by Kimber White
I had a choice to make. In the span of a heartbeat, I made it. “No. Of course it isn’t enough. As long as things remain...how they are...it will never be enough, Bess.”
Her face fell. She slowly closed her eyes and sat back in her chair. When she opened them again, they were bloodshot with the first hint of fresh tears. “You don’t know how dangerous this is for me,” she said.
“I think I do. And I also think your conscience is telling you we have to find a way to do more.” I paused, took a steadying breath, then dove in with both feet.
“Bess, you know what happened to Bernie and Ellie Langley. And you know why it happened.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “And I know it’s going to keep happening.”
“Exactly. So help me. The Chief Pack is getting bolder. More people are going to get hurt or disappear just like the Langleys if people like you and me don’t step up and do the right thing.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “We’re the ones who will disappear, Molly. Don’t you get it? There’s too many of them. They’ve been in power too long. And don’t start lecturing me. You’re the one who is new to this. Not me. My father, the people who run this town. The Pack is entrenched. You’ve only now woken up to it. I’ve lived it my whole life.”
“What do you mean?”
Bess brought trembling fingers to her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the rest of her tears fall. “My father tried to stand up to the Alpha when I was a little girl. Every year, he’d take more and more. Installing Pack members in positions of power. There were payoffs, kickbacks. Everything in this town has been engineered so the Chief Pack has all the money and security they need. My father saw it happening. He’s a good man. Honest. But, he paid Molly. They...they made my brother disappear. He was twelve years old.”
My heart went cold. “Oh. God. Oh, Bess. I had no idea.”
She fixed her sad eyes on me and my heart broke for her. “You have no idea how far the Alpha’s reach is. No idea. Your friends are fooling themselves.”
I leaned forward. “But you’re going to help me help them anyway.”
Bess fixed her eyes on a point over my shoulder. She shook her head then looked back at me. “If they ever find out…”
“They won’t. I’ve been careful enough so far.”
She gave me a hollow smile. “That’s what everyone says.”
I came around the desk and put my arms around her. “You’re doing the right thing, Bess. We both know it.”
Bess squeezed me back. I felt strength in her I hadn’t seen before. I loved her a little bit for it.
“Give me a few days,” she said, sighing. “I have a couple of ideas.”
My heart was full. I hugged her one last time then left her alone.
Bess’s plan came in the form of a visit she arranged just two days later. Jason called me back for a tech visit. Nothing major, just a tabby needing her claws trimmed. It was the odd look on Bess’s face when I brushed past her that made me bristle.
When I opened the door to Exam Room Two, my heart burst.
“Keara!” I shouted a whisper and slammed the door behind me. Keara met me with a bright smile and open arms.
I sat on the bench next to her, beaming. She’d been near Liam, recently. I could catch his scent lingering in the air and it startled me. But, Keara understood.
“It’s going to be like that forever,” she said. “And even more intense if you ever...if he…”
“If he marks me,” I said. “We’ve talked about it.”
Her expression went instantly grave. “I would love to take the high road here and say it’s none of my business, but you know it is. And I also realize the kind of hypocrite it makes me for cautioning you to be careful with it.”
I touched her shoulder. “It doesn’t make you a hypocrite. It makes you wise. You know I put a lot of stock in your advice. But, that’s not why you’re here.”
She cast a furtive glance toward the exam room door. “No, it’s not. I took a chance coming here. Your vet friend found me. Did you know that?”
“She’s more than a friend, I think. Bess might be an important ally.”
Keara stood up. She grew restless, not quite knowing what to do with her hands.
“How is he?” I asked. I couldn’t pretend. To her credit, Keara didn’t torture me with half-truths and evasion.
“He’s terrible, Molly. I’ve never seen Liam like this. He’s bouncing off the damn cave walls all the time. Jagger and the others don’t know what to do with him.”
“He’s not taking chances he shouldn’t, is he?” My heart thundered. In some ways, I felt like a junior high school girl asking for news about her boyfriend. Except being away from him was tearing me up in every way.
“No,” Keara answered straight. “Liam’s smart. I’ll never admit I said this, but he’s smarter than Jagger. The caves were Liam’s idea. A few years ago, we’d heard a rumor that another exiled pack from Michigan had been using them to hide out in. That pack is all dead now. Liam did all the recon.”
She was babbling. It made me uneasy because it wasn’t like her. Something was wrong. She also wouldn’t have come here just for a social visit.
“Keara,” I said. “You have to tell me what’s happening. It’s killing me to be out of the loop. You of all people should understand why.”
She finally stopped pacing and rounded on me. “I’m sorry. You’re right. We’re in trouble, Molly.”
“Oh, God, please don’t tell me the Pack has found you.”
“No. God, no. Not yet. It’s kind of the opposite. Since the tragedy with the Langleys, most of our topside allies have gotten spooked. Some have just cut off all contact out of fear. Molly, I’m worried about supplies. Jagger, Liam, the others...they can’t hunt right now. It’s too dangerous. We have enough food stores down there to last a few months at best. Or at least we did...but...those who haven’t cut and run, well, they’re asking for sanctuary. In the last week, we’ve taken in twenty refugees. Eight shifters and some of their non-shifter families. Plus a few of our other suppliers who’ve gotten too scared of getting caught.”
My heart sank. “And you don’t have enough to feed and clothe them all. Never mind medical needs when they arise.”
Keara let out a sob that ripped through me. I’d never seen her cry. I’d never even seen her upset. It occurred to me that she probably had to keep up a brave front to keep the others from breaking down. I went to her, putting my arms around her.
“I’m sorry,” she snorted. “This is embarrassing.”
“Don’t be. Keara, you’re shouldering a lot. My God, it’s amazing really. Think of how many lives you’ve saved.”
She pulled away. “Saved? Molly, I can’t stop thinking of how many lives I’ve put in jeopardy. I’m not ready for this. We’re not ready for this. In a year, maybe. Once I’ve established a more solid network and stockpile. I don’t know what happened. Somebody got to the Langleys. I’ve gone over it and over it. We were so careful. I can’t figure out who betrayed them.”
“Maybe no one,” I said. “We’ll never know what happened in that store. Maybe they finally just came for Brady and Bernie put up a fight he couldn’t win. There’s no sense in beating yourself up over it.”
She sniffled and nodded. “I know you’re right. It just gets so hard sometimes. Everyone looks to me for answers. Even Jagger. I’m just doing the best that I can. I feel so alone sometimes.”
I put a solid grip on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “You’re not. You hear me? You’re not. I’m here too. I’m not going anywhere. And now we have Bess.”
Keara’s eyes widened. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. Give me time. For the moment, I think we can at least trust her to help get more medical supplies. But, she has a reason to want to bring the Chief Pack down. I can’t go into it all now. You should get back. Bess has connections though. Give me a few days to work on her. I’ve got a few ideas.”
Keara’s smile deepened. It looked like a physical weight lifted from her shoulders, and I was so happy to play a part in it. She hugged me in earnest.
“You’re good at this, you know,” she said. “You’re a natural.”
“Good at what?”
“Recruiting. You have a way about you. I’m not surprised your Bess is willing to put herself out there for you.”
“Well, like I said. She’s got reasons of her own.”
The intercom buzzed. It was Jason calling me back to the front desk.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s slip you out the back.”
“Do you have anything you want me to take back for you? A message maybe?”
Keara’s eyes danced with mischief. God, how I wished we could just be normal girlfriends gossiping over a cup of coffee. I had the strange sensation things could never be normal again. Stranger still, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted them to be.
“Just tell Liam to stay safe.”
She hugged me. “Funny, that’s the only thing he could come up with for me to tell you.”
“Let’s arrange to meet. Do you know where my trailer is? If not, Liam can show you. I think it’s probably safer there than here. Like I said. Give me two or three days. I’ll find a way to get more supplies. Start coming up with a list of what you need.”
That devilish smirk came in Keara’s eyes again. She reached into her back pocket and produced a folded piece of paper. She thrust it in my hand. “I knew I’d be able to count on you.”
“Great,” I laughed. “And you say I’m good at this. Okay. Two days. Meet me at Shady Acres about an hour after my shift ends. Eight o’clock. You think you can keep those dogs on a leash until then?”
Keara rolled her eyes. “They sure are something, aren’t they?”
I opened the back door and peered into the alley. The coast was clear. My heart hardened as Keara stepped outside. She wasn’t Liam, of course, but she was a vital link to him. I just wasn’t sure how long I could go without seeing him. Just sensing him below me, miles underground, was torture. As Keara left, I decided I wouldn’t go much longer at all. I needed to find a way to see him.
Bess was waiting for me when I came back inside. She had a hard stare that made my stomach flip. For an instant, I worried she’d changed her mind about all of it. But, her hand on my arm put that to rest.
“Tell me what you need and when,” she said, smiling.
Eighteen
Molly
Once Bess put her mind to helping me, she was a dynamo. How she did it, I’ll never know. It occurred to me it was better I didn’t. But within forty-eight hours, she’d procured enough medical supplies to outfit a second clinic.
“You sure about all of this?” I asked her.
“No.” Bess stood in the alley with her hands on her hips. “I think I can do better.”
“This is plenty for now. We need to pace ourselves.”
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” she asked. “How are you planning on carrying all of this stuff?”
I curled my bicep and kissed it, teasing her. “Let’s just say I have unusually strong friends.”
“Right. You know, the minute I saw that guy in the alley, I knew he’d be all over you.”
My heart tripped. It’s the first time we’d really talked about that first night when Liam showed up. I went to her.
“You sure you’re okay with this? I know the risk you’re taking.”
Before I could say another word, Bess put a hand up to stop me. “Don’t. Believe me, I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t want to. I more than anyone know about risk. I just hope it gets put to good use and helps.”
“It will. You have no idea.” I got a little choked up. Bess Kennedy had frustrated me to no end over the years. But, she was a friend and always had been. Never more so than now.
“Just do me a favor,” she said, giving me a hollow smile.
“Anything, you know it.”
“Just tell your unusually strong friends to save some room for me wherever these supplies are going. I have a feeling I might need it someday.”
I hugged her again. I answered her promise with a nod. Nothing more needed to be said.
It was already half past seven. Keara would be prompt. Excitement fluttered in my gut as I slammed the lid on my trunk and slid into the driver’s seat. Bess had no idea how much she’d helped. Nothing would ever make up for the loss of Brady and the Langleys, but this was at least a solid start.
The moon rose low in the sky as I headed to the outskirts of town. Mammoth Forest loomed large and the tang of pine filled my nostrils. Liam was out there somewhere. Watching. Waiting. Soon, I’d have a decision to make. It had been a half-innocent comment, almost a joke on Bess’s part, but a deeper truth rang through it.
The time would come when it wouldn’t be safe for me to stay above ground either. I trusted Bess, but I couldn’t trust those around her. As strong as she’d been to help me this far, I couldn’t trust her with my life...not yet.
As I made the turn into the trailer park, my skin pricked. I hadn’t realized I’d been on the precipice of a decision, but once I’d made it, I knew it was right.
I wouldn’t be going back to the clinic after this. I would follow Keara back to the caves and stay there. The pull to Liam was far too strong. And as confident as Bess was about what she’d done, there was no way the disappearance of this amount of meds wouldn’t raise questions somewhere.
The moment I’d made the decision, my heart soared. I would see Liam again. Tonight.
I could barely contain myself as I took the last winding road leading to the back of the trailer park. I passed Lisa. She sat on her front porch with tonight’s date and waved as I went by. I didn’t wave back. I was too keyed up.
Keara waited on the front porch. I cut the engine and got out. Keara’s bright smile helped settle my nerves. I motioned for her and popped the trunk. Keara’s eyes grew wide when she saw. My entire backseat and trunk were filled to the brim with cardboard boxes.
“This is all medicine?” she gasped.
“No,” I answered. “I mean, about half of it is. I also picked up some foodstuffs from the wholesale food place. We’re not talking a year supply or anything, but I figured every little bit will help.”
Keara hugged me. “It will, my God. You have no idea how much.”
When she pulled away, she read something in my eyes. “What is it?”
Shrugging, I leaned against the car. “I’m coming with you,” I told her. “It’s time.”
“Molly.”
“Don’t try to talk me out of it. I need you on my side. Liam’s going to put up a fight. I mean, not so much Liam. But Jagger and the others will. That is...unless you can convince them otherwise.”
Her expression softened. “I’m selfish, you know. It’s a hundred percent safer for you to stay here, keep working at the clinic. But, I won’t deny the idea of having a true friend who’s not...well...furry in her off hours is tremendously tempting.”
I laughed. “Shows how much you know. Give me a day without a razor and then we’ll talk.”
“You’re sure though. I mean really sure?”
“Yes.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m miserable without him. And it’s only a matter of time. Bess has been a good friend, but I can’t trust her all the way. She doesn’t have the best judgment.”
“You haven’t told her about this?” Keara asked.
“About the caves? Oh, good God, no. It’s better if I’m just gone.”
I felt a pang of doubt when I said it. It wasn’t Bess that I worried about leaving. The thought of not even getting to say goodbye to Jason and Michael stung though. Hot tears stung my eyes.
Keara understood. She’d made the same choice herself not long ago. She drew me into a hug again. When she let go, my heart raced with excitement. Hard as it might be, I’d made up my mind and Keara supported my decision. I hadn’t realized how much I’d worried about her rea
ction. A thrill went through me. I was keyed up again and eager to get moving.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t hear the truck behind me. Or maybe it’s why I didn’t fully register the change in Keara’s expression. The flood of headlights hit her and she shielded her eyes against them. Keara’s eyes widened with fear I couldn’t understand. She shouted a warning, but it was as if no sound came out.
I turned. That’s when I saw the pickup. Zeke was driving. He cut his engine and got out. Except this time he wasn’t alone.
Before I could even react, three other men poured out of Zeke’s truck. He sat there behind the wheel grinning with menace as his companions surrounded us. One of them went straight for Keara. He cut off her scream with an elbow to the face.
It happened so fast. The other two men got to me. One put a hand on my shoulder and forced me to the ground. They were so big. So strong. So deadly. I recognized one as Tenley, the volunteer fireman from the other night.
Behind me, Keara did find the strength to scream. But, that’s the last thing I heard before the lights went out.
Nineteen
Liam
We are not pack. We are not connected in that way. But, when agony ripped through Jagger, each one of us felt it.
He dropped to his knees and his wolf ripped out of him. Payne and Gunnar were closest. Jagger’s wolf bared his teeth and turned on them. His eyes blazed, not silver as they usually did, but red.
At first, I thought the Alpha had somehow taken hold of his mind again. Panic stirred me and my own wolf chafed to get out. Mac nearly shifted himself. He stood furthest down the path. We’d been clearing debris to make a new passageway. Keara wanted smaller caverns ready to accommodate our growing number of refugees. We took in more every day.
“Jagger!” Gunnar was closest. He squared off with Jagger’s wolf. I could feel his own need to shift coursing through him. I shuddered and gripped the cave walls, drawing blood as my claws came out.