Do You Take This Cat [Wind River Pack 4] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Missy Martine

  Remus frowned and picked up his phone. “I don’t have a clue what could cause that, but it might shed some light on how they got all the way into pack land and took Jeremy and Marianne’s pups.” The three pups had disappeared without a trace and then found abandoned in a cave at the edge of the pack’s property. All three had been infected with some kind of disease that was slowly killing them. Aurelia had used her powers to heal them. “I want you to talk to Koril tonight. Tell him I said to double the night guards and warn them they can’t go by their sense of smell.”

  “Right away, Alpha.” Zack led Aurelia out and closed the door behind him.

  Remus dialed a number that had become as familiar as his own. It rang three times before anyone answered.

  “Zander Temple here. Is that you, Alpha Remus?”

  “Yeah, ain’t caller ID grand?”

  Zander chuckled. “What’s up, my friend?”

  “We’ve got big problems, Zander, and I need your help.”

  Chapter 3

  Ray shifted his carry-on bag from one shoulder to the other while his father searched up and down the concourse for their ride. Cold air swirled around the collection of luggage at his feet as the automated doors opened and closed for people who knew where they were going. The airport air reeked of a combination of old coffee and body odor. He’d been waiting so long the security guards were beginning to study him suspiciously.

  He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned and found himself staring into a pair of deep, blue eyes. It bothered him on some juvenile level that both of Kati’s men were taller than his own five foot nine inch frame. A hand was thrust out for him to take.

  “Welcome to Wyoming, Ray. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m Synia and this is my mate, Kinnith.”

  Ray looked behind Synia and nodded at the towering brown-haired giant with the sardonic grin on his face. When Synia cleared his throat, Ray returned his gaze to the outstretched hand. When one eyebrow on the man’s face rose, he reluctantly offered his hand in a brief handshake.

  “Where’s your dad?” asked Synia.

  “He went looking for you.”

  Kenneth nodded toward the doors. “Here he comes.”

  Ray turned and watched his father navigate around the throng of travelers. A smile spread from one side of his face to the other when he spotted the men waiting with Ray.

  “There you guys are. It’s good to see you again. Did my little girl come with you?”

  Synia shook Frank’s hand. “No, sir. I’m sorry, but she’s knee-deep in wedding preparations today. If I recall correctly, she’s helping the bridesmaids pick a dress that won’t make any of them look bloated.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Frankly, I didn’t wanna know what any of them looked like bloated, so I thought it best to just stay out of her way.”

  Frank threw back his head and laughed. He shook Kinnith’s hand. I guess you boys remember my son, Ray.”

  “We’ve already said our polite hellos, Pop. Do you think we could take this reunion somewhere else? I, for one, would like to get out of this crowd.”

  Synia chuckled and picked up the larger of the two suitcases while Kinnith grabbed the smaller one. “Being raised in New York I’m surprised that crowds would bother you. The one time we were there with Kati to pick up her stuff I thought I would suffocate.”

  Frank nodded. “It depends on what you’re used to. We understand the people of New York, and for the most part, we know what to expect from them. Here, we’re out of our element and don’t know what to expect.”

  Ray fell into step behind Kinnith as Synia led them toward the exit doors. “Well,” Kinnith said, “you should really get some down time in once we get you home. There are not many people that live in Takoda or on the mountain. It might be a nice vacation for you. Remus said you were gonna be staying at his house, Mr. Mathews.”

  Frank chuckled. “Please, call me Frank. And yes, Remus graciously offered to let me bunk with him.”

  Synia looked over his shoulder. “You could have stayed with us, Frank.” He glanced at Ray. “You both could stay with us.”

  “I appreciate the invite, son, but I asked Kati about your house. Frankly, it would have been pretty close quarters for all of us. I’m progressive enough in my way of thinking to accept that my little girl wants to make her life with two young men.” He scratched his head as his cheeks turned a rosy pink. “But, to be honest, I’m not progressive enough in my thinking to stick around and listen to the three of you getting it on.”

  There was total silence for a moment, and then Synia barked out a laugh followed swiftly by Kinnith. Before long, both men were wiping the laughter tears from their face. Ray shook his head. “Leave it to my pop to get right to the heart of the matter.”

  Synia unlocked the door of a tan, Chrysler minivan and set the suitcase in the back. “What about you, Ray? You wanna come home with us?”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I have even less desire to listen to my sister’s love life. It’s my understanding you’re taking me to an apartment.”

  Kinnith nodded and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Yeah, Zack gave us the key to his place.”

  “Where’s Zack staying?” asked Ray.

  Synia held the door open and waited while Frank climbed into the back seat. “Zack mated a few months back and promptly bought a house on the mountain and fixed it up. He and his mate moved in just a few days ago. All their personal stuff is out of the apartment, but it has everything you could possibly need for your stay. Remus even arranged to leave one of the family’s trucks parked there for you to use while you’re here.”

  “That’s very generous of him. I appreciate his thoughtfulness.”

  Kinnith backed out of the parking spot. “We thought we’d take you guys straight to Remus’s house, and then we’ll give you a ride to Zack’s apartment, Ray. That way you’ll know how to get back on your own. Besides, I know that Aunt Maddie is planning a special welcome dinner for you guys.”

  When Ray opened his mouth to ask to be taken straight to the apartment, his father’s hand landed on his thigh. He sighed and nodded his head.

  “Is Kati and the two of you invited to this dinner?” asked Frank.

  “Yes, sir,” Kinnith said. “We wouldn’t miss it.”

  Frank smiled. “Then let’s head on to the big man’s house. I’m anxious to see my little girl.”

  Ray sighed heavily and turned his gaze to the window. It was going to be a long evening.

  * * * *

  Nathaniel Kaugh watched the monitor for the closed circuit television closely. The young woman curled herself into a fetal position against the headboard of the small bed and wept. Her once shiny, long, blonde hair now hung in dirty, matted clumps framing her tear ravaged face. She’d been his unwilling guest for the better part of a year. He looked up when someone knocked at his office door. “Come in.”

  He watched as his head of security crossed the room. Quentin Farrell was a hulking blond giant that had no qualms about carrying out any order Nathaniel cared to give. When Quentin reached the desk he glanced at the monitor. “She’s on the fifth day of her hunger strike. The doc said if she doesn’t eat soon the inhibitor shots might kill her.”

  “You can’t force feed her?”

  Quentin shrugged. “Doc said the trauma of holding her down and sticking a tube down her throat could do just as much damage to her psyche as not eating is doing to her body.” He looked back at the screen. “She hasn’t tried to escape in almost two weeks.”

  Nathaniel nodded. “She’s finally accepted her fate. She no longer believes there’s any hope for her rescue.”

  “I think it was a mistake to let the two women meet. She gave up and started starving herself the day after the Skype chat. She’s not gonna be much help to you if she wills herself to die.”

  “Bring one of the children to her room. Inform our illustrious guest that the child will eat when she eats and not before.”

  Quentin chu
ckled. “That ought to do it. She’s got a real soft spot for the young ones.”

  Nathaniel turned off the monitor. “She’s not why I wanted to talk with you. We have a problem.”

  “What’s wrong?” asked Quentin.

  “The men you sent to Wyoming are incompetent, and they may have ruined everything.”

  “What the hell happened? I know those men personally, and they’ve always been reliable in the past.”

  “They were careless and spotted on pack lands.”

  Quentin leaned forward. “Are you sure?”

  Nathaniel snarled at his security officer. “Of course I’m sure. My insider tells me the pack has been put on high alert and they’re running extra guards. They’re organizing search parties to comb the mountain, even searching the caves to see if they can find the intruders.” He walked over and lowered himself into the padded armchair he kept behind his desk. Through the window he could see the rising sun was just streaking across the sky in shades of lavender and gold. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air from the large percolator that automatically came on each morning. “It’s imperative I get the blood samples from the three children this new pack member supposedly healed with her gift. But more importantly, I want this miracle healer brought here.”

  “Boss, are you sure they aren’t pulling your leg? I mean, come on. Does it make any sense? You’ve been studying the paranormal world your entire life, and your daddy before you. Have you ever heard of anyone that could seriously heal just by the touch of their hands?”

  “Quentin, we haven’t even scratched the surface of everything paranormal out there. There’s so much we still don’t understand.” Nathaniel hesitated for a moment and then opened the desk drawer and took out a ledger book and placed it on the spotless cherry-wood desk. “I’m going to give you the names of some former associates of my…my father. Use them and put together a plan to get that woman here. I don’t care what the cost.” He wrote two names and phone numbers on a slip of paper and handed it to Quentin. “Don’t screw this up. I won’t be so forgiving for any more mistakes.”

  “What about the men already in Wyoming?” He held up the scratch paper. “Do you want them to work with these guys?”

  “If they hadn’t screwed up we’d have both the blood samples and the healer in our hands now. Make an example of them so everyone else is on their toes.”

  Quentin firmed his mouth, nodded, and left the room closing the door behind him.

  Nathaniel reached over and turned up the volume on the monitor and listened to the animalistic cries of the young woman. He smiled and ran his finger over her huddled image. “Patience, my dear. You and I have only just begun our work.”

  * * * *

  Ray jiggled the key in the lock and breathed a sigh of relief when the door opened. He’d sat through two hours of dinner and conversation at the alpha’s home and now he was ready for some down time. He had to admit the people, or creatures, were nice, but he was beginning to feel like a bug under a microscope the way they all kept staring at him.

  He walked through the door, flipped the light switch, and looked around the room. The place was small and done in browns, tans, and oranges. It wasn’t bad for a bachelor pad. The furniture was heavy, and looked old and well-used. He’d probably get rid of some of the landscapes on the walls if it was his, but, all in all, not a bad place to stay.

  He walked over and glanced into the bedroom and grinned. The king-size bed took up most of the room, with one small nightstand in the corner. The bed had a colorful quilt covering it and a mound of pillows near the headboard. He placed his suitcase on the mattress and then walked over and peered into the bathroom. “Oh, man. Now we’re talking.” The large, sunken Jacuzzi tub practically called out to him. The scarred vanity had a rounded sink and a stack of folded towels and washcloths. A packaged bar of soap sat in the soap dish. “Guess they left me a few things to make life easier.”

  Unbuttoning his shirt, he walked back through the living room and into the tiny kitchen. A small bar with two stools separated the two rooms. Inside the kitchen, a lone microwave sat on the chipped granite countertop. In searching the cabinets, he found a few mismatched dishes and a couple of rolls of paper towels. Zack had said they’d left enough for him to get by while he visited. Opening the fridge he groaned. Someone had stocked it with everything for a single man’s diet. There was bread, lunch meats, and beer. What else could a man want? He grabbed a beer and made his way back to the bedroom to unpack.

  Ray thought about Kati and the men who claimed she was their mate. “What the hell have you gotten yourself into, little sister?” He snorted. “More importantly, how the hell do I get you out of it?” Remus had assured them that Kati was not the only human member of his pack, and that there was no way they could turn her into a shifter. You had to be born with the shifter DNA for that to happen. It did make him feel better to know they weren’t going to bite her and make her start turning furry once a month.

  He didn’t care for the accusing glare he’d received along with his warning not to tell anyone about their people. “Hell, my father kept their damn secret for some thirty odd years. Do they think I’m not as trustworthy?” He took a long drink of his beer and then belched. Chuckling, he headed for the bathroom. A good long soak in the tub is just what the doctor ordered. His father had graciously offered his services to the alpha’s wife to help her with planning an engagement party and the reception. “Which is ludicrous! What do I know about planning a party?” Dropping his clothes onto the shiny tile floor, he stepped into the hot water and sighed. “I’ll offer to help her carry stuff, and maybe set up, but that’s the limit I’m gonna do.”

  As the water swirled around him, he thought back to that fateful night in the cabin in Tennessee. He could still remember the feel of the cat in his lap as it started to change into a wolf. It had frightened and intrigued him at the same time. “I wonder what the human side looked like.” Groaning, he leaned back and rested his head on the back of the tub and let the water cover his chest. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. “I just have to get through these four weeks, and I can go home and get back to the real world.”

  * * * *

  Rennia looked up when Jonah Rivers pulled up a chair and dropped into it heavily, letting out a strangled sob. “What’s the matter, Jonah? Is Jeff okay?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

  “What happened?”

  “He changed, at least part-way.”

  Rennia frowned. “I don’t understand. He’s not old enough to change yet. Are you sure?”

  Jonah harrumphed. “It’s not exactly something I can mistake, boss. He had another nightmare last night. He was crying so I went in to wake him up.” Jonah took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “Before I could wake him, fur sprouted all over his body, little claws came out of his fingers, and his mouth briefly stretched out into a snout, and then everything went back to normal.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “After he changed back his breathing evened out and he just slept peacefully.” He let out a little hysterical laugh. “I, of course, spent the rest of the night watching him like a hawk in case it happened again. He scared the crap out of me.”

  Rennia shook her head. “I’ve never heard of anyone shifting before puberty, so I don’t know what to tell you. Could be that bears are different from other shifters. I think you need to take him to see Tehran as soon as possible.” When Jonah frowned, she sighed. “He’s the pack doctor. If anybody can help Jeff, it’s Tehran.” She wrote a phone number on her tablet and then tore out the page and handed it to him. “Here’s Tehran’s number. Go call him now, explain everything, and see when he can work you in.”

  “You can do without me today?”

  Rennia smiled and patted his hand. “It’s fine. I’ve got some equipment being delivered, and I’m gonna iron out the menu for the reception with Aunt Maddie. You’d just be in the way.”

  Jonah smiled and stood up. “Thanks so m
uch, Rennia. You’re a true friend.”

  “I have ulterior motives, remember. I want the best chef I know cooking for me.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Now git!”

  An hour later, Rennia was ready to pull her hair out. The pool tables, sound systems, and some kitchen equipment had been delivered and all placed neatly outside the main entrance. It’s too bad they weren’t willing to actually put it where it belonged. She hadn’t been able to reach their boss by phone when they’d refused her request, so now she was stuck moving things inside herself. She could wait for Jonah to get back, but it grated on her nerves to have things so unorganized, and she couldn’t just leave things out, unattended. Luckily, there were no steps to have to go up.

  She’d just started tugging on one of the pool tables when a truck pulled into the parking lot and parked at the edge of the building. Squinting in the sun, she raised one hand to shield her eyes and then froze when her mate climbed out of the vehicle.

  * * * *

  Ray shook his head as he slowly made his way down the main street of Takoda. “How the hell can anybody stand all this quiet?” He’d slept like a log and awakened feeling better than he had in a long time, but now he was ready for some interaction of some kind.

  He glanced around the neighborhood and didn’t see but a couple of people out. “Did I miss a day or something? I know it’s not Sunday.” He pressed the selection dial on the radio and cringed when he kept finding country music stations. And then he spotted a young woman. He slowed the truck and watched her struggle with some kind of large table. There was no sign on the building, but it looked like some kind of business. “Only one car visible. Maybe the little lady could use some help.”

  Flipping on his blinker, he made a sharp turn and pulled up next to the building. Shutting off the engine, he quickly slid from behind the wheel and pocketed the keys. He studied the young woman as he made his way across the asphalt. Her long, curly brown hair was blowing gently in the brisk morning air. She was dainty, at least a few inches shorter than his own frame. Her skin was alabaster white and looked as smooth as silk. As he got closer, he could see her emerald green eyes. “Good morning. My name is Ray Mathews. It looks like you could use a little help.”