The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  The thoughts of his father swept in and mingled with those of the hunter, Eli. There was something familiar about him, like a small memory from his youth that would move away as Connor reached out to grasp it. Like an answer on the tip of your tongue that can’t be found.

  The alpha of the pack was there to protect everyone in his charge, that was their duty and any good alpha would protect every member equally. The hunter said he was a runt. Sure, he wasn’t the biggest man Connor had fought but he was still a wolf.

  “Connor!” shouted Alex from the back, “Wake the hell up and drive!”

  Connor came to his senses and checked his mirrors. He saw the familiar shape of the hunter’s van squarely behind them and was overcome with fear. His foot stamped down on the accelerator as he hoped to outrun the hunter.

  What little speed he could muster was easily eclipsed by the approaching peril. His old truck was reliable but nowhere near fast. And, within moments he was right on top of them.

  Boom!

  The side mirror of the truck disappeared into a shower of sparks and shrapnel.

  Boom!

  The driver’s side door was scraped with buckshot that tore the worn paint and ripped through the steel.

  Alex and Samantha were ducked down in the bed of the truck and through the rearview mirror he could see the old hunter taking aim at his head.

  Connor ducked just in time for the shot to break through the back window only to stop and crack the glass in the front window. Glass clattered all around him as shrieks of terror wailed from Samantha.

  Connor couldn’t see at all where he was going. With a mighty punch he smashed the remaining glass free and it fell to the roadside. Wind rushed through the cabin and Connor had to narrow his eyes to continue his drive.

  Boom!

  The rearview mirror tumbled out the front of the truck.

  Something had to be done. Connor hammered the breaks and the van steered clear of the obstacle. The hunter sidled up next to the truck and Connor could see the shotgun aiming straight for him.

  With a flick of the steering wheel his heavy truck raked into the side of the van. The sudden shock of motion caused the hunter to drop his gun to steer the van to stay on the road.

  Again, Connor turned hard and pushed the van a little harder, trying to nudge it into the ditch.

  Despite his attempts, the van barely held on. The hunter recovered his shotgun and took aim, but this time it wasn’t at Connor, it was at his engine.

  Boom!

  A series of holes spread out through the skin of the truck as the shot found its destination. Steam started to pour from the engine bay and it sputtered as it attempted to move forward until finally it came to a halt beside the road.

  The van screeched to a stop just a ways in front of the truck and was quickly backing up.

  “Go!” Connor shouted.

  Alex and Samantha leapt from the truck bed. Neither of them bothered to grab for Torque. Their minds only yearned for survival.

  Connor tried opening the driver door but the shrapnel had fused the hinge and it wouldn’t budge. He eased his way over to the passenger door as another shot rang out, narrowly missing him and embedding into the driver’s seat.

  He kicked his way out just in time for him to hear another gunshot and Alex fall to the ground just ahead of him. Connor’s rage built up and he clenched his teeth. He turned and saw the hunter aiming squarely at Samantha.

  If he were to let him take the shot, surely the young bear would die, but he would get the chance to attack his enemy and avenge Alex. Connor cried out in rage. Samantha was the furthest away and the only one with a chance to survive. Connor saw no other option. He leapt in the way of the shot.

  The silver buckshot tore through his leg, smashing bone and muscle. He fell to the floor with a thud and skidded. When he looked back he saw Samantha make it to the tree line and he laughed.

  Life is a funny thing, even when you’re about to lose it.

  The hunter strolled over and began reloading his shotgun.

  “You know,” he said, “I got this scar a long time ago from an alpha.”

  The hunter knelt down beside Connor who could do nothing but hold his leg from bleeding out.

  “He was my older brother,” he added, “I’m sure you wouldn’t know anything about older brothers being an only child yourself.”

  Connor clenched his teeth and held on to the pain. The hunter shoved another shell into his shotgun.

  “I was beat up more times than I remember. And, you know what I realized?” He asked with a smirk, “The only good wolf is a dead wolf.”

  The hunter lined up his shot and Connor felt the end start to take him. If he didn’t pull the trigger, Connor knew he would bleed out anyway. There was nothing left he could do. His muscles had all but given up on him.

  He thought of his father again. Connor could hear his voice as things started to fade.

  Did you learn your lesson?

  A gunshot rang out and everything went black.

  CHAPTER 15

  “You’re a damned fool,” he heard as jolts of pain shot up through his body, “You gotta be smarter than that if you’re goin’ to be a real alpha.”

  Crunch stood over him with a set of motorcycle tools and lengths of rope. Connor could barely move; every bone and muscle screamed out in agony. His wolf screamed to be released.

  “Don’t you dare change; if you do it might throw the shrapnel around in your leg and fuck it up worse!” Crunch ordered. Connor fought against his wolf. He clenched his teeth and dug his fingers into the dirt.

  “What happened,” Connor asked, fighting for breath.

  “I saved your life,” Crunch laughed, “as much as that’s worth.”

  By this time, Samantha showed up with a motorcycle helmet full of water and rag.

  “You’re awake?!” she said in shock. She reached around his neck to hug him, but Connor exhaled sharply from the pain of being moved. “Thank you!” she said, taking a step back, “you saved my life.”

  “It would take more than that to kill an alpha, girlie,” Crunch said, “They’re a special breed.”

  Connor breathed sharply as Crunch plunged a pair of pliers into his leg. Another tiny silver ball clinked on the road to join several others.

  “Just a couple more and your wounds should start healing again,” Crunch said, “Brace yourself.”

  Connor gritted his teeth, trying his hardest to not pass out from shock.

  “Crunch showed up just before the hunter finished you off. Gave the man one in the chest but he limped back to his van and drove off with Torque,” Samantha informed him.

  “Alex,” Connor gasped.

  “He’s in bad shape, but nowhere near as bad as you. Crunch already has him back on his feet. Something about bein’ a primal,” she said.

  Connor breathed a sigh of relief but his muscle tensed from the stinging pain of the pliers; bring more blood from the open wound.

  “Is Tess safe,” Connor asked, leaning forward to grab Crunch by the shoulder. Crunch was silent. Not a good sign. Connor lowered himself back to the ground to brace against the shock of the tools rooting around in his leg. He looked over at his bruised and beaten truck. Smoke rose from the hood in a large plume of gray smoke. It had lasted through everything, only to come apart now.

  “Done,” Crunch said.

  He let the last pellet clink to the floor. Connor already felt relief from the pain. He let his head fall back to the ground as he tried to straighten his leg. The sting of the silver was gone but the wound still lied open.

  “Hold still, this might sting a bit,” Crunch said. He pulled out a large staple gun from his saddle bag and held it firm against the open wound.

  “Wait, wait..!”

  Clack!

  Connor howled in pain as the staple wedged its way into his leg to hold the wound closed. The first was the worst but he grew used to the sensation by the third staple. It still hurt like a bitch, though.


  Alex joined Connor on the ground; he almost seemed back to normal. He pulled his shirt back on, the holes in the shirt lined up with the large bruises that stretched down his back. Connor laughed.

  “It looks worse than it feels,” he said, rubbing at the pain.

  “The hunter is a shifter, Eli, Alex and I overheard a conversation between him and Torque” Connor strained to say to Crunch, “He killed the bear alpha.” Crunch went still for a moment but then scratched at the side of his head.

  “I know,” he said, “Scab is on his side. I don’t know why the hell that moron would be following Torque, but he is. Bastard smashed me over the head. When I came to there was a note stuffed in my pocket.”

  “Scab? Wait, where the hell is Tess?” Connor demanded. He grabbed Crunch by the collar and held his face close. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”

  “Scab took her, they’re probably at their den right now,” he said, solemnly, “The note said I’m supposed to come alone, tonight. I guess Eli has some questions only I can answer. He’s got my daughter, too you know,” Connor released Crunch from his grasp. Cynthia and Tess? This situation went from absolute shit to a nightmare in no time. “I didn’t know how much of a little bitch Torque became,” Crunch said, huffing back to his feet, “I thought I could get him back on my side, get him away from that hunter. I didn’t know what they were after but I knew something was up, something big, I woulda never guessed they’d be startin’ their own war.” Crunch punched into his fist, “Now you tell me that son of a bitch Eli is a shifter? I didn’t know that. Not till now. A shifter using a gun,” Crunch spat on the ground, “that just ain’t right.”

  “I need to save Tess,” Connor said.

  “I know you do,” Alex said, “Cause I need to save Cynthia. But, what about all the guns? What the hell are we going to do about those?” Alex asked. “There are a lot of wolves in there, heavily armed and preparing for war. We need more manpower to go in there. Maybe if we just talk to the bears, tell them what we know, maybe they’ll see our side. ” Alex turned to Samantha who was staring at the bloody staples on Connor’s leg. “Do you think the bears would be able to help?”

  “Fat chance,” Samantha replied, shaking her head, “We got one story to go on with no proof.”

  “What are you trying to say?” Connor asked.

  “What I’m saying is you’re on your own. Maybe if you had Torque to beat the story out of, then you’d have something to show them,” Samantha said as Crunch stamped the last staple in his leg.

  Connor could see the skin starting to stitch closed but he knew it would be best not to test it for a while. He was lucky to survive.

  “I’m going,” Crunch said, “My daughter is in there and I’ll be damned if I let that piece of shit Torque do anything to her. I’ll see if I can get Tess out too, and … I guess the other bears if they’re alive.”

  “We’re coming,” Alex said.

  “The letter said for me to go alone, remember? If you come then you might just put her in danger. I just got back together with my daughter. You all just stay out of it. I can handle this alone.” Torque was already walking back to his motorcycle which still sat beside the road leaning on its kickstand.

  “Like hell you are,” Connor shouted. Alex nodded in agreement beside him. “These are our girls, we’re going to get them back, even if I have to kill every last one of those damn dirty bastards to do it. If you think going alone will keep Cynthia safe then I got news for you, it won’t.”

  “You think I don’t know that!” Crunch shouted back. He flared his nostrils while plopping down on the motorcycle seat. Even though the bike was big enough for his size, it still squashed low on the suspension under his weight.

  “Crunch,” Connor said. Blood was starting to flow back into his leg. With a hand on Alex’s shoulder, he hoisted himself to his one good leg. The staples dug into his skin hard but held the wound shut. His head was swimming, lack of blood. He’d felt it before. That was the easy part, “If we don’t go together, there’s a good chance they’ll all die.”

  “Suit yourself,” he said, “But, if Cynthia gets so much as a bruise then I’ll break both of you over my knee and it won’t be pretty.”

  With a quick glance at Alex, Connor began to brainstorm some plans. He and Alex had seen the layout of the place. They knew how they were organized. There had to be something he could do to get them out. However, there was still a problem, how would they get there.

  “Crunch, do you think you could have a look at the truck? Maybe see if you can get it workin’? I doubt you have enough room for all of us on your chopper.”

  “I’m not much good with trucks,” Crunch said.

  “Let me take a look,” she said. Samantha stood up and stretched her legs. “My dad used to work on these all the time when I was a kid. I’ve picked up a few tricks.”

  She yanked open the truck hood then bit her lip in consternation. “I think I can fix this. It looks like the internals are all okay. I’ll need to borrow those tools, Crunch.” Samantha limped over with her still casted up leg, gathered the tools into a bundle, and set off to work.

  “We’ll have to keep you around,” Connor said. She smiled broadly before she disappeared behind the hood of the truck. Connor still was deep in thought over the plans to get the women out but he needed more info. “Crunch, where do you think they’d keep them in the camp?”

  Crunch thought for a moment.

  “Well, if nothin’ changed then they probably would keep them in the main cabin. It’s in the center, most secure. It’s where I’d keep ‘em.”

  Connor leaned himself against the truck bed. He gritted his teeth to fight through the pain; even standing on his one good leg gave him problems.

  “Then that’s where we need to hit. If we get lucky, maybe we can get Torque back as trade,” Connor said.

  “I need to plant a fist on Torque’s face before today is through,” Crunch laughed. Samantha giggled under the hood of the truck.

  “That would make you punch number three,” her voice echoed.

  Connor tried to bend his leg; he didn’t have the time to do a proper rehab. He needed to be ready to fight at any time. Tess was the only person on his mind. Just thinking of what she might be going through at this moment made him want to rip someone’s throat out. Eli, Scab, Torque, any of them. Connor’s strength waned. As he started to fall, Alex took him by the arm. The leg ached like nothing he’d felt before, but he could walk a little under his own power.

  What would Tess do?

  She was violent when she wanted to be, but what about when she was talking to Samantha? She was kind, calm, collected, and beautiful. Well, she was always beautiful. Maybe killing them all wasn’t what they needed. That was a lot of blood they’d have to spill. He wondered how they’d even manage that without getting shot. No, this time they needed tact and patience. His plan was coming together in his mind.

  “I could rip out their throats myself, but I know everyone here has that exact same idea. No. There’s one person that would want that pleasure more than any of us. We’ll leave them for the bear alpha,” Connor said, “We’re just going to rescue the girls. But, that don’t mean we won’t give them hell while we do it.”

  “Here I pegged you as the revenge type. Looks like you might have grown up a little bit over the past few days,” Crunch scoffed, “I’m the revenge type. So I’m goin’ to finish this one way or the other.”

  The only thought on Connor’s mind was saving Tess, if she was still alive. No, she was definitely still alive, he could feel it. That hunter wouldn’t kill them. He needed the survivors alive to hold as hostages, Crunch confirmed that much. He needed to keep the bears and the wolves fighting. Things were starting to click.

  “I think it would be best if we waited for night fall,” Alex said, “If we’re going to do something sneaky, it’s easier to get in and out?”

  “If this old truck starts running then we have a way of gettin’ them out. T
ess is in there waiting for me. If I weren’t so busted up I’d just as soon go through the front door,” Connor replied.

  Alex tapped Connor’s busted up leg.

  “I don’t think you’ll be going through the front door anytime soon,” Alex said.

  “Oh shut up,” Connor replied with a light punch on his shoulder. “I’m willing to bet that Eli keeps quite a bit of ammunition inside his van. Supplying that many guns to the wolves is dangerous and he’s the type to keep that shit locked up. Now that I think about it, I might just have a plan.”

  “I’ll go with whatever as long as you make sure Cynthia is alright by the end of it,” Crunch said.

  “Provided this plan of yours works, or that we don’t get shot, or stabbed, or brutally maimed-”

  Crunch clapped Alex on the back to shut him up and it worked.

  “Sounds like a bit of fun!” Crunch shouted.

  “There is one thing we’ll need,” Connor said.

  “What’s that?” Crunch asked.

  “A distraction.”

  CHAPTER 16

  “Get out,” Scab said.

  Beth held Greta close as she hopped from the truck bed. She had been in tears the entire ride; Tess wanted to console her but couldn’t find the words as she felt the same. Cynthia tried her best at comforting the group.

  “They’ll come,” Cynthia said, “Alex would never leave me.” She gripped Tess’s knee, “I know Connor wouldn’t either.”

  “You heard me, get out!” came Scab again.

  Cynthia hopped out, leaving Tess the only one left. She edged her way to the tailgate and gingerly stepped to the ground. Doing her best to brush aside her tears she followed the other women being herded toward a large cabin.

  The area around them would have been quite gorgeous if they weren’t in their current situation. It reminded Tess of the glassy lake to which Connor had taken her on their last date. Twilight reflected off the calm water along with the roaring bonfire that tried its best to scrub out the setting sun.