The news reports on the explosion in Kashton had played nonstop since it had happened. Maverick and a fearsome grizzly bear had stopped by and explained what they’d found out to her, but it wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear, because it wasn’t conclusive. They still had no solid evidence that any of the bodies found had been Trent’s, but deep down in her gut she knew he was still alive. Trent had so many people working for him, officials that would gladly have him line their pockets with his blood money. If he was alive, they wouldn’t know about it for some time, because that was what crooked people liked to do: cover shit up until the last minute when it could blow up in their faces. The news played the same crap over and over again. The bodies had been burned beyond recognition, some of them so badly that not even dental records would have helped in identifying them. So basically, Trent could have died, or he could be out there hunting her down, and if he was still alive that was exactly what he was doing. She may have only been a blip in his huge operation, but she had seen the dark need in his face, and she knew that he wasn’t the type of male to just walk away from something. He had wanted to break her, and she knew he would succeed one way or another. If he was out there he’d find her. No amount of distance would alter that.
“Baby, are you okay?” She looked over at Liam and nodded, but knew she had been projecting her thoughts and worries too hard. “Even if he is still alive there isn’t anything that is going to get through me to get to you.” Liam rubbed her shoulders. He was a protective mate, one that made her feel secure, but though Olive had only known Trent a short while, she had learned enough about the leopard to know that he was a crazy fucker.
“What if he is alive, Liam, and what if he finds me here? I don’t want to put anyone else in danger.” She was pissed at herself for many reasons, and didn’t want anyone else getting hurt because of her.
“No one is going to get hurt, okay?” He sounded so damn convincing that she wanted to believe him, did to a point, but there was always that little bit of doubt inside of her.
“Olive, I should just leave. I’m the one that got you in this mess—” She turned and looked at Holden, who was leaning against the wall. He had been watching the news, too, but he was stronger and keeping his emotions in check.
Before she could respond Liam was talking. “No one is leaving, okay?” His voice was hard and filled with anger. Neither said anything, because there was no point in arguing. “I’m here, Trace is here, and so is Maverick.” Liam stood and started pacing. “If that motherfucker even thinks about coming around here I’ll make him wish he hadn’t.”
She stood, starting walking back and forth, tying to get her thoughts together, but came up empty. Liam reached in his pocket and glanced at his cell. He slid his finger across the screen and grunted out, “Yeah?” He was silent for a second and slowly moved his eyes up to hers. “Okay, I’ll head up.” He disconnected the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. “Baby, I have to go upstairs. Maverick, Declan, and my dad are going over some things. He has a plan worked out if that asshole shows up. Do you want to head up? Maybe talk with Candace?” She shook her head. She was too much of a train wreck right now, and she sure as hell didn’t want her nerves to rub off on the wolf shifter.
“No. I’ve gotten myself all freaked out, and I don’t want Candace sensing any of that. She’s got enough on her plate.” It seemed like he might argue, but instead he leaned in and kissed her deeply. He pulled away and looked over at Holden. “Okay, but I’m right upstairs if you need me. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
“I’ll be fine. We both will.” She forced herself to relax, because getting Liam all worked up wasn’t going to help the situation. Today she had been jumpy as hell, and she just couldn’t really place why. The only thing she could chalk it up to was the fact she had talked to the lion and grizzly, and that was why she had gotten even more paranoid.
“Why don’t you guys pack a few things, just in case we have to head out?” Her heart started to pound hard in her chest.
“I want to go up there and be included. I brought this shit on everyone, and I want to put an end to it.”
Liam shook his head once Holden stopped talking.
“I don’t think so. You might be physically well again, but you are far from strong enough to take care of you, let alone my mate if it came to it.” Liam was growling out the words, and when Holden took a step forward Olive’s heart slammed hard against her ribs. “Watch it, kid.”
“Kid? You’re pretty much the same damn age as me.” She had never seen her brother so angry, and she knew it wasn’t because of Liam, but because of the whole situation with Trent. His mind was clear now that he wasn’t filled with all those drugs, and with his wounds healed and his body nourished he was starting to become stronger. But Liam wasn’t lying when he said Holden couldn’t handle Trent. Liam took a menacing step toward her brother, but she knew right now his bear was taking control.
“Holden, stop, just stop.” Holden looked over at her, and the scowl he had on his face dimmed. “This is way out of your element.” She didn’t hide the pleading in her voice. Olive had always been a strong female, had relied on herself to take care of Holden, but it was only when she was up against Trent that she realized sometimes someone couldn’t be that strong. “Sometimes you just have to realize when to give in and let others around you help.” She hadn’t meant to say those words aloud, but the surprise on Liam’s and Holden’s faces told her that she had just spoken out loud. Neither said anything, but she heard her brother swallow roughly.
“Listen, man, if you really want to help, why don’t you come up and see what Maverick has to say? At least you’ll know the plan if shit goes down.” Liam was still staring at her even though he was talking to Holden. Then he was striding forward, had his arms wrapped around her waist, and pulled her flush with his body. “Are you sure you don’t want to come up?” She shook her head and let his warmth seep into her. “I will always be here, Olive.” He whispered against her hair, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Even if we weren’t mates I wouldn’t have been able to stay away from you. I know that with everything inside of me.”
All she could do was nod, because she knew that she felt the same way. She had pushed him away at first, but there had been this magnetism about him, and she knew it hadn’t just been about him being her mate.
He placed a kiss on her lips. “Do I need a bag to pack because things just went really shitty?” she asked. He grinned and shook his head.
“Nah, Maverick just likes things to be in their right order. He just wants to go over an escape route if the time comes when we need to get you guys out of here. Declan looked up on this Trent guy extensively, and there is some pretty fucked-up shit going on with the male, far more than I could find out.”
Olive nodded because she already knew all of this, had seen enough depraved things while under his roof to know he was a sick fuck. But she could also hear the small concern in Liam’s voice, the one that he tried to hide, but couldn’t from her. He gave her one more small peck before tilting his chin to the stairs at Holden. She watched them leave and didn’t waste any time in going to her room and packing the clothes Liam had gotten for her. One day she’d pay him back, pay them all back for their generosity, but right now she had to go one day at a time. After she had gotten everything together, she set the small bag by the door and stepped into the living room, but when her sheep snapped to attention and when the scent of something foul and familiar pierced her senses, she stilled. Looking around she didn’t see anyone, but she sure as hell knew she wasn’t alone. There was an undertone of something burning, and when her gaze landed on the kitchen window that was slightly opened, she realized the scent came from outside.
Taking note that the stairs were only a few feet away, Olive knew that getting upstairs to where safety in numbers was, would be her best route. She took that first step, but suddenly the sound of a gunshot rang through the room, followed by glass shattering. Olive threw
her hands over her head the instant she felt a powerful surge push her to the side. Glass sprayed across her arm, pricking the skin until the scent of her blood filled her senses. Her ears rang, but she didn’t stay on the ground. Her instincts had kicked in, and she knew Trent had found her. The bastard had tracked her down from Kashton, and was now going to finish what he would have done when her time with him was up.
“Well, well, well.” Blinking through the dust and debris that surrounded her, Olive scrambled up and turned so she was face-to-face with Trent. But everything stilled inside of her when she got a look at him. Half the side of his face was blackened and seeping with sagging flesh, and she now knew that was why she smelled something burning. God, he looked so disgusting, like someone had taken a blowtorch to him. The clothes he wore were dirty and ripped, but the expression on his face was murderous.
“It took me a few days, Olive darling, but I fucking found you, and how convenient that you happen to be shacking up with the polar bear.” He rolled his head on his neck, and lifted the gun he held to run it along the side of his uninjured cheek. She looked toward the stairs once more, and prayed to God that everyone was okay upstairs. As if she had spoken those words aloud there were loud footsteps moving back and forth right above her. “We don’t have a lot of time, but I’m not interested in prolonging this.” He took a step forward, and she moved back. “This certainly wasn’t how I wanted to spend our time together.” He shrugged. “But we can’t always get our way.” Her side hit the back of the couch, and her hand bumped into the lamp as she continued to move away from him. “I had so many deliciously painful things I wanted to do to you, Olive darling, but maybe in another life we can meet again.” His grin was dark and evil, and her stomach cramped with fear. She grabbed onto the lamp, held it, and would crack him over the fucking head with the damn thing if he came any closer. There were sounds of glass breaking upstairs, of a baby crying and of Candace screaming.
Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Please let them be okay.
But right after she heard that, there was deep growling, that of bears and lions. Trent must have realized that shit was getting real, and any minute people would come rushing down, or at least she hoped that was the case. She knew that he wouldn’t have been foolish in coming alone, but she didn’t know how many men he had been able to recruit in order to pull this off.
“You fucking crazy asshole.” She moved right before he caught her arm, but before she ran in the other direction she brought the lamp up and across his charred face. More flesh was torn off, and she gagged. He had to be weak for his shifting abilities not to heal him instantly, but then again no telling what the explosion had done to his body.
Trent howled in pain, but she didn’t wait to watch the carnage of his anger morph even further. She tore off for the stairs, but before she reached them the door to the upstairs burst forward in a spray of wood. She covered her face as shards of debris crashed down around her. When she opened her eyes seconds later it was to see a body being flung down the stairs with so much force there was no doubt she’d be knocked across the room when he connected with her. But before the body crashed into her Trent grabbed her hair and pulled her back. Olive cried out, reached back and clawed at whatever she could reach, which just happened to be his face, and felt his flesh peel under her nails. Her animal wanted to come out and fight, but up against a leopard she would be even more vulnerable. He twisted her so she faced him, and a firm slap to her face had her head cracking to the side.
“You know,” he tightened his hand on her hair, “I wasn’t going to kill you right away, but drag it out and listen to you scream my name.” He chuckled, wrapped his other hand around her waist, and lifted her off the ground. “But instead I’m going to have to make this quick before your mate comes.” But right when he said that last word there was a mighty roar. Another body was flung down the stairs, and seconds later Holden was standing at the bottom, staring right at Trent. She knew the harsh animalistic noise hadn’t come from her brother, and she feared there was too much violence for even Liam and the other males to handle.
Holden had a nasty looking cut right above his eye and a bloody nose, but the rage-filled look on his face had even her fearing what would happen next. “Let go of my sister. This is between us.” Her brother spoke low, and even over the sound of grunts and things breaking right above her, he sounded menacing.
“Boy, the only way I’m going to give her up is on my terms. But don’t you worry, you’re next.”
Holden charged forward, and anyone that didn’t know he was a sheep shifter would have thought he was a fierce carnivore. He clashed with Trent, and the leopard was so taken off guard that his grip on her loosened enough that she twisted out of his clutches. There was snapping and clawing, blood spilled and spit spraying. For as weak as Holden was he held his own, but Olive knew this wouldn’t end well. She needed to break this up, but something nudged her shoulder and had her spinning around, ready to attack. Liam stood right behind her, already shifted, and looking fearsome. He was no longer her gentle giant, and before she could suck in a breath because she knew what was about to happen, he was charging toward Trent with a roar of outrage. She stumbled back from the force of power that came from him.
Trent shoved Holden back, and with what looked like a lot of effort on his part shifted into his leopard. Even in animal form he looked grotesque and weak, but he wasn’t about to end this easily. He faced off with Liam, and even if Liam was so much bigger and more powerful, Trent had the advantage of being a sick bastard. They clashed together, fur and flesh getting torn away, blood spraying from their bodies and staining Liam’s white fur, and sharp teeth being bared.
Holden came over to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. “I’m sorry, Olive. God, I am so damn sorry.” The pain in his voice was tangible, and even though she wanted to comfort him, now was not the time.
Liam and Trent continued to fight, and that was when she saw the gun Trent had dropped before he shifted. It glinted on the floor and had been kicked to the side during the fight. She lunged for it at the same time Trent bit into Liam’s side. Her bear howled out in pain and tackled the leopard. Olive curled her fingers around the butt of the gun, lifted it with shaking hands, and tried to keep it pointed on Trent. But the two males were all over the place, and with the sounds of destruction still going on upstairs, it was hard to keep her focus. Liam had Trent pinned, and she fired, but the bullet missed its mark and landed in the wall right beside Trent’s head. The leopard growled and snapped, rolled out from under Liam miraculously, and went after her.
But her bear wrapped a big paw around the cat’s neck and curled his nails deeper into the animal’s throat until blood welled from Trent’s mouth and neck and dripped onto the ground. She held Trent’s stare and kept the cold, heavy gun in her hand, pointed right at him. But it didn’t take long for Holden to take it from her. He turned her around so she was no longer facing the males, but she hadn’t missed the distant look in Trent’s bottomless eyes. The sounds of bone crunching and the scent of a sickening amount of blood filled the air. And then she sensed Trent’s vile life snap off like a light being flicked off. Then came the sound of a body falling to the ground, and that was when she realized everything was so very still.
Turning around so she could face Liam again, she realized Trace, Declan, and Maverick were in the basement as well, but her focus was totally on her mate. He was still in his bear form, crimson covering his gorgeous thick, white coat, and marking the violence that had surrounded him. Olive licked her dry lips and took a step forward, and then another. When she was right in front of her mate she lifted her hand, speared it in his thick fur, and sighed.
“I’m so sorry, Liam.” He moved his big head back and forth, as if telling her not to apologize. “I am so very sorry.” He huffed out after she spoke, as if annoyed, but clearly still too raw to shift back to his human self. He lowered his big head, nudged her in her shoulder, and then ran his big, thick to
ngue up her neck and right over his mark.
“I want the bodies out of here.” She looked over at Trace, who had his glare on the leopard’s lifeless form.
“I’ve already made the call,” Maverick said.
Moments later Candace came in, holding her sobbing daughter, but Trace was right there, steering his wife and daughter away from the carnage. Olive’s heart broke, and she moved over to them.
“I am so sorry I brought this to your door.” Tears spilled down her face, and Candace smiled at her empathetically.
“Oh, honey.” Candace reached out and embraced her with her free arm. “If you weren’t here with us I don’t even want to think about what that asshole would have done to you.” She pulled away and offered Olive a watery smile. “Besides, we had the best males here for this kind of thing.”
“Candace is right, Olive.” Trace took his daughter out of Candace’s arms. He leaned down and kissed his wife on the forehead, and then did the same to his little girl. Alivia stopped whimpering and buried her face in her father’s neck. “You’re Liam’s mate, which makes you family.” He chucked her under the chin and smiled, but it didn’t take away from the harshness of his expression. Maverick started talking to Declan, saying things that sounded coded and far too in-depth for her to comprehend, so Olive turned back to Liam and Holden. She looked once more at the leopard. Maverick’s voice cut through, and she looked over her shoulder to see him on his cell.
“There were four men that came through the front. They broke the wiring, cut the security down so they were able to come in undetected before we were alerted to their presence.” There was a long pause. “No, they are all taken care of. The bodies upstairs have been removed and are in the back property.” Another pause. “No, everyone is safe.”
A Lamb for the Bear's Appetite Page 12