Jana Leigh & Bryce Evans

by Infiltrating the Pack (Shifter Justice)

  The door opened behind the Protectors with the Alpha looking at them. He looked Vander and Kane up and down then opened the door wide so they could come in. The Protectors looked at Vander before they moved so they could pass. Vander walked past the Alpha without saying a word as he went to Waverly’s side. Kane walked and swallowed hard as he stared at the bruises and cuts all over Waverly’s arms and upper body. He couldn’t stop the growl that came out of him as he stared at her.

  Marcus watched the two men who called themselves his daughter’s mates. He wouldn’t know for sure until Waverly woke up.

  Vander and Kane both picked up her hands, caressing the top of them. As soon as they both touched her, Waverly started moving. Her eyes blinked open, staring at the two men holding her hands. Before she could scream thinking she was still being tortured, Vander advised who he was.

  “Waverly, my name is Vander Collins.” Marcus ran up to the table so she could see him. She pulled her hands from them and reached out to her father. Vander stepped back so the Alpha could hug his daughter, then watched as Waverly started shaking. She was so exhausted and without strength, that she couldn’t keep her hands around her dad.

  “You are safe, baby girl. You’re safe. Nobody will ever hurt you again. I promise. It’s okay.” Marcus rocked her as he held on to Waverly who drifted back to sleep as she relaxed.

  Kane came around the bed and stood beside Vander as the Alpha rocked his daughter. Marcus stopped his rocking, then laid Waverly’s head back down onto the pillow and placed her hands beside her. Then pulled away from her. He wiped his eyes, then turned and faced Vander and Kane.

  “She woke up because her mates touched her together. You will have your work cut out for you. I don’t know if she will ever be ready for this. The doctor said Waverly may not ever get past this. I want to say leave her and never come back but that would be wrong of me. My daughter will need you soon. She may not know it yet, but she will figure it out. Just don’t press her.” Before Vander or Kane could say anything, Marcus continued, “If you push her or try to make her do something with you…I will kill you both.” Vander understood what the Alpha meant but before he could say anything Kane was up in his face.

  “Let me tell you something. I’m not any fucking wolf. I’m third in command of the biggest pack in the United States and I know how to treat a mate. Especially a mate that has been beaten and tortured. I’m not cruel, Alpha, and I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do. But know this. Waverly is ours now and we will take care of her.” Marcus started growling because Kane was up in his face. They were both the same height but Marcus was the Alpha and nobody got in the Alpha’s face.

  “Daddy,” Waverly whispered and Marcus backed down looking over to his daughter.

  “Waverly. Honey, how are you? Do you need some pain medicine?” Marcus said, and when Waverly nodded yes, she glared at Vander and Kane as Marcus went to the phone to call the doctor. She didn’t speak to them but watched as they watched her back. “He is coming, honey,” the Alpha said to Waverly with a half smile.

  “Thank you,” she whispered and frowned a little.

  “Honey, do you know who did this to you?” her father asked but when Waverly tilted her head so she could look over her dad’s head at Vander and Kane he asked, “You want to know who they are?”

  Waverly narrowed her eyes then nodded yes. Before Marcus could introduce them, Vander spoke first, “Waverly, my name is Vander Collins and I’m the Detective working on your case. We have been looking for you.”

  “Hello, Waverly, my name is Kane Foster and we are your mates.” Waverly jerked, glaring at her dad for confirmation. Kane didn’t believe in beating around the bush, she should know them. If she couldn’t scent them, or remember that she had contacted them, he would remind her.

  “What are you talking about? I don’t have any mates or want any mates.” Waverly had fire in her eyes as she sputtered out. Kane wanted to laugh at the feistiness their mate had.

  “We know you have been through a lot, and we get that. But we are your mates, and we will be here to help you through this,” Kane muttered back.

  “We will see about that,” Waverly snarled. “What is happening to find the assholes who did this. They are trying to find a shifter’s weakness, they have a plan to do something, but first want to know how to kill us.”

  “Honey, you need to rest,” Marcus said firmly. “But you know as well as I do, that mates would not leave if something like this happened.”

  He could understand Vander who was a human but Waverly was an Omega of her pack. She would be able to smell them. The doctor had been wrong about her not being the same, apparently, all the men did was piss her off, not break her.

  “Kane, let’s give her some time with her dad,” Vander said and looked at daughter and father who seemed to be ready to have an argument about staying still. As her mate, Vander wanted to hide her away until she recovered, but it seemed like they had underestimated their female, she was a force to be reckoned with. Kane looked over at Vander like he was crazy. He motioned for Kane to follow him.

  Vander could tell Kane didn’t want to go outside but he followed Vander out. “What is going on? She should know us,” he bristled. He could see how out of control Kane’s reaction was becoming. He knew if he didn’t calm him down then he might scare Waverly off. Vander wouldn’t push Waverly into being Kane’s and his mate.

  “Come on, man, can’t you see right now she is focused on finding the men who hurt her. Jewel said the doctor wasn’t sure if she would remember certain things, obviously we are going to have to wait. She has been tortured and beaten, but apparently, it only pissed her off. She is strong-willed. Let her get her bearings or she will run.”

  “Let her, she knows we will chase. She is amazing, isn’t she?” Kane smiled. Vander looked at him and nodded before saying.

  “I don’t know how to do all the mating thing. What would you suggest?” Vander asked.

  “Well, basically it is instinctive. She knows we are her mates, she will come around. We just need to have patience,” Kane said. “The Omega stuff, I am not so sure of, this is all new to me too.”

  That was the question wasn’t it, what was she going to remember, because both of the men wanted her to remember how she called to them.

  “I need to make some calls and get this investigation moving. We will never have peace if we don’t figure this out,” Vander said and looked back toward the door where Waverly was talking to her father. “You think she will be ready to discuss us soon?”

  Kane shrugged. “I don’t like that her father is the only one in there. I would like to think he would respect our mating, but I am not so sure.”

  Vander looked at the room again. “There was someone on the inside, he feels responsible I am sure.”

  “Well, I am only giving him a few more minutes before I go in there,” Kane said.

  “I need to make some calls,” Vander said.

  *****

  “Dad, you can’t control everything you know,” Waverly said.

  “You were taken and tortured. I can control who I allow in here. What if they hurt you?” Marcus growled.

  “I am a grown up. And yes, I was tortured and it sucked, I will probably have nightmares for a long time, but here is the thing. They didn’t break me. They wanted to and they tried but they didn’t. And you know why? Because of the pack, I could still feel them even with all the shit going on. They were my strength just as I am theirs. I kinda figured out a few things. Yes, I was taking on too much, but I was also not allowing the pack to help me when I was becoming drained. It works both ways. You know as well as I do that you are reacting to them because of everything that went on. They aren’t to blame though. And if they are my mates, which I think they are, then I can’t hide from that,” Waverly said.

  Her father looked at her and shook his head. “You are my daughter.”

  “Yes I am, and I will always be your daughter. But I am also a gro
wn up, and honestly, I want to kick someone’s ass. I really don’t want anyone ever to go through what I did. So, I will help Detective Collins, and get to know them more. But the most important thing is to get the fuckers who did this,” Waverly said firmly.

  Her father nodded but took her hand and sat down next to her. “I know I am your dad. But I am also your Alpha, you can talk to me about this.”

  Waverly looked at her father, he could handle it, and she was going to have to talk anyway. “It’s not pretty.”

  “I didn’t expect it was,” Marcus growled.

  “There was a familiar scent, but I can’t place it. All of my senses were screwed up from their little experiments. They wanted to see how we heal, and how fast we heal. They started with little cuts all over my body, and when they healed quickly, they moved on to deeper ones. The head guy, they called him Josh, he was sick. I could feel his depravity, it was scary. He wanted to do things,” Waverly said and her father saw her fear for the first time, she had hidden it well.

  Marcus grabbed her hand and held on as she struggled to regain her composer. “You don’t have to be brave for me,” he whispered and Waverly nodded at him.

  “His sick and twisted mind was just too much, you know. I mean, when he was cutting me, he enjoyed it. And his thoughts, if he could have done everything he wanted, I would be dead, because I would have killed myself before I let him rape me,” Waverly said angrily. “They never should have gotten me. I was so stupid, I was so deep in thought I never even saw it coming. It was so out of character, like they knew the exact time when I would be my most vulnerable. You know me, I am always aware of what is around me.”

  Marcus nodded. “You are, which is why I was so worried.”

  “There was something strange about it. It was almost as if I couldn’t feel the danger, which would mean my gift wasn’t working. That has never happened. Regardless, I was hurt, but I am a shifter, and the daughter of a powerful Alpha, I won’t roll over and let them win. So you can forget that. As for my mates, well you know as well as I do that it is a gift. They came to me when I needed them the most, and for that, I am grateful. I will take my time and get to know them, but I will accept their mating claim,” Waverly warned her father. “You need to accept them as well.”

  Marcus growled but then nodded when Waverly shook her head and laughed. “Fine, I will be watching though.”

  “Of course,” Waverly smiled and kissed her father gently. She looked up and Kane was standing in the doorway.

  *****

  Vander walked to the end of the trail to a beautiful pond. There was a deck with some chairs and an umbrella. He walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. Fall was starting but summer was still trying to stay. The temperature made Vander sit under the umbrella for a little shade.

  Vander closed his eyes breathing in deeply as his body started to relax a little. He knew Jewel was near. She had taught him well. He listened for the sounds that let him know someone was coming.

  “What are you doing out here by yourself?” Jewel said and Vander smiled. Only his best friend could make him smile even though he was having a shitty day. Asking a silly question was just a way for her to say that she knew what was going on with him.

  “Getting some air,” he replied and Jewel noisily sat down in the chair beside Vander.

  “You know this is a beautiful area. I wouldn’t mind living on this kind of property,” she said softly and Vander looked over at Jewel. He knew her so well and she was beating around the bush, which was unlike her.

  “Jewel, spit it out. It worries me when you’re not blunt. It’s so not you.” Vander snorted.

  Jewel laughed. “I’m worried about you and Kane. I smelled him on you earlier so I know something has happened between you two and I wondered how you were taking all this in. Plus, Waverly not knowing you two, I am sure you are upset.”

  “I don’t know…I…really don’t know what to do. Waverly and Kane know me, it is weird, but they know me. To see Waverly look at me when she was in my head, I don’t know, it hurts. My body is reacting to both of them and I don’t know how to stop it. I don’t even know if I want to stop it, Jewel, but I’ve never been with a man before…and I know Kane has so this is nothing to him. I don’t think I’m gay but…” Vander blushed as he looked back to the pond. “But I crave him. I want to be with him…and I just don’t know if I can deal with that.”

  Jewel got up and sat in Vander’s lap hugging him. She knew he needed that. She could see the stress and desperation in his eyes as he spoke. Jewel held Vander for a few minutes before she spoke.

  “Vander, you are my best friend and I don’t care if you are gay or not.” Vander was about to speak. Jewel put her finger over his lips. “I know you’re not gay, what I’m trying to say is if you were gay it wouldn’t matter to me. Now wolves are very sexual creatures so it is not uncommon for wolves to be with both sexes. It doesn’t mean anything except they like the closeness with each other. You have been blessed with two mates, my friend, just like me. Waverly will remember, it may take time but she will. You are going to get the best of both. It doesn’t mean you are gay, just means you have two mates and one of them is a man. Live, Vander, because life is too short and you never know.” Vander nodded.

  “I just don’t think I can handle Kane in that way. He wants…” Vander smiled at her.

  “I know but give yourself time and see how you adjust to this,” Jewel replied.

  “I guess we need to get back before Kane comes looking for me,” Vander murmured. Jewel agreed as she got up holding Vander’s hand.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “That smells wonderful,” Waverly whispered as Kane walked back in her room carrying a tray. When he had come into the room earlier, Waverly had asked her father to order some food. Kane had shook his head and announced he would take care of his mate and gone to get the food himself. She found it endearing.

  He sat the tray down on the table and then came over to her. “Let’s scoot you up so you can eat. Hold the sheet up to you so I can pull you up a little,” Kane said politely.

  As Kane started to pull her up, she groaned from pain. Kane immediately stopped and looked down at her with concerned eyes. “I’m okay, just see if the bed will tilt up,” she said gently and then Kane nodded.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know he would have that kind of bed. Did I hurt you when I pulled on you?” Kane whispered and Waverly reached out before she realized what she was doing and touched his face, then immediately pulled back.

  Kane smiled down at her then went over and got the tray, sliding it between her thighs. He grabbed the spoon and dipped it into the soup then blew on it before he put it to her lips. “I can feed myself,” she argued but Kane smiled and continued to blow on the spoonful of soup. As he finished cooling it, he put it to her lips.

  “I know you can, but I want to feed you so you don’t waste the energy doing that,” Kane said and Waverly stared at him then opened her mouth. She chewed her food as she watched the wolf feeding her.

  “What is your name again?” Waverly asked.

  “Kane Foster,” he said as Waverly leaned back.

  “Hold on, let me rest a minute,” she said and Kane placed the spoon back in the bowl as Waverly rested. “Where is the other man you were with?”

  “Vander Collins. He is a Detective with the Atlanta Police Department,” Kane said and looked her in the eye. “He is our mate.”

  The pair remained silent as Waverly ate a little more. Vander and Jewel came back in the house as Kane took the tray off the bed. He looked over and saw Vander and Jewel watching him.

  “I have some questions for you, Waverly, if you are up for it?” Vander asked.

  “Sure, I’m not going anywhere,” she said and Vander smiled at her joking. It was a good sign, he thought.

  Kane took the tray and sat it on the table as he watched Vander and Jewel go and sit beside her bed. “Do you mind if I record this so I don’t have to take notes?” Vand
er asked Waverly.

  “No I don’t mind.” She shrugged and Vander turned the recorder on, then laid it beside the bed.

  “I would like for you to start from the time you left Grant house heading to the airport for your trip. Explain everything even something you might think is strange but just over looked it. People you may have seen that looked at you funny.” Marcus and Flynn walked back into the room as Vander asked her to describe everything and everybody she saw. Marcus went to the other side of the bed and grabbed Waverly’s hand letting her know he was with her.

  “Well, I remember leaving around four in the morning so I could get to the airport early. My flight was leaving at seven so I wanted to be there early enough to eat breakfast. I don’t remember seeing anything strange before I left. I remember seeing Orion and Jon before I left. They were getting ready to meet with dad later that day and they wanted to go for a run before that happened. That wasn’t unusual for either of them. They both kissed me on the cheek and said good-bye. Then I drove down to the market on Fifth Street to pick up some magazines and gum for the airplane ride. I remember going in the store and then coming out but somebody grabbed me from behind. I woke up strapped to a table being cu…” She felt calmness come over her when the hand slipped into her other hand. She looked over and Vander was holding her hand.

  “That is enough for right now. Just rest, Waverly. We can talk later after you have regained some of your strength,” Vander said softly.

  “They tortured me just to see how I would heal, then they would beat me with their fist and a bat,” Waverly said angrily and shook her head. “It needs to be said. They want the pack; they are going to try to take over. Vander, your mother is involved.”