Saved by Her Wolves

by Cynthia Knoble

  “He’s right,” Ashlynn’s voice sounded from behind her as she felt the shifter’s hand alight on her back. “They’re coming. It’s hard, I know it is, but you have to keep faith they’re coming because they are.”

  Emily wanted to be strong and have faith but her fear overrode every bit of reason her mind possessed. Scared for Naomi, Ashlynn and herself, knowing what their captors would soon do to them, even those atrocities paled to the abject terror the shifters would kill Nathan before help arrived. As she ignored Ashlynn’s suggestion to let Nathan rest, she also ignored the pain in her arm and pushed against the bars harder, futilely trying to touch her doomed mate.

  ***

  Just finished his phone calls to Brady and Garrett, coordinating efforts with them, Ryder entered the living room of his house, the apparent headquarters of his Willow Creek ‘team’. Consisting of Wayne, Jason, and his constables Kyle and Alex, it also included Scott, Ryan, and Jack Tremblay, and he was less than thrilled with their presence. Time had allowed him to calm somewhat and adopt his commander role once more and now, determined to set ground rules, he dipped his head brusquely to the gathered men before his eyes sought out Jack.

  “How’s Sylvia?”

  “Fine. Shaken up of course but, thankfully, she only received a black eye and a couple of bruised ribs.”

  Visibly upset by his relation of his mate’s condition, Ryder knew the devastation and anger Jack felt, even if he hadn’t voiced it. Greatly anguished over Ashlynn’s kidnapping himself, Ryder could only imagine what Jack felt at the abuse of his mate of forty years and the kidnapping of his daughter and son. He thought Jack surprisingly composed considering the situation and figured his role as Alpha was responsible for that.

  “I’m glad her injuries weren’t worse,” he offered, “and hope she recovers swiftly.”

  “Thank you,” Jack responded.

  “What is SASS doing about this?” Scott broke in loudly.

  Mildly surprised he’d kept quiet this long, Ryder locked eyes with him. “We’re coordinating efforts, and gathering information. I’ve spoken to someone involved in the investigation. He and another agent are flying in today. Then we’ll proceed to Saskatoon to question Mark again.”

  “Isn’t that a waste of time?” Ryan questioned. “He hasn’t divulged anything so far.”

  “No he hasn’t,” Ryder agreed, “but now Ashlynn is in peril. I’m hoping that will loosen his tongue.”

  “Give me five minutes with him,” Scott snarled. “I’ll find out what he knows.”

  “I appreciate your concern Scott, but you, Ryan, and your father are here as a courtesy. I want to keep you abreast of our investigation and any action we take, but you won’t be a part of it.”

  “Like hell!” came the response.

  Scott practically spat it out as he leapt to his feet and stormed toward Ryder. Wayne moved to intercede as Jack and Ryan got to their feet.

  “Stick your official way of handling people up your ass!” Scott bellowed in Ryder’s face. “My mate, my sister, and my brother were taken. On your watch. SASS has dropped the ball too many times. I say to hell with the lot of you!” So close their chests almost touched, Scott’s angry face inches from his, Ryder held the furious gaze the shifter unloaded on him. “Jason and his men would do better and, hell, Ryan and I could do a better job than you have so far. Maybe we should be handling this.” Scott shook off Wayne’s hand as he turned his vicious glare on him. “Back off!”

  Ryder held his hands up. “This isn’t helping, Scott. I know it’s hard but you have to trust us to do our jobs and bring everyone home safely.”

  “Trust you? Oh, that’s rich. After what Mark did? You seriously expect us to trust SASS?”

  Knowing how furious Scott would be if he learned of SASS’s further compromised state, Ryder wondered how he’d keep that information from him. He knew despite his best efforts, the Tremblays would insert themselves into this mission. Imagining the chaos that would ensue if they learned the entire story, he unleashed a steely look upon Scott.

  “Yes I do. Who else is going to rectify this if not SASS and The Alliance? What’s your plan? Wander around aimlessly hoping to bump into the pack? There’s a reason they’ve eluded capture. They’re organized, and they cover their tracks. They don’t leave a trail. They’re smart and we need the Alliance’s resources to find them. That’s just the way it is, and you arguing about it is wasting time. Now, either calmly contribute to this discussion, or leave.”

  Scott’s eyes narrowed dangerously and Ryder stiffened, prepared to counter his attack. Amazingly, fury seemed to bleed out of Scott before Ryder’s eyes. His rigid posture relaxed and, with a loud kissing of his teeth and one last glare, he returned to his place on the couch.

  After the others retook their seats, Ryder continued to address them. “We need to guard against another attack, as unlikely as it seems. The rogue pack is nothing if not unpredictable and, as their last act has shown, they’re also brazen. Again, I doubt they’d attack here once more any time soon, but we need to be prepared in case they do.”

  His eyes moved to Jack. “We also need to protect the Moon Valley pack. It seems to me they’re a prime target, being a little larger than our pack and it’s questionable why they haven’t suffered an attack, considering we’ve been hit twice.”

  “Twice?” Jack echoed, the curious look on his face also on those of his sons.

  “Yes. We’re certain the killing of Jason’s late mate Trina was the work of this pack and not a botched carjacking as was believed at the time. It appears she may have fought back and was killed in an attempt to abduct her.”

  “Fuck,” Ryan said, his eyes wide. “That would mean they’ve been operating far longer than anyone thought then.”

  “Correct,” Ryder confirmed. “Which is troublesome but also good news as far as our loved ones are concerned. With only Trina and Tiffany Ward killed, there’s every reason to believe the other females they’ve taken are all still alive. At least we know we’re not racing against the clock to save their lives.”

  “No, just to prevent them being raped and impregnated,” Scott snapped bitterly.

  His heart racing with the horrors of what Ashlynn might face, Ryder sighed sadly. “We all fear that, Scott, but as horrible as that would be, they’ll live through it.”

  Seemingly unable to argue that, Scott remained quiet as Jack’s wet eyes sought out Ryder. “What about Nathan? Sylvia heard them say they took him to ransom him but I haven’t received a demand. And I don’t have the wealth those women taken with Naomi did. They didn’t ransom those women. So why take Nathan?”

  The Alpha’s voice cracked as he uttered his son’s name and Ryder couldn’t express his thoughts. Truly believing Nathan wouldn’t survive this ordeal—if he was even still alive—he strained for words to soothe Jack without giving him false hope.

  “Jack, I’m not going to deny that Nathan’s plight is more worrisome than the others. You’re right. They haven’t ransomed anyone yet. However, perhaps our recovery mission with Naomi and Justine cost them financially. Maybe they need a cash influx. All we can do is assume that’s their goal with Nathan. They’ve never taken a man before, and had every opportunity to kill him when they abducted the others. They wanted him alive then and we have to operate on the thought that will continue to be the case.”

  At Jack’s slow nod, Ryder felt great empathy for the Alpha, having two pups in peril. His own stomach churned with the risks to his unborn pups and he couldn’t fathom the worry that consumed Jack. Focusing on Jason again, he continued. “We’ll plan patrols of Willow Creek and Moon Valley, coordinating with Julian Grayson. Get him to gather shifters able and willing to patrol and we’ll develop a roster.”

  “You got it,” Jason responded.

  Ryder was impressed with Jason’s control and professionalism under the circumstances. He was as worried as anyone in the room was and had suffered great heartbreak at the hands of the rogue pack. Yet he
seemed the most focused and Ryder marvelled at his fortitude before turning his attention back to Jack, eager to give the Alpha something to focus on.

  “Jack, I want you to connect with your Alliance Pack Coordinator and work with them to contact as many Alphas as you can in the province to apprise them of the situation and encourage them to beef up their security. Any pack is a potential target and should prepare for a possible attack. I know your brother’s pack is quite far from anything that’s occurred, but please ensure he knows what’s going on, if you haven’t done so already.”

  “He knows,” Jack confirmed. “My nephews are on their way here to help out.”

  About to suggest those men should stay put in case they were needed at home, Ryder remained quiet. More young shifters on patrol here was greatly needed and he couldn’t help but be more concerned for his pack than for one he’d never encountered before. Pleased to have the group before him on task in order to occupy their minds, his own wandered to the imminent arrival of his friend and mentor, wondering what Hank’s appearance would bring, and hoping the answer was some clarity.

  ***

  Raising a hand in greeting as Hank Snow spotted him, Levi Simmons made his way to the man he hadn’t seen in fifteen years, not since the mission that drew them together and, through its horrors, created a deep bond between the men. Speaking rarely by phone, Levi still considered Hank his closest friend, someone he knew he could always depend on. After exchanging a manly hug, followed up with hearty slaps upon one another’s backs, Hank lifted his chin.

  “How was your flight?”

  “Long.”

  “Yeah well this one’ll be nice and short, less than an hour. Lee and Gagnon will pick us up in Lake Louise and drive us to Willow Creek.”

  “And you’re certain we can trust them. With everything?”

  “Absolutely. Ryder’s been like a brother to me, I trust him with my life. I’d trust him with my mate and pups’ lives. Wayne is just as trustworthy.”

  “And Gagnon?”

  “From what I’ve gathered, Jason too is beyond suspicion. Besides, he worked undercover intelligence operations for the RCMP in the past. Those skills can only benefit us.”

  Agreeing with that, Levi still thought it prudent to withhold some information from the men Hank seemed to trust emphatically. He himself didn’t know Lee, Reynolds, or Gagnon and wasn’t about to put so much faith in them. Having survived this long by being wary of others, he decided he’d make his own decisions about the men when afforded the opportunity to spend time with them and scrutinize their behaviour.

  “How are Myra and the pups?” he questioned, eager to change conversation topics.

  “Great. She’s as amazing as ever and the twins are three months old now. They’re really starting to respond to things, it’s amazing. They smile and coo and ...” His voice trailed off at what must has been an astounded look upon Levi’s face, listening to the toughest man he knew gushing about pups. “Wait until you have pups,” Hank said with a knowing smile, “it changes you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.”

  “No thanks. You change all the diapers you want. I’m perfectly content being single.”

  “For now,” Hank said and then turned to walk to the gate.

  Undoubtedly, he’d intended his words to sound prophetic but to Levi they sounded ominous. While most shifters dreamed of finding their intended mate, the thought terrified him. With hope the horrors of mated life never found him, Levi shifted his backpack on his beefy shoulder and straightened his huge frame. Embarking on a new mission, anxious over what he’d face but determined to return the kidnapping victims to their families, he followed Hank.

  ***

  “Dad!” Hannah Grayson exclaimed as she rushed into the room and the waiting arms of her father. The Alpha embraced her tightly and then, with a warm kiss to her cheek, released her to hold her at arm’s length.

  “You’re as beautiful as ever,” he remarked with a smile. “I’m glad you’re home sweetheart. It’s time you returned to begin your training.”

  Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, instead she shook her head slightly. “I’m just here for a visit, not moving back permanently.”

  Her father was referring to preparing her to become Alpha someday, an act she dreaded. She had no interest in ruling the pack but, knowing how her thoughts would upset him, she never voiced them. She’d only confided her unwillingness to embrace her destiny to Ashlynn, her closest friend. While Ashlynn couldn’t truly empathize with Hannah’s plight as, barring a horrid tragedy in her family, she’d never be Alpha of her pack, she did understand what it was like to be the Alpha’s daughter. The two bonded over that, among many other shared interests, and had been close friends since childhood.

  “I wish you would reconsider,” her father pushed. “There’s so much going on with that rogue pack and I want you here, where you’ll be safe.”

  Concern gripped her at the sudden change in his demeanour, his voice losing the joy it had at her arrival, and the brightness in his eyes faded. “Dad, did something happen?”

  “Yes, but, come honey. Let’s sit down. I’ll make us some coffee. I have much to tell you but I don’t want to bombard you the second you walk through the door.”

  Looking around the empty and quiet foyer of the grand house her family owned, anxiety mounted within her. “Where’s Mom? Is she okay? Did something happen to her? What about Taylor and Keegan? Where are they?”

  Realizing she hadn’t spotted her mother’s SUV nor her brothers’ trucks in the driveway, she turned questioning eyes on her father, but her attention diverted to the door when it opened and her mother entered.

  “Oh you’re here!” Her mother announced in a voice that seemed a mixture of joy and disappointment. “I was trying to get home before you arrived. Why are you driving that car? What happened to the one your father bought you?”

  Hannah shook her head. “Never mind that right now. Where are Keegan and Taylor?”

  “They’re not back yet?”

  “No Mom, they’re not. Is everything okay?”

  “Of course. They went to the gym, I just thought they’d be back by now, that’s all. I wanted them to bring the groceries in.” Her mother crossed the floor and embraced her in the limp way she always did, as if concerned she’d rumple her clothes or smudge her flawless makeup. “I’m so happy you’re home, darling.” Pulling back, she smiled warmly at Hannah. “I wanted to make you a nice lunch to welcome you home but I lost track of time, I guess. With everything that’s going on, I’m a little frazzled.” She looked to her husband and scowled. “You need to call a pack meeting. Everyone is upset. I got stuck listening to Martha at the grocery store. She’s convinced her pups are in imminent danger, despite the fact they’re boys.”

  Hannah’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

  Her mother frowned. “Your father hasn’t filled you in yet?”

  “No,” he replied before Hannah could. “I was going to. She’s just arrived, Karen. I didn’t get a chance to tell her yet. I was about to make coffee and tell her.”

  “Tell me what?” Hannah demanded as both her curiosity and her apprehension raged.

  “Come to the kitchen,” her mother responded firmly. “I’ll make coffee while your father brings in the groceries. Then he’ll tell you everything.”

  “Enough,” Hannah snapped, “with the coffee, the groceries. Obviously, something big is going on. I’m not twelve, I don’t need to be eased into a conversation. Just tell me what’s going on.” After exchanging a knowing glance, both her parents looked to her with sympathy and she fidgeted under their gazes.

  “The Willow Creek pack was attacked by the rogue shifter pack,” her father said quietly.

  “What? Is everyone there okay?” When neither replied to her, her heart raced with worry. “Tell me Ashlynn is okay.”

  “She was taken,” her father admitted. “Along with Nathan, his mate, and Jason’s new mate.” />
  Taking a step back under the revelation, she looked from him to her mother and then back again, hoping to see they were pulling a prank on her, even as she knew they could never be so cruel. Unable to respond, her heart thudding almost painfully with worry for Ashlynn and Nathan, she didn’t turn when the door opened again and she heard her brothers call out her name. When the twins embraced her tightly, she still couldn’t move, not even to hug them back. She stood still, pulled toward first Taylor and then Keegan, feeling as if she wasn’t quite there, as if everything around her transpired at a distance. She’d heard of the rogue pack and their heinous acts, and now they had their filthy claws on her best friend.

  ***

  Sipping from the takeout cup of coffee, Levi took in his first sight of Willow Creek. Smaller than Moon Valley that they’d driven through in order for he and Hank to see it and stop to get the coffees, he sighed inwardly. He detested small towns, his hatred of them proportional to their size, and Willow Creek was tiny. It was impossible to keep secrets in a small town, something that could further their investigation but also hamper it if people couldn’t keep uncovered information to themselves. Big cities contained people desperate to keep to themselves and for that reason alone, Levi always welcomed the opportunity to work in them. Knowing he’d be swamped by friendly and well-meaning but unwanted attention, unable to hide his six foot, eight inch self here, he fought to keep a dour look from descending on his face, reminding himself he wouldn’t be in Willow Creek for long.

  Jason pulled the SUV into the parking lot of the smallest RCMP division Levi had ever seen and killed the engine. As the corporal exited the vehicle, grabbing the boxes of coffee and doughnuts from Ryder who’d held them during the journey, Levi shook his head again. He’d never seen a box of brewed coffee before, thinking it genius if someone had to take multiple cups of takeout coffee somewhere and, here in Canada, that happened a lot. Never getting over how much Canadians loved their coffee, he did admit he loved the brew from this chain, the country’s largest.