by K. S. Martin
“How’ve you been, man?” Ethan stuck his hand out and pulled Julian to him. They bumped shoulders in a half hug, then Julian grabbed him and hugged him tightly.
“I’m good. Still getting on with getting on. So what’s the scoop? Where is your girl?”
“That asshole’s father has her.” He pointed at Eric. “I’m ashamed to say that he distracted me while his old man grabbed her. I contacted the council after subduing him and was told to wait for an enforcer.”
“You are an enforcer. Do your thing.” Julian pulled a pack of bubble gum out of his pocket and stuck a pink cube in his mouth. Ethan blew out a breath.
“They think I’m too close to it and wanted an objective party here.”
“Cool. So who’s coming? I am definitely not the cooler head.” He winked and hopped up to sit on the hood of the Jeep.
“I don’t know who’s available. They said they were sending every available enforcer. So you tell me who’s coming.”
“Good.” Julian smirked and Ethan cocked a brow. “You.” He pointed at Connor. “Guard that asshole. If he moves, beat the shit out of him.” Connor nodded. “And Ethan, you, arm up. Elijah, Mikey, and Ava are on their way. Don’t look like a simpering pussy when they get here. Be ready, be tough, and you’ll have her back in your bed at dark. Oh, and we’ll be spending the night, so I hope you have a fridge full of beer.” He pulled his cellphone out and started texting.
“When I have her back, I am cutting your nuts off for her to make into earrings.” He looked back at Julian, who was snickering. His hair looked like a lit match in the setting sun.
“And I’ll swear you came that way, pussy.” Ethan said and grinned at Julian, then went in the house. Opening the gun cabinet, he looked at the leather vest and pants that he never thought he’d wear again but had saved for nostalgia. He stripped quickly and changed. After holstering the matching pair of forty-fives, then tucking various knives, daggers, and throwing stars into the custom-made vest, he crossed himself and promised that he would bring her back unharmed. Once she was safe, he would let her choose her destiny, whether it be with him or without.
After loading his ammo belt with silver bullets, Ethan stepped back out onto the porch, and Connor’s gaze snapped up. A different wolf came out of the house than went in. The one that went in was settled and easy-going, even though he was as mad as hell. This one was calm. This one was scary. This one was a professional killer. Ethan didn’t care for this wolf anymore. He’d rather liked the one that held his female close and kept her warm. Julian looked up from the small crowd that had gathered. “There he is. Ethan Castle, king of the enforcers. You are in deep shit now, boy.” Julian pointed at Eric.
Ethan came down the steps slowly. Mikey was a smaller, wiry wolf of average and unimpressive looks, but he was as deadly as a viper. They sent him when they needed someone to walk in under the radar. It was his specialty. Mikey was smaller than most wolves. He did not seem threatening. His tactics were much like Ava’s. She was dainty, blonde, and very cute. She had large dimples in her cheeks, huge bright blue eyes, and was as vicious as they came. Elijah was more like Julian. Balls to the wall, mean as hell, and shoot first, ask questions later. Where Ethan had the ability to find out and try to resolve the problem first, that talent escaped Elijah. He was the last resort. When the problem was out of control and all hope was gone, they sent him or Julian to clean it up, contain it, kill it, or all three. The council did not play games, and since they’d sent this team, he knew they were playing hardball. “Thanks up front if I forget later. My mate was kidnapped, and it’s going on too damn long. Her father and her ex-Alpha have her, and he aims to make her his. I have already marked her as mine, but it seems that they do not care.”
“Just point out who needs to die,” Elijah said, crossing his arms.
“Mount up. Mikey, you’re with me,” Julian said. “We go in, extract the girl, make the Alpha into an Omega, and get out. Council wants someone to stay behind until a new Alpha is in place after we take the asshole into custody. He has to face the council. Any volunteers? Elijah, thanks for volunteering.”
“Oh, fuck no. I have a date later, and I am not missing a sure thing. You do it, Mikey.” Mikey nodded. “Thank you and suck it, Julian.”
Ethan grinned. His friends had not changed, and he was glad for it. Ethan got in the jacked-up pickup truck that Ava drove. Elijah climbed up in the back. He liked to ride standing up with his face in the wind. Julian would tease him that he was more dog than wolf. He put his seatbelt on, and Ava quirked a brow at him but said nothing as she started the truck. It was as yellow as a sunny day and had a smiley face with its tongue hanging out on the hood. She whipped the truck around and took direction from Ethan.
“Your pack is not interested in helping?” Ethan shrugged. He hadn’t asked them. “You’re their Alpha, they’re your pack, all for one and all that bullshit.”
“Too dangerous. I have no idea what’s waiting, and I have my own private army. They’re safer here.” Ava stopped the truck and blew the rebel yell horn. “What are you doing?” Ethan asked.
“They’re your pack. It will mean something to them if you ask for their help. If you don’t, you look like you think you are better than them.” A small crowd was forming around the truck. “Tell them what’s up and ask them to help if they want.”
Ethan got out and the pack circled around him. “Kerry’s old Alpha has kidnapped her.” There were murmurs and he put up his hands. “If any of you want to help go get her back, climb in or follow. I’m not saying you have to, but if you want to, we could use your help.” The murmur got louder. “Up to you. We’re leaving now.” He turned and got back inside the cab. “Satisfied Ava?” Several wolves had joined Elijah in the back, and a couple had climbed into the Jeep while more loaded into a truck that Thelma was driving. She was a tough old bird, he had to give her that. Ava gunned the engine and eased the truck forward. It was squatting from the weight, and she stopped again.
“One of you get in the other truck! We won’t go anywhere like this!” she shouted out of the window, and two wolves hopped out and got into Thelma’s truck. “Better,” she muttered and gunned the engine again. It lurched as she shifted gears.
“Drive much?” Ethan grinned.
“Give me a minute. Different weight and she’s straining. It’s always just me and maybe an asshole in the back.” Ethan turned to look out of the rear window.
“We have the asshole in the back.” Ava laughed loudly, it sounded like gunshots, and he grinned. Elijah pounded on the roof and they both laughed. “Go left at the highway,” Ethan said seriously, then got lost in thought.
Chapter 11
Kerry watched Luke standing in the doorway eating a chicken leg. “Pretty soon you’ll be cooking my dinner and warming my bed.” His smile was evil. She didn’t answer because she was trying to keep the vomit down. The cuffs were a lost cause. She’d been trying to break free for an hour, and since she was cuffed, she couldn’t shift into the wolf that would try to kick his ass. He took another big bite of the chicken leg. His cellphone chirped in the next room and he turned to go find it. She pulled and twisted, trying to free herself. “I was starting to think you liked it like that,” he said, filling the doorway again then disappeared. “Don’t worry darling, I’ll take care of you.” He called from the living room.
He returned with a key and unlocked the cuff on her right wrist. Her arm was numb and useless. He wrapped one big rough hand around her throat. “Give me any shit and I will snap you in half. Feel me?” She nodded, staring at the chicken bits in his unkempt gray beard. He unlocked one leg, then did the same to the other limbs. She rubbed her shoulders, trying to get feeling back into them. Luke hauled her off the bed and put her over his shoulder. He opened a hatch in the floor and slowly went down the stairs. When he got to the basement, he flopped her on a mattress. “No doors and no windows. Stay there and keep quiet, or I will make you suffer.” She believed him and nodded agai
n. He went back up and closed the hatch. She heard him sliding furniture over it. She’d known it was here. Eric showed it to her once. She shifted into her wolf, then back, to ease her stiff muscles. She did it several times and ended up staying wolf. It was chilly down here. Was this to be her life now? A prisoner in a dank basement, alone and cold? She’d said she felt like a prisoner to Ethan. Now she knew that was farfetched. She was hardly a prisoner there.
There were noises outside, but they were muffled because sound did not penetrate the dirt walls or the wooden floor above. Kerry paced. No one would hear her if she screamed, but no one would challenge Luke anyway, so that didn’t matter. The damp dirt assaulted her nose, and she huffed. She knew what she had to do. If he opened that door again, she would mow down anyone in the way to escape.
***
The yellow truck eased to a stop. No one was around. “Ghosty. Hmm, wonder where they are?” Ava said, climbing out of the truck. “Here, wolfie, wolfie, wolfie. Come out, come out, wherever you are,” she sang loudly. The old Alpha stepped out onto the porch of a small wooden house. It was unkempt and looked as though it should be condemned. Anger surged, and Ethan wanted to tear him apart, but that wasn’t the plan. Ava put her hand on Ethan’s arm when he snarled. “I’m Ava.” Her voice was high pitched, and she sounded like a teenager. Ethan had seen this act before, and it was an Oscar-worthy performance today. “I’m looking for a friend of mine. Her name is Kerry. Have you seen her?” She quirked her eyebrow while she glanced at the van sitting on the other side of the porch.
“Can’t say that I have,” he answered slowly.
“Hmm. That’s quite a mystery because I’m scenting her, so I’m calling bullshit. You’re lying to me,” she said evenly as she climbed the steps slowly, watching him. Everyone else was watching her. Her hips swayed, but she moved like a predator. Luke raised a hand, but she kept advancing, and when she got very close, she cupped his balls viciously. Ethan felt for the guy. Then something happened that no one expected, Luke struck with long fangs and bit her. He tore a hunk of flesh out of her shoulder. Wolves from Luke’s pack came out of nowhere, surrounding them. They were angry, protecting their territory and their Alpha. They circled Ethan’s smaller group. If they knew why he was here, would they back off? Probably not. What the Alpha said was law to a pack.
“Nobody but him dies,” Ethan said to his pack and the other enforcers. Julian was beside him then.
“Where is she?” he asked.
“My guess is in there.” Ethan lifted his chin toward the house where Luke stood guarding the door. Julian turned to signal Elijah, they mounted the steps together. The battle began. Ethan saw Mikey take out two of Luke’s pack members closest to the porch without doing permanent damage. Ethan mounted the steps and slipped inside, walking right past the scuffle. He hurried from room to room looking for her. He scented her and the old wolf in the last room he searched off the kitchen.
The air hung heavy with grease and chicken. His wolf surged at the sight of the cuffs, and he nearly lost control. Where was she? The one thing he did not scent calmed him. Her essence. That beautiful scent that filled his soul when he buried his head between her legs was not there.
He heard her whine then. It was her wolf’s whine, and it was under him. The same noise she’d made when she was balled up under the tree. But how? Ethan searched for a door until he stepped around the coffee table and heard how hollow the floor sounded there. He pulled the table out of the way and moved the throw rug under it.
When he opened the hatch, a big black wolf with yellow eyes burst through the front door. His coat was ratty, and his eyes wild. He lunged at Ethan, who took his weight and let himself drop, throwing the wolf across the slick floor. A brown wolf leapt from the hole in the floor and bolted out the door, running for all she was worth. Kerry. The black one streaked after her. Ethan stripped his clothes away as he ran after them. He caught up to the black wolf and hit him hard. The black wolf rolled and scented like a part of Kerry. This must be her father.
Kerry did not care for him because he’d been mean to her and her mother. If she had liked him, Ethan would’ve been gentler than he was about to be. He attacked him and quickly took him down by the throat, making him submit. As mean as this wolf was supposed to be, he submitted faster than most pups. That was when Ethan knew. He was a bully. He’d bullied his mate until she left, and he’d bullied Kerry. Ethan bit down harder. He’d hurt Kerry, and for that he would pay. Ethan snapped his neck. They would call that collateral damage. It must’ve happened in the takedown of the camp, is what he would say. Ethan turned in the direction Kerry had gone, and flew after her.
She was in a clearing, panting and walking in circles. Her beautiful coat gleamed chestnut and brilliant reds in the swath of sunlight she was standing in. It filtered through the leaves overhead and put her in a spotlight. When she scented him, she turned, already snarling. Ethan sat and lifted his chin, then scented the air. It was blowing in her direction. Let her choose, he thought. Choose him or flee. He would give chase if she chose the second. He would make her submit, but when they were finally home, he would hear the final decision from those pretty, pink lips.
She stalked slowly toward him with her head and tail low. He waited. She growled low in her throat, and he watched her, amused. He had to give it to her, the wolf put on a good show, but they both knew that she didn’t stand a chance if they fought. Her nose was a hairs breadth from his, but he didn’t move, didn’t flinch, and just gazed at her. If his beast had an eyebrow, it would be cocked now.
Her nose twitched along his muzzle and tickled his whiskers. He huffed a breath at her, and she licked his nose. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or not. No one had ever done that to him before. She was looking into his eyes and no longer aggressive. Walking around him sniffing, she came up on his right side and nipped his neck, then sat beside him. He swung his head around and looked at her, then licked her nose. She nuzzled him.
He got up and walked slowly back toward the houses. She was following him when he looked back. He waited until she was beside him, then walked on. When they neared her father’s house, she turned toward it and went around the back. She shifted into the Kerry that he knew and went up to the door. The knob turned and she went inside. Ethan watched from the yard. When she came back out, she was wearing a pair of shorts that were too small and a bright green T-shirt that read “Air.”
Kerry came down the stairs and scratched his head, then turned the corner around the house. He stayed beside her, and when they approached the small waiting crowd, Ethan stayed between her and them. Julian had Luke tied at the hands and feet, sitting on the ground by one of the Jeep’s tires. “You’re Kerry?” he asked. She nodded. “Is this the man that took you?” She nodded again, and Julian kicked him hard in the side. Luke grunted and growled. “I told you not to lie to me.”
Ethan went up the steps, shifted, and went inside. When he came out, he saw Kerry gasp. The corners of his mouth lifted slowly. She liked this, the rougher him, the professional killer. Ethan sauntered down the stairs, keeping his eyes on hers. She was nibbling her lip, and he got hard.
He held his hand out as he reached the bottom, and she came willingly to take it. Ethan pulled her into his side and wrapped an arm around her. Lifting her chin gently, he tasted her lips. “Are you okay?” he asked, resting his forehead on hers.
***
“I’m okay. Who are your friends?” she asked, looking them over. Her old pack was still gathered, and they were anxious. She could feel it. Luke was beaten to a pulp, and she was glad for it. She also thought that stretching him in a set of cuffs for a week would do him good.
“Julian,” He pointed at the one that spoke to her before, the one that looked like his hair was on fire. “Elijah.” He nodded, “Mikey and Ava.” Ava gave a little wave with her good arm. Mikey only stared. “They are enforcers, and the council sent them to help. They will take Luke and Eric to the council for judgment. We will have to testify. A
re you up for that?”
“Yeah, but Eric…”
“Was brought here from school to tempt you back to the pack. He has found his destined, and everything he said to you this morning was a lie.”
“I’d know if Eric was lying to me.” Kerry’s mouth flattened into a white line.
“Not if that’s all he ever did,” Luke chortled, and Julian kicked him again, ending his laughter.
“Oh.” Her whole youth was a lie? What had that gained him? Why act as if he liked her if he didn’t? No one forced him to be her friend. Everything he told her couldn’t have been a lie. It just couldn’t have. “They need a leader. There isn’t a beta, and if you’re taking Luke, someone needs to look after them.” Her pack was watching her. Most of them were much older and watched her grow up. They were nice to her, and she couldn’t abandon them thoughtlessly.
“You’re very sweet, do you know that?” Ethan murmured against her ear, and she blushed. “Who wants to stay and play Alpha? Ava, you’re out,” he said when he saw her stepping forward. “Not because you’re a girl. Don’t climb up on that soapbox of yours. You’re hurt.” Ava walked over and leaned down in Luke’s face.
“This is your fault, you backbiting pussy.” She punched him hard with her good arm and blood flew from his nose. “Fine. I’ll stand down now.” She went to the side of the yellow truck and climbed inside.
“Elijah?” Elijah immediately started shaking his head. Kerry grinned.
“Hell no. Got a date you’re already keeping me from and she’s a sure thing, too.” Ethan rolled his eyes. “I thought we decided Mikey will do it. He’s been thinking along the same lines that you have lately anyway. It will be good practice for him.” Mikey went to the yellow truck and pulled a duffle from the bed.