Angel's Destiny

by Dawn Sullivan

  Glancing around to make sure no one was near, he lowered his voice, “You don’t know how thrilled I was when I found her, Josie. My Angel. My mate. The other half of my soul.”

  “Actually,” Josie interjected, “I do. Remember, I found my own mate.”

  Raking a hand through his thick, dark hair, Chase said, “Yes, you did. But, he wanted you, Josie. How would you have felt if he refused your claim on him?”

  “Chase…”

  “She fucking bit me, Josie! She claimed me, but I’m not allowed to do the same. Do have any idea how that makes me feel?”

  “No,” Josie admitted, “I don’t.”

  Placing his hand on the door in front of him, Chase bowed his head, slowly letting the anger drain out of him as he continued, “It hurts. Every fucking day, it tears me up inside. I tried to understand. I really did. I know she loves her children and would do anything for them.” Raising his eyes to meet the doctor’s, he whispered roughly, “What she doesn’t understand is that I love them, too. They are a part of her, which makes them mine. I want to fight alongside her, Josie. I want to help her protect them, all of them, even Jinx. I would do anything to get him away from that bastard, the General. Anything. I would give my life for him, for Jade, for Hope and Faith. But she doesn’t see that. All she sees is how she feels, and what she is going through.” Swallowing hard, he rasped, “I want Angel to stand beside me as my alpha mate. I want to protect what is ours together, as one. But I can’t make her want those things, too, Josie. I can’t make her want me.”

  Not waiting for a response, Chase pushed the door to Rikki’s room open and walked through, letting it swing shut silently behind him. He’d confided in Josie, telling her more than he had told anyone else about his relationship with Angel. As alpha, it was his job to take care of members of his pack. He was there if they needed him, for anything and everything. They came to him with any issues and concerns, and he handled it. Plain and simple. Unfortunately, there was no one there for him. He normally was a private person, keeping his emotions hidden from others. This time he’d needed to talk to someone, and the good doctor was there. Now she was probably wishing she’d just kept walking.

  Staring at the beauty resting peacefully in the hospital bed, Chase took a moment to collect himself before he closed the distance between them. Reaching out, he ran a hand lightly down her long, black hair, pushing some of his power out gently, letting her feel his presence in the room. No one knew for sure why Rikki still was not awake, but Doc Josie thought she was in more of a healing sleep now. Her body had been through so much, that it was just taking some much-needed time to strengthen and recover.

  Chase stayed with Rikki for just over half an hour, talking softly to her, sharing stories of his precious girls, along with some from when he and Jenna were growing up. The doctor said she would come back to them when she was ready, and he wanted to do his part to make sure that was sooner rather than later. And maybe he was doing it for Angel, too. He knew how much she missed Rikki, and how terrified she was that Rikki might never wake up.

  Chase glanced at his watch and bit back a groan. It was late, and he would need to be up in four hours. Leaning over, he nuzzled Rikki’s cheek and whispered, “Come home to us soon, little sister. You are greatly missed.”

  Leaving the hospital, Chase walked toward his house, his mind on the things he needed to do before he left to meet with the council the next day. The first was spend time with his girls, Hope and Faith. They had come to live with him the year before after RARE rescued them from the General. They’d managed to capture his heart from the start, and had quickly become a huge part of his life. The girls were identical twins, but there were small differences, and he could easily tell them apart. Both had long blonde hair, and big blue eyes, with deep dimples in their cheeks. The only physical difference was that Hope had a small scar on her temple that she’d received from one of the scientists when the bastard tried to brand her with something.

  Their personalities were the main thing that set them apart. Faith was strong and outgoing, full of giggles and spontaneity. Hope was more cautious and reserved, watching everything and everyone closely. It took longer for Hope to trust, but once she did, she did whole-heartedly.

  Chase had missed them terribly while he was gone. He couldn’t wait to hear their laughter in the morning and receive some of their famous snuggles. He would start by making them breakfast, like he did every day when he was home. Then maybe they would make a stop at the playground on the way to daycare. The girls loved when they stopped there some mornings and he pushed them on the swings.

  Opening his front door, Chase automatically walked over to turn off the alarm before it could blare throughout the house, frowning when he realized it wasn’t set. Immediately pulling his revolver from its holster, he crouched low, inhaling deeply. The only people he scented were Jade, Hope, and Faith. Jade was staying with the girls while Chase was gone. Trace was supposed to be there, too, but must have been out on the mission with Angel.

  Chase quickly cleared the bottom level of the house, before making his way up the stairs to the second floor. He still did not scent anyone else in the house that shouldn’t be there, but uneasiness was creeping up his spine. Making his way slowly down the hall, he opened the door to Hope and Faith’s room slowly. Slipping inside, he glanced around, his gaze resting on the girls where they were sleeping peacefully in their beds right beside each other. He’d bought them each their own twin bed, but consistently found them in the same bed every morning. Finally, he had pushed the beds together so that they could be close to one another, but still have their own space if they wanted.

  He was getting ready to leave to check on Jade, when he saw something sticking out from behind the bed. What the hell? It looked like a foot. Quickly closing the distance between himself and the girls, he bared his teeth when he saw little darts sticking out of their necks. The sight of Jade on the floor beside Hope’s bed, clearly reaching for the girls with another dart sticking out of her neck, filled him with a rage like he had never felt before. Dropping his gun, he shifted quickly into his large, black wolf ready to hunt and kill whoever had hurt his family.

  A noise in the closet had him turning his head and baring his teeth, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest. The door to the room opened, and a woman stood there, a humorless smile on her face and a gun in her hand. “So, you made it home before we could leave with Angel’s brats.”

  The door to the closet slid open and a large man stepped out, grinning. “Let me take him, Ebony.”

  The woman laughed, shaking her head. “We don’t have time. Shoot him and let’s go.”

  “Well, shit,” the man groused, raising his gun, “I just wanted to have a little fun.”

  Before he could pull the trigger, Chase was on him, raking his deadly claws across the bastard’s soft stomach and then ripping out his throat with his fangs. He had no idea who they were, but they weren’t getting his babies. Turning, he snarled, his top lip lifting to show his sharp teeth dripping with blood. He sprang at her, a howl catching in his throat when she pulled the trigger on her gun and a dart slammed into his chest, another one quickly following and embedding itself into his neck. Snarling again, he fought to stay conscious, as he dragged himself over to his girls, forcing himself to rise and stand over Jade as he bared his teeth at the woman again.

  “Interesting,” she said softly, raising the gun and pointing it at him. “You’re a strong one. And they all mean something to you, even Jade. My father is going to want you.”

  It was the last thing Chase heard before the third dart hit him, and he slumped forward over Jade’s legs, losing consciousness.

  6

  Angel pulled into the underground parking garage at the FBI headquarters in Los Angeles just before dawn, utter exhaustion beating at her. It had taken them close to four hours to track down their prey, and then another hour and a half to slip in undetected past airport security and the three armed men who were
supposed to be protecting her, knock her out, and sneak her back out of the highly secured airport.

  “You bastards!” the woman screeched from the middle seat of the large SUV. “Who the hell do you think you are? You will pay for this! Mark my words, you will all fucking pay! You have no idea who you are messing with!”

  Ignoring her, Angel brought the SUV to a stop close to the elevator that would take them to their final destination, and she could not wait to dump the crazy twit there. Stepping out of the vehicle, she took a moment to stretch her aching muscles in peace, before walking around to the other side and opening the door. Phoenix slid out and stood beside her, his arms folded across his thick chest, a dark scowl on his face. When the woman would have started yelling again, Angel leaned into the SUV eye-level with her and growled, “Shut the fuck up before I shut you up.” She was done playing games. This evil bitch was the reason two teenagers, both good, sweet kids, were going to be haunted and scared of their own shadows for years to come. She was lucky she was still alive. When they had caught up with her, and Angel looked into her pale green eyes, eyes identical to Nathan and Natalie’s, she had come very close to slitting her throat.

  Not waiting to see if she was going to reply, Angel reached in and grabbed the woman by her arm, yanking her roughly from the vehicle. Jaxson climbed out behind her as Nico opened the passenger door and slid out. By the time they made it to the elevator, Trace and Sapphire were already there. Scanning her credentials, Angel waited for the elevator doors to slide open and her team to step inside, before she shoved the pissed-off woman in after them. Turning her back on her, Angel waited silently as the floors went by one-by-one, until it stopped on the number she’d chosen.

  She heard the woman’s breath hitch, and then a small squeak left her lips when the doors slid open and they were met by two armed men in suits. “We will take her from here, Ms. Johnston.”

  “No, you won’t,” Angel replied smoothly, motioning to her team to follow her, keeping the woman in their custody.

  “Ma’am, we have orders to bring her directly to our boss.”

  Angel stopped, turning to look at the young man who had to have just graduated from the academy recently. “I made a promise to a boy and his sister last night, a promise I fully intend to keep.” Taking a step closer to him, she placed her hands lightly on her hips which slid her leather coat open just enough to show him that she was packing, too, and arched a delicate eyebrow. “You wouldn’t want to get in the way of that, now would you?”

  The agent gulped and glanced once at his partner who took a step back from them, before saying, “No, ma’am, I wouldn’t.”

  “I didn’t think so.”

  Not waiting for a response, Angel stalked past the nervous agent, knowing her team was on her heels, and with them was the one person who could possibly tear a small family apart. No matter what happened, Angel knew the truth needed to come out. It may hurt now, but it would destroy lives in the future if the lies continued to grow and fester the way they had over the past couple of years. No, it was better if it was all out in the open now, so that everyone could move on. Everyone except the evil, conniving, manipulating bitch walking behind her who was beginning to stink with the acrid scent of her fear. Good. Served her right. She should be scared. Terrified.

  “Where are you taking me?” Angel ignored her, continuing down the hall in silence, turning first left, then right. “Dammit, where are we going?”

  Angel stopped in front of a closed door, hesitating briefly when she felt the pain and despair on the other side. Turning, she ground out lowly through gritted teeth, “If you so much as look at these kids wrong, you will be wishing you were dead instead of here at FBI headquarters, Victoria Perkins.”

  “Kids?” Then the rest of what Angel had said seemed to sink in. “FBI? Why the hell did you bring me here?”

  Leaning closer, Angel growled, “Think very carefully about this, Victoria. I know every single thing there is to know about you. Where you come from, where you’ve been the past fifteen years, who you are screwing, who you have killed.” The last was said very softly, barely above a whisper, but Victoria heard.

  Her eyes widening, she swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “The girl who stole your man eight years ago? I know where her body lies right now. How she died, and where proof is that you killed her.” As Victoria’s cheeks became bright red and her eyes darkened with hatred, Angel went on, “That may have been your first kill, but it definitely wasn’t your last. I know about the man six months later. The one who ended up with a bullet to the head because you wanted the diamonds he brought you, but took back when he found you in bed with someone else. I also know about the woman from just last year. The one you left for dead on the side of the road, her throat slit, after she threatened to tell your lover that you were sleeping with his brother. Need I go on?”

  Victoria’s eyes widened in shock, and then she glared at Angel. “How did you find out about all of that?”

  “You are going away for life, Victoria. There is no way you are getting around it. But, if you play nice for the next few minutes, maybe, just maybe, I won’t tell them about the judge you murdered in Texas just six months ago. You know they love the death penalty there.”

  Victoria’s face lost all color as she stuttered, “There is no way you can prove any of that. You’re bluffing!”

  When the door opened behind her, Angel whispered, “Try me.”

  “Angel, what are you doing?” Agent Hanson demanded as he stepped through and quickly shut the door behind him. “You need to get her in interrogation now. We have to figure out who she is and what her role is in all of this.”

  “I already know,” Angel replied evenly.

  “You know what?” he asked in confusion.

  “Everything.” Reaching around him, Angel shoved open the door, her eyes scanning the room. She knew who was inside. She’d captured their scent the moment the elevator doors opened, which is how she had ended up where she was now. She’d almost turned around, thinking maybe it would be better to take Victoria back to the first agents they had encountered, but then she’d tuned into young Nathan’s thoughts. I’m never going to get away from her. No matter what that cop said, she isn’t coming back. She can’t fix this. I’m going to have to live the rest of my life with Victoria haunting me. There was no way Angel was turning around after that.

  “You’re here.” The words were low, filled with disbelief.

  “What’s this all about,” Nathan’s father demanded, standing and glaring at her. “Don’t you think my kids have been through enough? We’ve been here all night waiting for you. Nathan refused to leave. He seems to think you are going to make everything right in his world again.” A muscle ticked in his jaw when he said, “I don’t know if anyone can do that, but he says you can. That you promised him you would. So we waited.” Without a word, Angel stepped to the side. Michael Perkins swore viciously when his eyes landed on Victoria. “What’s she doing here?”

  “She’s the reason your children were kidnapped, Mr. Perkins,” Angel said quietly.

  His gaze darkening, Michael sneered, “You did something that put my children in danger?”

  “Actually,” Angel interrupted before Victoria could respond, “she ordered the kidnapping.” Crossing the floor to where Nathan and Natalie sat in shock, she stopped by Nathan’s chair. “She had them taken, told the people she hired that you were going to pay a high ransom for them, and then tried to split town, leaving your children to fend for themselves.”

  Shaking his head, Michael asked in a voice filled with pain, “Why would you do that to your own flesh and blood, Victoria? What if they’d been killed?”

  Victoria shrugged, her gaze landing on Angel before looking away. “I was angry,” she admitted roughly.

  “Angry? What would make you angry enough to do something like that to Nathan and Natalie?”

  Her eyes flashed before she spit out,
“You stopped paying me.”

  “Daddy, what’s she talking about? I thought our mother was dead?” Natalie was the innocent one in everything. From what Angel found out while digging into the family’s history, Natalie had never even met her mother. Victoria left town right after the child was born, never looking back. Not for her children, anyway.

  Michael Perkins sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired face. “She may as well be. She left us a long time ago, Natalie. Trust me, baby, she’s not a good person. She isn’t someone you want in your life.” Turning back to Victoria, he said, “I stopped paying you years ago, Victoria. I was tired of it. You had no hold over me or the kids. You were the one that left us. There was no reason to keep lining your pockets with my hard-earned cash.”

  “But there was,” Angel said softly, “wasn’t there, Victoria?”

  Victoria ground her teeth together, sending Angel a look of contempt before letting her gaze rest on Nathan. “I only took from Nathan what was rightfully mine. I know he got it from his dad, anyway. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

  “Actually, that’s not true,” Jaxson stated from where he stood just behind her. When she turned to glare at him, he grunted. “You are nothing to me, lady. I don’t care what you think. You sucked your son dry for over two years. That money he gave you? It wasn’t from his father. He worked his ass off for it waiting tables every day after class, taking on construction jobs on the weekends and days he didn’t have school, and doing other side jobs when he could. Instead of being a kid, he’s had to become a man way too early in life.”

  Once Angel had informed her team about what was going on after they left the abandoned school the night before, Jaxson had immediately pulled out his laptop and got to work, digging up anything and everything he could find on the Perkins family. They never went into a job blind, but this time he dug even deeper than he normally would, determined to do whatever he could to help set things right. Angel knew this story hit close to home for him, and there was no way in hell he was going to let Victoria Perkins walk.