by Crissy Smith
Jace tried to dive forward but was yanked back when an arm came around his throat. Damn it, he needed to take this asshole out.
He turned and blocked a punch with his forearm. The guy had training—that was for sure. He battled, trading blow for blow, not gaining any ground.
Around him, the sound of fighting was loud and gruesome. Jace managed to wrap his legs around his enemy while pinning his throat to the floor. The man tried to buck him off but Jace finally had the upper hand. He pressed harder, blocking all air from the guy.
While he had no problem killing this idiot if he had to, he wasn’t sure he had the strength to do it this way.
His arms were already starting to shake and his body wanted to give up. Even with the threat against his best friend and mate close by, Jace was starting to doubt they’d survive this attempt.
The man under him twisted enough to dislodge Jace’s hands. Jace threw himself to the side and rolled with his enemy.
Fight dirty. That was one thing he’d learned early on in his career.
He kneed his foe and when his opponent folded in on himself, Jace grabbed him and started to pound the back of the guy’s head hard into the ground.
Sweat poured from him, making his hold slippery, but Jace kept wrestling for his life.
He cried out as he was flipped on his back and slammed hard.
Everything went black.
Literally. He could not see a thing.
The weight above him disappeared, so Jace raised his hands to rub at his eyes.
It took several moments to realize there was nothing wrong with his eyesight and that the lighting in the hallway had failed.
A snarl and loud crash sounded close by.
“Fuck!” he managed. Now what the hell is wrong?
It was hard to pinpoint the exact location of anyone.
“Piper!” he called out. Vince had figured out that she was an Alpha. What if he had done something else to her? “Piper!”
He didn’t get a response. Or if he did, he couldn’t tell by the other sounds around him. He opened his mouth again but before he could make a sound, the area around him started to fill with smoke.
He choked before raising his arm to cover his nose and mouth.
It wasn’t a fire.
No, he recognized the smell and taste of the flash grenades he’d used himself.
That was stupid of whoever had released one—they would be rendered every bit as unable to see or breathe as Jace, Piper and Mitch. He really wasn’t dealing with the sharpest people here.
He knew enough to drop to his stomach and make himself take even breaths. Mitch would also be aware of what to do, but he didn’t think Piper would have ever dealt with the smoke. Staying as flat as possible to the floor, he inched forward to the last spot he’d seen his mate in.
Cursing and coughing filled his ears as he tried to tell one person from another. Where in the hell was Piper?
“Piper!”
His answer was a loud rumble before teeth clamped down on his arm.
He screamed in pain, striking out with his free limb. He connected, but not strong enough to help. An ear-piercing howl echoed right next to him, causing him to jerk just as the wolf that had a hold of him released him.
He felt another wolf leap over him as he fell back. Two bodies collided loudly while he scrambled to get away. He brought his injured arm against his chest.
Certain Piper had rescued him from Vince’s attack, he tried to figure out what was happening around him.
The pounding of feet came behind him. There was no way that they could fight more enemies. He was injured and had no idea how Mitch was faring. Piper had to be just as exhausted and, god forbid, hurt.
But they wouldn’t give in easily. They had to win.
“Lights! Lights!” the order was shouted.
Blinding brightness flared around him. Jace squinted at the figures that moved closer. What the…? Those were American military uniforms, although hoods covered their faces, making them appear even more dangerous. The weapons pointed in their direction was not a sight Jace felt comfortable with.
If he had been set up and sent into this location, there was little chance this was a rescue.
Jace dodged to the side, trying to reach the dart gun that had been forgotten just feet away from him.
“Freeze! Do not move.”
Jace followed that order. He peered over his shoulder at man who approached, weapon ready and aimed. He sat up and raised his hands.
Waiting for the stranger to get closer was torture. From the corner of his eye, he could see Piper still in wolf form, panting and bleeding just out of reach. Vince lay on his side not moving and Jace wasn’t even certain he was still alive.
Bracing himself, Jace stiffened when the soldier crouched in front of him.
“Anderson?”
Jace blinked and leaned forward. He knew that voice.
“Anderson? Jace, you okay?”
“Bri… Brian?” Holy shit was Jace seeing ghosts now?
The man ripped off his cover, causing Jace to gasp.
“You’re dead,” he managed. He felt lightheaded and dizzy and had to be seeing things. “Fuck.”
He tilted to the side, and Brian’s hand caught him before he could fall.
A growl came from Piper’s direction.
Brian turned and lifted his gun.
“No!” Jace reached out to stop him.
Brian looked between Jace and Piper. “If that’s one of yours, you had better tell her to stand down before my men shoot her.”
Jace faced Piper. “It’s okay. I know him.”
It was obvious that Piper was badly injured, but she still crouched for attack.
“I need you to tell me the good guys from the bad,” Brian said quietly.
Searching the small hall, Jace noted six soldiers in all. He motioned to Piper then Mitch. “Her and the big black wolf.”
None of the soldiers seemed shocked he was claiming two wolves.
“I don’t think the others made it. Check the bodies,” Brian ordered.
“What the hell?” Jace questioned his friend. He could still remember when he’d heard about Brian’s death. Damn, he had gone to the funeral.
“I’ll explain later. But first, let’s get you all out of here.”
Jace was all for that plan. He staggered to Piper before dropping to his knees. He buried his hands in her fur to check where she was hurt. She shook, and Jace wasn’t sure if it was from adrenaline or pain.
“Can you get her to shift?”
Jace jumped, not realizing that Brian had followed him. He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. While the evidence pointed to Brian being fully aware of the shifter element, how was it possible?
“Trust me. I’m here to help,” Brian urged.
Since Jace wasn’t sure who to trust anymore, he wasn’t going to put his eggs into one basket, so to speak. He looked over Brian warily, but they didn’t have much of a choice. One way or another they were getting out.
Brian’s men were starting to carry the two human bodies and Vince’s wolf form away.
Jace spun back to Piper. “Go ahead.”
Piper’s change was slow, and Jace grimaced at the obviously agony she was in. While she panted on the ground, human once again, he swooped her up in his arms.
“Here.” Brian started to remove his uniform jacket, and Jace allowed him to place it over Piper.
“You okay?” Jace asked her, holding on tight.
“Yeah, changing helped. What about Mitch?”
Still carrying her, he walked over to his best friend. Mitch looked even worse than Piper. He set her down next to Mitch, and Piper immediately reached for him.
With a whimper, Mitch crawled into her lap. While she rubbed up Mitch’s side, murmuring to him, Jace secured Brian’s jacket around her. She helped by sticking her arms through the sleeves but allowed Jace to button her up.
It was the best he could do to try to offer s
ome sort of privacy around so many strangers.
“I need you to transform,” she told Mitch quietly.
“He may be too injured to shift,” Brian said, as he squatted down and joined them. “My men can carry him out.”
Mitch rumbled deeply at Brian’s words.
Piper grabbed Mitch’s snout. “Then change or we’ll carry you.”
Mitch’s eyes closed right before his body started to tremble.
“He really shouldn’t…” Brian started.
Piper glared at Brian before concentrating on Mitch. “You can do it,” she encouraged. “Shift!”
Mitch howled but his body contorted and in only a few minutes, he was human.
“Holy shit!” Brian exclaimed. “Mitch?”
Jace backed up, grabbing Brian’s arm to keep Brian from getting too close. His connection with Piper was telling him how protective she was feeling about Mitch.
“How did she…?”
Piper turned her head and narrowed her eyes at them.
“You can’t command a shift from someone,” Brian said with wonder.
She sighed deeply before shrugging. “Sure, whatever.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jace was still in shock at all that had transpired as Brian and his team led them out of the building. Mitch was being half carried by two soldiers while Jace kept a firm hand on Piper.
“What about the others?” Jace asked, as they reached the main exit.
“Already taken care of,” Brian assured him.
Daylight was streaming in through the glass doors, and Jace had never been so glad to see the sun. Broken glass covered the carpet where entry had been made. Jace ignored the crunch under his bare feet while lifting Piper into his arms to spare her any more pain.
“Jace,” she protested but he just shushed her.
“I could have taken her,” Brian spoke from behind him.
He just shook his head. Since he still didn’t know what was going on, he wasn’t trusting anyone right then. Even the two men helping Mitch were under close watch.
Clearing the wrecked window, Jace took a deep breath of fresh air.
“Piper!”
Jace’s head jerked up as he heard Bobby’s call. Cody had a hold of his arm, trying to keep Bobby from running toward them. Several black SUVs were behind them.
“Bobby went to Cody and told him about Mitch being taken. Cody called me,” Brian stated, stepping up beside him.
“So Cody knew you were alive?”
Sighing before he nodded, Brian met his gaze.
“That’s interesting. And you knew where to find us?”
“Give me a chance to explain,” Brian pleaded.
“Jace, put me down,” Piper said, as she squirmed in his hold.
He gently placed her on her feet. As soon as she stood on her own, Bobby broke loose from Cody and raced forward.
“I was so scared!” Bobby yelled as he launched himself at Piper.
“I know.” She patted his back, but her gaze went to Jace. “We all were.”
“We need to get all of you out of here before more people show up,” Brian interrupted.
Jace didn’t really want to hang around, but he did want answers. “Where are we going?”
“Back to the base,” Brian answered. “We’ll get you all cleaned up and fed before we talk.”
“We stay together,” Jace demanded. “The four of us.”
“Fine.”
Brian marched off, and Jace couldn’t help but watch his old friend go.
“What’s going on, Jace?” Piper whispered.
“I don’t know, but I’ll get to the bottom of it,” he promised.
“Who is that man?”
“An old friend. One I thought was dead.”
Piper slipped her hand into his while still holding Bobby close with her other arm. “Okay, we need to get some food in Mitch. I’m worried about his transition still.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Brian held open a door to one of the vehicles. Jace helped Mitch slide into the passenger seat before climbing in the back with Piper and Bobby. He wasn’t surprised when Brian took the driver’s seat.
The drive back to the base was made mostly in silence. Every once in a while, Piper would squeeze his hand but other than Bobby asking if they were all right, no one else spoke.
Instead of going into the main entrance, Brian pulled down a dirt road to a guard house that Jace hadn’t even known existed. The soldier on duty glanced briefly at Brian’s paperwork before looking at each occupant in the vehicle closely.
Jace couldn’t imagine what the guard thought. Mitch was naked and bleeding. Jace was shirtless and had his own injuries, while Piper only had on a uniform jacket.
The soldier didn’t even blink, though. He nodded and waved to the guard house just before the gate opened allowing them entrance.
As Brian steered around the guard and barrier, Piper shivered. He wrapped his arm around her.
“This place feels weird,” she whispered.
Jace glanced at her.
“Yes, this is where the shifters run when they need to transform,” Brian spoke up. “An Alpha would be able to pick up on that, even one just coming into her powers.”
Jace narrowed his eyes as he met Brian’s gaze in the rear-view mirror. Brian shouldn’t have been able to hear what Piper had whispered. And his old friend sure seemed to know a hell of a lot about what was going on.
“Jace?” Piper hissed in his ear.
He shook his head. He didn’t like it any better than she did.
The wide empty land around them started to change, with a landing strip not far to the right. A few buildings came into view in front of them.
“Stay close and remain together,” Jace spoke directly into Piper’s ear.
If Brian heard him, he didn’t show it.
Brian stopped the vehicle in front of the smallest structure. “This is housing. I had one of my men call ahead and prepare a couple of rooms for you all. They are right next to one another. The doctor has also been paged to look at Mitch.”
“No doctors,” Mitch rasped.
“But…”
“He said no doctors,” Piper snapped.
Jace shuddered at the authority that her tone had held. He wasn’t sure what to make of it but Piper did make him proud.
Brian dropped his head. “Okay, we can discuss it later if you want.”
Jace grabbed the door handle, opened his side then slid out. He reached for Mitch’s door, helping his buddy onto his feet. Piper had followed Bobby from the other side. Through the interior of the door, he could see Brian offer his hand to help her.
Just as her palm connected with his, she gasped and jumped away.
“Piper?” Jace questioned.
Brian dropped his hand.
“It’s okay,” she told Jace but she didn’t touch Brian again as she climbed out of the vehicle.
Jace slammed Mitch’s door closed and muscled his friend around the vehicle.
Piper had put several feet between her and Brian while keeping Bobby behind her body, as a shield.
“What’s going on?”
“I thought she knew,” Brian offered.
“Knew what?” Jace asked.
“He’s one of us,” Piper said quietly.
It took Jace a minute to understand but when he did, more pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place.
More questions. He was tired of being two steps behind. After he got the others settled, he was going to get some damn answers.
“I’ll show you where you can clean up and rest. Then I’ll make sure some food is on its way,” Brian said, but he wasn’t looking at any of them.
His reaction confused Jace. Brian had always been very sure of himself and confident. It was almost as Piper made him nervous.
“Thank you,” Piper replied, and Brian seemed to relax some.
Brian nodded and motioned for them to follow. Bobby rushed over to Mitch�
�s side and placed his shoulder where Mitch could lean on him and Jace.
Piper aligned herself directly in front of them. Jace didn’t like that she was using herself as a line of defense but he understood. Something had changed when they’d been under Vince’s control.
Her protectiveness of Mitch and Bobby had grown stronger. She was acting like the Alpha everyone kept calling her.
They didn’t encounter anyone as Brian took them inside to where the elevator was located.
The building resembled the barracks that Jace had lived in for many years. Nothing seemed out of place or different. But he didn’t understand the itch between his shoulder blades.
Something was going on.
He turned quickly once they entered the elevator but didn’t see anyone in the hallway.
They only went up one floor to the second level.
Four doors down, Brian stopped. “This room is free and the one next to it.”
“I’ll take Mitch in here and get him cleaned up,” Bobby offered.
Piper bit her lip. Jace knew she didn’t want to leave the two of them.
“I’ll remain outside to make sure no one bothers you and will knock when the food arrives,” Brian added.
Jace touched the back of Piper’s hand. He would let her make the decision but he needed some time with just the two of them.
“Okay,” Piper agreed. “Just holler if you need anything.”
Bobby nodded, and Mitch started to shuffle inside. Jace tugged on her hand to get her moving to the next room.
She opened the door and they both looked around. It was a small area. Two twin beds with a nightstand between them, a desk situated in one corner and a long dresser against the wall.
“Take your time. There should be toiletries and some clothes set out for you,” Brian said from behind them. “Just stick your head out and let me know if you need anything else.”
Piper released Jace’s hands and turned to Brian. “Thank you.”
Jace smiled when she bumped against him before walking farther inside. He knew how to take a hint. And his mate wanted him to make nice with Brian.
“We appreciate it,” Jace told Brian.
The sound of the shower coming on filtered out to him so Jace took his chance. He moved closer to Brian. “I’m trusting you with my family right now. Don’t make me regret it,” he warned.