by Olivia Arran
Unaware of the bombshell she'd just dropped, Iesha was back to picking away at the bottle label, still muttering under her breath as if the weight of the world sat on her shoulders. Which it kinda did. Carter was an asshole, but until right this moment I hadn't understood exactly how much. “Where you keeping her?” I had a good idea, but I wanted confirmation.
Iesha blinked at me, before answering, “At the infirmary, of course. She's not stable enough to move.”
“Let's go.”
Leona was on her feet before I'd finished the sentence.
“What is this place?” Leona was whispering, her eyes rounded as she took everything in.
I suppose to an outsider this place didn't look like a normal medical building, but shifters generally didn't need doctors, so more often than not our infirmary was used as a maternity ward. Colorful pictures hung on the walls, the inside of the large building looking more like someone's home than its true purpose. Following my nose, I let her down the hall and around to the right, halting outside the closed door. "She's in here."
Her hand went to the door, and I grabbed her arm. “Wait, I should probably…” How the hell did you tell somebody something like this? It was something I’d never had to deal with. Weighing up my words, I started again, “Harper will have been through a lot. She might not be the same person you've always known.” It still wasn't perfect, but if what my nose was telling me was true, at least she wasn't going to lose her sister. Not straight away, anyway.
Leona stared up at me, the relief still there, but now tinged with the tight lines of distress. Fuck. I hated everything about this, would do anything to spare her the heartache, but nothing in my power could change what she had to face. “I didn't say thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for helping me find my sister.”
It was a punch to my heart. Unable to find any more words, I closed my hand over hers and pushed open the door.
Her sharp intake of breath had me scanning the room looking for an intruder. Nothing.
Her cry as she rushed from my side to the bed said everything words couldn’t, the sound heavy with love and relief.
“Harper!”
The woman in the bed opened her arms. “Lenny! What the hell are you doing here?”
“What do you mean what the hell am I doing here?” Leona scolded through her tears. “You disappeared, I didn't know if you were okay. I had to come looking.”
“I'm fine, shhhh, it’s okay,” Harper murmured, hugging her sister even tighter. Her eyes came to rest on me with an interested gleam. “Who's the hottie at the door?” It was said in a stage whisper, one obviously intended for my ears.
Leona choked back a giggle, twisting in her sister's arms to face me. “That’s Austin; he’s the one who helped me find you.”
Harper gave me an appraising look, one that warned me point blank that I’d better not be messing with her sister. “Well, I'm glad he did. Are you guys here to help me break out of this joint?” She sounded hopeful, if not a little bit pissed off, and who could blame her? She was being held against her will.
“We certainly are,” Leona declared with a grin that matched her sister’s.
I cleared my throat, drawing their attention. “Now that we know that you're here, they can't keep Leona from visiting you,” I said, addressing Harper. “But you can't leave. You know that.” Her eyes darkened with frustration, flecks of gold gathering at the edges. “Leona…” I said, keeping my eyes on her sister and taking a step forward, “Move away from your sister.”
Leona’s mouth fell open.
Cutting off all arguments, I let out a growl, demanding that she obey. “Now, Leona.” The gold in Harper's eyes had swelled into a cloud, eclipsing the same soft brown that she shared with her sister.
Following my gaze, Leona gasped, and instead of doing exactly what I asked she moved closer, gripping Harper's face between her hands. “What –?”
Fuck! I was going to be having words with her later. Letting my power as an Alpha unfurl to fill the room, I locked eyes with Harper. “You will not change,” I commanded, putting everything I had into the order. Fear thundered through me at the thought of Harper losing control so close to Leona. Fuck only knew if she'd even shifted yet, this might be her first time. A new shifter, one bitten and turned, and not born through blood, always rode the knife’s edge of control. I should know. Memories of darkness and pain and blood were all I had of that time.
Harper shuddered, her eyes pleading with me to help. She knew what could happen, could feel it inside of her, the beast awakening and threatening to erupt.
“Leona…” I held out my hand.
She didn't look at me, her head bowing until she rested her forehead against her sister’s. “How? Who did this to you?”
Harper was close to losing it, her fingers digging into the bed in ragged claws.
Two steps and I had Leona around the waist. She screeched as I picked her up and pulled her away, her arms reaching out to her sister.
“You're not helping,” I muttered, but it was more of a snarl, my bear prowling too close to the surface. He wasn't happy with this; he saw Harper as a threat to Leona and to him that was unacceptable. To him, nothing was more important than protecting his mate.
I agreed with him. Abso-fucking-lutely one hundred percent onboard. “You will control this. You will not shift.” It came out a thunderous roar, my body shaking with the effort as I pushed every ounce of power I had at the woman in the bed, demanding that she obey. I wasn’t her Alpha, she hadn’t pledged to me, but there was a chance that by pure force I could force her beast to listen.
Time crept on, oblivious to the struggle being fought.
Harper groaned, her eyelids fluttering shut and fingers stretching out, then she collapsed back against the bed. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and tired. Her eyes opened; human brown stared back, lined with dark circles carved into her skin from fear and exhaustion.
It had worked, for now.
“You can put me down now.” Leona's voice was muffled against my chest, but it didn't disguise the anguish.
“You know that you can't leave, don't you, Harper?” I was praying that she wasn't going to erupt again, but she nodded, looking lost. Scared. “You'll learn to control it, if you listen and work hard it won’t be long before you can stop it yourself.” It was all I could give her, the only thing she had to look forward to. There was no going back, no return to humanity, but she'd learn to live with it. Like I had.
Leona ventured back to the bed, taking Harper's hand in hers.
It took everything I had not to snatch her away again, my skin itching with the need to protect her.
“Who did this to you?” She asked in a voice much calmer than I was feeling.
“I don't know. They won’t tell me anything.” Harper looked exhausted, the starched white pillows puffing up around her and highlighting her pasty skin.
Whoever it was, he would answer for his crime. There would be no cover-up. No second chances. I would hunt the fucker down and destroy him for what he had done.
One look at Leona and I knew there was no tearing her away from her sister tonight. I met Harper's eyes, letting her see the beast raging inside me. “You need to let me restrain you. For your sister.” It was nonnegotiable. “Tomorrow, they’ll teach you the control you need.”
Leona stared at me like I'd grown a second head, but her sister nodded. She understood the threat and we were in complete agreement.
After checking the restraints for a second time, I pulled Leona to one side. “If she –”
“You've told me what to do.”
I didn't want to leave, wanted to stay and help her through this, but someone had to dish out retribution. “I'll be back as fast as I can, but I might be gone a while. Will you be okay here?” I whispered, then at her nod, and before I had chance to change my mind, I dragged her into my arms, stealing a kiss that was as fleeting as it was heart wrenching.
Then I left.
Before I couldn't.
I slammed into the municipal building in a cloud of rage, striding with single-minded determination that had the few people left in the building at this early hour scurrying out of my way.
“Hey, Alpha.”
I didn't slow down to wait for Brent, but he caught up with me anyway. “What's happening?” He asked, falling into step with me.
A quick check of my watch confirmed that the night shift was nearly over. “Quiet night?”
He shot me a quizzical look, but nodded. “All clear.”
“Good. Round the guys up and get some sleep,” I instructed, “We're going hunting today.”
Ignoring Brent’s worried look, I slammed into the Mayor's office. I would sit here and wait for however long it took for him to–
“What the hell do you think you're doing?”
The man himself sat behind his desk, a furious look on his face. Behind him stood a woman who had obviously been giving him a massage. She looked scared half to death.
“You. Out.” I was beyond being polite.
Without a second glance, she scurried past me and out of the door.
Pulling his shirt back on, Carter rose from his chair with a scowl. “You'd better have a damn good explanation for bursting in here like this. Who the hell do you think you are?”
Stalking up to his desk, I slammed my hands down hard enough to have pens jumping and rolling onto the floor. “Cut the fucking bullshit,” I hissed. “I know about the human woman.”
Carter might have flinched, but if he did, he covered it well. Shrugging, he buttoned his shirt. “And?”
I vaulted the desk, slamming him into the wall by his throat. “That's Leona's sister,” I snarled, shoving my face into his until our noses touched. I stared into his eyes, searching for a shred of decency, something to give me a reason not to pound his ass.
Hands pulled me away, grabbing at me and holding me back. “Easy there, Alpha,” Nate muttered into my ear, Cade pushing against my chest. Carter still leaned against the wall, which was unsurprising given that Jake was the one circling in front of him, coiled and ready to strike at any tiny move from the Mayor.
I tried to shake Nate and Cade off, but they tightened their grip. “He's going to tell the fucking truth.” I spat the words across the room.
“Oh, he is,” Jake snarled, though I was pretty sure he didn't have a clue what he was meant to be upset about, and didn't fucking care.
Pulling myself together, I gave Nate a nod, shaking him off and brushing past Cade to face Carter. “Sit your ass down and tell me the truth,” I instructed, past caring if I'd have a job at the end of this.
Carter's eyes flicked to Jake. “Call off your guard dog.”
“Who the fuck are you calling a dog?”
“Jake.” It was a warning–calm the fuck down. There'd be time for brawling, but it wasn’t in Jake’s DNA to wait.
Jake snarled, but eventually stepped out of the way, taking up sentry at the wall.
Well, fuck me. He’d actually listened. I blinked at him, momentarily distracted from the rage that consumed me. It was the reprieve I’d needed to wrangle myself back under control.
Carter strolled over to his chair and sat down, as if that had been his intention the whole time. “I don't appreciate you barging into my–”
“Enough.” I didn't have time for his particular brand of bullshit. “The human woman that was changed, she is Leona’s sister.”
Carter's mouth twisted, probably pissed at having to admit that something as horrific as this had actually occurred. “Who's Leona?”
“His soon-to-be mate,” Brent offered.
I stiffened, taking in the knowing looks from my team. Shit. I’d be doing a bit of explaining later, that’s for sure. I didn't deny it. “I'm not even going to start with how you're dealing with this. Trying to cover it up and spin it as a PR stunt to the human world, it's not going to work. But that's your bullshit, not mine.” I leaned over the desk, letting him see the resolution in my eyes. “All I need to know is who did this?”
“Well, why didn't you just ask?” I didn't like the easy way that Carter gave in, or the smirk on his face.
“And?”
“It was a rogue.” He spread his hands out as if absolving himself from all responsibility.
What the fuck? How could there be a rogue in Heartsridge without our knowledge? “No fucking way.” He was protecting someone, he had to be.
Carter linked his fingers together, tapping his hands on the desk as if to underline a point. “I'm not lying,” he stated, affecting an affronted air. The damn man was smoke and mirrors.
“He has to be.” The snarl came from Jake, who had prowled to rest behind Carter's chair as if waiting for an opportunity.
A quick glance behind him and Carter's eyes settled back on me, as if waiting for me to accept it.
Most shifters could sniff out a liar and I wasn’t an exception, but Carter was good. He was a politician, a born liar, and I was pretty sure if he believed it enough, it would smell as truth. But there was something else, he expected me to believe him, but why?
Then it hit me.
“Not quite as dense as you look, are you, Austin?” Carter’s drawl set my teeth on edge.
“She's a fox.” Her scent was only just beginning to form, not yet a part of her, but it was strong enough to determine what species she would become on her first change. As soon as I said it, I knew I'd been a fucking idiot, but it didn't make Carter any less of an asshole.
Carter took over, as if telling a story, “And there are no fox shifters registered in Heartsridge at the moment.”
“Shit,” Cade muttered from behind me.
I sunk into the leather couch, sweeping a hand through my hair. I still wanted to strangle the man, but I needed answers more. “I take it there was no sign or scent of him?”
“The wolves found her in their territory, hidden in one of the small shacks near the boundary. Whoever he was he didn't return and they couldn't find him.”
“We should have been told about this,” Brent thundered as he marched up and down, wearing a path on a very expensive looking rug.
“We'll speak to the wolves, don't you worry,” I replied on a low growl, already thinking. Rogues on our land, under our very noses, biting humans, turning them. No fucking way.
I rose to my feet, meeting everyone's eyes. “We'll be paying a visit to the wolves. We also need to run the full perimeter, to find out how he got in. This can't fucking happen again.” I fixed Carter with a look that had a muscle twitching in his jaw. “We owe it to the humans already visiting the town to ensure their safety. You have to make an announcement.”
After a full minute of waiting, he tilted his head in acknowledgment.
He would ensure the safety of the humans, but the only human I was concerned with would have her own personal protection in the form of me. There was no way a rogue was getting within sniffing distance of Leona. Until we’d found the breach, she was getting a bear shifter escort everywhere she wanted to go.
Chapter Eleven
Leona
A hand gently shook me awake. I’d fallen asleep in the chair, my head resting on the side of Harper’s bed where she laid snoring softly. Extracting myself inch by inch, I leaned back, pressing the heels of my hands into my lower back in an effort to relieve the cramping. Austin stood to my side, watching me silently.
I tried for a small smile, but it faded as I took in his serious face. “What is it?” I asked, moving swiftly to his side, backache forgotten.
Steering me over to the far side of the room, he rubbed a hand over his face, scratching what had been light stubble but now was more of a soft beard. “It was a rogue shifter that attacked your sister. According to Carter the wolves searched their territory and the culprit had already vanished. We’re looking into how he got into Heartsridge and tightening our security, but that doesn’t make up for what happened.” He looked away, his eyes searching the wall behind
my head. “I’m sorry, Leona. This shouldn’t have happened.” Sorrow coated every word, a deep anguish he wasn’t trying to hide from me.
I touched his arm, trying to offer comfort. “It’s not your fault.”
“She’s right; it’s not.” Harper’s voice was clear and very much wide awake. Meeting our eyes, she held up her hands. “What? I can hear you as clearly as if you were shouting.” Tapping the side of her head, she grinned, but the light didn’t reach her eyes. “These shifter super powers are going to take a bit of getting used to.”
“You’re taking it really well,” I murmured, moving back over to the bed and perching on the edge. “Better than I would be.”
The thin cotton of her hospital gown shook, but I couldn’t tell if it was with suppressed laughter or fear. “I don’t really have a lot of choice in the matter, do I?” There was a petty bite to her voice, one that was very un-Harper-like. Where had my happy go lucky sister gone? Oh, yeah, she’d been savaged by an animal.
“I’ll help you. I know I don’t know what it’s like, but don’t you even start to think I’m going to let you go through this on your own.” I squeezed her leg in solidarity.
Harper’s gaze traveled from me up to Austin, then back again. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible, is it, Austin?”
What? “What are you talking about?”
Austin grimaced, his hand returning to rub at his jaw. “Your sister has to stay in Heartsridge now. She’s a shifter, a registered one, and newly changed. She won’t be allowed to travel until she’s proven she has control and then it won’t be for very long. This is her home now, Leona,” he explained through gritted teeth, sounding like he’d rather be sticking a hot poker in his eye than telling me I was going to be separated from my sister.
Separated. We’d never been apart; not since the night our parents had died. We’d returned home from college that day and moved in together. Sure, Harper went on her trips, but they were few and far between. But, now… “Humans—”