by Deloris Nash
Chapter Three
“Hello.” A soft serene voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Beth.” He spoke her name, his tone frantic. “I found a girl behind the cottage in the forest.” His anger came to surface like molten lava from a volcano. “She is beaten up pretty bad.” His last words came out in a snarl.
“I will be right over. Try to keep her warm so she won’t go into shock.” The line disconnected.
He dragged a hand through his hair and took controlled, slow breaths. He would never understand how anyone could hurt a female in such a way. As a sentinel, he had seen the worst of shifters and humans, but the most heinous was the abuse of an innocent. His beasts were close to the surface. He felt his fangs elongate, and his hands turned to claws as fur sprouted on his arms. Calm, we need to be in control. What if she wakes? We do not want to terrify her any more than she is already. He tried to reason with them to find some type of control.
A pained whimper came from the sofa. The beasts inside stilled as he went over to her. Killian sat on the end of the table in front of the couch. His hands had returned to their human form. He could see the slight tremors as they ran through her body. Killian fingers stroked her cheeks as he murmured to her that she was safe, his tone soothing as he tried to reassure her. Her eyes opened, and for the first time, Killian saw the shade of her eyes was an emerald green. They widened as her lips and chin started tremble.
“It’s okay, you are safe. I brought you to my house.” He kept his voice low and calm. He could feel her pain. She grasped and expelled several breaths, trying to control the hurt of her body. “I found you in the woods and brought you here. I have a female coming over to take care of you.”
“Where?” she said in a hesitant whisper.
“You are in the Ice Peak River Lion Pride.” He reached out a hand to push back her hair. She cringed away, her head bowed as her body pressed more into the couch. He pulled his hand back to rest it on his thigh. He smelled the fear from her as her body began to tremble. “No one will harm you. I give you my word as a Society Sentinel,” he stated to her as a vow.
The girl raised her head, and her eyes darted to his face. She licked her lips before she spoke. “You’re an enforcer?” Her voice was still weak, but her eyes seemed darker, like a forest before the sunrise.
He swallowed as heat swamped his body when she stared at him. His eyes were drawn to her tongue as it swept over her mouth. He cleared his throat before he spoke. “Yes, you are safe with me.”
Killian stilled when he heard several people approaching the house. The girl must have heard them too because her fear had returned stronger than before. “I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he said to her as someone knocked on the door. He stood, walked over to the door, and opened it.
Beth and several other females entered. The Beta’s mate greeted and briefly introduced the others to him before her attention went to the girl on the couch.
“Bella, oh my Goddess! That bastard did that to her!” Beth rushed over to the sofa and gathered the girl in her arms. The tigress was unconscious again as Beth cradled the girl’s head on her shoulder.
The anger and frustration battered Killian’s senses. He threw up his shield so all the emotions would not overwhelm him. He turned to Adam and Eric as they stood in the doorway. The tracker let out a low growl before he moved away. The Beta remained inside, close to the door. His posture was stiff, jaw tight, teeth gritting as he fought to control his anger.
“You know her?” Killian directed his question to the Beta. It took a moment for him to answer.
“Yeah, she’s the niece of the Tiger Alpha.” Adam clenched his hand into a tight fist and released it. The motion was repeated several times as he watched his mate and the other females care for the girl.
Killian’s voice was more of a snarl as he spoke to the Beta. “Her uncle did that to her.” It was more of an accusation than a question.
“Yeah.” Adam turned his gaze toward the enforcer. “He despises hybrids.”
His eyebrows rose. “That’s bullshit. He has no right to beat a child for any reason. Let alone something she had no control over, plus the fact that she is his flesh and blood.” His voice was pitched low so only the Beta could hear what he said, but he could not control the furious tone.
Killian’s beasts were infuriated, pummeling to be free. He held them in just barely. His eyes reflected how close to the shift he was. “How long has this been going on, and why hasn’t the council been notified about his treatment of his niece?” he growled, fighting to hold the beasts in.
“Since her parents died almost two years and Eli sent word to the council about it. He even offered her sanctuary with us, but she refused.” Adam’s jaw clenched more as he explained to the enforcer.
Killian snorted at his statement. “She’s a child. Your Alpha should have forced the issue.”
Adam’s eyes widened a fraction. “She is twenty-three.”
Killian tried to hide his surprise about her age. But he saw the telling smirk on the beta’s face and the enforcer knew he did not school his features soon enough.
“Twenty-three. Then why in the hell does she stay?” His voice rose enough that Beth glanced over toward them, a frown on her face. She raised a finger to her lips for them to be quiet. Killian noted that they had tended her bruises and washed her. Her ankle was wrapped, and a small bandage was on her hairline.
Adam started to go to stand beside his mate when a hand on his arm stopped him.
“Why?” the enforcer asked in a lower tone.
Adam sighed. “Her brother, he is seven, and Dane refused to let him go with her, so she stayed.”
“Dane? Who the hell is he? I thought his name was Braydon.”
“Braydon is the Alpha, but Dane is head of his enforcers.”
Killian let go of his arm, and the Beta went to his mate.
He leaned against the wall and studied the girl—woman, he corrected. His mind eased a little, thankful he didn’t feel an attraction to a child. The others began to leave. But Adam and his mate remained. He walked over to them, his eyes still on the female.
“She should sleep for several hours. I could stay and care for her,” Beth said.
“No, I can watch. You should go and rest,” Killian replied.
He could tell Beth was about to say something, but her mate stopped her.
“We will be back to check on her tomorrow.” Adam helped her gather the rest of the supplies, and then they took their leave.
Killian sat in the chair opposite of the couch. He rubbed his chin. What do I do about you, and who the hell is Dane to you?
Chapter Four
Killian called a gathering as a show of respect to the pride since the three of them—Killian, Bella, and her brother—would be within the pride territory until she recuperated from her injuries. Even though he did not need the pride’s approval to stay with them, he did not know how long her recovery would be since she was a half-human half-tiger hybrid.
The Society Council or specifically Daniel, Prime of head of the council, gave Killian consent to remove Bella’s brother from the Tiger streak and bring him to the pride to be with his sister. Killian would remain there with them for as long as necessary and then escort both to council headquarters.
Before the meeting finished, the door crashed open, and there stood Alexis, Shauna’s aunt, in the doorway. Her body shuddered with every breath as her eyes scanned the room.
Joshua sprang from his chair before anyone else moved.
“She’s gone,” Alexis uttered. Her lips trembled, tears in her eyes as she held on to her mate.
Malachi’s muscles were rigid as he looked at Shauna’s aunt. “She left?”
“What the hell?” Joshua pulled her closer into his body.
“No. She’s gone. Someone took her,” she repeated, taking a step toward Killian.
“When?” Killian asked.
“I don’t know, maybe twenty minutes.” Alexis
started to breathe easier as Joshua lowered her into a chair.
Malachi strode over and kneeled in front of her. “What happened, Alexis?”
“She called me to come over and keep her company until you got back.” Her voice cracked, and she had to clear her throat to continue. “She wasn’t there when I arrived.” Alexis grabbed his shoulder. “There was a male scent, a leopard, and I smelled Carol.”
Killian watched in silence as his friend questioned Alexis. He saw Malachi’s claws shoot out and fur appeared along his arms. He walked over to them and lightly touched his friend’s shoulder. He stood, and both moved away from the couple.
“Seth.” Malachi’s voice was so low that only the other sentinel could hear.
“Yes,” he responded with a quick nod. He ran his hands over his face and then placed them on his hips.
Eric’s phone started to ring. “Hello?” he murmured.
The pride tracker's head shot up, his eyes wide as he stared at the sentinel. He closed his phone, hurried over, and stepped close to Killian.
“Killian, that was Jenson. He thinks Shauna was taken to the Tigers.”
Alexis raised her head, and she spoke to her mate. “Joshua, go with them. Bring her back.” Her gaze pleaded with him.
“Malachi, we need to go get your mate now. We have no idea what they have planned for her,” Eric said.
“We will.” Joshua leaned in close and brushed his lips over Alexis’s. Killian was right behind them to bring back Malachi’s mate.
Chapter Five
Killian felt the rage and fear from Malachi as if it were his own. The truck skidded to a halt before they hit the large tree trunk that lay across the road. Joshua led them through a narrow path through a forest with massive trees. He looked back at Killian with a frown. Neither liked that the track they were on made them go in single file.
When they finally broke from the trail, they were in a clearing that was overhung trees so that it formed a sort of dome that opened in the middle. Rustic cabins dotted through the thick foliage, and the sky was visible through the hole in the canopy. The tigers in the streak gathered as they passed through the compound. Killian heard their breath catch when a tall and lanky shifter with muscled arms and chest came toward them. Four older males and one elder female stepped forward before the other gangly shifter reached them. They all bowed to the two sentinels before the female spoke.
“Enforcers, how may we serve you?” A snarl released from the younger male at her words.
Killian grabbed Malachi’s arms as he moved toward the one who growled at them.
Joshua started to speak but stopped, twisted to Killian, and gave a nod. Joshua said a hurried good-bye to the elders as they turned to go back to their truck. While the others focused on the elders, Killian stared at the male he knew to be Bella’s uncle.
“Killian, I know where she is.” His friend’s voice sounded in his mind.
The Tiger enforcer snarled at the male before he chased behind them. They heard a long howl from the compound as they raced through the forest to the discarded vehicle.
The old farmhouse was around the next bend. A four-wheel drive was parked by the side of the cabin. Joshua pulled in behind, and they all jumped from the truck and headed to the vehicle to deflate the tires. Seth would not be getting away if he managed to dodge them.
Killian moved in behind with Joshua and let Malachi lead the way through the trees. They’d trekked for about ten minutes when the enforcer stopped abruptly and then took off in a run as he headed toward the sounds of a fight. Growls and roars echoed through the woods. They all came to a sudden stop when they saw a dark huge figure charging toward them. Killian heard a growl as the liger attacked, deadly claws ripping through the other cat’s flesh.
The battle raged as the liger and leopard clawed at each other. Killian heard what Seth said to Malachi.
“I’m going to rip your spine out.”
Both had changed to their human form, hands clawed, their mouths fanged.
The two went for each other again. The leopard went down as the two crashed together, and the liger’s claws raked down his back again. Killian knew the fight would soon be over when the enforcer snarled and lunged forward and bit at the leopard’s throat. Malachi’s clawed hands did the most damage as they dragged through the flayed layers of flesh and muscle of Seth’s back until he connected with his spine. The nerves and vertebrae were crushed as he plunged his claws through it. He severed it with a fierce jerk and pulled out a length of bone.
Seth’s body stiffened in shock, his eyes going wide with pain, and a howl came from his throat. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. After a minute, his body lay still.
Malachi swung his head around, and he growled. His breath came in huge grasps. A shirt came around his shoulders as his body cooled from the fight. His liger body started to heal itself. He stepped over the prone body as his senses led him through the forest in search of his mate. Killian and Joshua followed close behind him as some of the other shifters, who arrived during the fight, stayed behind to take care of traitor’s body. They all stilled at the sight of Malachi’s mate, who had a lioness by the throat.
His friend tried to coax his mate to let go of the shifter. Killian moved into her line of sight. A warning growl emitted from her throat. He heard the lioness whine as Malachi pleaded with Shauna.
“Baby, let her go.”
Something in his voice got through to her because she let go of her throat but didn’t get off her. Shauna held her down with her weight and waited for Killian to collar her.
He stepped back after the collar clicked in place around her neck and let Joshua and the others take charge of the lioness. Killian turned and watched Malachi lift his mate into arms and carry her to the truck. Killian got behind the wheel with the exhausted couple in the back and headed toward the pride.
Chapter Six
Bella kept her eyes closed as she slowly came awake. Reality merged with nightmares, of the beating, the escape, the hunt for her by her uncle, the Alpha. In her dream, a male, Killian, saved her. He’d cradled her to his body, and she heard the whispered promise that she was safe.
Somehow, she found the nerve to open her eyes.
She knew this was not her room. There weren’t any cobwebs or crusty, peeled wallpaper. The soft mattress and silky-smooth quilt cushioned her body. Bella lifted onto her elbows and looked around the room. It was clean with sheer curtains waving in a window.
“You’re finally awake.”
Bella flinched as she turned her head to look at the person who’d had spoken to her. The female seated in a chair across the room was tiny with huge blue eyes. Her light blond hair was trimmed into a pixie cut.
“Who are you?” Bella forced her voice to remain level despite the fact that she was shaking. “Where am I?”
“My name is Tia, and you’re in one of our cottages. No one will harm you here, Bella. You have my word.”
“I didn’t tell you my name.” She grasped the quilt and prepared to slide out of the bed to make a run for it.
“No, you didn’t.” Tia smiled. “Beth told me.”
“Beth. The only Beth I know is human and mated to the pride Beta.”
Tia nodded. “Do you remember Killian? He found you in the forest.”
“Killian?” Portions of her dream surfaced, and a face came to her—the warrior who rescued her.
“Yes, Killian.”
“I thought it was a dream.” Bella lightly poked the wound on her head.
“You’re extremely lucky. If Killian hadn’t found you, you might not have survived the night. Your wounds were pretty severe even for a shifter.” Tia gave her a smile as she studied her.
Bella’s heart started pounding, her palms became clammy. She was still too close. What if her uncle discovered she was here? She would not be sent back. She had to go to the Society Council. Bella scooted to the edge of the mattress. Maybe the enforcer
, the one who saved her, would help get there. Despite Tia’s reassurances that she was safe, it was time to get a move on. She slipped from the bed and wobbled as she stood on the wood floor.
“Don’t even think about trying to leave. You’re in no condition to go anywhere. Your tiger streak doesn’t know you are here.” A pink tint showed on her cheeks after she spoke.
Before Bella could comment, there was a tentative knock on the door before it opened. Someone stepped inside. Her knees almost buckled as the most attractive male she had ever seen walked in.
“Killian, that’s not how you enter a female’s bedroom,” Tia said primly.
Bella barely heard because of the unexpected roaring in her ears as she stared at him. He was big, well over six feet, and all muscle. She hadn’t notice how gorgeous he was when he rescued her. Now with a relative feeling of safety, her mind registered how good-looking he was. A frown appeared on his face. The concern in his light brown eyes as he walked toward her surprised her for a moment. No one had been worried about her since her parents died. Well, maybe Beth and Adam, but certainly no one in her streak.
“You shouldn’t be out of bed.”
He was even bigger up close. The gray T-shirt covering his chest was pulled tight over the muscles beneath, revealing the outline of his pecs as well as the six-pack stomach. She kept her gaze level on his chest, afraid to meet his eyes.
Killian, his name is Killian. Her fuddled thoughts connected to his name.
She flinched when his fingers touched her cheek. She’d been hit in the face so many times it was instinctive to move away. His other arm came around her waist to bring her closer to his body.
“Tia,” Killian said, the word coming out as a low growl. Bella forced herself to remain motionless in his hold. “Massi is waiting for you.”
“Oh, right. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs.”
The creak of a door opening and closing was a sign that Tia was gone.
“Shh,” Killian whispered as he pulled her closer. She hadn’t realized the whimpering sound she heard was coming from her.