by Lacey Thorn
They’d headed back to their old stomping grounds. Rigton County. Once the home of the Rigton Pack, but after their alpha had died in a wreck, they’d been absorbed into a different pack. The James Pack. Bastion James and his band of bastard sons and vagabonds. It was said most had alpha blood running in their veins. Many had been abandoned by their families, with no interference from their packs. It was something I couldn’t fathom. Your family should protect you until you could protect yourself. The way my mother had.
She’d protected me from the day I was conceived. She alone had loved me without expectation. She’d simply loved me because I was hers. I’d towered over her by the time I was ten. By the time I was thirteen, I was the one protecting her. At twenty-seven, I still lived nearby and checked on her often, despite the fact she’d mated now. To a man named Cain Rogers. A human with an equally human daughter six years my junior. They were some of the few who know we exist.
I do what I can to protect the family, though Cain’s daughter sometimes makes that difficult. Cain’s a good man. Better than a lot of wolves I’ve met. In my world, that matters. Plus, I’ll check on my mother until the day I die. She deserves nothing less from the son she left her pack to protect.
Which brought me back to Rigton County, the territory the James Pack currently guarded. Protocol was to let James know I was there and why. And I would. After the fact. Unless I ended up being here longer than I’d anticipated. I hoped for a quick in and out. Snag the scum I hunted and be on my way. If I was still here come morning, I’d reach out to his pack. Or if there were bodies to dispose of. I might need to contact his pack then, as well.
For now, I needed to think like my prey. They wouldn’t want James or his pack to know they were here. That meant avoiding the known wolf hangouts. They’d stick to the fringes. What I couldn’t figure out was why they’d come back here. Everything I knew said this was where the leader of the group had almost been killed. Someone had beaten the hell out of him. Too bad, they hadn’t finished the job. It would have saved me a lot of trouble and changed the life of a female wolf with more courage than I’d seen in too long.
I hoofed it back to my truck and grabbed the folders from the passenger seat, scanning the top one to refresh myself on the information I’d been given. My phone rang, and I thumbed the ignore button with a growl. I didn’t have time for Cici. It rang again, and I hit ignore. Then again. And again. Until I caved with a groan.
“What do you want, Cici?”
“Hey, big brother! Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
I sighed. Heavily. “I’m not your brother.”
“Your mom. My dad. Hello, siblings. I always wanted a big brother. Why would you try to take my dream away from me, Hannibal? I thought you liked me.”
Other than my mom and Cain, Cici was the only person who called me by my name. I’d inherited her when my mother had married her father. She was human. Fully human. But completely fascinated with who and what I was. And defensive of me. It was actually laughable. Cici was maybe five-one in her bare feet. It was comical to see her call someone out if they gave me a weird look when I was around. She felt it was her duty to bust my balls on everything I did, but god forbid anyone else tried.
“Again. What do you want, Cici?”
“To help. I have information for you.”
“Useful information?” I pinched the bridge of my nose as I shook my head. Cici would be the death of me. I’d told her more than once—
I snapped my head up. “Tell me you didn’t follow me here!”
“Well…”
“Damn it, Cici! This isn’t one of your books. Wolves aren’t romantic heroes looking for love. They’re assholes, and they’ll kill you without a care.”
“I’m cute, though. Maybe, they’ll think I’m cute, and that’ll buy me time for them to get to know me.”
I thought of what the four I was chasing had done to a lone female. A wolf. A shudder went through me at what would happen to Cici if they got their hands on her. They’d kill her. She didn’t have advanced biology working in her favor.
“Cici, I swear to god! Your ass better be home, or so help me I’m calling your dad.” I needed to quit babying her, but I couldn’t help it. She was cute and endearing and annoying as hell. But the last thing I wanted was to terrify her with what the quartet I was after had done to a young woman.
“That’s just low, Han. Even for you. Besides, when did you become the guy who threatens to call my dad?”
It didn’t help that she was right. When had I become that guy?
“This is dangerous.”
Her tone grew soft, serious. “I know that. I know what they did. That brain you’re always teasing me about? I use it to research things. To find out the little things you don’t want me to know. I know what they did to her, Han. I know what you’re going to do to them. Let me help you.”
“If you know, then you should understand I can’t let you. If anything happened to you… Your father would kill me.”
“We both know he’d only be able to kill you if you let him, but I love you, too. Besides, I’m already here.”
“Cici!”
“Listen to me! I was only coming in case you needed backup.”
“Jesus!” The thought of her as my backup was too ludicrous to respond to.
“I thought I’d go out, grab a drink, see what I could see.”
“And?” I prompted when she paused.
“They were here. At the bar I’m at. Didn’t stay long and left escorting two women out. The bouncer I’ve been talking to said he had a weird feeling and tried to stop them from leaving. He wasn’t sure the first woman was with them by choice.”
“Yet, he let them leave.” Fucking perfect. Now, I’d have to contact the James Pack, but I needed more information before I did.
“He asked the woman if she was okay, and she said she was. Made it seem like it was her idea to leave. Said she was gagging like she was going to be sick. He also said her eyes would haunt him in his dreams. Blue. So light a blue they seemed to glow. Eerie. That was his word. Eerie in the most beautiful way.”
Almost glowing. Sounded like a wolf to me, but I needed to be sure. I’d be able to pick up on the scents when I arrived. I’d have to follow Benji’s exit and filter the unknown scents from those of him and his buddies to know if the women they’d escorted out were human or wolf. I was betting on wolf. Had they come back for a mate? I needed to know who I was looking for. “Any cameras?”
“Three in the bar and four outside giving different views of the lot. My new friend is going to take a look at the footage for us, so hurry up and get your ass over here. I’m texting the address to your phone right now. I don’t like the sound of this, Han. I think those ladies might be in trouble.”
With that, she disconnected. I pulled up the text, noted the address, and put the truck in gear. When I got my hands on Cici, I was sending her right back the way she’d come. I’d need to speak with my mom. She’d figure out a way to keep Cici from sticking her nose in wolf business. It was only fair since my mother was the one who’d inadvertently shared our secret with Cain’s daughter.
Cici meant well. She was a fierce protector. In the human world, she taught self-defense which gave her false confidence when it came to wolves. Maybe, I should “wolf out” one day, as she kept urging me to, and show her what a shifter really looked like in fur. We’re a lot larger than our pure animal counterparts.
I shook my head. I had a feeling she’d see more than she wanted this time. There was an itch at the back of my neck. One I’d felt since I crossed into this county. As if destiny had been leading me here all along. As if something beckoned me here, a finger curled in that come-hither motion.
I whipped into the lot at the address Cici had texted, parking at the back and glancing around as I unsnapped my seatbelt. Stepping out of the air-conditioned cab, I felt the slap of heat against my face, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up in alert. I followed my no
se across the lot, scanning the area where the scents were strongest.
The foursome had definitely been here and brought two female wolves out with them. One scent in particular called to me, tickling at my senses as if searching for a way inside me. Dropping to my knees, I touched my fingers to the crimson droplets staining the asphalt. Blood. Her blood. A roar of rage drowned out the world around me.
I almost took out Cici when she flew across the lot at me.
“Han! Han, it’s me!” She turned to speak to someone else. “It’s fine. He’s my brother. He won’t hurt me.”
My gaze moved past her to the human male with her. He was big but not at my level. Still, I took in the way he’d attempted to put Cici behind him. I’m a big motherfucker, but this guy would have tried to protect her from me.
“Explains why you showed no fear of me,” the guy muttered to Cici before turning his full attention on me. “I pulled the video. Looks like my instincts were right. I shouldn’t have let her leave with them.”
“Tell me,” I demanded, the words almost garbled as my wolf tried to press free of human skin.
“Video indicates she was looking for an exit when the other woman stopped her. They were surrounded by the four men and made their way across to the door I stood at.” He shook his head, frustration pouring off him. “She said she needed air. Fuck! She said she needed air, and I let them fucking leave.”
“You couldn’t have stopped them,” Cici interjected. “You—”
“Cici!” I barked, interrupting whatever she might have said. My attention was seriously splintered. “What did the camera out here show?”
“The second woman seemed to pass out. The man beside her scooped her up in his arms. The first woman turned to check, then she went down. I don’t think she passed out, though. The guy with her. Benji. She called him Benji. He picked her up then tossed her into the back of their SUV, the trunk area. He leaned in, and it looks like he struck her a few times.” The guy paused as he stared at me, and only then was I cognizant of the growls emanating from my throat. “When he ducked back out, he was holding the side of his head, fingers cupped over his ear. It looked like blood stained his shirt there.” He tapped his fingers along his collar bone to show where. “He and the others got in the vehicle and drove out of the lot. They headed east.”
“What’s east of here?” I demanded.
“Industrial section of town. Lots of factories and storage containers. The farther you go, the more rundown it gets. Lots of abandoned buildings out that way. Your sister talked me into waiting for you, but after what I saw, I need to head in and put a call into the cops—”
I interrupted that thought by jerking him to me, so our noses were practically touching. “No cops. Understood?”
He still showed no fear. It made me question if he knew more than he let on. I didn’t sense he was a part of what had happened, but something told me, he might know a few things about wolves and how to deal with one who was close to snapping.
He held his hands out wide, palms up. “No cops. Now, what can I do to help?”
I thought for a minute. The only way to get rid of him would be by giving him a task. One that didn’t involve calling humans into wolf business.
“I need you to make a call for me. Cici, do you have the number for Bastion James?” I knew she did. She’d have written it down before chasing after me. Someone needed to nail her feet to one place, so she’d stop looking for trouble.
She gave a quick jerk of her head as he answered, “I have James’ number.”
Interesting. Definitely human and there was no mating scent on him. Yet, he had a number to reach out to the alpha of the local wolf pack. Seemed Mom and I weren’t the only ones who had a liking for humans. It also meant I could trust Cici with him.
“Go with him and call. You’ll know what to say. I’m trusting you, Cici.”
She knew I spoke of more than the phone call. I trusted her not to let the human at her side know more than he should. She could play it however she wanted.
Then I focused on him again, letting the growl fill my voice. “If my sister’s harmed in any way—”
“I’ve got him, Han. What else do you need?” Cici interrupted, stepping between us, forcing me to take a step back.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me until I was satisfied with the distance between us and the man.
“He can’t be involved in this.”
“Walt?” She glanced back at the man. “He’s cool. Plus, he obviously knows the alpha here. He’ll keep his lips sealed. Now, what do you need from me once I’ve made the call?”
“I need you to stay here and stay safe,” I bit out, though I knew I couldn’t trust her to protect her own ass.
“There are four of them.” She held up her hand when I would have interrupted. “I know you can handle those four just fine, what about the women? What if they need help? What if one of the males tries to get to them first and uses the females against you? You need backup, and I know what calling James is meant to do. But they won’t get there in time, and I’m already in place. Let me help you. I’m smart and strong and more than capable of helping you. I swear, Han. I won’t do anything stupid.”
It killed me that she believed she could help me take on four wolves. No matter how strong and fierce she was, she was still only human. If she had a gun, maybe. But I knew firsthand she hated firearms and refused to carry one. She’d be a liability. God help me, I did think of her as a little sister. Emphasis on the little. I couldn’t risk her getting caught in the crossfire.
“I need you here to help the James Pack find us. Show them where I caught her scent. Give them this.” I reached back, gripping my T-shirt and jerking it over my head. “My scent will be stronger than hers. They’ll be able to follow it.”
Cici nodded. I knew she envisioned riding along with the cavalry to find me. I didn’t think the James Pack would ever allow it. I’d find her as soon as I was able and make sure she returned safely home.
“Done,” Cici agreed. “I won’t let you down.”
“Be safe,” I warned. “Don’t—” I broke off. There were too many things to put after that word when it came to her. “I’ll come find you as soon as I can. We’ll head home.”
She nodded. “I won’t let you down, Han. You’ll see.”
I watched her head back toward the bar with my shirt in hand. If Walt thought that was strange, he didn’t say anything about it to her. As soon as I was alone, I moved back to the truck, making sure all the windows were down. I wanted my scent to be strong on the air. I tasted the blood remnants on my fingers and felt the taste explode across my senses. I swear I felt a tug from her soul to mine. Light blue eyes filled my mind. Eyes bright with pain. She was hurt. Bleeding.
But she was something else, as well. Mine. My mate.
Until now, I might have tried to save a few of the four for the pack of the woman who’d approached me. That was no longer on the table. They’d signed their death warrants when they’d taken my mate. For every drop of blood they spilled, I’d spill more. For every injury, every harm, they gave her, I’d exact more from them. All four would be dead before the night was over. It wouldn’t be quick. I refused to make it easy.
And that was before I heard something that rocked me to my core. I swear I heard my mate’s voice in my head. And she called to me.
Chapter Three
~Belinda~
I awoke to the sound of Cammy begging and crying.
“Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch!”
“Please, Hutch! The alpha will kill us for this!”
“He’s not our fucking alpha,” Hutch snarled.
Wasn’t that exactly what my sister-in-law had said when my brother mated her? She’d sworn he’d never be her alpha. Her brother, Rowan Byrd, had been her alpha. He’d been alpha of the former Rigton Pack before he’d died in a horrific accident. The truck he and his beta were in blew a tire, flipped and caught fire. I still believed that wasn’t
what it seemed, but so far, no vision had given me an ah-ha moment where I could say with absolute certainty he’d been murdered. Yet, I couldn’t shake what I felt every time I went to the site where it happened. Something wasn’t right.
“I see our lovely…guest…is awake.” Benji walked toward me. I automatically attempted to move. The rattle of a chain made me aware of what he’d managed while I was out.
“You fucking chained me to a post?” I made no attempt to hide the disgust in my voice.
“We’ll have to make do with the ankle chain for now. If I allow the boys to keep you once this is over, we’ll buy you a proper choke collar with a leash.”
Snickers filled the air, and I smelled the taint of their lust.
“Bee, I’m so sorry,” Cammy wailed, drawing my attention to her. “I didn’t know what they had planned. I swear. I didn’t know.”
“Shut her up,” Benji snapped, and Hutch backhanded her, knocking Cammy to her knees, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
“What’s your brilliant plan then?” I asked Benji, doing my best to draw their focus back to me. Cammy was obviously dazed, making me wonder what she’d been subjected to while I had been out. I shouldn’t care, but I did. That was one of my biggest downfalls. Regardless of what people thought of my abilities or how they treated me because of them, I cared.
Benji moved closer. I tensed but stood my ground. I wouldn’t have been able to go far, anyway, with the damn chain around my ankle, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of watching me try. He cupped my chin, running his thumb along my jawbone.
“I’m going to break you. Bruise you. Bloody you.” He paused, reaching up to finger his ear, moving his hair so I could see the damage I’d done. I remembered the taste of blood in my mouth. Mine and his. I’d forgotten that, but nothing could prevent the sneer that tilted my lips at the visual reminder.
He moved quickly. He gripped my hair, jerking my head back before snapping his teeth in my face. “I’m going to use my teeth on you. Seems only fitting. Want to know what I’m going to rip off your body? What I’m going to tear from you?”