by BA Tortuga
He could feel Riana’s worry, like the scent of spoiled meat. I…Not good for you.
We’ve been through this before. He tapped her knee gently.
She nodded, fingers on his, touching him. I want to protect you.
Oh.
Oh, moon above, that was dear—this tiny, lovely woman, wanting to defend him. This was his, and he was keeping it. Her and her Wend and this amazing feeling that someone wanted him. Him.
Wend shifted restlessly as Riana moved closer, vocalizing softly as she pressed against him, wrapped in a blanket.
Canyon smiled. He did miss his pack, but he had the beginnings of a new family, too. That had to count for something.
Her head landed on his shoulder, eyes on the dashboard, searching. She was warm, soft, and he hummed, happy in his soul, even if he knew trouble lay ahead.
One finger reached out, touched the dashboard, the buttons on the stereo, the heater. Can there be music, Canyon?
Of course, love. Canyon chuffed softly, turned on a classic country channel. It was that or hard-core old time religion stuff out here. It must all seem strange.
It is. I must seem strange to you.
No. No, they seemed like they belonged. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t know how Junie could have missed something this big.
Wend shifted, went fuzzy, and Riana made a soft, relaxing sound, easing him down into sleep again. She was so protective of him, so good. He loved that about her.
The snow was beginning to fall, the wind howling, seeming to sing. It was a little early, really, for a storm this bad. Junie would purse her lips and look at the sky and say a bad moon was about to rise.
Riana shivered, shook her head, eyes huge. “Inside.”
“Soon, love.” He was afraid he was lying, because he had no idea where they would stop, but clearly being out in the open was wigging her out.
“The winds are mad at me.” She pressed closer to him.
“Why would they be mad?” He freed one arm to put around her.
“I make…” She shook her head, hiding in her face.
“Make what, sweet?” Why? It seemed harder for her to talk out loud.
I make things bad. I make things bad, Canyon.
Wend’s eyes popped open. Stop it.
No.
Wend growled softly, bared his teeth. I say stop.
Canyon bit back a grin. Wend sometimes reminded him of Kody, his brother’s Beta. He could be fierce when he needed to be.
Wend wrapped around Riana, all arms and legs. It isn’t you. It’s them. You’re not bad. We’re not bad.
How could these two be bad? Canyon mused. They were beautiful and weirdly innocent and sensual and perfect. And his. No, that crazy bastard was the one who was completely unbalanced.
Wend’s hand found his thigh, fingers warm. Yours. Mate. Where are we going?
Someplace safe. He really had no idea. God, he needed to focus.
Something hit the side of the truck, so fast and hard he never ever saw it, the wheels sliding on the road. Canyon steered into his skid, the snow too much for any traction they might find. Shit. He gritted his teeth, the world spinning in a sickening way.
He heard Wend’s sharp cry, and a horrifying, terrible scream as the truck slammed into the trees.
Snow plopped down on the windshield, which had cracked like thin ice on a frozen lake. Canyon’s ears rang, the seat belt so tight he couldn’t breathe. He was still bouncing off the side window and the steering wheel when the whole fucking world started to go dark.
Chapter Eight
Wake up.
Wend grabbed Canyon’s shirt, biting and tearing, the agony inside him overwhelming.
Wake up.
Wake up.
WAKE UP!
Canyon’s head rolled, the bruises and cuts so lurid on his face, so awful. One dark eye opened, though, staring at him.
She’s gone. You have to wake up. He licked at Canyon’s face, lapping away the blood. Please. Please, wake up. I can’t find her. They took her.
“What?” Canyon’s voice sounded like his name. All gravel and wind.
Wend howled, pure panic flooding him as he scrabbled back out of the truck. He had to find her. He had to help Canyon. He had to…
Fuck.
Wend? The voice in his head cut through his panic. Canyon sounded so much stronger like that. Wend, I need you. Where is Riana?
Gone. Gone. She’s gone. He pushed back in, biting at the belts around Canyon.
“Wend.” Now Canyon’s physical voice sounded stronger. “I need you to be a man for a minute. Think hard, love. Real hard.”
A man. A man. Riana. His Riana.
The scent of blood was everywhere, making him pant.
“That’s it, honey. I need you to help me get this mess sorted out, okay? Once I’m out we’ll find her, I swear it.”
He was suddenly cold, naked, tailless. “Riana.”
“She’s gone.” Canyon nodded, eyes clouding over a little with pain. “Okay. There’s a button under the steering wheel. See if you can get it to move up.”
He reached under, fingers clumsy, unsure what they were searching for, soft, panicked sounds escaping him.
“It’s little, hard and round.” He could smell Canyon’s blood, fresh compared to his and Riana’s. Canyon was still bleeding.
“Uh-huh. You’re hurt.”
“I’ll be fine once I get out of here.” Grunting, Canyon tried to help him find the thing he looked for.
His fingers found the button and the lever popped up, Canyon jerking as the pressure came off his belly.
“Oh.” The long sound was half moan and half sigh. “Better. Okay, now the damned belt, huh?”
Wend nodded, worked that open with numb and shaking fingers. The cold was everywhere—inside, outside, everywhere. Riana was gone.
She’d never been gone before.
Never.
Canyon spilled out of the truck, nearly knocking him down. There was something wrong with Canyon’s left leg.
He went fuzzy instinctively, moving to lick and lap at Canyon’s wounds.
Chuffing, Canyon stroked his ruff. “Thanks, sweet.”
The flavor of Canyon’s blood was bright, so wrong that his mate hurt, and he pushed closer, trying to ignore the screaming in his head that kept insisting Riana was gone.
Canyon finally pushed him away, trying to climb to his feet. When that leg crumpled, Canyon snarled, and suddenly he had another wolf with him instead of a man.
He yelped, danced. What do we do? What do we do?
We go get her. Canyon stood, shaking like he was wet. Then he began circling, sniffing.
Wend sniffed too, but what he smelled was Death. He’d smelled that too many times, and it always came with pain, with his Riana’s cries.
Wend tucked his tail.
Canyon growled, snapping at his neck. It startled him out of his funk, making him jump.
He backed away, baring his teeth. He hadn’t done this.
Help me. Canyon wasn’t snarling in his head. There was urgency, but no anger.
How? It has her. It brought her back when it had fed before, but it wouldn’t bring her back this time.
It? Canyon’s head lifted, ears pricked.
It. Death. The Alpha. The witch made him. The new girl wants its babies, wants to be what it is. He stepped closer, letting Canyon into his head, letting Canyon see, know.
The thing was a monster, feeding on the Alpha, wearing his skin.
Alicia? Canyon growled, but Wend knew it was at the monster, not at him. He knew it deep down.
It has her. Wend danced, the throbbing in his head constant, maddening.
Stop. Just hush. Canyon went absolutely still, scenting the air. Then that brushy tail went up and Canyon yipped, heading off to the west.
He followed, the silence in his head making his whimper.
Focus, Wend. The sound made him feel less alone.
Trying. She’s not in me.
It was so wrong.
She’s just too far away. Maybe drugged. Canyon was there now, in his head, keeping him from bashing himself against a tree.
They ran, the snow getting heavier, deeper, clinging to his fur. He was cold, so cold. If he was this cold, Riana had to be freezing.
A scream rocked him, deep in the center of his brain, and he stopped still, barking furiously. Riana! Riana!
Wend! Wend, we need to hear her. Canyon circled back to stand next to him, shoulder holding him up.
He stared, wild. Hear her? He couldn’t hear anything but her.
I need to hear her, not you. Do you understand? You need to be calm.
He nodded, panting, his world shrieking around him. Canyon was hurt. Riana was gone. It was cold.
So cold.
Canyon’s head tilted like he was listening, then Canyon licked Wend’s muzzle. This way.
Wend stood still, caught between the need to get Riana and the knowledge that It had fed and would be strong. Stronger than Canyon.
Turning, Canyon looked at him, eyes so dark against the snow. Wend. I need you.
You. It has her. It will kill you. Riana It would just hurt; Canyon, It would kill.
Canyon padded back to him, the leg almost healed now. Thank goodness. That was fast.
He reached up, nuzzled into Canyon’s ruff. It will kill you.
No, it won’t. Chuffing, Canyon nibbled his whiskers.
Her scream made him stiffen, press closer.
We need to find her, Wend. The screams made Canyon growl. That was his job, right?
He turned, nose working, searching for her, but there was nothing but snow. Nothing.
Canyon barked, heading west again, unerringly following something Wend couldn’t smell or hear. Canyon seemed to know, though.
He followed, nose down, trying to do something to help. All he seemed to be able to do was worry. Fret. Whine a little.
Call for her.
Riana. Riana. Lady. Please.
Wend! WEND! WENDWENDWENDWENDWEND!
His muzzle snapped closed, and he tasted blood.
She was hurt. Scared. Somewhere dark.
Teeth flashed somewhere in his mind, and her world went black and so did Wend’s.
Chapter Nine
Canyon barked at Wend, trying to get the damned fool up on his feet. He needed Wend awake and helping. The truck was dead, and he couldn’t carry Wend and find Riana at the same time.
Wend started to shake, to convulse on the ground, foam bubbling up on his muzzle.
Shit. Shit, that was bad. Canyon changed back to human, the pain in his not quite healed leg making him cry out. God, this was fucked up.
He gathered his boy up, held him close, the snow dripping around him, melting on his skin. He stroked those velvety ears, humming a little, the sound instinctive. God, he wished Mesa and Junie were here.
“Please, honey.” He petted, patted. “Please come back.”
He heard a sharp, bright bark. Brother.
Oh, Lady Moon. Mesa.
Mesa.
Oh, yes. He needed help. He called out, telling Mesa where he was. “Mesa!”
There were two of them—Mesa and Sammy coming right out of the trees, running toward him.
Despite everything, he smiled hugely, feeling like he could do this now. They would help him find his girl.
Mesa changed while Sammy came to him, her fur warm against his bare back. “Kody’s coming with the four-wheeler.”
“The truck is dead, man. That thing…it’s not human or wolf, bro.”
“We’ve got to get you out of here, back to safety.” Mesa frowned, eyebrows lowering. “Where’s the other one?”
“She’s gone.” His voice broke, and Wend whimpered. “He took her. It’s killing both of them, man.”
“Gone?” Mesa’s voice turned to a low, rough growl. “Okay. Okay, we’re taking you home. We’ll regroup and get you warm.”
“No. No, he’ll find us there, Mesa. He’s strong enough to take down a fucking truck like it’s a deer.” He grabbed Mesa’s arm. “Alicia’s with them, man. They’re coming for us and that thing…It’s nothing good.”
“Fuck. Fuck.” Mesa snarled, eyes flashing in the night as a four-wheeler came through the trees, Kody driving. “He’s got blankets and clothes.”
“Thanks—I—thanks.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. At least Wend wasn’t foaming anymore.
A blanket draped over his shoulders.
“Come on. Sit down. Bring him. There’s food.” Kody got him moving, Mesa’s Beta so strong now, so solid.
Canyon smiled, stood, holding Wend. His legs wobbled under him like Jell-O. Wend looked at him, eyes wild.
Riana.
Soon, love. We’ll find her soon.
A warm tongue flicked his wrist, Wend relaxing in his arms.
Yes. Thank goodness. He needed Wend to relax. He needed to find their girl. At least with Mesa, Sammy and Kody by his side he felt like he had a chance. They just needed to get a move on.
Kody got him settled, wrapped together in the four wheeler with Wend. “Mesa? What do we do?”
Mesa stared at the sky for a moment. “We find a place to hole up and make a plan. Canyon says Alicia is here. She knows our weaknesses. We can’t go back to the pack and lead him there, so we need a bolt hole.”
“We need to get out of the snow, too.” Kody frowned, chewed his bottom lip, then smiled as Sammy barked sharply. “Right. We found an old cabin when Sammy and I were…exploring on our own. It’s only twenty minutes from here.”
“Exploring, huh?” Mesa grinned, and it looked so normal that Canyon got a little choked up. Man, when had it all gotten so weird?
Kody turned bright red and Sammy chuffed softly, tail wagging.
Canyon hooted. Soon. Soon he would be able to play with his mates.
Mesa raised a brow, and Canyon had to grin. “What?”
“Nothin’, bro. Just laughing at Mr. Single-I-would–never-want-two-mates.” Mesa tilted his head. “We’ll need to chat about that.”
“Shut up and drive.”
Kody chuckled, and Mesa just snorted, shifting to his wolf form so he could run with his lady. Kody was a much better driver anyway. Canyon looked at the trees and tried not to think of Riana, lost and scared. They would find her.
He knew it in his bones.
* * * *
Riana crouched in the cave, the bite on her leg seeping, bleeding, hurting. She whimpered softly, lapping at it, worrying the wound.
The Alpha’s bitch was whining, twisting on the ground, her mouth covered in Riana’s blood, her belly growing with a demon wolf. Riana could see it, clawing at her insides. The old witch was moaning, knife in hand, trying to whelp the thing. Screams filled the air, like the scent of blood, of pain. The moon would not let that thing be born. She knew it, like she knew her own name.
Riana had been horrified at first, but now she was numb. Her Wend was gone. Her Canyon was gone. The sun was gone.
She usually healed quickly when It bit her, even if it hurt like fire. This time, though, she was afraid she was going to die, alone and cold and scared, surrounded by screams and death.
Still, her Wend was safe. She knew it. Canyon had him. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be. She could remember them, loving her, touching her and…
Stop it.
Wend?
You stop it right now.
She looked around, trying to see, but he wasn’t there.
Wend? She needed to know he was there. Somewhere.
You stop it.
Are you here? She stiffened. You stay away. You stay away from here.
She didn’t even know where here was.
Just wait for us. Don’t you do anything without me.
Wend. She rested her muzzle on her paws, ears twitching as the sounds of something crashing around outside hit her.
Oh, no. No. Please.
Stay with me, love. Canyon’s voice came to her, loud and cle
ar.
Shh. She scrambled back into the shadows, dragging her wounded paw. Stay away. Be safe. Be together and safe.
Not without you.
That came from both Canyon and Wend. They were so good to her.
It was too bad that she wasn’t sure it was possible.
Her cage opened, and the witch dragged her out of the bars, toward the writhing half-wolf bitch with teeth like needles. No. No.
She could cope with death, but that thing would eat her. Chew on her.
Tear her to pieces. For her blood.
Riana fought, her two good legs scrabbling furiously. The witch pulled and claws scraped along the floor, toward her, Riana growling low.
No more. No more hurting.
Teeth sank into Riana’s flank and she screamed.
* * * *
Wend stood, barking, scrabbling out of the pile of blankets they’d been wrapped in. They'd found a place to rest, to get warm. To eat. He'd been sound asleep, nose on Canyon's flank when her voice woke him, ringing in his head.
RIANA!
Hurting her.
Hurting her.
HURTING HER.
The female found him as soon as he crawled out of the overhang of trees they'd buried themselves under, and he growled, showed his teeth, still too caught in Riana's voice to know the new female’s scent. Her head tilted, and she barked sharply, then Canyon appeared, bounding out to rub noses with him. Warm. Mate.
Hurting her. He whined, danced, pushed closer, needing comfort. Canyon gave it, stropping against him more like a cat than a wolf, vocalizing low. He knew Canyon and Mesa had been talking about how to find Riana. He’d heard them.
Hurting her. Mate. Mate, please.
I know, love. I know. Canyon nipped his neck, just to stop his movements. It made him pause long enough to think. He stomped, nudged Canyon with his nose, and Canyon chuffed. We need to concentrate. We can find her.
Where? She didn’t want them to come. It would hurt them. He growled deep in his chest. He was tired of being scared, tired of this constant game.
Yes. No more. We go after him. Canyon was ready. Determined.
The Alpha that smelled like home, but not, came out, teeth bared, and he backed up. Canyon turned, tail curled up over his back, head bobbing. Oh, they looked so much alike, those two. They chest bumped each other, vocalizing. Canyon was always between them, always protecting him.