshots, and vicious snarling. All her old memories of being alone in the forest surfaced, making her nerves spike.
“They’re not coming for you this time, Cassidy. Forget them. I saw all five at the mine with Ms. Tanner before coming here. It was not something you’d want to see.”
She was right, then. The men she loved had betrayed her over the next available piece of ass. They really were like animals. She fought the tears threatening to break free. There was no way she’d shed a tear for those traitors. They weren’t worth it.
Then why did it hurt so bad?
* * * *
Evan approached the lumber camp, using the same hiding places he had last time. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find but it certainly wasn’t the wolf attack he discovered. His pack had gone south in search of Cassidy, not realizing the loggers had taken her north. After testing the slight breeze, he recognized the Rockford wolves’ unique scent. It mingled with the pungent odor coming from the human males.
He kept in his fur, slowly creeping closer. Before he acted, he needed to take full stock of the situation, including Cassidy’s whereabouts. He imagined the Rockfords were here for their own brand of justice. The loggers had taken one of their men after they took Matthew. Although they’d both been trapped in wolf form, it was still seen as a hostile move on their kind. What other reason would the rival wolves have for being here?
“Did you find Cassidy?”
Travis’s familiar voice echoed in his head. The Texan wolf was closing in behind him. He felt the presence of his entire pack, their thoughts and emotions. While he should have felt comfort in numbers and familiarity, he felt a twinge of competition. What was wrong with him? He was a pack member and needed to share. Since joining the Gregor pack, he’d never complained about being one for all, all for one. It was the love of a woman that managed to change everything. He knew things would only get worse until Garret made the mating official.
“Not yet. How did you guys know to look here?” He’d received the threatening phone call demanding land for the girl. How did his friends know?
“You underestimate us. We tracked your trail all the way from the mine. You really should be more careful about the paths you take.” Travis sidled up next to him, looking out at the many small buildings littered around the camp. Cassidy could be in any one of them.
“Garret?”
“He’s coming. You disobeyed him by coming here,” said Travis.
“You would have done the same thing.”
“Garret knows I’m a fuckup. You…he expects more from you.”
Evan no longer wanted to keep the status quo, live a day at a time with no thoughts drifting to the future. He wanted more. He wanted to take on the whole world when Cassidy was near. He wasn’t an alpha, but surely Garret would understand his need to protect his mate.
“The loggers took her. They need to pay,” he said.
“Garret figured it was something like that when he found you missing.”
As the rest of the pack settled in around them, they began to move forward as a solid mass of shadowed fur, fangs, and claws. Each of them kept their thoughts silent, all focused on their task. Cassidy was the first priority. Revenge could come later. It was a lesson he’d learned too well.
When they neared the perimeter of the camp, a couple rival wolves picked up their scent and came to scout their location. Garret and Travis held their ground while Evan, Patrick, and Matthew instinctively spread out, surrounding the enemy.
The glimmer of moonlight reflecting off wolf eyes was the only evidence of an impending attack. They were ready.
One of Rockford’s wolves finally made an ag
gressive move, snarling and lashing out with razor-sharp teeth. Garret began to brawl, both wolves rearing up and rolling on the forest floor in a vicious tangle. As the other moved in, Evan and his pack mates leapt out of their hiding places and set their targets on any and all Rockford wolves. They’d made the first move, so now they had to deal with Gregor strength and training.
His lips were pulled high off his teeth as he snapped and growled. Evan didn’t hold back, throwing his body weight forward without worry of injury. He wasn’t sure what the fuck was happening at the camp. Who was the enemy? The longer Evan engaged in the violent clash, the more his feral side dominated. His desire for blood and death blinded him…just as it had when he was an adolescent.
Cassidy. He couldn’t stay here and fight when she needed saving. His pack mates were capable of handling themselves, so he made the decision to break away from his pack. It was the perfect time to explore with all attention diverted to the fight.
He roamed through the darkness, keeping concealed by stockpiles of logs and outbuildings. Several truck engines had come to life as the loggers scrambled to vacate the camp. Cassidy could be in one of those trucks. As the first truck navigated the narrow path leading to the main road, he leapt up at the open passenger window.
“These wolves are mad!” shouted the human male. “Hit the fucking gas!”
Since Evan couldn’t scent his woman, he backed away, watching the truck’s rear lights bob up and down in the darkness.
“If you’re looking for the girl, I know where she is.”
No human could sneak up on him. It was the reason he knew he was dealing with a Rockford. He turned around, flashing his fangs. Ryder Rockford didn’t look afraid. He was his alpha’s brother, so held high position in his pack.
Evan circled the man, taking slow, measured steps. As much as he’d like to stay in his fur, he had to find out if Ryder was telling the truth. He willed the change to envelop his body, his fur receding as he returned to his human form. Only now did he notice the sharp chill in the air.
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