Wolf Hills

by Bianca D'Arc

  She stepped closer to them. “How can I help?”

  Chapter Twelve

  “I’m going to be disconnecting these wires in the pocket of the vest. See?” He showed her what he meant. It was a tight squeeze for his big hands. “It’s vital that none of the bare ends touch each other or anything conductive while I do this. That’s where your dainty digits come in. I want you to get your fingers inside that little flap and keep the wires apart as I disconnect each one in sequence.”

  She examined the pocket again and tried to memorize the layout. “Okay. I’m ready.” She steeled herself mentally. She looked up at Jimmy and took one of his hands in her free hand. She wasn’t sure if she was reassuring him or herself. Either way, the contact helped steady her. This youngster, and his Pack, was what she was fighting for here. It did good to remember that.

  In the background, she could dimly hear Jason giving orders over his headset and his cell phone as he kept his eyes trained on them. She knew there were others outside the cellar, keeping watch over the grounds. And still others in the trees, guarding the perimeter.

  But where were the other hunters? They’d dealt with one. There were three more to find once they had the boy safe. Plus the guy who’d purchased this property for them. He had to be dealt with too.

  “Here goes. I’m going to put the first one between your pinky and ring finger,” Jesse warned a moment before he acted. Her hand sat in the pocket, alongside his two fingers that manipulated the deadly wires. It was a tight fit, but it was safer this way. His hands were just too big to do both the disconnecting and separating.

  He passed the first wire to her and she closed her fingers on it, feeling the sharp ends of the metal stick into the soft skin between her fingers. It hurt a bit, but the pain was nothing compared to being blown up. She grit her teeth and nodded at Jesse when he started on the second wire.

  “I’ll put this one between your ring finger and middle,” he told her. “One more to go for you, then the last connection and it’ll be disarmed. We’re almost there.”

  “How are you doing, Jim?” Sally asked the boy. He barely seemed to be breathing and his eyes were as wide as saucers as he did his best not to move.

  “I’m okay,” he squeaked. Jesse spared him a quick glance and a lopsided smile.

  “You’re doing great, kid. Just two more and you’re home free. Concentrate now.”

  “Yes, sir, major,” the boy replied.

  Now that was interesting. Jimmy referred to Jesse Moore by rank. Very interesting, indeed.

  “Third one coming at you, detective. It’ll go between your index and middle fingers.”

  He suited actions to words and she did her best not to move a muscle. The wires were separated by her fingers. One false move before he got that last connection severed and there’d be hell to pay.

  Jesse moved slowly but with confidence. Their hands brushed in an impersonal way as he reached for the last of the wires. She caught her breath when the motion of his fingers inside the pocket threatened her grip. Jason hovered, having shut his phone and narrowed his eyes. She met his gaze and held it while his brother finished the nerve-wracking work of disarming the bomb.

  She felt the fourth and final wire come free against the tips of her fingers but she waited for Jesse to give her the all clear before relaxing her grip on the other three. He removed his hand from the pocket, pulling the wire he still held out with him.

  “Hang tight, detective. Just to be certain…”

  He pulled a roll of black electrical tape out of one of the many pockets on his fatigues and ripped off a small piece with his teeth. He wrapped the bare end of the wire so that no bare metal was showing anywhere along its length. It was fully insulated when he asked for each of the wires she held in turn. One by one, he taped those up too. There was no way they could even accidentally touch by the time he was done.

  She retrieved her hand from the pocket, but Jimmy had a death grip on her the other hand. She examined the vest to see how it was closed over his chest. It had plastic clips that could be undone with a simple snap.

  “Can we take this off him now?” she asked Jesse, just to be sure.

  “Allow me,” he said, only half jokingly.

  Jesse went slowly, examining each step before he took it, removing the nylon webbing that was packed with high explosives. She didn’t breathe easy until the repulsive thing had been slipped off Jimmy’s shoulders. Jesse stood, putting the vest aside for a moment while he took a close look at the way Jimmy was bound to the chair.

  “No more pressure plates, thank the Lady,” Jesse commented, cutting through the cable ties that attached Jimmy’s legs to the legs of the chair with a knife he’d taken from another pocket. “Can you stand, kiddo?” he asked Jimmy gently when he’d been cut free.

  Jimmy tried his best, but his legs were a little wobbly from sitting in one position for so long. The poor kid must’ve been down there for hours, Sally realized. Jesse took pity on him and hoisted the kid into his arms, taking him over to the window through which Sally had entered. Jimmy was still small enough to fit through there easily. It was the safest way out considering the pressure plates by the stairs might still trigger something else besides the bomb in the vest.

  Jason moved closer, taking her in his arms for a quick, brutal kiss that had her breathing hard before he lifted his lips from hers. It was a kiss of relief, of passion, of possession. It made her hot.

  “I know this isn’t the right time or place…”

  “It’s also an open channel,” Jesse’s voice in their ears reminded them. “Unless you want the rest of us privy to your private affairs.”

  “Damn, bro,” Jason groused. “Give me a break.”

  Jesse’s chuckle prefaced his words. “Get out of the danger zone, Jase, then I’ll cut you some slack.”

  Jason sighed. “Good point.”

  Sally found herself on the verge of a giggle. She liked the camaraderie between the brothers.

  “Can you go out the way you came in, sweetheart?” Jason asked her gently, his finger stroking her cheek with a tenderness that almost stole her breath.

  “Yeah, just give me a boost.”

  They moved together toward the tiny window. His big palms shaped her ass as he boosted her upward. If his hands lingered just a little too long, she wouldn’t complain. She crawled her way out of the little hole, surprised to find Jason’s hands waiting to help her when she was most of the way through. He must’ve leapt out of the basement the same way his brother had. Being a werewolf certainly had its advantages at times.

  Jason pulled her the rest of the way clear and then they were loping off together into the darkness, away from potential danger.

  They met Jesse by the wall of the barn. By now, the wolves had been all over the property. Only that one hunter had been found and dealt with. She didn’t want to ask too many questions about what they’d done with him, but she figured he would never be bothering anyone ever again.

  “Good work in there, detective,” Jesse complimented her as he came up beside them in the darkness.

  Arlo and Len were right behind him, appearing as if out of the mist that began to coat the bare ground in the darkness. Fog would be rolling in before the night was through, if she didn’t miss her guess. She could see a few wolves prowling through the low hanging mist and a shiver went up her spine. Jason’s phone vibrated and he moved only slightly away to answer it.

  “Thanks. You weren’t so shabby yourself. I’m just glad you knew how to disarm that thing.”

  “Any of us could do it.” He gestured toward the other two men who were dressed much the same was he was—as professional soldiers with well-worn gear.

  “Can I ask a personal question? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” Jason was still busy with his call and her curiosity was getting the better of her.

  “Fair enough,” he agreed to her terms.

  “You three are obviously soldiers. Is that why you stay in human
form? Before tonight I would’ve thought werewolves would choose the sharper senses, not to mention claws, of your wolf form for hunting.”

  Jesse shrugged. “You spend enough time fighting as a human, you get used to the dulled senses. They’re still much sharper than other people’s. And having opposable thumbs has its compensations, not to mention my beloved MP-5.” He caressed his assault rifle lovingly and she grinned as the other men chuckled.

  “Yeah, I thought it might be something like that. Thanks for answering my nosy question. Being a cop, I’m sort of used to giving interrogations. It’s one of my biggest faults—wanting to know the why of everything.” Jason seemed tense beside her as he drew his call to an end. Something was going on. “Here…” she returned the tactical radio to its owner, “…you probably need this back. Thanks for the loan.”

  Jason’s phone snapped shut and all eyes turned to him.

  “The Master checked the other location. It was clean. He then caught scent of the hunters. The two younger men have fled. They’re already out of the county, heading east on the interstate. Jess, do you think you and your team are up for a manhunt?”

  “We’ll handle it.” Jesse didn’t even have to look at his guys, though Arlo and Len were both nodding. A cold look came into Jesse’s eyes that sent a chill down Sally’s spine.

  “Good.” Jason nodded at his brother. “Call Dmitri for his intel. He’s expecting your call. And Jesse?” Jason paused, his expression grim. “If they’re Venifucus, they’ll have to die. Get on the road, but stay in touch by phone. I want frequent updates. Let’s see if we can follow them to their source. I’ll have to report all this to the Lords.”

  “What about the missing man? There were four hunters. We’ve only accounted for three,” Sally reminded him as Jesse and his guys prepared to leave.

  “Dmitri spotted him in the woods about a mile from the Pack house.” That news brought the other men up short. “Don’t worry. The house is empty. I’ll handle it.”

  “I’m leaving Freddy here to dismantle the devices and save the C-4. You never know when it might come in handy.” Jesse threw her a wink and she pretended not to listen as they discussed keeping the highly illegal fireworks.

  She also wondered who the heck Freddy was. She’d only seen the three men in fatigues, but there could’ve been more. Arlo and Len had only made themselves visible when Jason tapped them to head the two other strike teams. Before that, they’d been ghosts in the background. Come to think of it, there could’ve been quite a few men with them who’d been dressed the same way. They were so good at camouflage, they were just barely noticeable. Scary. And reassuring too.

  “Good. Check-ins on the hour. Leave a message if I don’t pick up. And Jesse…” he grabbed his brother’s forearm, “…be careful.”

  “You too, bro.”

  With nods all around, the three soldiers faded into the darkness. In the blink of an eye, they were no longer visible. Damn. Sally was glad they were on her side.

  Jason knew what he had to do. It wasn’t going to be pretty, but he had an intruder on Pack land. An intruder who had already tried to shoot a young girl and had managed to capture Jimmy and wire him and a house with explosives. Not to mention the fact that he had pointed a rifle at Sally. His mate.

  Jason knew for certain now that what he’d suspected all along was true. Sally was the one for him. The only woman who could be his perfect match, his partner, his love. She was his mate. The wolf in him stood up and howled when he’d first caught her scent. When she had been in danger, the wolf’s rage had been off the charts. Even when he had her in his arms—in the half-wolf fighting form—he’d refused to relinquish her to anyone. Not even trusted members of his Pack.

  She was too important to him. Too vital to his continued happiness. Without her, he didn’t think he would be able to go on. She was quickly becoming the center of his universe.

  He’d tried to fight against it. She was human. Weak. Her wolf genes were too far back to really make a difference. Then he’d discovered her magic. He’d begun to feel better about their involvement. She had some protections of her own. She might be able to hold her own among his Pack.

  He hadn’t even declared himself, and she’d been threatened and forced into a confrontation at the Pack house. The way she handled it made him proud. An Alpha wolf female couldn’t have done better. Only then did he start to think she might be able to earn the respect of the Pack. That was essential if he planned to continue as Alpha.

  If the Pack wouldn’t accept her, he had already decided to step down. Jesse—no matter how much he complained about it—could have the job. He should’ve had it from the beginning. But something had changed him—damaged him—in the wars he’d fought. Something inside had curled in upon itself to the point where only his fellow soldiers could understand him.

  Jason would’ve handed the leadership over to his brother with no dispute. No contest. The sad truth was, Jesse didn’t want it.

  If push came to shove and the Pack refused to accept Sally, Jesse would find himself in a position Jason had been protecting him from. He’d have to take on the role of Alpha. He was the only male strong enough both physically and mentally to handle the responsibility. The Pack loved him. They respected him. They would take to him easily as Alpha. Screw him if he didn’t want it. He’d have to take it for the good of the Pack if they didn’t like Jason’s choice in a mate.

  The Fates had spoken. Sally was it for him. She didn’t know it yet, but wherever she went, he would go too. If she didn’t agree to be with him here, he’d follow her—to the ends of the earth if necessary—and do his best to convince her to marry him, live with him wherever she chose, and be his mate for the rest of their naturally long lives.

  He hadn’t figured out how to broach the subject yet, but his decision was made. He just had to find the right time to tell her how he felt and ask her that all important question. The mere thought of it made his mouth go dry with nerves. Did she feel the same? Could she? She only had a little wolf in her and he had no idea how humans, or nymphs for that matter, chose their mates.

  With wolves, it was instinctual. Her scent, her form, her voice and the things she said and did, the way she moved…all of it combined to let him know that she was his perfect match. He supposed, if he had to think about it, her scent had captured him first. He’d known when he breathed her in for the first time that she was special. So very special. He’d been entranced from that moment on and as he got to know her, he only liked her more. Her allure was undeniable. Her intellect matched his own. She was smart, funny, sexy as hell, and all his. Whether she knew it yet or not.

  She looked at him now expectantly and it was all he could do not to drag her into his arms. What a time to realize he was hopelessly in love.

  Jason settled for a quick, hard kiss before he settled down to business. There was still at least one more dangerous man out there, in the woods, gunning for his people. That old bastard who’d been setting up the tree stand had to be stopped before Jason could turn his full attention to matters of the heart.

  “What was that for?” she asked breathlessly when he released her.

  “For not getting us all blown up,” he answered flippantly.

  He wasn’t about to reveal the deeper thoughts in his mind at the moment. For one thing, there were too many witnesses. When he declared himself, he wanted them to be alone. Preferably in bed, with hours free before them to explore their love—if she did, indeed, love him back. If she didn’t, it would be better to have privacy in which to lick his wounds, and try desperately to convince her otherwise.

  “I’ll have to not get us all blown up more often then.” She smiled at him, not knowing the thoughts racing through his mind. She would soon. That he promised himself. “Now, what about that fourth hunter? How do you want to do this?” she prompted him.

  “Alone, preferably,” he answered bluntly. He really didn’t want to put her in danger any more than he already had.

 
; “Sorry. As the song goes, you can’t always get what you want. That man is armed, dangerous, and completely off his rocker. You know I can handle the armed part. Seems to me, you just sent your best weapons experts away. I think you’ll need me. To watch your back, if nothing else.”

  Though he’d rather see her well away from danger, he also perversely wanted her with him. At his side. Fighting together. Where he could keep an eye on her. Where he could protect her. It didn’t make a lot of sense, but sometimes the wolf’s instincts went contrary to the man’s intellect.

  “All right.” He made his decision and gave the signal for the rest of the Pack’s fighters who were present to move closer for instruction.

  They formed a loose circle around him and Sally. Interesting. They saw her as separate from them, otherwise they would have included her in the circle around him. Whether that was because she was not a wolf, or because they perceived her as being equal in rank, or perhaps part of his authority as Alpha, remained to be seen. Still, it was an intriguing development. One he hadn’t anticipated.

  “The last man we need to deal with tonight is closing in on the Pack house. He doesn’t know it’s empty. He’s hunting werewolves and he knows a lot about our Pack. He may even know some of you on sight. He’s been stalking us for a while and we honestly don’t know how much he knows. I can guarantee it’s more than he should. He knows what we are and where we live. He knows I’m your Alpha and he knows how to kill us.”

  “What do you mean?” Sally asked, looking up at him with those big brown eyes of hers that made him want to kiss her. Not the right place or time, but he still felt the undeniable pull of her attraction.

  “Samuels had silver bullets in his rifle tonight.” A murmur of anger went through the Pack members gathered all around.

  “But the bullet that hit Colleen wasn’t silver, right?”