by Vella Day
Brandon’s flank was savagely bitten, forcing him to retreat. His strength was waning. Just as both wolves twisted and came at him, a huge explosion rocked the back of the house. Howls split the air.
Shooter Man and Guard One must have decided they were needed in the back and raced away. Brandon collapsed.
You were shot. Sam licked Brandon’s wound.
Poison’s getting to me, but I’ll be okay. Go check on Mackenzie.
Noise sounded in the main part of the house. As Sam took off toward the hidden alcove, Brandon used all of his remaining energy to limp to the main living area. He wanted to investigate the commotion. Holy shit. Half the Florida Colters seemed to be there. Jay was in their midst facing none other than Paul Statler. Brandon wanted to help, but he wasn’t sure he was able.
“Thought you were dead, Jay,” Statler said as calm as could be.
Jay didn’t waver. “Guess not.”
Brandon debated charging Statler, but with his three henchmen by his side, Brandon didn’t stand a chance of reaching the man. It didn’t help that he was getting weaker by the minute. This poison was kicking his butt. If he didn’t get to the doctor soon for the antidote, he wouldn’t live. Time was ticking.
“Had to come back when I found Cheryl Johnson. Seems Medlock didn’t send her to the lab like he was supposed to.”
Brandon dropped down to his haunches, the poison speeding through his veins. Riley appeared behind him. He dropped down next to him, worry lining his face. Mackenzie is safe. Sam has her, he telepathed.
She was all right. A trickle of energy pumped through him.
“That right?” Statler responded. “I’ll deal with Medlock later.”
Footsteps sounded from the front entrance. “Deal with me later, about what?” Medlock halted as he took in the devastation. “What the hell is going on?”
Paul Statler turned toward Medlock and shot him three times, but from the wounds, it didn’t look like he’d hit the heart. The man collapsed, his breathing quick. He didn’t have long without the antidote either. Paul turned back to Jay and smiled. “Anyone else?”
The moment Statler lifted his arm and aimed his gun at Jay, Jay shot Statler. A red stain spread around his heart. Instead of falling, Statler stumbled backward. “You prick. You’ll pay.”
The three henchmen grabbed Statler and half dragged him out. How was it possible the man was still alive? If Brandon hadn’t seen Jay shoot him in the heart, he wouldn’t have believed it.
A loud commotion drew Brandon’s attention toward the back. Pack reinforcements had arrived. Tons of them in fact. The rest of the Coulters raced to attack, ignoring Jay. Fur flew, bones cracked. Yelps and growls sounded as claws scraped against the tile floor. Within minutes, the Colters were either dead or close to it. Then Brandon’s world turned black.
* * *
When Sam rushed into the back room, Mac had never been so happy to see anyone. He’d hugged her once then quietly led her into the hallway where chaos surrounded them. She’d wanted to ask a million questions, but the shouts, growls, and yelps prevented her. With incredible efficiency, Sam managed to get her out of the house. Once safe, the two of them zigzagged their way toward the front, away from the rioting in the back. He held open the truck door and she piled in.
He didn’t say a word as he sped out of the neighborhood. Mac was still trying to catch her breath when Sam pulled out his phone and asked it to call a Dr. Deland.
She didn’t like the doctor part. She wasn’t injured and Sam didn’t appear any worse for wear. Oh, no. She clamped a hand on his thigh. “Is Brandon hurt?”
He held up a finger. “Doc. It’s Sam Crenshaw. Brandon was shot. Can you fix an antidote? Not sure. Will do.”
He discontinued the call and looked over at her. “Brandon will be fine. Jay’s with him.”
“How do you know?”
“Riley’s there, too. They’ll keep Brandon safe.”
“Why don’t you let me off and go back for him? I’ll hide.”
Sam’s grip tightened on the wheel. “Brandon will get the needed help. My role is to make sure you stay safe.”
Clearly, he wasn’t in the mood to argue. Once they arrived back at his house, Sam lit into her. There was no use defending herself. She’d taken a big risk by breaking into Medlock’s home. Now that she was here, unharmed—well, kind of—she was happy she’d done it.
“Is Cheryl safe?” Mac figured she was if they knew where to find her.
“She’s with the General’s wife.”
Good. Her cousin’s well-being was all that mattered.
Sam strode into the kitchen and came back with an ice pack. “Put this on your cheek. I’d ask how it happened, but then I’d end up driving back to Medlock’s and killing someone.”
Mac loved this man with her whole heart. He was a protector and always would be. Not only had Sam almost lost her, he might lose his cousin, all because of her. She understood the effects of poison on a werewolf. Her father hadn’t received help in time and had died.
What seemed like forever, his cell finally rang. “It’s Riley.” He swiped the screen. “How is he? What did he say? We’ll be right over.” Sam hung up and faced her. “Seems Brandon will live.”
The drive over was a bit strained. It hadn’t helped that Sam told her about how they’d dropped everything and driven to Indiana to be with her only to find out she’d skipped town without a word.
“I said I’m sorry. You would have done the same thing if I’d been kidnapped and someone found me, right?”
“Yes, but I’m a man. And a warrior.”
She glanced to the truck roof. “Do you think Medlock will carry out his threat?”
“I don’t know. As soon as Jay found your room, I was too worried about saving you to ask questions.”
Everything had happened so quickly, she didn’t understand the order of things. It made sense that Jay or Riley wouldn’t have called Sam with details if they were fighting for their lives. Sam pulled to the curb in front of a house. “I thought we were going to a clinic.”
“This is The Pack clinic. Dr. Deland likes to keep a low profile.”
She didn’t wait for Sam to come around and open her door. She was in too big a hurry to see Brandon. Inside was a foyer with a desk that sat empty.
“They’ll be in the back.” Sam led her down a hallway and seemed to know where Brandon would be.
He probably had used telepathy to find out. Sam opened the door, and her heart lurched. Brandon was stretched out on a table, a patch on his side, and an IV in his arm.
She looked up at the man who must be the doctor. “How is he?”
“Give him a few minutes,” Dr. Deland said. “It takes time for the antidote to work. He went a long time with the poison in his system.”
Jay and Riley were there with him. They must have brought him in. “Thank you.”
Jay nodded. Thankfully, neither of them appeared injured. Mac held Brandon’s hand. “Brandon, can you hear me?”
It was the longest moment of her life before he finally opened his eyes. His lips wobbled. “Hey. You’re safe.”
She smiled. “Thanks to you all.”
When he tried to push up on his elbows, the doctor pressed on his shoulder. “You can get up in a few minutes. You’re still receiving the antidote.”
He nodded and lay back down. His eyes closed and seconds later, he was snoring. Mac grinned. He was going to be okay. Less than an hour later, Brandon woke up, seemingly more refreshed. The doctor removed the IV and told him to take it easy for a day or two. If only her father had such resources, he might be alive today.
Jay gave her a hug. “I’m glad everything worked out.”
“Me, too. Thank you.”
“So what’s next?”
Mac glanced between her two men. “I don’t know, but I need to make sure Cheryl is okay mentally.”
He nodded. “Let me know if I can do anything.”
She clasped his arm. “Yo
u’ve already done a lot.” She was about to say if his father knew what kind of man Jay had become, he’d be proud, but Jay didn’t need to be reminded of his dad right now.
Sam helped Brandon into the front seat of the truck. She insisted on sitting in the back because he needed the room. As much as Brandon said he was fine, he should rest. His face was pale.
Sam started the truck and pulled away. “Anyone up for some take-out. I’m starving.”
She had no idea how much energy it took to fight, but she could use a good meal. “Count me in.”
Sam pulled out his phone and called in an order. That implied he wanted to get Brandon home as quickly as possible. She was all for that.
When they arrived, Brandon insisted on sitting in the living room and hearing all that went down.
“How about some coffee, Mackenzie?” Sam asked.
“Sure.”
He didn’t verbally ask Brandon, but maybe coffee and the antidote didn’t mix. She might be half werewolf, but she didn’t know much about what could kill her. She sat next to Brandon and waited for Sam to return from the kitchen.
“Just so you know, I came straight to your house from Indiana. I wanted your help, but apparently you two were already on the road.”
He lifted a brow. “You were willing to work together with us?”
If he hadn’t been injured, she might have punched him in the arm. “Yes. I know I can be a little stubborn, but I now realize that there are some forces that I shouldn’t go against.”
Brandon smiled. “Well, if you learned that lesson, it was worth getting shot for.”
Before she could respond, Sam returned with their drinks. “I guess we need to talk about what happens next.”
She lifted the steaming cup off the tray and set it in front of her. “What do you mean?” She’d already told Jay that she had to take care of Cheryl first, but she wanted to hear their suggestions.
Sam shrugged. “You said you planned to go back to Indiana with Cheryl. What happens afterwards?”
Her world spun. They understood. She couldn’t love them more than at that moment. “I need to do that, but I also want to be with both of you.”
Sam sat on her other side. “I was hoping you’d say that. That’s why I’ve decided to come with you. I’m not ever going to let you out of my sight. So, if you go back to Indiana, so will I.”
For the first time ever, she was speechless. She turned to Brandon. There was no way the two of them had the chance to discuss this. “What are your thoughts on the matter?”
Brandon picked up her hand. “What do you think I’ll do?”
Her stomach flipped. “I’m hoping with my whole heart that you’ll want to join us. I won’t stay long. I promise. Just until I’m convinced Cheryl is okay.”
“Then I say, road trip!”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Sam pulled off a miracle by managing to buy the last four airplane tickets to Indianapolis, Indiana that left the next day. For the sake of Brandon’s health, Mac thought it best if they waited another few days, but he claimed he was totally healthy. He also said the sooner Cheryl was away from Florida, the sooner she could heal. He was right.
Mac sat next to Cheryl on the plane, while Sam and Brandon were across the aisle. Mac had decided to wait until they were seated before asking Cheryl the details about all that had happened.
“What did your mom say when you called?”
Cheryl smiled. “She screamed. I could almost hear the tears of joy streaming down her face.”
“I bet that made you happy.” Cheryl’s relationship with her parents had deteriorated after she dropped out of school, and then her dad lost his job.
“It made me feel so good inside. Like they really do love me.”
Mac leaned back. “Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone.” She squeezed her cousin’s hand. “Though I always knew what a special bond we had even before this happened.”
“I know.”
“What was it like? You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
Cheryl shook her head. “It was like I was a prisoner on a deserted island, carving the days on a tree. Medlock gave me nice quarters, as you saw, but with no windows to speak of and no Internet service, I lost track of time, so I drew a calendar and put a big X in each time slot every time they brought me breakfast. The small bathroom window was my only gauge to tell when it was day or night.”
Cheryl had yet to speak badly of the man. “He never touched you?” Wasn’t that the purpose of buying a woman? Even if he was impotent, he could have sexually abused her with toys.
“No. He claimed he was a good man who had physical limitations. I’d see the lust in his eyes but he never got a hard on. I figured out his problem soon enough.”
“His guards never tried anything?”
“They did once, and Medlock turned into some kind of wolf and attacked.” She wrapped her hands around her shoulders. “He must have given me some kind of hallucinogen.”
Was it time to tell her? No. Cheryl had been through too much. But soon, Mac would reveal that what she’d seen had been real.
“What did you do all day? He let you out at least once.”
Her eyes widened. “I thought that might be how you found me. It was that woman, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“How did she know me? Was she from Muncie?”
“No.” Okay, this was going to be hard. Cheryl needed to understand why she’d been taken in order to have a chance at healing. If her cousin became aware of shifters in general and what mates meant to each other, Mac wouldn’t have to explain why she loved her men more than the world itself. “Once we get home, I promise I’ll tell you everything.” If one passenger overheard, it could start a revolution. “Did Medlock ever say what his plans were for you?”
“He wanted a pretty woman on his arm when he campaigned. He said that after the Florida Senate race, he’d let me go.”
“And you believed him? If he won, he’d need to keep up appearances.”
“I had to believe him or I’d have lost all hope.”
Her poor cousin. “I understand.”
* * *
Sam couldn’t last any longer. The flight up to Indianapolis, while not long, had taken all of his patience not to ravish his woman. Being away from her for all those weeks, had eaten away at his soul. He was thankful that his boss hadn’t questioned him too much when he said he needed to take a leave of absence. Sam had explained he had woman problems and left it at that.
The four of them had rented a car and escorted Cheryl home, where the reunion was touching. As much as he enjoyed hearing stories about Mackenzie and Cheryl, he needed his woman alone and naked. He and Brandon had yet to make love with her together—like it should be.
Mackenzie hugged her cousin for the umpteenth time. The three of them were finally able to leave. It was the beginning of March, and it was damned cold. “You like living this far north?” Sam asked.
She smiled. “You asking me to move to Florida?”
That had been the plan. “If you’ll come with us.”
“We’ll see. It depends on whether you two are any good in bed.”
“What?” He glanced at Brandon who merely shrugged. A second later, his brain engaged. She was teasing him. Damned vixen. “We’ll show you good loving. In fact, if we can’t make the earth move for you, then maybe this mate stuff isn’t real.” That was a lie. Mackenzie was theirs.
She grinned, and his cock hardened. “Deal.”
They’d never been inside Mackenzie’s apartment, but he liked it. There was only one bedroom, but that meant they’d all have to share. Since Cheryl’s mom had fed them dinner, Sam was ready for some good loving.
“I can make coffee,” Mackenzie said. “I’ll need to shop tomorrow for more.”
“Got any wine?” Brandon asked. “I think we need to celebrate.”
Her face brightened. “Yes.” She rushed to the kitchen
for a bottle of merlot.
Sam joined her. “You go sit with Brandon. I’ll open this if you show me where the opener is.”
She lifted one from the drawer. “Glasses are next to the fridge.” She smiled and joined Brandon in the living room.
During the flight, Sam had time to think deeply about this turn in his life. He kept thinking what he could have done differently. Mackenzie had put her life in danger to save her cousin. All had worked out, but if he had to do it again, what would he have done differently? He’d asked himself the same question the night Donny died.
His answer was the same. He’d have done nothing differently. As much as Mackenzie drove him crazy with her rash stunts, it was what he loved about her. She was fearless, smart, and loving to a fault. Life was exciting, if not a bit scary. He wasn’t a god. He couldn’t save everyone. All he could do was cherish and love. If Mackenzie went out of her own again, he’d just have to chase after her.
Sam removed the cork and poured the wine. It was as if a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. He raised his glass to heaven. “To Donny. I love you and always will. Someday we’ll meet again little brother. Just not too soon.”
Sam sipped his wine, sniffed, and walked into the room, carrying the other two glasses and the bottle of wine. This was where the next part of his life would unfold.
“Mackenzie has a request,” Brandon said.
Sam laughed. “I’m not surprised, but if it involves being outside naked, I’m shifting.”
She laughed. “No. It involves control.” She tossed him an exaggerated pout. “I’ve just been held captive, and need to feel as if I wield the power.”
“Baby, you’ve always had the power over us. Trust me. We just pretend to be in control to keep our self-esteem high.” Sam placed the two wine glasses on the table and poured the drinks.