Rebel Wolf

by Lowe, Anna

  “Well, I’ve got this problem, see?” David said. “And I’m looking to solve it.”

  Sophie sidestepped, turning in a slight circle rather than backing up to the very edge of the cliff. “And this problem is…?”

  David’s face cracked into a smile. “You.”

  Somehow, he found that amusing, and she couldn’t understand why. But then again, David had always been like that. Pulling the legs off beetles in order to watch them squirm. Kicking dogs for laughs. Shooting at rabbits and missing purposely, just to see them panic and flee.

  “I’m the problem?” She tried keeping her voice even. Meanwhile, she calculated the distance to her car, but it seemed miles away.

  “You’re the problem and the solution at the same time.” David laughed like that was the cleverest thing ever.

  “I don’t understand.” She slipped a hand into her pocket and hit a couple of buttons on her phone, hoping they were the right ones. If she could somehow get hold of Chase or the police… Heck, she’d be happy to make contact with Mr. Lee at that point.

  “Now, that’s your problem,” David said. “You just don’t seem to understand.”

  “Then why don’t you explain?” she said, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

  He rolled his eyes. “I told you already. I need money. You have money. Simple.”

  “It’s not my money.”

  “It is now that the old bat died.”

  She gaped. “Don’t you call my aunt that!”

  He sighed. “See? That’s your problem. You’re always getting attached. To that old lady. To your dumb dogs. To that guy you’ve been hanging around with.” His face darkened. “All that makes you lose sight of the big picture.”

  She rubbed her arms. That line came right from her stepfather’s playbook. And for him, the big picture was never anything good.

  She circled the other way. “The big picture?”

  Whoosh! The blowhole went off again, and the water drenched one of the three men, who glared as if it had been Sophie’s fault.

  “The big picture,” David affirmed. “Your father’s plan. Don’t you want to make him proud?”

  “Stepfather,” she said. “And, no. I want nothing to do with his crazy ideas.”

  “His ideas weren’t crazy. We need to defend ourselves. It’s like Darwin said. Eat or be eaten. Live free or die.”

  Sophie made a face. “‘Live free or die’ was John Stark.”

  “Whatever.” David shrugged. “The point is, a vision takes money. That’s where you come in.”

  Darcy growled a little louder, and Sophie grabbed some of that courage for herself. “No, that’s where you go out and earn what you need.”

  A car appeared then disappeared around a curve in the road, making Sophie’s hopes soar, only to fade.

  David’s face twisted. “Damn it, Sophie. You could make things a lot easier on yourself, you know.”

  She stuck her hands on her hips. “You mean, make things easier for you?”

  “All you have to do is give me the money.”

  Sophie’s jaw hung open. She’d had her suspicions, but now she was sure.

  “You did it. You set off the explosion.” She covered her mouth with her hand, still unable to fully accept that ugly truth. “You shot at me.”

  And David, the bastard, grinned like a Cheshire cat.

  Sophie found her hands shaking with a mix of fear and anger. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t you just ask? Why bother making the truck blow up? Why bother shooting?”

  A sly grin passed over David’s face. “Those were just messages. You know, to make myself clear. If I wanted you dead, honey, you’d be dead.”

  Sophie gulped away a sob. She couldn’t show fear. Not around David.

  “And now that I have made myself clear…” he continued.

  “Clear?” she practically screamed. “Nothing you say makes sense.”

  “You want me to spell it out for you? Fine. I want the money. I wanted you too, but now, I don’t really care.”

  She snorted. Was she supposed to feel bad about that?

  “And if I don’t give you the money?”

  He shrugged. “Then we go to Plan B. You know who’s next in line to inherit your aunt’s money?”

  Sophie couldn’t believe her ears. Was David serious?

  “Your mother, that’s who. And she knows to do the smart thing, unlike you.”

  Sophie wanted to scream. Her mother did the safe thing. She didn’t ask questions, and she didn’t think for herself. She just did as she was told.

  “Listen to yourself,” she said, trying to appeal to the boy she once knew.

  “No, you listen to me. I need that money, and you are going to give it to me.”

  For a moment, she considered doing so. No amount of money was worth risking her life for. Still, what if David used it to harm others?

  “What do you want it for?” She stuck her hands on her hips, more to bolster her own nerves than to impress David.

  “With some things, sweetheart, it’s better not to know.”

  Sophie stamped her foot. She might not be a warrior, but she wasn’t a pushover. At least, not any more.

  “Well, I want to know. I’m in charge of that money, after all.”

  She had a hard time not trembling after that, because it felt strange to issue an order instead of receiving one.

  David’s face twisted with annoyance, but he finally replied. “All right, then. Why the hell not?”

  The three men behind him looked at each other, concerned. In the distance, something moved, and Sophie’s heart leaped. A vehicle appeared, slowing to pull over on the side of the road. Chase’s pickup!

  She yanked her eyes away before David noticed. The more he talked, the more time Chase had to climb down and help her out of this mess.

  “First, we need more space to train,” David said. “To prepare. To launch our next operations from.”

  Sophie did her best to pay attention as Chase — and Dell, bless him — quietly picked their way down the rocky path from the roadside.

  “A private place where we can make those upgrades your stepfather dreamed about.” David made air quotes around upgrades.

  Her surprise must have shown, because David grinned. “That’s right, honey. The ultimate fighting machine. We’re finally going to make that dream come true.”

  Her jaw dropped as David patted his bear claw necklace. Did he mean shape-shifting?

  “Don’t you remember what happened to Mike?” she breathed, keeping her voice low.

  David shrugged. “I found a better way.”

  Sophie glanced at the other men. Wasn’t David worried about them overhearing?

  He laughed outright. “Ha. That’s no secret with these guys. Meet Lamont, McGraw, and Vucovich — or should I say, my wolf buddy and his two friends, the bears.”

  Sophie froze. Was he serious?

  The man on the right — McGraw — shot David a sharp look. “Watch what you say, asshole. The boss will have your hide if we don’t pull this off quietly, like she ordered.”

  Sophie stared. McGraw’s bulky, rounded shoulders and thick layer of stubble reminded her vaguely of Chase’s brother, Tim. Vucovich was the same — built like a tank. With a little imagination, she could picture any of them turning into bears.

  Please, no, she wanted to beg.

  The other man — Lamont — was leaner and more agile, with medium-length brown hair that fell over his eyes. The way he shot sidelong glances this way and that made her think of images she’d seen of wolves in the wild in the early stages of a hunt. He had a wary, vigilant air to him. A little like Chase, in fact.

  She took a step back, staring at the men. A werewolf? Two werebears?

  Her mind filled with images of Mike’s agonizing death, and she winced.

  “It won’t work. Remember Mike? The change killed him. It just isn’t possible. Drop the idea, David. Please.” Her voice was a whisper, and her hands shoo
k.

  David’s smile turned even more sinister. “Aw, I knew you cared about me. But don’t you worry. I’ve got someone who’s going to help me do it right.” He flexed his chest muscles as if already trying out a powerful new body.

  Sophie glanced back at Chase, who was halfway down the path. Dell had broken away from him to come down from the right. Soon, they’d both be at her side and—

  Her thoughts screeched to an abrupt stop. If David’s accomplices really were shifters, Chase and Dell were in terrible danger. Not even a couple of elite Special Forces soldiers could fend off wild animals with their bare hands.

  “So, I bet you’re rethinking things right now,” David went on, arrogant as ever. “You want to be on the winning side, right?” He grinned, all friendly again. “Just think it over, Sophie. We could start a new group. An offshoot of the Seventy-Sixers. We could be the ones everyone else looks up to.”

  She clenched her fists. David was crazy if he thought that changed her mind.

  “The winning side?”

  “Yep. My side, baby. The shifter side.”

  “And who exactly is the enemy?”

  His face darkened. “The government. Big corporations. Any asshole who thinks they have the right to tell me what to do.”

  Whoosh! The blowhole exploded, accentuating David’s point.

  Darcy growled. Coco and Boris huddled against her legs. Chase and Dell had slowed to sneak up unnoticed, but any minute now…

  “Show her, McGraw.” David snapped his fingers.

  McGraw threw him the evil eye. “I’m here on the boss’s orders, not yours.”

  Sophie racked her mind for who that boss might be. They’d mentioned a woman. But who?

  Lamont grinned and started loosening his tie. “What’s the big deal?”

  “Yeah,” Vucovich added. “Think of it as a warm-up for the main job we came here for.”

  Sophie couldn’t follow a word. What exactly did they have planned? And if she was just the warm-up, what was the main event?

  She backed up as the dogs growled at the men.

  “Try stopping me, you pups,” Lamont sneered, taking his jacket off.

  Seconds later, he unbuttoned his shirt and started loosening his belt. When Vucovich followed suit, Sophie blanched. God, was rape part of his plan?

  “Don’t get sidetracked,” McGraw cautioned.

  But David just egged the two men on. “Come on. Show her. It’ll be fun.”

  Fun? It was more like a cruel trick.

  The wind kept whipping strands of hair into Sophie’s face, and she pulled them back to look around. Chase was crouched by a boulder behind Lamont, looking darker and more dangerous than she’d ever seen him. Dell wasn’t far from McGraw, but did either realize what danger they were in?

  Chase! she wanted to cry. Help. Save me. No, wait — run away.

  Lamont untied his shoes and pushed his pants down. “Watch this, sweetheart. The real thing.”

  She didn’t want to watch, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away, because Lamont dropped to all fours and ducked his head. Darcy pranced forward two steps, barking madly, then skittered back to Sophie’s legs.

  “Yeah, watch, little guy,” David laughed.

  She prayed that it would all turn out to be a bad joke, but Lamont and Vucovich started making noises much like Mike had once done. Fur broke out all over their skin and grew thicker. When Mike had tried to shift, the fur had come and gone in uneven clumps, and his screams of pain never ceased. But Lamont and Vucovich shifted smoothly with nary a sound. Their ears tapered into triangles, and their noses darkened. She barely noticed the stages of their faces stretching, nor the way their limbs reshaped. One minute, Lamont was a man, and the next, he was a wolf. Vucovich was a bear. It was startling, but not horrifying. In fact, there was something magical about it all.

  But then the wolf’s eyes focused on her, showing pure blood lust.

  “No,” she whispered, inching to one side.

  Yes, the wolf seemed to say, showing off its long, pointy fangs.

  David chuckled like a madman. “Soon, I’ll be able to do that too. And then—”

  He whirled as Chase stepped out of the rocks. Sophie nearly cried out in relief, but she choked with fear. What could Chase possibly do?

  Chase edged around the rock, working his way toward Sophie.

  “Stop,” he growled, addressing the wolf. “Stop right now.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sophie froze as Chase held out his hands, showing he didn’t want a fight. But his eyes glowed in a way she’d never seen before, turning the hazel into a fiery brick color. They were full of anger, but full of regret too. Why?

  “This is our territory, and you know it,” Chase barked at Vucovich and McGraw. Then he faced David. “You have no idea who you’re getting mixed up with.” He jerked a thumb toward the road. “Last chance to get out.”

  David laughed. “Or what?”

  “Or die.” Chase’s voice was bitter and worn. The voice of a man who’d seen enough death and destruction for one lifetime.

  “Oh yeah? You’re going to get rid of us all by yourself?”

  “No,” Chase said simply as Dell stepped into view near McGraw. Gone was the happy-go-lucky jokester; this Dell was a furious warrior, ready to do battle.

  Chase pointed. “Him, me, plus my brothers. They’ll be here soon.”

  Sophie’s hopes swelled at the thought of everyone rushing over to help. But there was no sign of movement on the road above, and she feared that would be too late.

  Lamont’s paws splashed through puddles as he took a step forward, cutting Sophie off from Chase.

  “Stop,” she shouted, hoping the wolf would understand. “This is crazy.”

  “It’s not crazy. It’s destiny,” David crowed.

  Chase shook his head. “Destiny? This is not destiny.”

  His gaze traveled to Sophie, and his glowing eyes softened.

  Love, she thought, warming. That’s the color of love.

  Then she glanced at Lamont, and behind him, Vucovich. Their eyes were glowing too, although in a murderous hue. Sophie tilted her head as scattered thoughts slowly came together in her mind like pieces of a puzzle. Not enough to click into place, just to hint at an outline.

  What? She wanted to scream. What’s the connection?

  “I’ve had it with his asshole.” David snapped his fingers. “Kill him. I’ll take care of her.”

  Sophie’s hands shook. David meant it. So did Lamont, whose canine eyes signaled something like I’ll kill with pleasure.

  “Chase,” she warned, willing him to run away.

  He turned to her with a look so conflicted, so full of mourning, she nearly cried.

  “I love you, Sophie.”

  Her heart ached. Why did that sound so much like goodbye?

  “I love you too,” she whispered.

  Chase went on as if he hadn’t heard. “Please don’t hate me for this.”

  How could she hate him for rushing to her assistance? “I could never—”

  Then all the color drained out of her face, because Chase’s face twisted, and the shirt split down his back. “Don’t hate me,” he repeated in a lower, strained tone.

  Sophie covered her mouth, stifling a cry. Hair broke out all over Chase’s skin as he shook off the scraps of his clothes. His fingers curled and meshed, and his frown stretched, revealing ever pointier teeth. His ears pulled back, and his limbs bent…

  “No,” Sophie whispered. It couldn’t be.

  David cackled as Darcy barked furiously. “I guess lover boy never mentioned he was a shifter, huh?”

  Sophie stared in disbelief. The gentle, caring man she’d spent the night with had just turned into a wolf. One that balanced on his back legs before dropping to all fours as if to hammer in a point. Human. Beast. Shifter.

  “Chase?” she whispered.

  A beast with chestnut fur, exactly the color of Chase’s hair. His canine eyes were fille
d with love, at least for the moment that they fixed on her. But then he swung his head toward Lamont, and the glow turned deadly again.

  Coco whimpered, and Sophie nearly did too. Darcy stood perfectly still, staring between Chase and the other wolf, almost as if choosing sides. Sophie gripped his collar tightly. The little dog was all heart, but he didn’t belong in the middle of a wolf fight.

  Then Sophie shrieked as Lamont rushed at Chase, who leaped to ward him off. God, no.

  “Finally, a little action,” David cackled.

  A little action? All Sophie saw was a blur as the wolves jumped at each other, splashing through shallow puddles left by the blowhole. Their claws extended, and their lips drew back to expose long white canines. Their bodies collided in midair. When they crashed to the rocks, they rolled, sprang apart, and leaped at each other’s throats again.

  Sophie had witnessed several dog fights, but she couldn’t believe the wolves’ ferocity and power. They were much bigger, and much deadlier, than dogs. More experienced, too. Every move the wolves made was aimed at murder, not for show.

  Vucovich, the bear, watched them closely, ready to leap into the fight when an opening presented itself.

  McGraw cursed and loosened his tie.

  “You don’t need to get involved,” Dell warned, cutting him off from the others. “Cut your losses and leave.”

  McGraw rolled his eyes. “Right. Sure.”

  Darcy barked wildly. Sophie grabbed him by the collar, as much to anchor herself in reality as to hold the dog back from the fight.

  The darker-colored wolf — Chase — sidestepped Lamont’s attack and slashed at his shoulder, drawing blood. Then Chase dropped back and paused, giving this enemy one more chance to reconsider. But Lamont shook himself, snarled, and rushed forward again, intent on a fight to the death.

  “Damn it,” David muttered to McGraw. “I thought Moira said you guys were the best.”

  Sophie furrowed her brow. She couldn’t recall a Moira from back home. Had a new woman joined the militia?

  “Moira,” Dell spat. “Should have known.”