by Lauren Dane
“Last week, I had to attend a conference on murder crime-scene investigation in Portland. I can’t begrudge you a few criminals when we’ve got so many of our own. Unless and until it becomes an issue of safety, I will keep as much of this as I can to myself.”
“We appreciate that very much.” Lex inclined his head in the way the other Pack members did to him to show respect.
Lex then went on to outline what they were doing to locate the virus and the wolves who’d stolen it. They had trackers on it as they were all speaking.
“I want to be there when the final takedown occurs.” Stoner leaned back in his chair.
“Detective, it could be very dangerous to any human in the area. I give you my word that we’ll notify you the moment we capture the wolves responsible,” Lex cautioned him.
“Don’t make the mistake in thinking that was a request, Warden.” Stoner turned to Nina. “And I think you’d want to be as far away from this as possible after what happened to your house and shop.” He narrowed his eyes. “And your brother. Where is he, by the way?”
Lex growled when he saw Nina’s slight wince, but she held it in well. “It’s okay, Lex,” she reassured him. “Detective, I believe my brother is dead and I believe the wolves who torched my house and shop are responsible. I think he heard something or they thought he did. In any case, I’m not letting go until they’re held responsible for what they’ve done.” She held her head high and her voice was steady as she said it.
“Fair enough. I apologize for upsetting you. But if you don’t mind my asking, why did you become a wolf after all they’ve done to you?”
“Detective, what matters now is that I am a wolf. I am Second in this Pack and these wolves are my responsibility. I don’t shirk my responsibilities.”
Pride surged through Lex at her answer, at the way she accepted not only that she was a wolf but her position as well. He noted Cade’s posture straighten in response too.
“Duly noted, Ms. Reyes. I can respect that.” He turned back to Lex. “I’ll be expecting a call before any takedown of these wolves takes place or I may feel like you haven’t held up your half of the bargain.”
Lex narrowed his eyes and finally nodded his agreement.
Stoner stood, they all shook hands and he left.
* * *
Lex checked in with his people at the hospital and those investigating the whole Carter mess. When he finished up some hours later, he went to look for Nina. He found her in Cade’s room.
His adrenaline surged when he first caught sight of her curled in his brother’s arms but he met Cade’s eyes above her head and saw the anguish and concern there. He heard the soft sounds of her breathing and could smell her tears in the air.
“She’s asleep,” Cade murmured.
Lex crossed the room to where they were sitting. “What is it?”
“She’s scared, Lex. Worried she won’t do a good job as Second. Unsure of her transformation. She doesn’t want to fail. Not you, not me, not the Pack.”
Cade stroked a hand over those chocolate curls and gave a wry grin when he caught Lex staring at the movement. “She didn’t want to worry you. She came to ask me about the transformation ceremony tonight. She just crawled into my arms when the tears came. Nearly broke my heart.”
Lex knew that a part of that urge on her part to seek comfort from Cade was that he was her Alpha, and that would have been reinforced by his also being the Anchor. Still, it wasn’t easy to see his mate in his brother’s arms, asleep and exhausted from her tears.
Cade stood easily and put her into Lex’s arms. She snuggled into his chest and sighed. “I wish I knew how to help her,” Lex said softly.
Cade chuckled. “You do. She’s yours. You’re hers. Just be her mate, Lex, and the rest will work out. She’s something so very special, but then you are too. Things will be easier after the transformation. It’s the unknown she fears. It’s ironic that you’d get a woman who is even more of a control freak than you are.”
“Ha, ha.” Lex rolled his eyes. “Hey, Cade?”
Cade tipped his chin up in response.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. If it weren’t for this pesky mate thing and you being my brother and all, I’d steal her away in a minute.”
Lex stifled a derisive snort. “You wish.”
Cade sighed and shrugged. “Yeah.”
Lex started to reply but thought better of it. Instead, he took Nina to their bedroom and tucked her into bed where she slept as he worked and kept an eye on her.
* * *
Warren Pellini stared at Jack Reed in horror. “You what?”
“We infected the human but he got away. My men weren’t watching closely enough. Before they noticed someone had called the cops and they’d picked him up.”
“You lost a drugged-up transient human who’d been infected and beaten up? Who are these wolves of yours, Jack?”
“They aren’t anything anymore. There’s only one left alive and he won’t be for long. And the human was so tranked up that he won’t remember anything. If he lives at all, that is. We don’t know if it even took.” Jack tried very hard to repress any nervousness. They were both alphas in their own right but Warren Pellini was insane pure and simple. On top of that he was utterly merciless.
“I’m beginning to see just why Carter was so frustrated with you wolves, Jack. What kind of disorganized organization are you running here?”
Jack wanted to explain that his wolves were used to running small-time crime—nothing like kidnapping and human experimentation! But he knew excuses would just make him look weak.
“It’ll be handled. I’ll see to it personally. This bum has nothing on us. Chances are he’s dead anyway.”
“And if he isn’t?”
“He’ll be a wolf and we’ll be sitting on a goldmine that will have the humans paying through the nose for years to come.” Jack smiled through sharp teeth.
Warren watched him through dead eyes, seeing him for the liability he was. “Get the human back, Jack. We can’t afford exposure at this stage.”
Chapter Ten
“Beautiful, are you ready?” Lex murmured, lips against her temple.
She looked at him in the mirror, meeting his eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded.
The house was filled with Pack. She could smell them all. Forest and loam. She scented power and family. Anticipation.
“I can feel them. Smell them.”
He smiled as he took her in, dragging his eyes down her body, now clad in a midnight blue silk robe that she’d drop once they got outside under the moon to change. She was all curves and sex. Her scent filled his nose. He no longer smelled Pack, he only scented her. His mate. The particular mix of musk and pheromones that was his woman. It was alluring and seductive. Heady and intoxicating.
“They’re here to welcome you home, Nina. I know this is hard for you. That you don’t trust them much. But they’re yours. I’m yours. Hell, even Cade is yours. Forgive them and they’ll follow you into hell itself.” He smoothed his hands down her arms, having to repress his urge to pull her down to their bed and make love to her for hours.
She took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll try.”
“You’re going to do just fine. Your wolf knows what to do. It’s not hard or scary. Just let it happen.”
She heard a knock on the door and Cade opened it and walked in. He was shirtless, like Lex, and wearing low slung sweat pants. Man oh man, they were both so beautiful. He caught her appraising gaze and winked and they both laughed.
Lex made an annoyed sound and pulled her closer. “That’s enough of that.”
“You all should wear clothes then.” She turned and kissed him quickly. “Okay, let’s do this, shall we?”
Cade held out a
hand and Lex another and she took both and let them lead her downstairs.
The entire Pack, minus the wolves who were at the hospital, was waiting. Anticipating their arrival. There was tension and excitement in the air and Nina felt slightly nauseated as her wolf stretched out inside of her body, readying to be freed.
As she passed the wolves all went to their knees. Cade and Lex led her outside and into the tree line that abutted the house. They stopped beneath a large maple tree and the Pack circled them.
Looking up into the clear autumn sky, Nina felt the pull of the moon. Felt the tidal sway of nature, felt her wolf respond.
“Let it happen, Nina.”
She looked into Lex’s eyes and watched as his humanity slid away. Watched as his wolf began to manifest. She felt a deep tug and looked to Cade, who watched her silently. He squeezed her hand and took a step back. Lex slid her robe from her shoulders. The evening cloaked her as the silver of the moon bathed her skin.
She raised her hands toward the sky and felt herself—her human self—simply go elsewhere and her wolf surge to the surface. She fell to her knees and watched in fascination as her body suddenly wasn’t the same. She had four legs. She felt her nose and mouth as a muzzle. Wondered at the feel of her long tongue as it moved over sharp teeth.
From deep within her a sound of joy, of discovery and transformation, burst through her and into the evening air. A howl that echoed against the house and trees. Her howl was joined by Lex’s and Cade’s and the chorus of howls of the rest of the Pack.
The world was black-and-white. Sharp and vivid. The air was filled with a banquet of smells and sounds that she’d never noticed before. The earth under her feet was spongy and received her weight differently than she’d ever perceived it before.
She shook herself and took off at a run. Lex joined her, a wolf the size of a freaking pony, and bumped against her. She knew instinctively that it was playful and she shoved back. He grinned at her with those sharp teeth and yipped.
They ran and ran, playing and jumping through the forest for hours until Cade and Lex guided her back to that big maple tree. Once back, she dropped to her belly and crawled to Lex.
He grabbed the back of her neck with his teeth then let go. When she opened her eyes, the world was color again and he was holding out her robe.
Cade was ushering the others back toward the house and it was just the two of them under the stars.
“Such a beautiful wolf,” Lex murmured. “How did you like it?”
“It was incredible. I don’t even know how it all happened or even how I got back to this shape but I want to do it again.” She had a smile on her face and Lex laughed.
“We will, beautiful. Now, let’s go back inside so I can make love to you properly.”
“You have a deal.” She took his hand and followed him.
Before they’d reached the back deck, Dave rushed out and Lex’s relaxed posture changed immediately.
“Dr. Molinari called. The transformation went fine until the Rogues showed up and took the new wolf and...” His voice broke.
“Tell me,” Lex’s voice held authority then and Nina felt the compulsion of it in her bones. She saw Dave’s anguish and understood that something very bad had happened.
As Lex had demanded that Dave tell him the rest, he’d ushered Nina back into the house and was putting his pants on quickly.
“Brian is dead. They used silver shot. Eric is being treated right now for some pretty bad wounds. Charlie may not make it. He’s in surgery.”
Lex took long strides to their bedroom and pulled out a shirt and a bulletproof vest. Dave helped Lex get it fastened at the sides and Nina moved to get jeans and her Doc Martens on.
Lex looked up as he strapped a holster to his thigh. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
She fastened the Velcro at the sides of her smaller vest that Dorian had given her earlier that week. “I’m putting on a vest to go under my shirt.” She pulled a sweatshirt on over it and undid the trigger lock on her handgun, checked the magazine before sliding it in the underarm holster that she’d strapped on.
Lex grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. “I don’t have the time or the patience for an argument now, Nina. You’re not going. You will stay here. Period.”
“I am Second in this Pack, I can shoot. I am a damned good fighter and I’m going. I’m not going to argue with you so that shouldn’t tire you out. Now let’s go.”
“Dave, wait for me downstairs. Call Stoner and tell him to meet us at the hospital.” Lex said it without taking his eyes from Nina. When Dave had gone Nina simply held up her hand.
“No. I’m not arguing with you on this. I am coming. I won’t be stupid but I’m coming.”
“You are being stupid, Nina. You are not trained to do this. I’ll be distracted worrying about you.”
“I’ll stay back. I won’t get into something I can’t handle. But I’m not staying here and that’s that.”
“Damn it, Nina! You are not coming! Stop being such a stubborn female!” He shouted all of that but Nina heard the fear in his voice.
She reached up and kissed his chin. “I’m coming. I’m not getting hurt and neither are you. Please, Lex. These people murdered my brother, they took him from me. Don’t make me stay back here. I need to be there. I need to see this through.” Her eyes pleaded with him and her voice showed the depth of her emotion. “Now come on.” She turned and walked out. He growled, following in her wake.
“Cade, order her to stay back,” Lex called out as they entered the living room.
“I’ll make every day of the rest of your life a living hell if you do,” Nina called out as she grabbed her hair, twisted it up into a quick bun and secured it with a ponytail holder.
Cade stood there with a smile on his face and shrugged at Lex. “She’ll be fine. She’ll just follow you like a puppy if you don’t take her. This way you can at least know where she is at all times.”
“Some Alpha you are,” Lex snarled as he checked his weapons and strapped them on while Dave helped him with the knife sheath at his waist.
Cade chuckled. “I like walking without a limp. I’m more afraid of her than you.”
Nina laughed and went to the door and waited.
“Damn it.” Lex stomped to her and pulled her shirt up and made sure she’d fastened the vest correctly. He rechecked her weapons and gave her a last look before shoving her out the door, knowing she was wearing a smug smile even when he couldn’t see her face.
Triumphant that she had won, she wasn’t stupid either. She knew that Lex was an expert at this stuff and she had no plans of doing the stupid heroine thing and getting herself trapped and endangering everyone else. No, Nina sat quietly in the car, listening as Lex gave instructions to his men on the way over to the hospital. She had every intention of listening to and obeying his orders. He appeared to be partially mollified by her behavior, which relaxed them both a bit.
When they arrived the men fanned out on his orders and he headed toward Stoner, who stood similarly suited in a vest and weapons.
“What’s the story?” Stoner barked and Lex quickly filled him in.
One of the members of Lex’s team ran back toward them, still in wolf form. When Stoner noticed, a panicked look flashed over his face. Nina touched his arm. “It’s okay. He tracks better this way. He can pick up the scent of other wolves.”
Lex looked deep into the wolf’s eyes and nodded. He gave quiet, terse orders to the group. “They had a car and shoved the new wolf into it. But they didn’t drive far and whatever it was they drove, it was unusual, so Shane kept the scent. They are two miles from here. We’re going to take the patch of woods behind the hospital and approach the house from the rear.”
Stoner nodded and spoke quietly to the two officers he had with him.
Lex approached Nina and looked into her eyes. “You will stay behind Megan. You will not hesitate to use your weapon on any wolf or human who attacks you. You will not run off or do anything stupid.”
Nina nodded solemnly and then with her fingertip drew an X over her heart. “Cross my heart and hope to wear granny underwear until I die.”
He choked a surprised laugh. “Nina, I have to know you’re taking this seriously.” His voice was urgent as he held her upper arms.
“I am. I promise you, Lex. I’m bitchy, but I’m not dumb.”
“I love you.” He kissed her forehead and she watched as he dropped the face of her mate and pulled the Enforcer mask on.
She took a step back in awe and a bit of fear. He was so intense at that moment, strong and powerful. A killing machine. It was kinda hot.
He turned and made some movements with his hand and she watched as his men took their places while she took hers behind Megan.
They moved through the woods quietly. So quietly that it shocked Nina. Apparently when she became a werewolf she got wicked-mad ninja skills too. She stifled an amused laugh, knowing that Lex would so not appreciate her levity at that moment. Her ears were very sensitive, her muscles fluid as she moved. She felt more aware than she ever had, noticing every sound in the trees, differentiating between birds and small rodents, even two deer that watched them all from a safe distance.
She realized that she’d begun to take being a werewolf not necessarily for granted, but simply as a fact. She would deal with it because it was now her reality and it was what she had to do both to survive and to stay at Lex’s side. Moreover, she felt the responsibility to the Pack in a way she couldn’t have understood before she transformed earlier that evening. For whatever reason, she truly felt Second. She felt responsible for the wolves in Cascadia Pack. They were hers and in a very real way, she was theirs. Even if she still didn’t quite know how to get around what happened at the Pack house when she was attacked.
After a few minutes they approached the house. The lights were on inside and the back of the house faced the woods. From the tree line they could see into the living room. There were three men sitting in front of a television and one in the kitchen. A BMW 800 series sat in the driveway, not a very usual car, even in BMW-happy Bellevue.