After passing through the hole Wayne had made, the small team of Hank, Levi, Wayne, and Ryder crept stealthily across the yard leading to the door Ryder had seen Mark enter. Believing backup would arrive momentarily, they’d collectively decided on this pre-emptive strike, much to Ryder’s surprise. He’d been certain Hank would stick to his guns about waiting for backup before broaching the compound, but a short, private discussion between Hank and Levi had resulted in the decision to move in now. There were several vehicles in the space, providing some cover and, close to a truck, the four ducked behind it when gunfire rang out. Ryder felt a tap on his shoulder as he saw Hank tap Wayne’s shoulder. He and Wayne moved to one side of the truck as Levi and Hank repeated their motions on the other side. The two pairs took turns returning fire but to no avail. They were pinned.
The shots came from a concrete barricade to the side of the door. Small holes had been cut into it, just large enough for a gun barrel and a sightline, resulting in an almost impossible target to hit from the distance Ryder’s team remained from it. Still, they had to take out those snipers somehow.
Ryder looked to Wayne and watched his friend’s apprehensive look darken. “Don’t do it,” Wayne cautioned.
Seeing little choice, Ryder had already decided to embark on a move so dangerous Hank would undoubtedly tag it a suicide mission. While not accepting the possibility of Ashlynn’s death, Ryder had accepted his own. It seemed to him a small price to pay to rescue his mate and pups. With Mark’s role still unclear, leaving Wayne as Ashlynn’s sole mate suited Ryder just fine.
“Cover me,” he yelled loudly enough for Hank and Levi to hear and then surged forward, leaving the cover of the truck. Running as quickly as he could to a car about halfway between the truck and the barrier, dirt kicked up behind his heels, undoubtedly caused by bullets meant for him, as the air filled with the sound of shots. Diving behind the car, he breathed a sigh of relief. Some of those shots had been close, but he’d made it. At least to the car.
Taking a moment to catch his breath as the gunfire continued, he cautiously peered over the car’s hood, being careful to keep his torso in line with the car’s engine. The wheel provided questionable protection but a bullet to the leg probably wouldn’t kill him. At an approximate forty-five degree angle to the barrier, he quickly calculated how far he’d have to run to ensure the snipers behind the barrier couldn’t target him without leaving the safety of it. This was the riskiest part of his plan. If he wasn’t fast enough, or misjudged the angle, he’d certainly die. He sucked in a deep breath and crept to the backside of the car, hoping the rogue shifters didn’t notice his movement and believed he remained at the safer front end. It was his only hope to pull off his next move.
Breaking cover, he ran as fast as he could, focused on nothing but the location he’d determined was a blind spot to the rogue shifters. A bullet whizzed by his head, close enough to raise hairs on the nape of his neck but he maintained his speed. When certain he’d cleared the firing line of the shifters, he spun to see three of them crouched behind the barrier. Drawing his pistol, he took aim. As one sensed his presence and turned to him, he picked the shifter off with a head shot. Quickly shooting the second in the head and the third in the throat, he paused, ensuring they were neutralized.
As Wayne, Hank, and Levi joined him, Hank shot him a condemning look that had zero effect on him. Sure, he’d been reckless, but the snipers were eliminated. As the quartet stole into the building, Ryder gave himself a mental pat on the back. He’d taken out the shifters with an accuracy that would’ve put Brady to shame.
***
Much time had gone by since Scott had watched Ryder’s heroics through binoculars. His agitation was shared by Ryan who paced beside him. Although under strict orders to remain where they were until they received word it was safe to approach the building, he’d had enough. Ryan and he weren’t in SASS and he failed to see why they should follow orders. If they shifted, they’d be upon any threat before the rogue shifters could deduce they weren’t on their side.
Turning to Ryan, he saw his thoughts echoed on his brother’s face. Ryan, too, wanted to throw caution to the wind and be an active part of the rescue team. They both recognized how foolhardy their plan was, unarmed and lacking SASS training, but neither cared. They’d come this far and only a short distance stood between them and their endangered loved ones.
“Let’s do this.”
Ryan dipped his head in agreement and the two surged forth.
“Scott! Ryan!”
Cursing Brady’s voice, Scott stopped, as did Ryan and the pair turned back. Brady stood with a large group of shifters in SASS uniforms. Backup had arrived and Scott’s heart beat with a more hopeful rhythm.
“You’re not going in there,” Brady said sharply. “Stay here. Medical staff is arriving momentarily. We’ll access the building and bring Nathan, Emily, and the others to you.”
“No way,” Scott shot back, “we’re coming with you.”
As all the SASS agents’ eyes fell on Brady, he flushed. Scott felt some guilt for challenging him in front of his colleagues, but not much. At this point, he thought it might take all agents present to prevent him and Ryan from going in. Brady’s expression told him the young shifter resented being challenged but recognized time was wasting and arguing was futile. Brady issued orders for the agents to split into four teams to broach the building from all directions. The shifters immediately complied and, as they left, Brady turned a resigned look on Scott.
“Fine. You two are with me. We’ll follow one of the groups, but stay behind me at all times.”
Eyeing the impressive-looking rifle in Brady’s hands, Scott couldn’t argue the logic of Brady’s plan. After issuing an accepting nod of his head, he followed Brady, Ryan close behind him.
***
Clutching to Emily and Nathan, Ashlynn winced as they neared the heavy double doors they’d spotted at the end of the hallway. Sunbeams shot through the glass panes in them. All back in human-form as she required assistance to walk now, they were almost out of the building. Just a little farther and they’d be outside. They’d be free. You still need to get off this compound, or whatever it is. There could be more shifters out there, armed ones. Yeah, there could be, but she’d deal with that if it happened. They were too close to freedom for her to give up now. She felt a trickle between her legs and looked down to herself. She couldn’t see blood, nor smell any and tried to ignore the increased cramping that almost had her doubling over. Naomi had told her a heartbreaking truth. Her actions might hurt her pups but, if she died, the pups most certainly would die too. She had to do everything she could to escape. It was the only hope her pups had.
Gunfire sounded from outside the building and she knew Ryder, Wayne, and Jason had arrived with SASS units. Many rounds sounded and she could only imagine a huge battle was raging outside. The sound didn’t scare her though. She had faith her mates would make it through the firefight and her heart soared with the knowledge she’d see them soon.
Hearing Emily’s startled gasp, she jerked her head up to see a huge silver and black wolf in the hallway, its coat wet with blood. In an instant, the wolf shifted and Bossman stood before them. Bites and scratches covered him and her heart hitched. She was certain he’d fought with Mark, even as there had been no indication any of her mates were present. Bossman was different though, and not just with the events transpiring. He looked changed and she was sure Mark was the reason for it. But her mate was nowhere in sight and that could only mean one thing.
Bossman’s livid eyes rested on Naomi. “If I’m going down, I’m taking my mate with me.”
“I have a mate,” she snarled.
She shifted and growled loudly, her hackles raised. Bossman shifted and took one menacing step toward her. A blur of brown fur crashed into him and knocked him to the floor. As Ashlynn’s eyes took in Mark in wolf-form, they filled with tears. One front foreleg hung uselessly, and blood matted his fur in so many places. Ob
viously gravely injured, he was still trying to save her. Amid deep snarls and snapping jaws, the two wolves fought viciously. She cried out when Bossman bit into Mark’s injured leg and Mark yelped loudly. Bossman then had hold of Mark’s throat. Mark’s wolf eyes locked with hers and she knew he would die. She could only hope he’d read her eyes and the forgiveness within them. Mark wrenched out of Bossman’s jaws with an audible tearing of his flesh, and then twisted his body to take hold of his brother’s throat. He tore into it with a flash of teeth and then collapsed onto his side.
Bossman shifted, his lifeless eyes focused on nothing. He was dead. Mark shifted and emitted a strangled cry. Her knees buckled when she tried to rush to him and Nathan helped her to Mark’s side. After assisting her in kneeling beside him, Nathan placed his hands on Mark’s bleeding neck, trying to stop the flowing blood. Shakily, she reached out and pressed her palm over the bleeding gunshot wound in his shoulder. He grunted in pain as his eyes met hers.
“I’m so sorry, Ash. I never intended for you to be hurt, for any of you to be. I didn’t want any of this to happen. I tried to lie to Logan to get to you but he didn’t buy it.”
“Shh, it’s okay, just rest. I understand. Ryder and Wayne are here aren’t they?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you just need to hold on. Help is on the way.”
“It’s too late.”
His voice sounded even weaker and she panicked. “No, it isn’t. Just hang on.” She leaned down to kiss his cheek. “Please, stay with me.” She then pressed her face against his and felt him smile.
“You’re going to be a great mom to our pups.”
His words were barely audible and she heard him exhale deeply. He didn’t take another breath. Rearing her head back, she cupped his face tightly. His eyes were closed and he looked so pale.
“Mark?”
The double doors swung open and her heart leapt when she saw a group of SASS agents storm in, Ryder and Wayne with them.
“He needs help!” she screeched loudly, and then winced with the pain that ripped through her midsection.
Ryder, Wayne, and two other agents rushed to her. Nathan backed off and Wayne placed his hands over Mark’s throat as one of the other agents began chest compressions. She heard another agent call for medics as Ryder gently pulled her to her feet and embraced her.
“Oh, baby,” he gasped out breathlessly. “I’ve missed you.”
“Mark ...” Her head spun and she clutched at Ryder, certain she’d faint.
“Medics will be here in a minute. They’ll do everything they can for him.” She tried to nod but then swooned. Ryder held her tighter. “Ash? Are you okay?”
Unable to answer him, she cried out as a horrible cramp tore through her belly. She tried to cover it but couldn’t seem to move her arms. Hot prickles enveloped her and Ryder’s panicked face seem to float in her darkening vision.
“Ash? Ash, what it is?”
She thought Nathan answered Ryder but couldn’t be sure. Everything sounded so distant and muffled, as if she were underwater. The dark edges of her vision pulled in abruptly and she knew she was losing consciousness. In the instant before she could think no more, she silently begged The Universe to save Mark and her pups.
***
“Where the fuck are the medics?” Ryder bellowed loudly. He gently eased Ashlynn down to the floor, saw the blood smeared on her inner thighs, and then looked back to Nathan. The shifter had told him Ashlynn had been ill but she’d just passed out. She was more than sick, it was serious, gravely so, and he knew it.
“How long has she been like this?” he demanded loudly.
“She got sick right after we got here,” Nathan replied. His worry-filled eyes scanned his sister. When they rested on her bloodied thighs, he sobbed. “I couldn’t tell how bad it was. I was ... I didn’t know ...”
Nathan looked like shit and Ryder felt horrible for yelling at him. As he looked back to Ashlynn, he saw blood trickling down her inner thighs and his chest tightened. His sightline moved to Wayne and could only imagine what his face looked like by Wayne’s reaction. The other shifter’s eyes filled with tears and Ryder tore his eyes from his friend. He had to keep it together. Ashlynn needed him to be strong.
Relieved when medics entered the hallway and split into two groups, one rushing to Mark while the second headed to Ashlynn, he shuffled his body to kneel behind her head, holding it in his hands, allowing the medics plenty of room to work.
“She’s pregnant,” he informed them, “about five weeks. Apparently she’s felt sick for a few days. Please, she’s my mate.”
The medics exchanged a glance and then one looked to Ryder. “There’s too much blood for it to be normal early pregnancy bleeding. It could be an ectopic pregnancy, or a miscarriage.”
“Just, tell me she’s going to be okay,” Ryder pleaded. His heart felt as if it was in a vice and he struggled to breathe normally.
“We’ll do everything we can. Her vitals are strong. I can’t promise anything but I think she’ll be fine.”
Ryder wasn’t aware of anything that transpired around him after hearing the medic’s words. As long as Ashlynn would live, nothing else mattered. The Universe forgive him for not caring about the pups at this moment, but he didn’t. He just wanted his mate to be safe.
***
Tightly sandwiched between Scott and Ryan, Emily craned her neck to see where Nathan was. The space was chaotic with SASS agents and medics, and she could hear distant gunfire. Was it even safe to be here? Bossman was dead, thankfully, but Mark might have given his life to stop him. If only the others had arrived a few moments earlier ... No, she couldn’t think about that. Maybe it wouldn’t have improved things at all. Locking eyes with Nathan, she wriggled a hand free and held it out in his direction. She needed all three mates with her.
As Nathan joined them, taking hold of Emily’s hand, Scott spotted him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to pull him into the group embrace, and Ryan nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck.
“Em, oh, Em.”
She felt his tears on her skin but felt nothing but emptiness. Unsure why the emotions of her mates weren’t affecting her as they should, she clung to the brothers tightly.
***
After embracing Naomi fiercely, Jason forced himself to let go. He had to ascertain her condition. Stepping back, holding her shoulders firmly, he scanned her body, his throat thickening at the sight of her wounds. She’d obviously been beaten but he choked down his fury as he strained to dispel his building tears. Neither response would help her. Fearful of what he might see in her eyes, he forced them to lock with hers.
The love he saw had tears stinging his eyes again. None of the emotions he’d feared seeing in her eyes were present. He’d expected to see the terror, distrust, and hurt he’d seen when they met but he didn’t. His heart thumped with relief as it swelled with his love for her. He had the most extraordinary mate.
Nodding his thanks to a SASS agent who handed him a blanket, he wrapped it around her shoulders and then held her tightly. “I was so scared,” he whispered.
“I was too, but I knew you’d come for me.”
“Always, my love, always.”
Her arms wrapped around his waist and she squeezed him. “I want to go home. I want to see the girls.”
“We will,” he assured her, “soon.”
He should be telling her how amazing she was, so incredibly strong, and how her strength impressed him, as did her faith in him, but the words wouldn’t come and he supposed she knew all that anyway. Besides, they could talk later. Right now, he didn’t want to do anything other than hold her.
***
Medics had taken Ashlynn and Mark out on stretchers and Emily had felt the sorrow in her mates as their sister had passed them. Ashlynn didn’t look well, at all, and the stricken looks on Wayne and Ryder as they followed told Emily that Ashlynn’s condition was worse than she’d realized.
Now, a medic was wit
h her, examining her and asking questions. She answered them calmly and saw the worried expressions her mates exchanged. They were wondering why she was so collected, and she didn’t have an answer. Everything seemed to be transpiring at a distance from her, even as her mates were only a few feet away. Nothing seemed real, not truly real. Shouldn’t she be overjoyed at her rescue? She wasn’t. She didn’t feel much of anything, other than a want to go home.
“Did you shift at any point?” the medic asked.
“Yes. A little while ago.”
“And the shift was normal? No extra pain? Was it slower than normal? Did it feel stalled at any point?”
“No, I mean, I don’t know. It was the first time I shifted so I don’t have anything to compare it to.”
The medic cocked his head questioningly and then looked to Scott when he spoke. “She went through the change recently and wasn’t able to shift fully before now. I didn’t even know she’d fully shifted until just now.” He turned to Nathan. “Did you see it?”
“Yeah, it looked normal to me. It surprised me, of course, but she shifted fast. I think it was a normal shift.”
“Good,” the medic responded and then smiled slightly at her. “You’re fine. Slightly dehydrated and obviously in need of proper rest and nutrition but physically you’re fine.” He glanced around at the brothers and then met her eyes again. “But I’m a little concerned about your emotional state.”
“So am I,” Scott said. “She’s too quiet. Abnormally so.”
“What’s normal in this situation?” the medic asked. “It was traumatic and shifters process traumas in all different ways.” He regarded her seriously. “The good news is you weren’t physically or sexually assaulted but you were still kidnapped and held against your will. That kind of trauma can be difficult to deal with and can take some time to recover from.”
Saved by Her Wolves Page 19