by Leslie Chase
"I don't doubt your abilities. Just remember the choices they've already made to get them to this point."
Lucas grunted agreement. They wouldn't have much to lose, he supposed. But hopefully, that would also make them more eager to resolve this without drawing attention to themselves. After all, they didn't have anyone's help to fall back on.
He couldn't help thinking that he was being optimistic there, though. That a pack of wolves who had rejected their society and become part of the criminal underworld wouldn't have much in the way of self-control.
"Why hasn't someone done something to stop them yet?"
The sigh he heard from Harper sounded sad, almost wistful. "There isn't anyone to do it, I'm afraid. Not amongst us wolves, at the moment. This pack is the most powerful in the area, and they haven't caused enough havoc yet to draw in any troubleshooters. Frankly, I am glad that this has drawn your attention rather than the human police's – I've been expecting this to turn into a disaster."
Another pause, and then Harper continued. "I'd have dealt with it myself but I am getting too old, certainly past the age to challenge their Alpha for leadership of the pack. He is something of a terror in a fight, and while in my prime I would have taken him, those days are past now."
"That leaves it in my hands," Lucas said, nodding to himself. It always came down to that. "Send me contact details for the rogue wolves and I'll deal with them, one way or another."
"I'll let them know to expect your call," Harper said and hung up, sounding glad to be able to hand the problem off to someone else.
As he looked down at the phone frowning, Emily came over with a mug of coffee for him. It was strong and black, and he smiled at her, wishing he could forget all about this and take her back to bed.
Work first, he told himself sternly. You'll be able to have as much fun together as you like after these assholes are out of her life. He put his arm around her, holding her close as he took a sip of the coffee. It felt good to be next to her.
Moments later, a text arrived with another number. Rubbing his eyes, Lucas sighed and dialed again.
Emily couldn't help paying some attention to Lucas' phone call to his wolf contact. It wasn't that she wanted to pry, but it was a peek into a world she had no idea about. A world that she was now involved in, whether she wanted to be or not. And one that she would be living in forever, if she stayed with Lucas.
She wanted to, so badly. It wasn't just that he made her feel safe – before this nightmare, she'd not felt the need for that. But he made her feel so much more, the way he looked at her, the way he smiled. He didn't have a face used to smiling, she could see that, and it made the fact that he smiled for her all the more precious.
Plus, it doesn't hurt that he is the most gorgeous man I've ever met, she admitted to herself. Just looking at him made her tingle inside, remembering how good he'd looked stripping for her. And how his touch, so gentle for such a big man, had made her feel. It was a little selfish, but she wouldn't want to be without that feeling for the rest of her life.
So as she poured a cup of coffee for Lucas, she listened, wanting to know a little more about the world of the shifters. A little more about what she was getting into if she dated – or should that be mated? – one of them. Lucas' life was so different from her own, different enough that his half of the conversation seemed almost meaningless to her. But she couldn't doubt what he was saying, even if the talk of 'rogue wolves' sounded ridiculous.
As he finished the call, she gave him a mug of coffee and a smile, trying to make it encouraging rather than fearful. She wasn't sure what the look he gave her meant, but she did know how it made her feel – her body melted under his strong gaze, and she blushed bright red.
Stop it, Emily, she told herself, turning away. Don't distract the man who's trying to save your life. As much as she wanted to let him take her back to bed, she had to resist the temptation.
By the time she looked back, he was dialing another number, and she tensed. That would be the other wolves, the ones hunting her. Lucas glanced up and stopped short of pressing the call button on his phone.
"Are you alright?" The note of concern in his rough voice made her feel flustered as much as it reassured her, and all she could do in response was nod.
"You don't look it," he said, frowning. "This can't be easy for you. Would it help if you heard what we say? I can put the call on speaker – just don't say anything, okay?"
Emily didn't know if she'd even understand what they were about to discuss, but at least this way she'd know something. Being in the dark was terrifying.
"I – I think I'd like that," she said, sitting next to Lucas. His solid presence next to her was reassuring, powerful and strong. "If it's okay?"
"I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it," he assured her, laying his phone on the table in front of them and switching the speaker on. He pressed the call button.
It rang for what seemed like forever, and Emily almost hoped that there would never be an answer. Maybe they're away from the phone? Maybe this is the wrong number? But just as Lucas shifted impatiently, the phone clicked and a strong, deep voice answered.
"What?" Whoever was speaking, his voice wasn't unpleasant. But it was scary, threatening, and the short, sharp response wasn't welcoming in the slightest. Shivering, Emily leaned into Lucas.
"My name is Lucas Barns," Lucas answered, confident and stern. "You are looking for Emily Shaw, and I am her bodyguard. Let's talk about how we can resolve this."
"You can give up the girl to us and walk away," the other man said with an audible sneer. "We'll pay you well."
Emily felt Lucas' body tense at that, heard the anger rising in his breath. Her hand closed on his, squeezing. If she'd had any doubts about being able to trust him, they would have vanished when she saw how angry he was at the very idea of betraying her.
"She's not for sale," he ground out. "And you saw what I can do, at the diner. So you know what you're up against. Be reasonable."
"I know you're formidable," the other man said, an edge to his voice now. "Bears make dangerous enemies. But I have a pack, and you are on your own."
"We can posture over the phone, or we can get this done," Lucas said, reining in his emotions. His voice sounded calm, confident, and reasonable, but the tension in his body told Emily a different story. The other man was lucky he wasn't in arm's reach of her bear. She wished that he were – and that she could see Lucas pound him flat, but she kept her peace and let the negotiations continue.
"If you're not offering her, what do you have to give us?"
"You don't want her," Lucas said. "I don't give a shit about you and your pack, or what happens to you when this is done. I just care about keeping my client safe."
Emily wondered whether the wolf heard the brief pause before the word 'client' as though Lucas had been about to call her something else. She smiled up at him, but if he noticed, he didn't show it. All his attention was focused on the call.
"What you need," Lucas continued, "is her laptop. It has all the evidence, and she has no intention of going to the police or any other authority. You can walk away from this, you and your pack, and she can walk away from what she saw. No one else needs to suffer."
The shifter on the other end of the line didn't answer right away. The seconds dragged on, and Emily held her breath, wondering if his next words would decide her fate. Finally, he broke the silence.
"You can promise that she won't make a fuss if we leave her be?"
Lucas relaxed. Only then did Emily realize that he had been holding his breath too. He looked at her, and she nodded, eager to be safe. "I can, and do. As long as you leave her alone for good."
"All right then," the other man said, "let's meet. Somewhere nice and private."
"Not so private that it's an ambush," Lucas warned. The other man laughed, a deep and unpleasant sound.
"All right, we'll meet in the woods. I know a place, it'll be just you and me away from prying eyes. And you'l
l be able to scout it to make sure my pack's not hiding if you're worried about them. Satisfied?"
"That works," Lucas agreed.
The details went over Emily's head – some coordinates that she didn't understand – but she followed enough to know they'd be meeting that night, deep in the woods. She shivered nervously, excitement building as she realized that this was it. The danger was about to be over. Lucas wrapped her in his arms as soon as he finished the call, kissing her on the top of her head and holding her tight.
"This is really the end of it?" she asked, not quite able to believe it.
"You bet," he replied, lifting her so he could plant a kiss on her lips. "They may talk tough, but they don't have any reason to break that deal. I'll meet their Alpha tonight, and tomorrow you can go back to your normal life."
That sent a stab of confused feelings through Emily. My normal life? What's that? I don't have a job, I don't have much of anything anymore.
But those feelings could wait for the morning. Right now, she had a bear to feed, and thank for saving her. "I'm going to make some food," she told him. He'd want to be well fed for a hike in the forest.
16
Lucas made his way slowly through the woods, warily watching the shadows. It was dark under the trees, despite the full moon overhead, and he took his steps carefully.
I probably don't need to worry about booby traps, but there's no point in taking chances. If these wolves were killing for hire, there was no telling what else they might get up to, and his Army-trained instincts made him pay attention.
Nothing stopped him on the way to the coordinates the wolf had given him. It was far enough into the woods to be well away from prying eyes, but not far enough to make the walk difficult. And in the woods he could be confident that he'd notice anyone else lying in wait. There was only one trail, and his bear could only smell one scent ahead of him.
The trail led to a small clearing, lit by moonlight. Waiting there, leaning casually back against a tree, was one of the wolf shifters who had tried to grab Emily the day before. It was the blond man, his long hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a leather jacket and watching the woods, his eyes never still.
Lucas waited in the shadows, watching him. The man seemed alert and cautious, and didn't show any annoyance at the wait. Lucas had to admire that professionalism. But there was something in the man's posture, a tension he couldn't quite identify. It didn't look like a man expecting an attack, nor someone standing as bait for an ambush. Whatever was troubling him, it wasn't the danger he was in.
Only one way to find out what he's thinking, Lucas thought.
Stepping out of the shadows, Lucas showed himself. The other man looked at him but didn't react, letting Lucas approach until he was almost in arms reach. The two men stared at each other, the wolf letting Lucas speak first.
"Let's make this quick," Lucas said. "I don't want this to be a problem."
"Neither of us do, that's why we're meeting like this." The other man shook his head, still looking conflicted. "I don't want any problems in the community, and you don't want to take on a whole pack – better for us both to sort this quietly."
Lucas nodded, uneasy. That sounded good, but there was still that odd tension. Does he think I'm going to attack him or something? But wasn't a fear of him that was bothering the wolf. His posture wasn't defensive, wasn't frightened – he was wary, yes, but anyone sane would be so close to an angry man Lucas' size. Whatever he was nervous about, it wasn't Lucas.
"You got a name?" Lucas asked, trying to get a feel for what was bothering the man.
"You can call me Dominic," he said. "And of course I know who you are, Lucas. So. Let's get on with this, shall we?"
"We've already got a deal, Dominic. I've got the laptop here: take it, call off your wolves, and we're done."
"Sure, sure. We can work on that. But, you know, were going to need some compensation for calling off my guys."
The way he spoke wasn't quite right. Something, an edge in his tone, bothered Lucas, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was as though he didn't like what he was saying.
Just get this over with, Lucas told himself, resisting the urge to look around for other danger creeping up on him. His senses were keen, and no one was going to get close.
"You're getting the laptop," he said, snarling. "All the evidence of what you did, gone. Hell, if you can track down Tanner's accounts maybe you can even get some of your money back. Miss Shaw won't talk to the police, so you don't have anything to worry about there. What more do you want?"
Dominic's face twitched, a flicker of emotion showing through his reserve. He wasn't happy about something. Again, that feeling that something was wrong filled the Lucas, and he narrowed his eyes as he stared down at the wolf shifter.
"That's not how this works," Dominic said, straightening. "We can arrange for her to be safe, but it's going to cost you. We don't do anything for free."
Lucas' hands balled into fists, and he felt his bear's rage filling him. What the hell? I'm letting them off easy. If it wasn't for Emily, if I didn't need to keep her out of harm's way, I'd be tearing this asshole's head off right about now.
"You don't get it," he said aloud, not trying to conceal his anger and frustration. "I'm not here to negotiate, I'm not here to pay you some for kind of protection. I'm giving you a chance to walk away from this, from breaking the Compact, without any more trouble than you've already gotten into. Don't be an idiot, take the damned deal."
Was that regret showing up on the man's face? Lucas couldn't be sure in the darkness. Whatever the wolf was feeling, he shook his head.
"I wish I could take it, man. I really do. But that's not going to work. We don't surrender, we fight for what we've got."
That undercurrent in his voice was finally clear to Lucas. Dominic wasn't sure of himself, he wasn't confident in what he was doing. A moment of honesty gave him away: Lucas could hear that he genuinely did wish he could take the deal. The fact that he couldn't take it could only mean one thing.
"You're not the Alpha, are you?" Lucas snarled, finally spotting the trap. He'd been focused on spotting an ambush, but the danger had never been waiting in the woods. The trap was springing elsewhere.
Emily! Cursing himself for leaving her on her own, he turned, rushing for the path. Before he could take two steps, though, Dominic's arms were around him and the man's weight slammed the two of them into the cold hard earth.
Lucas roared, swinging a short, powerful punch at the smaller man's head. But Dominic was no fool; rather than take the hit, he let go and rolled aside, coming to his feet with an easy grace. His eyes flashed in the moonlight, and Lucas could see his hesitation vanish. The man was clearly more at home in a fight than he had been in a conversation.
I'll give him a fight, he thought, rolling to his feet and facing the wolf shifter. A quick one – he's not going to keep me from my mate.
"I'm sorry, Lucas," Dominic said, sinking his weight low and circling. "I really am. This wasn't my idea. But Victor said to keep you here, and that's what I'm going to do."
"Gotta do what your Alpha says, huh?" Lucas snarled back, stalking closer. Dominic's face twitched and he nodded, not looking happy about it.
"Alpha's word is law unless someone challenges him. Doesn't matter what I think of his plans. Victor's in charge for now, and that's that, even against the Compact."
Honest complaint or a play for time and sympathy? Lucas didn't know and didn't much care. Whether he was being honest or not, it was an attempt to keep him off balance and to delay things.
A look into Dominic's eyes told him that much – the man was loyal, and whether he believed in his mission or not, he'd committed to it. Dominic would do whatever he could to keep Lucas busy.
He hung back, watching Lucas, and Lucas knew that he couldn't afford to wait him out. Dominic was only here to delay him, so every second he took over the fight was a victory for him. Lucas didn't have the luxury of time.
Before he could recover his balance, Lucas was on him. Grabbing Dominic by the shoulders, he slammed the man into a tree with his full strength. Against a human, that would have ended the fight, but Dominic was made of sterner stuff and drove a punch into Lucas' ribs hard enough to make him let go.
They closed again, lashing out with brutal punches, and Lucas was surprised by how powerful the wiry young man was. He hit like a freight train, and would have overpowered anyone else quickly. Not Lucas, though. He gave as good as he got, fists connecting with the smaller man and driving him backward.
He didn't let up, didn't let Dominic get his breath back, and soon they were both bloodied, battered, and bruised. Lucas knew he could outlast his enemy. Not only did he have a bear's stamina, but he was fighting to save his beloved mate, and nothing, no one, would stand in his way!
Roaring, he leaped forwards again, wrapping his arms around Dominic who was too slow to dodge this time. Together they slammed into the ground, Lucas on top, his weight smashing down on the other man's ribs. Even as they landed, his foe was hammering powerful, punishing strikes into his sides.
Lucas felt a stabbing pain shoot through him as something cracked in his torso.
Looking down at the man pinned under him, he felt a grudging respect for the way Dominic fought. Even outmatched and pinned, the man wouldn't give in. But that respect wasn't going to stop Lucas doing whatever was needed to get to Emily's side in time. With a hiss of pain he reared up, slamming his fist down into Dominic's face with his full strength and weight behind it.
The wolf shuddered, weakened, but still managed to land another jab on the injured rib in Lucas' side. Blinding pain shot through Lucas.
But he didn't need to see the shifter pinned under his weight to hit him. Roaring in pain and rage, Lucas rained punches down, letting his anger and frustration out in a series of punishing blows. By the time his sight returned, his foe was lying still, face bloody and breathing ragged.