Battle for a Mates Heart

by Raven Darkwing

  Grant took a breath and stepped back. He shook his head, “I’m going because of my mate. I will find and kill Alpha Clifton so my mate, his brother, and our pack will be safe.” While he felt angry over the accusation, his father did have a point. He couldn’t give into the wolf’s instinctual reactions to the situation; he had to use his head.

  Was he really doing this because he was the best person for the job? In this case, both his wolf and his human side were in agreement. The answer was a resounding hell, yes. “Look, I know David could track down the crazy son-of-a-bitch, and probably could kill him. But you taught me that a good leader shows his strength by example, Father. How would it look if I went home to my mate, instead of facing the enemy on behalf of those I have sworn to protect?”

  Forest smiled, “I’m not questioning the decision, my son, just making sure you go on this mission with a clear head, free of the distraction of the anger clouding your mind.”

  Grant sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “I am angry, Father. But I also need David and Jason to use their talents to try to find out what is really going on. They had a lab of some kind and from the looks of it, were doing some kind of experimentation on shifters. They need to try to figure out what the bastards were doing,” he paused, “Also, how are the magi involved and are they the only paranormals working with Alpha Clifton? We need to figure out what the bastard is trying to achieve before it is too late.”

  “The bigger question, is he even the one really behind this mess?” David mused. “I find it hard to believe Alpha Clifton is the brains behind anything.” His brother watched for a few moments while Blaze, Dove, and Tank continued to work on removing the rubble.

  He nodded toward the silently working men. It was clear they weren’t going to give up easily on their missing comrade. “I wonder if Artemus can use some of his magic to help clear the way?”

  The magi in question appeared at the door. Grant had to admit it was a bit creepy the way the man seemed to know when he was needed. The magi glanced at the rubble and moved closer. Artemus closed his eyes and mumbled words in an ancient language. Everyone stopped and waited for him to respond.

  After a couple of minutes, he shook his head and stepped back. He rubbed his hand over his face. The man looked exhausted. “They are alive, but I believe they are unconscious. I could feel their life force but could not manage to see anything in their minds. Of course, Charlie would be much better at getting a read on them; but at least I can assure you they do live, for the moment.”

  “How did you know we needed you?” David asked the question on everyone’s mind.

  Artemus chuckled, “Well, I’d like to tell you it was because of my great precognitive powers, but in fact, I was simply coming here to tell you someone is trying to get a remote signal through. My guess is, if there isn’t a response soon, whoever it is, may come back to see what the problem is.”

  “Can you tell how many there might be? How much longer can you block them?” Grant asked.

  Dove stepped forward, “Why not let them think they succeeded. From what I understand, the person trying to set off the bomb I found probably doesn’t know how close he has to be. He isn’t currently trying, right?” He glanced at Artemus who nodded in agreement. “Great, then I bet he thinks he needs to get closer and is repositioning.”

  “So, how does that help us?” David asked.

  The explosive expert continued, “Radar had a collar around his neck that I managed to cut off without setting off any explosives. They probably thought we’d be in a hurry and wouldn’t remove the device. I’d bet my stash of Oreo cookies it’s wired to set off an explosive device. Most likely the one near the boiler.”

  “That one was big enough to take down the building alone.” Dove motioned with his head, “I left the collar in Radar’s cell, but there’s no guarantee that something else won’t trigger another bomb or that I’ve found them all. The Alpha is right, we’ve been lucky so far, and we’re running out of time. If we don’t do something quickly, Shadow and Jake won’t be the only ones caught in an explosion.”

  “That’s not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to join the mile-high club. Besides, I have a date with a new bouncer at the bar in town, so this just won’t fit into my schedule at all!” David responded.

  “I know, right? I like to see things go boom, but I generally prefer not to be part of the show,” Dove smirked as he ducked the hand headed for the back of his head. “Hey, don’t mess with the hair, boss!”

  “You don't have any hair. Now stop clowning around. Obviously, they intended for us to walk into a trap. We should consider Dove’s suggestion and let them think it succeeded. It might make our enemy a little easier to find if he were confident that Alpha Grant was out of the picture,” Blaze postured.

  Grant nodded, “A sound suggestion, Blaze. But how would we set it off?”

  “Not before we figure out a way to get to Shadow and Jake,” Blaze said as he looked back toward the collapsed tunnel. “I won’t leave anyone behind.”

  Before Grant could respond, Shadow’s voice came over the com-links. “Blaze?”

  “Report, Shadow,” Blaze ordered. Grant noticed the relief in the man’s eyes.

  He listened as Shadow continued, “We followed Sammy’s scent into the tunnel. From the looks of things, a large number of people have come through here recently, mostly shifters. We made about a half mile in before Jake hit a trip wire and the whole tunnel collapsed behind us.”

  “Are you or Jake injured?” Grant interrupted.

  “We’re a little banged up, but both of us are mobile. From the looks of things, we won’t be able to get back to you the same way we came in. We’re going to continue down the passage to get out,” Shadow replied.

  It was clear Blaze didn’t like the idea any more than Grant did, but they didn’t have much choice. Shadow was a highly trained warrior, and Jake had his own skills. As long as they didn’t meet up with any resistance, they should be able to get out on their own. The problem was, they had no idea how far ahead the enemy was or if there were any more traps. Grant looked at Blaze who seemed to come to the same conclusion.

  “Do you have any idea where the entrance might be?” Grant asked.

  There was a moment of silence before Shadow came back on the line. “Jake went forward a short distance, and it appears there’s a junction up ahead. This might be a series of tunnels, so I don’t know which direction the entrance might be in. Luckily, we can follow the scents left by the others to find our way out.”

  “Fine, once you do contact us on the com-link, and we’ll come and get you two. If you find the enemy, don’t engage. You are to observe and report back—do you understand, Shadow?” Blaze ordered.

  “Yes, sir. Don’t worry, Blaze, we’ll be fine,” Shadow assured them. “I’m not sure how long it will take or how far away the entrance is. The com-links might be out of range, so it might be awhile before we contact you again.”

  “Fine, but as soon as you can, I expect to hear from you. Make sure you watch out for any more trip wires or traps. It seems these guys knew we were coming and set up a number of welcoming gifts for us.” Blaze glanced at Grant for a moment before he continued, “We will be taking Radar out of here shortly. I’ll be waiting for your ten-thirty-one report, soldier. Stay sharp.”

  “I’ll be in touch. Shadow, out.” The com-link went dead. For a moment, no one moved as they each worried about the two shifters. Grant looked at Blaze, the warrior glanced one more time at the rubble before he squared his shoulders, and nodded slightly at Grant.

  It was time to make plans to leave. Besides, the Seattle Pack might have maps that would show where the exit to the tunnels might be, and if they did, he knew they’d be waiting for the missing men at the other end.

  He mulled over Blaze’s suggestion to blow the building. While there might be more information to be gleaned from the place, they didn’t have the time to really investigate. Besides, who knew how many more tr
aps were waiting for them. So far, they had been lucky. His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone in his breast pocket.

  He pulled the phone out and answered, “Jason, what is wrong?” He listened for a few moments before responding, “We will be there. In the meantime, you know what to do. Get those who can’t fight into the safe rooms.” He hung up the phone and glanced at the concerned faces of his comrades, “We need to leave, now. The compound will be under attack shortly.”

  A short time later, Dove sat alone in Radar’s former cell. He gently stroked the back of one of the two rats he’d brought with him. “Mack is going to kill me, Frick, but unfortunately, we don’t have time for me to rig up a remote, and we can’t wait to see if someone will detonate it remotely. I promise, Frack and I will always remember how brave you were. Now pick up the collar and wait for my command.” The explosive expert watched as the rat seemed to look at him for a moment before it gently picked up the ruined collar into its mouth.

  He shook his head and quickly exited the building. Frack rode on his shoulder. They continued until they reached the remaining SUV. The others had gone ahead to the airfield. He glanced one last time toward the building before he quietly ordered, “Time for the fireworks little buddy. Frick, head for the front door.” A moment later, the night sky was filled with a loud explosion, while flames leaped toward the sky. The building was quickly engulfed.

  The explosive expert pulled his cell phone out, “I want to report an explosion at the old mental hospital.” He listened for a moment to make sure they knew where to go but when they asked for his name, he simply hung up. That should keep anyone from getting too close with all the fire department personnel and investigators milling around. It should buy them some time.

  Dove climbed into the SUV. Nut Cruncher and Oreo, were sitting in the passenger seat. The explosive expert gently placed Frack beside them. “Time to go, boys—hold on tight!” Without looking back, he pushed down on the pedal and sped toward the airport.

  A few miles away, the lone shifter sat hidden from view. The fire department was already working to put out the flames. It would take hours, and he probably should stick around to make sure the trap had worked. But it was getting late, and he had been promised his pick of the female prisoners when he joined the others. There was no way anyone could have survived the explosion. He pulled out his cellphone, “It’s done.”

  Chapter 20

  Sparky groaned as he stood beside the bed. Charlie had told him to head for their room while he went to the kitchen to get him something to eat. While he appreciated the concern, would it have been too hard for the man to at least ask him if he was hungry? As he thought about their mating so far, it was clear Charlie thought he was in the driver’s seat. Even the claiming itself was done almost at his command.

  Although to be fair, Sparky hadn’t fought very hard. But still, if Charlie thought he was going to be the little woman in this relationship, he was in for a mega surprise. He walked toward the dresser in his room and removed some sleeping pants.

  He grinned at the brightly colored vampire smiley faces on the dark cloth. It had been a gift from Sandy at Christmas. He didn’t have the heart to tell the pup the pants were Halloween themed. While he didn’t normally wear anything to bed, he figured these would let his mate know that sex was off the table.

  He thumped his cock as it apparently was not on the same page. Besides, he still was feeling the after-effects of his imprisonment. Most of the caning marks had healed, but the underlying bruises still ached. The shifter couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this tired. All he wanted to do was to fall into his bed and sleep for the next century.

  Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards for him as the door opened and his mate entered carrying a tray full of food. Despite his tiredness, Sparky’s stomach growled. He heard his mate chuckle behind him.

  “Get into bed, Sparky. You need to eat and then you need to get some sleep so we can do our part in this crazy scheme you came up with.” Charlie waited until Sparky got into the bed and pulled the covers up. His mate placed the tray on the angry shifter’s lap and stepped back as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.

  Sparky crossed his arms and glared up at the magi, “Who died and made you my mother?”

  “Someone has to look after you! For goddess sake, you managed to get yourself kidnapped picking up the kid from school in a pack that has been on high alert.” Charlie ran a hand through his hair and began to walk back in forth in front of the bed, “And now you want to meet up with the guy who not only abused you in the past but still wants you for his stable of boy toys. I never learned to control my magic like Artemus. How am I supposed to protect you?”

  Sparky took a deep breath but it didn’t help. If the tray of food hadn’t been on his lap, he would have stood up and shown his mate who needed protection. “You don’t need to worry, Charlie. I’ll have Dakota go with me tomorrow. He and I have protected this pack for years now, and believe me; I’m more than capable of holding my own. I managed to escape, didn’t I?”

  Charlie turned and placed his hands on his hips, “Barely, from what I understand and you, yourself know that a wolf against a magi is not an even contest.”

  The mechanic dropped the sandwich he had picked up and growled, “And that kind of thinking is why you and your kind will never win. Sure, you have fancy tricks but we can overcome them—I did, more than once. I’m sorry that you think you got the short end of the stick and I’m not talking about my height.”

  Sparky pointed at the door, “Get out! If we and the pack survive the fight coming, then we can talk about an attitude adjustment for you.” The agitated wolf waved his hand in the air as he picked up his sandwich. “But for now, I just want to eat and get some sleep.”

  “Sure, no problem. I won’t force myself on you other than this; I will be the one to go with you tomorrow.” Before Sparky could respond Charlie turned on his heel and strode out the door.

  At some point, Sparky must have managed to fall asleep because he was startled awake by the banging on his bedroom door. “Sparky, come quick!” The door swung open to reveal his frantic mate. Before Sparky could say anything, Charlie groaned and fell to his knees, his hands holding his head.

  All the anger he’d felt fell away as the mechanic was up and beside his mate in a second. He gently pulled him into his arms and could feel the man shaking. Another groan managed to escape from his mate’s lips. Whatever was happening was causing Charlie great pain. “What’s wrong? How do I help, Charlie?”

  “Argh, something’s wrong—the voices—so loud—I can’t…” Charlie’s eyes closed as he folded in on himself. Sparky tried to use the mate bond, but all he could hear was loud static. He pulled his mate closer, “Let me in, Charlie!”

  At first Sparky didn’t think his mate had heard him. Then Charlie shuddered, and the mechanic felt the wall between them literally crumble. His mate must have become too tired to keep the block up because suddenly the static became a cacophony of words and feelings. He gasped when he managed to break through and pick out the strongest words, “Alpha Grant is dead, they’re all dead!”

  ◆◆◆

  Jason looked at the phone in his hand and blinked in disbelief. He glanced up at Sheila, her green eyes held the question he didn’t want to answer. He couldn’t believe they were all gone. Yet the Alpha from the Seattle Pack was certain. “What’s wrong, Jason?” Sheila asked as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

  He dropped the phone and let his head fall into his hands for just a moment. But he didn’t have time to give into the paralyzing grief. The shifter sat up and squaring his shoulders, looked at the she-wolf.

  He had planned to ask her to be his mate on Valentine’s Day. But now, the pack had to come first. A pack that would be under attack in just a few hours if Winston kept his word, which the new Alpha highly doubted would happen.

  “Jason?” Sheila asked again softly.

  “They’
re all dead, Sheila,” at her gasp he continued, “there was an explosion and they were all inside. Alpha Torres says he has—he has their bodies.”

  “All of them?” Sheila asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, the only ones who survived were those from the Seattle pack who had stayed outside to guard them. Even Artemus was caught in the explosion. The beta from their pack saw him go in just before the explosion.”

  “You know what that means?”

  Jason nodded grimly, “Most of my family was killed tonight, and the bastard who is responsible got away. I have to tell my mother and then get the others together…”

  Sheila’s hand on his arm stopped him, “It means you are now the Alpha.”

  Jason closed his eyes and placed his hand over Sheila’s. “I know, but it might not be for long if the attacks from the magi are successful.”

  Sheila rubbed her cheek against his shoulder as she held him closer. “Maybe there is time to still negotiate with them. What do they want?”

  “They want Sandy, Sparky and apparently, also Charlie. There is no way I’m bartering with them using our members as bargaining chips.” Jason growled.

  “But Jason, except for Sparky who joined us a few years ago, the others are new to the pack and one isn’t even a shifter. Maybe the lives of those three can be used to save hundreds of pack members.”

  Jason turned and grabbed the she-wolf by the shoulders. He couldn’t believe he was hearing this from the person he thought of as his future wife, even if she wasn’t his true mate. “How could you say such a thing?”

  Sheila dropped her head, “I don’t want to lose them but what else can we do? I’m afraid, okay?” He saw the tears fall down her cheeks and sighed. He pulled her closer and inhaled her scent to calm himself before he answered.