by Vella Day
Enticing Their Mate
Pack Wars (Book 6)
Vella Day
www.velladay.com
Copyright © 2015 Vella Day
tuebl sucks as do their staff
ENTICING THEIR MATE
Copyright © 2015 by Vella Day
Kindle Edition
www.velladay.com
[email protected]
Cover Art by Jaycee DeLorenzo
Edited by Rebecca Cartee and Carol Adcock-Bezzo
Published in the United States of America
E-book ISBN: 978-1-941835-17-3
Print edition ISBN: 978-1-941835-18-0
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief questions embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Other Books by the Author
About the Author
Chapter One
Jay Wagner, a former FBI agent specializing in human trafficking, had a score to settle. He wanted to be the one to bring down Paul Statler, the evil motherfucker who deserved to die a long and painful death for kidnapping and selling women.
After traveling sixteen hours from Florida to Canada, Jay had to work hard to keep himself awake. He already had eyestrain from reading all those poorly lit signs in an attempt to find their motel in Lippett Falls, Canada, the town where Statler was stashing the captives—at least temporarily. If Jay could be certain his nemesis was at that warehouse at two in the morning, he’d rush there right now and slice his fucking throat.
“Is that it?” Riley Bishop pointed to a structure hidden behind a row of tall trees.
Jay slowed. “Looks like it, thank God. We ready to do this?”
His roommate stretched. At least one of them had been able to snag a catnap during the long ass drive across Ontario.
“Do I think we’re ready to take on a hoard of super werewolves all by ourselves? Fuck yeah. Piece of cake.” He tapped his service weapon.
Didn’t they wish? Once they understood what they were up against, they would call in the cavalry. Going in alone was not an option. Jay entered the near empty lot and parked.
Riley sagged against the seat. “This place is a dump.”
“It’s probably worse in the daytime but at least it’s better than sleeping in the truck.” The fifteen-room, one-story motel had more unlit bulbs than functioning ones but that might be to their advantage, especially if they needed to meet with their contact person, Sarah Osmond.
As they exited the truck, Jay scanned the area for anyone who might be Statler’s henchman. “You sense anyone?” Jay asked. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Riley had a slightly better sense of smell.
“No werewolves close by that I can tell. So far so good.”
Their boss had asked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to hide all evidence of their entry into the country, so they would be safe for the time being. While Jay had worked for the FBI, even they didn’t have the connections their boss seemed to have.
When they entered the tiny, dimly lit motel lobby, the clerk looked up and sighed as if being inconvenienced. He reluctantly closed his magazine and dropped it on the floor. “Can I help you gentlemen?”
“Reservation for Thomas,” Jay said. General Armand had chosen that pseudonym for him because he said it sounded classy yet forgettable.
The man typed something into his computer then swiped two plastic cards through a machine. “Need your license plate number.”
Really?
Riley nudged him. “We’ve got company,” he telepathed.
Fuck. Only then did Jay’s senses shoot to high alert. “Could be one of ours, I suppose.” The Pack had men all over the country ready to help if need be.
The door to the office opened and a scruffy man who topped six-foot four rolled in. As the giant werewolf eased his way to the desk, he scowled at Jay. If this was one of Statler’s men, he hoped like hell there wasn’t a poster in some office with Jay’s face on it. He wouldn’t be surprised if there were, however. Jay had tried to kill the head honcho back in Florida.
Riley headed to the door. “I’ll get that license plate number.”
The clerk sat up straighter as he looked at the newcomer. “May I help you?”
“Need a room.” His deep voice sounded like glass mixed with gravel.
“Do you have a reservation?”
“For this place? Hell, no.” The man placed his palms on the counter then slid his credit card across the gouged surface. The clerk swallowed hard and shot his gaze downward, looking like he was about to shit his pants.
His fingers flew across the keyboard. Within seconds, he handed the newcomer a key. “Room 101. First room on the left.”
“Thanks.”
Intimidation seemed to eliminate the need for a license plate number. The large man turned and sized up Jay as if he was trying to figure out how many seconds it would take to kill him in a fight. Creep. The man didn’t stand a chance, unless he’d been enhanced. Jay’s years of training would serve him well against this dumbass.
As soon as the shifter left, Jay turned to the clerk. “How many rooms are rented for the night?”
His chin lifted. “That’s privileged information.”
Jay slapped a ten-dollar bill on the counter and the man’s eyes lit up. “Including that man?” The clerk ran a finger down his screen. “Three.”
That would make it easier to detect unwanted movements. Riley sauntered in two minutes later and gave the requested information to the clerk who then handed them their two keys. “Room 115, last room on the left.”
Good. They were far away from the giant.
Jay and Riley stepped outside to a moonless sky. “What took you so long?” Jay asked.
“Wanted to make sure the guy went into his room. He didn’t have any luggage, which I thought odd.”
Crap. “I guess one of us won’t be sleeping tonight.”
Riley nodded, his head swiveling across the dark expanse and his eyes glowing. “I’ll take first watch. I snoozed on the way here.”
“Appreciate it.”
No sooner had they stepped into their dingy room than Riley’s phone chimed indicating he had a message. Plucking it from his shirt pocket, he tapped his screen. “It’s from the General.” He scanned the message. “Fuck.”
Jay waited a beat for Riley to deliver the news, but he stuffed the phone back in his pocket and tossed his suitcase on one of the two beds.
“What did it say?” Jay asked, his
impatience too evident.
“Our contact person, Sarah, sent more info. Apparently, two of the captive women who’d escaped the old compound were found dead a few hours ago. She said it was on the news.”
“Shit. How many does that leave us to rescue?”
“Ten. Sarah said she’d overheard one of Statler’s men talking about them needing to ship the rest of the women out in three days.”
To be sold into slavery.
And abused.
Jay slammed his hand against the motel wall and the entire place rattled. “I should have made sure I really killed the fucker in Gulfport when I had the chance.”
“If you had killed him, the General wouldn’t have learned where Statler was holding the women.”
“There is that.” Jay’s cell dinged. “Fuck me. Doesn’t anyone sleep?” He wasn’t in the mood for more bad news. He located his cell in his jacket pocket. “It’s a text from Mackenzie.”
His cousin now worked for the Pack as one of their computer experts and must have dug up something she thought was important or she wouldn’t have disturbed him. He debated leaving it until later, but it could be vital to their mission.
He swiped the screen and smiled at the icon of the hot looking Sarah Osmond. “Kenzie forwarded us an email from Sarah. She said her shift ends at 2 p.m. tomorrow and asked that we meet her at Nelson’s Convenience Store a little after two. She would have met us here, but she believes someone’s following her. There’s a map attached.”
Riley grabbed his toiletry kit and placed his suitcase on the floor. “I don’t like it. First some goon who we think was sent by Statler comes to a virtually empty motel with no luggage and now this. Can we be sure Sarah didn’t tip him off?”
“No way. She’s undercover for Bill Hampton at the Bureau. You can’t get any more solid than that.”
“Then how do you explain the big fellow? The police assured us our entry into the country would be kept secret.”
“Dunno.” Jay was too tired to be carrying on this type of conversation. “Look, she’s being followed. Can we table this discussion until after we speak with her?”
Riley headed into the bathroom. “Sure.”
Sometimes he wanted to strangle the man.
* * *
Once Jay fell into bed, Riley headed outside to begin his surveillance. He started with a perimeter check to see if anyone else had joined the giant, but so far it appeared as if the man had come alone.
Riley remained outside for a couple more hours, but he never detected more than one shifter signature in the man’s room or anywhere else on the property for that matter. By the time the sun peaked over the horizon, Riley was satisfied all was safe and called it a night.
He slipped into bed and tried to sleep, but he was too wound up. Questions kept rattling in his head—the first of which was whether Sarah was some kind of double agent. Just because she had hair the color that matched the most beautiful sunset and a body that looked like she could love a man hard, he couldn’t afford to trust anyone. His job was to save ten women and take down one of the most evil Colter leaders the Pack had ever dealt with. While he hadn’t been involved in the Colter battle for long, from what Jay had told him, they were the epitome of bad.
* * *
Around one that afternoon, the key card slipped into the room door lock and Jay stepped in. “Wake up, sleepy head. I had to drive five miles to find us something to eat.” He tossed the paper bags on the scarred wooden table, along with two cups of delicious smelling coffee.
“Wasn’t really asleep.” Riley’s thoughts had refused to calm.
He yawned and slid out of bed, his eyes feeling like sandpaper. After running a hand though his mussed hair, he realized he needed to cut it soon. However, his first order of business was coffee. After opening the lid, he chugged half of it. From the bag, he removed an egg sandwich and ingested it in four bites. “Thanks.”
Jay pulled back the curtain and peered out. “Our giant seems to have checked out.”
The cobwebs in his brain slowly disappeared. “I’m not surprised. If he is one of Statler’s men, they’ll rotate to avoid suspicion.”
Jay nodded. “Sarah gets off work in a little over an hour. How do you want to handle this?”
“It’s a given you’ll have to stay in your wolf form, or out of view, especially if she’s being followed. We can’t chance anyone spotting you.”
Jay clenched his fingers, and some of the coffee spilled over the sides of the paper cup. “Shit.” He stepped back to the table and set it down. “This sucks.”
“It’s reality. You knew going in that you’d have to be the invisible man.”
“The giant knows I’m here. What difference does it make now?” Jay grabbed a napkin and blotted the coffee from the carpet.
“We don’t know if he was one of Statler’s men, and until we get an ID on the man following Sarah, I’ll be the front man.”
Jay stepped over to the table, jerked out the chair, and sat down. “When are Ford and Tyson coming up?”
“Didn’t you listen to anything the General said? As soon as we figure out what we need to take down Statler, we’re to contact him.”
Jay leaned back in his chair and blew out a breath. Riley worried about him. While he hadn’t worked with Jay on a case in a while, he couldn’t remember his roommate ever becoming unglued. “If you’re not up for this, I can always ask Sam or Brandon to partner with me.”
Jay shook his head. “No. I want this guy, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Our mission is to free the women. Don’t forget that.” Statler’s demise was their secondary goal.
Jay held up his middle finger. “You ready?”
“Let me hop in the shower. I’ll only be a minute.” Riley wadded up the paper bag, tossed it in the trash, and headed to the bathroom.
True to his word, he was cleaned up and dressed in under ten minutes, leaving the slow task of shaving until later. He picked up the rental keys. “I’ll drive. You seem out of it today.”
“Whatever.”
After Riley checked the area to make sure it was clear, he motioned it was safe for Jay to leave the room. To prevent being spotted, his roommate wore a baseball cap and kept his face partially hidden. Once inside the cab, he slid down in his seat. Jay’s job was to navigate since the map to the convenience store was on his phone. According to Sarah, the store was five miles west of the motel.
After a few minutes, Jay sat up. “It’s about a mile ahead on the right. How about pulling off the next chance you get and let me out? I’ll scope out the area and come in from the side.”
Presumably, he would be in wolf form. “Sure.” Riley found a copse of trees about one hundred yards ahead that would hide Jay’s shifting from any possible passerby. “After I’ve spoken with Sarah, I’ll contact you.”
“Be nice to her.”
“I’m always nice.” Just because he wasn’t the friendliest guy in the world didn’t mean he was an asshole. He knew how to treat a woman. He just didn’t want one in his life.
After he dropped Jay off, he spotted the convenience store less than a mile away. Even though it was five after two, the lot was empty, confirming his target had yet to arrive.
He parked alongside the building and stepped out for a minute to check for any wolf signature. When he was convinced none of Statler’s men were close, he hopped back in the truck to wait. Strolling up and down the aisles for fifteen minutes or until Sarah arrived would look suspicious, and the last thing they needed was for Statler to be aware his new hiding place had been compromised.
Less than ten minutes later, a rather tired Ford Taurus pulled into the lot, and the driver was none other than Sarah Osmond. Here goes nothing. No matter how many missions he went on, Riley always had that jolt of excitement. He loved the danger, but only when innocent people weren’t involved. Sarah might be a trained operative, but she was also a human female, which meant he’d have to protect her.
As she slipped out of her car, she looked over at him briefly and nodded, implying Mackenzie or the General had sent her photos of both him and Jay. She then looked around the area as if she wanted to be sure whoever had been following her wasn’t around. Smart girl.
Time to meet her. Riley pushed open the truck door and his heart rate suddenly sped past the danger zone, his gut contracted, and his dick went ramrod straight. What the fuck was that all about? Only when his nails began to elongate and the hair on his arms sprouted did dread pool in his gut. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening now.
Chapter Two
After all her years of training with the FBI, Sarah had thought she’d learned how to remain cool even under the most difficult situations, but these last few days had been hellish, especially when one of the captives started running a fever.
As soon as Sarah had entered the convenience store parking lot, she spotted a truck with a good-looking guy in front—if his muscular arm hanging out the window and his strong profile was any indication what the rest of him looked like. Not wanting to be obvious by staring or parking close to him, she couldn’t be sure if he was Riley or Jay—or some passerby.
She could only hope he wasn’t a recent Statler recruit hired to keep an eye on her, but the odds were in her favor he was one of General Armand’s men since she’d told no one that she’d planned to stop at this store after work. As an added precaution, Sarah had driven past the store and then doubled back.
She had to admit their arrival couldn’t have come at a better time, but if the plan involved charging in and taking down all the guards along with Statler, it would never work. Two men, no matter how well trained, would never succeed against all of Statler’s werewolves.
Once out of the car, she kept her gaze straight ahead and entered the store. In case cameras were recording her every move, she smiled at the young clerk. “Afternoon.”
Statler had drilled into all of his employees how important it was to be friendly but not too much so. People from small towns were suspicious of those who were rude, overly quiet, or super friendly. She headed down the snack aisle thinking it wouldn’t look odd if she spent a few minutes trying to figure out what to buy. A few seconds later, the front door opened, and she had to force herself not to look at the newcomer.