They were miles from anyone. October turned around and then went to head back upstairs to hide, but a naked man stood before her. Those yellow eyes told her who he was.
“My, my, don’t you look scrumptious. You have both of them wrapped around your little finger.
“They rescue you from the big bad wolf, take you into their home, and then fuck the shit out of you. You’re going to make one hell of a wolf. Then you’ll be my bitch.”
“I’ll never be yours. No matter what you do to me.” October looked at his smug smile and saw by his hard cock that he was excited by this whole thing.
“Oh, you’ll be mine, all right. I’ll set a silver spiked collar around your neck, and you’ll beg me to let you go. Soon you’ll do anything I wish just to get the burn away from your skin. Now come to Daddy.”
He lunged at her. She tried to get away, but landed on her bad ankle, which was also the foot she had cut. She fell and tried to crawl away. Her attacker stood over her and wagged his finger.
“Please,” she whimpered.
He put a finger to her lips. “Hush now. There’s no one here to save you. It’ll all be over soon. Then you’ll wonder why you ever wanted to be human.” Her captor hoisted her over his shoulder.
October struggled while he strolled out onto the balcony, climbed over the railing, and then jumped to the ground. A small scream left her lips as she was jostled on his shoulder. He readjusted his grip and held her tighter as he headed into the woods. Elliot still lay in wolf form, unconscious. Please get up. Please don’t die. She kicked and screamed, but his grip wasn’t letting up.
“Scream all you want. No one will find you where I’m taking you. Neither of your men will come either. I made sure of that.”
“What did you do to Mika?”
“Nothing you need to worry about. Now shut the fuck up before you make me mad. And you know what I do when I get mad,” he grumbled and quickened his pace.
October stifled her cries and tried to think of anything that would help the men find her. They would come for her. Think. Gotta think. She glanced at her arm and saw the gash. The sock was soaked through with blood. It dawned on her. She untied the sock and threw it on the forest floor.
The blood dribbled down her arm and splattered on the ground behind her. October prayed it would be enough.
Chapter Twelve
Mika opened his eyes and felt the stab of pain run from his throat and encompass his entire being. Fuck! What the hell happened? The bright light of the room pierced his eyeballs and made him want to retreat back into the darkness of the world he had been in. But then it all came back to him. The car accident. The naked man standing in the middle of the road. Him latching down on his neck and tearing out a large chunk of it. Mika had crawled a ways down the road, hoping to find someone to help him, but knowing that no one would. Then the darkness from the blood loss took him and he was swallowed up. Shit! He tried to get up again, but a hand held him in place.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Dawn stood over him with her white coat on, stethoscope around her neck, and a smug smile plastered on her face. He sighed and looked around, seeing he was lying down on a gurney. The harsh scent of chemicals burned his nose. Mika’s rage allowed him to sit up. He gritted his teeth and fought through it. His attacker had done quite a number on him.
“I have to get out of here. October’s in danger.”
She snorted. “What happened this time? Did she stub her toe?”
“No.” Fighting with Dawn was exhausting. He was getting tired of doing it. “Can I use your cell phone to call Elliot? There isn’t much time. They’re both in danger. The rogue did this to me. He’s going after October tonight. I need to get to the house or at least warn them.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Sure he is. And your car just happened to be in a ditch because you ran into an elk again.”
“What? No! Please, Dawn. I have to warn them.” He swung his legs over the bed and tried to stand, but the world spun, and he landed back on the mattress. He put a hand on his head. Frustration poured into every fiber of his being, along with the determination that he had to find a way out of Dawn’s office and get back to the house.
“What is it about this woman that you can’t be without her?”
Mika met Dawn’s eyes, and for a moment saw the woman he had fallen in love with, the very human woman who was innocent and loved the outdoors. He tried to get up again, and was feeling a little better, but Dawn wasn’t budging. Many moons ago, he thought they could be together after she’d stepped into his world, but he knew now they would never be able to do that. What he had done to her was inexcusable. The human in her had to be in there buried under all the hate she carried for him. The compassion had to be there because she still cared for the sick and was the pack’s healer as well as the doctor for the town. The hard edge she had to her might have been directed only at him, but hopefully he could appeal to her sympathy.
“Dawn, I get that you disbelieve everything I say. I’ve told you I’m sorry a thousand times, and I’ll say it a million more for what happened between us. If I could’ve stopped the wolf from biting you, I would have. I assume you’ll make my life a living hell for the rest of my days, and I’ll accept that for my punishment, but you have to let me go.”
“I could’ve left you to rot on the side of the road, you know.” Wetness lined her eyes.
He nodded. “I know. Thank you for saving my life, but I have to go.” He scanned the room for his clothes, but all he saw was a pile of bloody fabric. He couldn’t just run around naked.
“What do you see in her?” A tear slipped from her cheek, and he heard the dejection in her voice. Some part of her still loved him even after everything that had transpired between them.
“She’s strong, and she’s survived so much. We unintentionally revealed ourselves to her. After everything she’s been through, October still accepted us. She loves us for who and what we are. It’s nice not to hide when I’m around her. She makes me feel whole, and I want to protect her. I want her to stay and be my mate.”
“What if she chooses Elliot over you? Will you turn her just to get your way?”
“No. But if I don’t get to her now, then there won’t be anything left for me to go back to. Will you help me?”
Mika saw the struggle in her eyes. She wanted to chew him out again, leave his soul battered, and watch him die of loss, but Dawn closed her eyes and bowed her head.
“Fine. I’ll get you some scrubs, but I’m coming with you. You’re still in no shape to do much. You lost a lot of blood. It was a miracle I came along and was able to save you. I don’t care what you say. As your doctor, I’m coming.”
“Wonderful. Can you get me some pants?”
Dawn nodded and went to a cabinet she had in the room and fished out a pair of scrubs for him. Mika didn’t balk at being naked in front of her, considering their history. He slipped them on and stood up, this time feeling the coolness of the floor. The world spun for an instant, but Dawn caught him, and he regained his balance.
“Thanks.”
They left the office, and Mika found that he was feeling a little stronger when he got into the car. His neck hurt like a mother, but his head wasn’t spinning, so that was a plus, and his wolf was chomping at the bit to go after the asshole who had bit him. He prayed there was enough time for him to get back and save the day or warn October and Elliot about the impending danger. Not a word was uttered between him and Dawn. Questions raced through his mind that he wanted to ask her, but those inquiries wouldn’t roll off his tongue. They pulled up outside of the house.
Before Dawn even pulled to a stop, he had the door open, and jumped out when she slammed on the brakes. He was steadier on his feet, but moving too quickly hurt like hell. Mika pushed the pain aside and ran to the house, only to find the front door ajar. He pushed it all the way open and listened. His ears didn’t pick up any heartbeats in the house. The one thing he smelled
was the coppery scent of blood. There wasn’t a lot of it, but it was October’s blood. A growl spilled over his lips, and the hairs stood up all over his body. His muscles trembled with the oncoming shift, but he had to fight it off until he figured out what had happened. Mika went into the dining room, where he smelled the most of October’s blood and saw the broken glass glistening in the moonlight. He hopped over it, avoiding it the best he could, but still landed on a couple of shards. Below him he saw a naked form moving around near the bushes. He rushed down the stairs and saw Elliot crawling toward him. He fell to his knees, and Dawn was on the other side of him. Elliot grasped his hand and peered into his eyes.
“He took her. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong.”
“I know. Dawn patched me up. Do you know where he took her?”
Elliot gasped when Dawn helped him sit up. Mika saw the scratches and bite marks where the other wolf had attacked him. “No. He knocked me out cold. I’m sorry. I tried. Fuck, Dawn. Watch what you touch.” He jerked away, but Dawn held his arm and pulled and twisted it. With a loud pop, it went back into place. His friend winced.
“Sorry, but it was starting to heal wrong. The rest of your wounds are superficial abrasions and already healing. Nothing to worry about.”
Elliot got up and then looked at Mika. “What the fuck happened to you?”
“I was coming back from the police station, and he was waiting for me in the middle of the road. I slammed on the brakes, car swerved and ended up in a ditch. He taunted me that he was going to take October. I woke up in Dawn’s office.”
“Good thing I found him too. He was bleeding out on the road, his throat nearly torn out.” Dawn plucked the shards of glass from his feet.
“I’m sure he’s grateful that you saved him.”
Mika felt like flipping him off, but he forced a smile while he scoured the ground for any sign of October or the way the kidnapper had gone. He noticed the depressed grass and how the branches were broken on a few trees. His hunter’s trained eye saw the human footprints in the scattered pine needles.
“Can you run?” Mika asked Elliot.
His friend got up and cracked his neck. “Of course I can. How are we going to track him if we can’t find his scent?”
Mika got up and investigated the trail he had seen in the pine needles. He walked a few more feet and saw one of Elliot’s socks lying on the ground. He reached down and picked it up, only to notice it was still wet with blood. He brought it to his nose, and instantly October’s scent assailed his senses. When he looked down at the leaves, he saw the smattering of dark spots of her blood on the ground.
“What did you find?” Elliot asked.
He handed him the sock. “It seems she’s trying to leave us a trail. We have to get to her in time.”
“You’re in no position to shift, Mika,” Dawn chimed in.
He glanced at her and saw some concern in her eyes. That told him there was somewhere inside of her that still cared for him, but they would never have a future together. Besides, he wanted to be with October, and he would do anything to make sure she was safe. She was going to be the woman who bore his pups. That will never happen if we don’t get to her first. Every second we waste means that she is in more danger. He flashed Dawn a smile and then slipped out of the pants he wore. He tore the bandage from his neck, feeling the wounds flex with him as he moved his muscles. Dawn was going to say something, but he bounded off and felt the pain of the oncoming shift. It only took a few seconds between his feet touching the ground and him being on all fours. Mika hadn’t made it very far when he heard Elliot’s footsteps running next to him. And there was another pair. When he glanced over to his right, Dawn was there as well. He put his nose to the ground and inhaled October’s scent again. This time the coppery aroma of the blood was stronger than it had been when he was human.
He growled when he thought of what he was going to do with the asshole who had kidnapped her once more. If he hurt her, I am going to rip his dick off. Regardless, I’m going to tear his throat out and make him wish he never thought of coming after me and mine.
The moon above gave them ample enough light to see by. It was close to full, anyway, and his wolf rejoiced in being free of the human flesh. Together they were stronger. Together they were going to avenge October and then beg her to stay with them and be their mate. The trail of blood led the trio deep into the woods, where he didn’t hunt. When he stopped, his sides were heaving. In the distance he heard the thundering sound of a waterfall. The blood trail had stopped in the middle of the forest. He glanced at Elliot, wishing he could communicate with him, but being cut off from the pack didn’t allow him to. Elliot whined and then motioned he was going to head off to the left.
Dawn bit Mika’s tail to get his attention. He growled and felt the hair rise on his back. When he glanced in her direction, he saw a faint pair of footprints in the mud. She motioned she was going to explore around the area.
Mika looked closer and saw a crack in the ground. The way the pine needles and other debris were arranged on the forest floor weren’t natural. He yipped a warning, but it was too late. Dawn stepped forward and then disappeared. He heard a yelp. Elliot bounced over carefully, and they both edged toward the hole. In the middle of the pit were jagged tree branches buried in the dirt as spikes.
Luckily Dawn had landed on the side, and her body had twisted enough that she wasn’t hit by any of them. It was obvious when she didn’t move right away she was hurt. Elliot shifted back and then poked him. Mika did the same.
“We have to get her out of there.”
“Yeah. And we have to save October.” Mika glanced around and saw another set of footprints leading further toward the waterfall he heard deeper in the woods. “Try to get her out of there. Go back for help if you need to. Call in the pack. I don’t care at this point. I’m going after October.”
“Okay. But be careful.”
Mika nodded and ran off in the direction of the footprints. They led him closer to the falls. Then they stopped, and so did the trail of October’s blood. He examined the ground and again saw a faint split in the soil that shouldn’t have been there. Mika listened harder, and he thought he heard a hum that wasn’t caused by the water rushing over the rocks of the nearby river. He bent down and noticed a small branch that was shaped like a handle. He grasped it, and he was able to pull it back, revealing a door. In the darkness, he heard a loud and long howl pierce the night air. Elliot was calling in the pack. It didn’t matter to him anymore if the pack was coming and they punished him later. All that mattered was that October was going to be rescued and the man who stole her from them was going to be punished.
Before him was a staircase that led into a faint darkness. The overwhelming sense of danger washed over him, but he gritted his teeth and faced his fear to descend into whatever was awaiting him. He went down carefully, holding on to the railing, which was rotting away under his fingers. The stairs had been reinforced with new wood where the foundation was crumbling. This has to be some cellar from an old house. I know they used to have houses back up here in the old days, but I never suspected anything like this.
When he reached the bottom, he entered a large room. Two hallways branched off the main room, leading left or right. Now that he was underground, he heard the hum of a generator. The air was heavy with the smell of the kerosene used to run it. Above him was a chandelier all lined with candles, and a rope that was tied off to the side, where someone would lower it. Underneath the chandelier were piles of wax from the candles. He sniffed and caught October’s scent. Lights flickered in the hallway, but none were in the great room. Mika caught the smells of other women who had come and gone through the room. He glanced around looking for a weapon, but saw none.
Mika looked down the left corridor and saw five doors scattered along both walls. Three of them were closed. When he checked down the right corridor, there was another large room at the end of the hall and only four doors on both walls. One
was closed. He figured the open room at the end of the hall was where the generator was. He looked closer and saw more drops of blood going down the hallway. Shit. She could be in any of the rooms. He tried the left passage first. When he came to an open door, he saw an old mattress and a bucket thrown in the corner. Rusty manacles, like the ones used to bind October, hung on the walls. There was nothing strewn on the floor that he could use as a weapon.
He eased out of the room and passed the first closed door. He peered through the bars and saw a woman huddled in the corner. Mika tried the door, and she glanced over at him. A whimper left her lips.
“No more. Please.”
“Shh. I’m here to help you. But you have to be quiet, okay?”
He saw the hesitation in her eyes, but she nodded slowly. Her face was smeared with dirt. Her lip was swollen, and bruises adorned her arms. She wore nothing more than a red negligee, and that was torn. It revealed her legs, and he saw even more bruises. A pang of sympathy went through him knowing that October had to have endured the same treatment this poor creature had. It took everything in him to smile, press his finger to his lips, and then move away. As he inched closer to another open door, the stench was horrendous, like a dead animal. Inside were the remains of a woman strewn about the room. The wolf growled inside his head. In the two remaining cells, he found half-starved women huddled on the mattresses. Another was rocking back and forth. Her eyes were glazed over. Mika shook his head and made his way silently back toward the other end of the passageway. He made it to the stairs, when a large red wolf bounded out before him, lips pulled back, showing its teeth, with its eyes glowing red. Its claws were fully extended. Behind the wolf was the man who had kidnapped October. He was bare-chested and wore nothing more than a loose pair of gray sweatpants.
“My, my. I thought it’d be the other one coming to look for her. You were as good as dead when I left you on the road. Guess you got some help.”
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