Payne: Mammoth Forest Wolves - Book Four

by Kimber White

  “Good,” I said. I reached for the pack on her shoulder. She flinched but held her ground. I took the pack from her and heaved it on my back. “You’re going in the wrong direction. We need to stay a little further west. Can you handle ten miles before we make camp for the night? I’ll take watch. You’ll sleep.”

  She arched a brow and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Right. You’re a wolf. And, I’ve heard that one before.”

  I didn’t wait for permission. I moved around her and headed back into the woods going west. She held back for a moment, then her sigh seemed to fill me as she started to follow.

  We hiked in silence and covered good ground for the rest of the afternoon. I tried to push thoughts of my dream and Lena’s accusations out of my mind. Did the Alpha still have a hold on me? No. He didn’t. I was here. He was somewhere else. Until Birch Haven, I hadn’t allowed myself to even think of the things I’d done in his name. But, I’d had no choice. I was younger. Weaker. More foolish. I’d been raised to think serving the Alpha was the most noble thing any shifter could do. I didn’t know my own power. I didn’t understand that I was an Alpha until it was already too late. My own father had offered me up to him when I was sixteen years old. Fallon men had served at Able’s right hand for two generations. I would be no different.

  Until I was.

  As the sun began to set, we found the river’s edge again. At this pace, and with no incidents, we’d make the Ohio River in four days. We’d planned for seven. I had every expectation that we’d need to stop and hide for a night at least once. There were bound to be close calls with the Pack one way or the other. If we made it into Michigan things would be easier on the way back. I could hopefully travel alone, and we had human friends willing to transport any supplies I brought back. If I could convince the Wild Lake doctor to come into Kentucky, that would be another matter, but I planned to cross that bridge when I came to it. For now, it was enough to just get Lena to safety.

  “This looks about as good a place as any,” Lena said, unable to hold back a yawn. I couldn’t help that it made me smile. She’d sleep tonight. She needed it. A thought popped into my head unbidden. I wanted to keep her warm.

  I slid the pack off my back and started setting up the tent. We’d stay right on the edge of the water. If someone came for us, they’d come from the woods, not the river. Probably.

  Lena didn’t argue when I handed her the bedroll. Her eyelids were hooded and her posture stooped. She was exhausted. A wave of guilt ran through me.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I told you to tell me if you needed to rest more often. You look awful.”

  Smiling, she shook her head and unzipped the tent. “I just need sleep. And we’re here. I told you I can keep up and take care of myself.”

  Grumbling, I held the tent flap open so she could slip inside. “So sleep. I’ll keep watch. I know...I’m a wolf.”

  Sighing, she said, “I’ve heard that before.” This time, her words got a genuine smile out of me. I stood outside and listened as she settled in.

  More than anything, I wanted to shift. I needed to let my wolf out and run along the shoreline. I needed to hunt and to burn off energy. I’d been keyed up around Lena all day. She poked her head through the tent flap.

  “Shoo,” she said. “Do your wolf thing if you need to. It’s been a day and a half. I know how this works. Shifter’s sister, remember?”

  God, it was as if she could read my damn mind. That was a scary prospect. “Twenty minutes,” I said. “An hour, tops. You’ll be safe while I’m gone. I won’t go far.”

  “Uh huh,” she said with a yawn, then settled back into the tent.

  I did exactly as she told me. I folded my jeans and let my wolf out. Stretching my paws, I dipped them into the cool river. Bass darted past me. I wasn’t in the mood for fish tonight though. My stomach rumbled. I could chance smaller quarry. Rabbits. Maybe a few squirrels. We might even be able to risk a campfire come morning. The idea of making a real breakfast for Lena warmed me in new ways.

  Pawing the ground, I arched my back. It was risky, but I couldn’t help giving at least one howl to the moon. Then, I dashed for the woods, letting instinct kick in.

  Within a few minutes, I had two rabbits and started back for the campsite. My heart thundered as a huge buck appeared in the clearing a few yards away. Instinct kicked in and I dropped my head low to the ground. I wouldn’t kill him, not tonight. But, the thrill of the chase was all I needed.

  I launched myself at the deer, letting adrenaline drive me. Then, a shot struck my heart, nearly bringing me to my knees. The Pack. Three of them tore down the hillside running straight for the buck. They skidded to a halt as they scented me instead. Eyes flashing and fangs out, they came at me.

  Eight

  Lena

  A wolf’s howl woke me. All the blood seemed to drain from my body, leaving nothing behind but ash in my mouth. For a moment, I was right back in Birch Haven. The heavy chains around my ankles tore into my skin as I tried to roll over. I felt the cold ground beneath the nylon tent as I remembered where I was.

  “Payne?” I called out. His howl joined with two others. I kicked off the phantom chains and lunged for the backpack, fumbling through the dark.

  One howl got cut short, ending in a pained yelp. Someone had drawn first blood. I wasn’t scared. I should have been terrified. My fingers closed around the nine we’d brought along. There were no special bullets inside of it, just the regular kind. Even if I got off a clean shot right between the eyes, it wouldn’t be enough to kill.

  I went to my knees and pulled at the tent flap. It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the light. Thank God for the full moon. Without it, I might not have been able to make out the horror unfolding before me.

  Payne was at the water’s edge. He stood tail up, head down squaring off against two Pack wolves. A third lay crumpled at his feet, blood pouring from a wound in his neck. More blood dripped from Payne’s fangs. He was near twice the size of the two remaining wolves. They were betas; he was an Alpha. But, death wasn’t the biggest threat. If one of the Alpha’s generals were close enough, they could call down the rest of the Pack.

  We’d be fucked.

  I had no more than a split second to act. From this distance, there was no way I could hope to hit one of the wolves without hitting Payne by mistake. It wouldn’t kill him, obviously, but it would be enough to let the Pack betas get the upper hand.

  Ripping the tent open all the way, I crawled out of the tent but stayed low. The wolves weren’t focused on me. They tried to circle around Payne, the blood of their fallen comrade making their eyes glaze. One gray wolf, one black. Their eyes both blazed gold, and for a moment, that meant hope. When their eyes turned red, it meant the Alpha controlled them. If I was going to do anything, it had to be now.

  I raised the gun in the air and fired off one shot. It cracked and echoed. Payne didn’t move. The gray wolf dropped his head and looked stunned for a second. The black wolf didn’t. He turned toward the sound and leaped around Payne, heading straight for me.

  “Shit!” I yelled. I hadn’t expected that. Payne didn’t wait. He lunged at the gray wolf, ripping his throat out like he’d done the first wolf. The scent of blood filled my nostrils as I dove back in the tent. It wouldn’t protect me, but it might give me a one-second advantage before the black wolf struck.

  Kneeling, I raised the gun and prayed the wolf would attack me straight on. If he were smart, he would have torn the tent from the side. He didn’t though. His movements weren’t completely his own. It was the only real advantage I had. I could hear the gray wolf hiss in pain as he fought for his life. He was the biggest of the three wolves, but still no match for Payne.

  The tent walls shook and the black wolf’s hot breath seemed to waft all around me.

  “Where are you, you fucker?” I whispered, clutching the gun tight. I should shoot again. Give him a reason to be cautious. Instinct told me to wait. The tent tipped
, pitching me to my side. The world became a cyclone of blankets. Somehow, I managed to keep my grip on the gun. When the spinning stopped, the aluminum poles of the tent snapped back up. I slid into the corner and prayed I hadn’t just made the biggest mistake of my life.

  The tent flap tore open and my vision tunneled. I saw fangs and yellow eyes. The black wolf burst through. He dropped his head low, growling. Snapping his jaw, he advanced. I heard another growl from outside, but right here, right now, there was nothing but me, the black wolf, and my wildly beating heart.

  His eyes went dim. It was that split second I had trained for. I leveled the gun straight at him and fired. The recoil shot straight up my forearm, pitching me sideways. Blood sprayed from a wound on the black wolf’s head. He staggered sideways. For a moment, I thought he would fall. But, my shot had gone wide, making a channel over his left ear. Enough to stun him for a second, not nearly enough to kill him.

  Eyes finally blazing red, he charged me. I tried to get the gun up a second time, but he raised his front paw in a lethal arc and brought it down hard. He caught my hand, ripping the gun straight out of it. I dove to the side and rolled.

  The wolf was on me. He had me on my stomach, his front paws pressing me into the ground. I couldn’t breathe. My ribs crushed under the weight of him. I tried to reach back. If I could get his fur, if I could tear his skin. Anything. The mark at the back of my neck blazed hot and terror bled through me.

  No. Not this. Anything but this. I should have turned the gun on myself.

  Then, the tent itself exploded in bits of fabric and white light. Cool air hit my face and I saw stars. The weight lifted from my back as Payne leaped through the air and broadsided the black wolf. The pair of them seemed to take flight, rolling end over end.

  I scrambled to my feet, searching for the gun. I found it a few yards away. Clutching it to my chest, I staggered back until I was up against a maple tree. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

  Payne sank his teeth into the black wolf’s neck and ripped him apart. The black wolf’s golden eyes fixed on me as his life drained from him. I kept a death grip on the gun knowing the better course might have been to run.

  I couldn’t. My feet seemed rooted to the spot. Payne raised his head high, baying at the moon. Finally, he released his grip on the black wolf. Panting, his fur matted with blood and sweat, he took a few staggering steps toward me then dropped to the ground.

  “Payne!” I shouted, strength flooding back into my legs and arms. I lowered the gun and ran toward him.

  “Payne!” I put a hand on his shoulder, my fingers sinking into his red, soft fur. For a split second, I thought he was dying. His eyes went dim, almost black. He bared his teeth and twitched. I pulled my hand away and scooted backward. He was about to shift. Wounded, his heart still pumping with adrenaline, he’d be less able to control it. I moved to a safer distance and prayed.

  With bone-cracking violence, Payne came back into himself. His paws became clenched fists digging into the ground. His spine stretched and his fur receded, leaving him panting on his knees. Sweat poured from his chin and nose as he struggled to regain his breath. Slowly, he rose to his feet. I marveled at the powerful beauty of his thighs. His back and shoulders seemed made of hard-cut granite.

  A dusting of fine reddish curls covered his forearms. He tore a hand through his hair and turned to me, eyes blazing with worry.

  “Lena.” His voice came out in a choked whisper.

  “I’m okay,” I said, pressing my back against a tree. Rising to his full height, Payne towered over me. Still naked from his shift, I kept my gaze locked with his, afraid to look down even though I found myself wanting to.

  Payne reached for his jeans and pulled them on in one fluid movement. He came to me, holding his hand out like you do to a stray dog to try to keep it from biting you.

  “I’m okay,” I said again slowly rising to my feet. I didn’t quite make it. The blood rushed from my head and my vision wavered. Payne shot out a hand and caught me, gripping my shoulders.

  “Sit,” he said. “Over by the water’s edge. Let me have a look at you.”

  I went with him, taking zombie-like steps. Three wolves. The truth of it settled over me hard, nearly driving me back to my knees. Payne led me to a flat rock by the shoreline. I sat and hugged my knees as he went to refill the canteen.

  “Here,” he said. “Drink.” With shaking fingers, I took the canteen and did as he instructed. The water was cool and clean against my sandpaper throat.

  “Where did they come from?” I finally got out.

  “Who knows?” he said. “They were here for deer, not us.”

  “Great. We were just a bonus then. Do you think they got word to the Pack?”

  Payne didn’t answer. He stood next to me, tall as a statue. His jaw twitched. “Lena,” he said. “I have to know.”

  Slowly, he sank down until he was squatting beside me. The moonlight cast him in gray shadows. He was so big, so strong. His muscles corded with the murderous energy he’d just expended. He was still ready for battle.

  “Your mark,” he said.

  My shields went up. I turned on him. “What about it?” I snapped.

  “Your mark,” he said again. “Did he call to you? Those wolves saw you. They caught your scent. I need to know if you feel anything. I’m sorry. I know this is going to feel like a violation. But, if they transmitted anything back to the Pack...if your Alpha’s nearby…”

  I sprang to my feet. My breath left me with a whoosh. He was right. This was a violation. My hand flew to the ugly scar on the back of my neck. I hated it. So many times I’d tried to cut it away myself. It never worked.

  Payne got to his feet. He came toward me. Pain lit his eyes as he watched me back away. In some small corner of my brain, I knew he hated this as much as I did. And I knew he was right.

  “He’s not,” I said.

  “Lena, I have to see for myself. I swore to Mac that I’d do whatever it took to protect you. I will. But, as long as you bear that mark and your Alpha draws breath, you’re a ticking time bomb.”

  “Stop saying that,” I said. “He’s not my Alpha. Do you get that? What was done to me wasn’t my choice.”

  Payne clenched his fists. Tension ran through him as he reached for me. “Lena. You have to let me see. You have to tell me the truth. I can protect you, but not if you hide things from me.”

  “He’s dead!” I shrieked my words, hating the way I sounded. “Okay? The bastard who did this to me, he’s dead.”

  Payne’s shoulders dropped. “You’re sure?”

  “Yes,” I said. I stepped around him and plunked back down on the flat rock. I dipped my toes into the cool water and stared straight ahead.

  Payne came to me. He stood for a moment, a tall, powerful shadow. Then, slowly, he sat down beside me and waited for my heart to ease.

  “I don’t like to talk about it,” I said.

  “Of course you don’t. And I hate having to ask you.”

  “Shelby,” I said. “His name was Shelby. He was one of Able’s favorites until...later.”

  Payne nodded. “You don’t have to tell me all of it, Lena. I’m not trying to cause you pain. It’s just, Mac didn’t know. He refused to ask you. He figured you’d tell him what you needed to tell him in your own time. But, he’s not me. I can’t protect you all the way if I don’t know what happened. I know...how the Pack works better than he does.”

  “I’ll just bet you do,” I said. I hated that I wanted my words to sting him. They did. He winced and closed his eyes.

  “You’re sure he’s dead?” he asked. “It’s not something they just told you to keep you from…”

  “He’s dead,” I said. “He died in my arms.”

  Payne reared back. If I closed my eyes, I could see those last moments of Shelby’s life. I didn’t want to remember any more of it. I’d blocked it all out. The marking. The time I spent in his household as his prisoner. Then, those last few horrible
hours when my words led to his death.

  “I tried to turn him,” I said. “It was an idea I’d had born from desperation. Shelby was strong. Until I met the rest of you, he was the strongest wolf I’d ever met besides Valent. He didn’t love me, but he respected me in a way. I tried to convince him he was strong enough to challenge Valent. Then one day, he did.”

  Payne’s mouth dropped open. “Jesus,” he said. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was for you? What they could have done to you?”

  “I didn’t care!” I turned to him. “I figured either I’d fail and maybe Shelby would kill me or tell Valent it wasn’t working out with me. Or, I’d succeed and he’d try to challenge him and Valent would kill him. Then I’d be free.”

  “How’d you do it?” Payne asked. “I mean, how’d you get Shelby to let his guard down long enough to…”

  His voice trailed off as his imagination came into play. I knew what he thought. Maybe I’d played the whore and stabbed Shelby through the heart in the throes of passion. Oh, I’d thought about that a thousand times. But, there never were throes of passion. Not the way Payne must have thought.

  “I didn’t,” I said. “He was so easy to lead. Payne, he wanted to challenge Able so badly, it was easy. Of all the things I planned for, I hadn’t counted on that. I didn’t realize it would work so well.”

  Payne tore his hands through his hair. I recognized it now as something he did when he was agitated. “Jesus Christ. He challenged Valent? For you?”

  I tilted my head. “Don’t look so shocked. You don’t think I was worth it?” I meant it as sarcasm, but when Payne met my eyes again, his filled with agony. I put a hand up, to stave off his apology.

  “What happened?” he asked. “Shit. Don’t tell me. I know what happened. It’s exactly the kind of thing he would have sent me in to…”

  Dropping his head, Payne refused to finish his sentence. Again, I felt that odd kinship with him. What in God’s name had Valent forced him to do before Payne broke free? He looked up and met my eyes.