Wild Wolf Mate: League Of Gallize Shifters (The League Of Gallize Shifters Book 5)

by Dianna Love

  “Anyhow,” Jaz said, propping the cup inside her folded legs, “Scarlett and I confirmed Kaiser’s location. Everything fit what my mother had said about Kaiser’s age and the alpha’s name being Reinhold—”

  “Whoa!” Adrian sat up and placed his mug on the floor by the bed. He finally grasped what she’d been saying. “Reinhold is Kaiser’s father?”

  “Yes. And mine.”

  Adrian mashed all that information into one sudden realization. “He had sex with your mother while she was imprisoned?” That sounded like she’d been raped while held against her will.

  Nodding, Jaz said, “That’s what I understand. When I found Kaiser living at Reinhold’s compound, it was hard to deny the facts.” She blinked away tears. “That’s why I can’t hold my mother responsible for leaving me. She snapped mentally after all she went through and having to give up Kaiser to protect me.”

  Adrian needed a program to keep the players straight and make sense of all this. “What about Tanza and Leonard?”

  “They were both born before Kaiser. Their faces, eyes, and hair are different than Kaiser’s. Even his build was bigger than Leonard’s, the same way my stature is nothing like Tanza’s small frame.”

  “So you never had a romantic interest in Kaiser?”

  “Oh, gross.” She glared her disgust. “Why would you ask such a thing?”

  “Sorry, Jaz. Tanza claimed you had been involved with Leonard, then shifted your attention to Kaiser when Leonard died and Kaiser would be the next alpha.” The only part that mattered to Adrian in all of that was whatever had happened between her and Leonard.

  Shaking her head, Jaz snapped, “Good grief. No and no. Leonard and I became friends. Tanza never liked me and it got worse when I spent an hour talking to Leonard during a visit home he made while on leave. He didn’t want to be alpha. He liked being overseas. He said he had a good shifter friend he thought of like a brother.” Her sudden irritation dissipated and her voice softened. “He had to be talking about you.”

  “Yes.” Scrubbing his face, he dropped his hand and shifted the attention back to Jaz. “What exactly happened with Kaiser?”

  “Do you know where the wolf pack lives?”

  “Tanza gave me the address when I told her I might need to visit the spot where he died. She explained how it was at the outer perimeter of their acreage where the pack ran.”

  “Yes, close to where the highway borders one side of Reinhold’s land.” Jaz shared specifics on where Kaiser had been in proximity to the road. “There was only one female shifter besides me and Tanza. That was Daisy. I hadn’t told anyone, not even Kaiser who I was yet.”

  “That explains calling yourself Jane,” Adrian said, cutting in. Another question answered in a way that would help.

  “Yes. I was trying to determine if sharing my identity and that of his mother’s would be good for Kaiser or destroy a happy life. From what I picked up, he didn’t seem to think he had been born of a different mother than Tanza and Leonard. I also sensed a sickness around the pack and they were losing females. When I walked up on Kaiser that day, I was hunting for Daisy. That’s how I found him abusing her.”

  Adrian made a sound of disgust.

  Giving him a nod of agreement, she continued. “I knocked him off her and told Daisy to run, but wait on me. I expected to find her near the road a quarter mile away once I got Kaiser calmed down. She took off as he shifted. I had no choice but to shift. I asked Tarski to not kill him, and she agreed. But he was whacked out on something. Maybe that crazy Jugo Loco juice I’ve heard about since coming down here. His wolf lost his mind and kept coming at Tarski. My wolf pinned him down and put her teeth on his throat. We both expected him to surrender.”

  Adrian quickly said, “He should have. What happened?”

  “I heard someone coming. I don’t know if that caused him to jerk away or if he was just out of his mind, but he moved so quickly he tore out his throat. I have to be in human form to heal someone. His wolf struggled, but stopped moving in seconds. Tanza screamed at me that I had killed her brother.” Jaz gripped her hands together, stared up for a minute, then leveled him with a gaze full of hurt. “I came to help him and help my mother. She’ll be destroyed when she learns of this and hate me forever, but I did not want to kill him.”

  At the sound of Adrian’s mobile phone going off, Jaz paused.

  His phone had several ring tones related to other Gallize, but this particular one identified the caller as a call related specifically to the Guardian.

  No one could ignore or delay answering that one, even though he wanted to for this moment with Jaz.

  But his Guardian could be the one person to help Adrian save her.

  Adrian cursed and jumped out of bed, stomping across the room to dig out his phone and answer it. “Brooks here, sir.”

  “I apologize for interfering with aiding your friend, Adrian, but I need you here immediately to track someone SCIS has asked for assistance with locating. It sounds as if this is also related to the vision Elianna had when she first met you in Wyoming, which gives it priority. Should I arrange a flight for you?”

  “No, sir, I’m driving distance. I’ll be there in a little over an hour.” He did not want to give his location to anyone right now if he wasn’t pressed to do so. Elianna had mated Justin, another Gallize shifter Adrian thought of as a brother.

  He couldn’t pull to mind exactly what she’d predicted back then.

  The Guardian said, “Very well. I’ll have everyone assembled by the time you arrive.”

  “Yes, sir.” Adrian hung up, well aware that Jaz caught everything said with her shifter hearing. Not sure what to say to her yet, he walked into the bathroom to retrieve his clothes. All dry now. When he stepped back into the main room he dropped his shirt on a chair and stepped into his jeans.

  “Sounds like you’re leaving.” Jaz walked to the sink where she placed their mugs, then turned around to lean against the edge. She crossed her arms and lifted fingers to cup her chin.

  One phone call and she withdrew.

  Zipping his jeans, he told her, “Yes and it’s killing me to leave now. I want more time with you, even ten more minutes to finish our conversation, but these are my people. When they call, I have to go.” He reached for the shirt.

  She kept her face a blank mask. “Was that the eagle shifter?”

  That’s right. She’d seen the Guardian when he flew into the tiger shifter compound and prevented a Power Baron from massacring everyone, including Scarlett.

  Forgetting the shirt, Adrian crossed the room to pull her into his arms.

  She didn’t unfold her arms to accept him.

  He moved until his cheek touched hers. “I’m leaving right now so I don’t have to give away your location even though none of them know what I’m up to. I only said I was helping a friend. I’ll do all within my power to help you as soon as I come back.”

  “You haven’t even heard all of my side yet,” she argued, arms still woven tightly across her chest.

  “I know you’re a healer with a heart of gold based on what you did for Scarlett and Gan alone. Then you put yourself at risk to save a woman from those jackals last night and put yourself in danger again by letting me stay when I already had one bad episode. You used your energy to heal me. I’m getting to know you in spite of you being harder to open up than an angry clam.”

  She snorted, let out a pent-up breath. Then she unfolded her arms to wrap around up his back and hugging him.

  Holding her close, he drew in her sweet scent. “If I can convince my boss that you killed Kaiser in self-defense, will you come speak to him? He can fix this mess with SCIS.”

  Squeezing him to her, she whispered, “Please don’t. I can’t explain right now, but I need time to find someone first.”

  His elation burst into dust. “All you’d have to do is tell him. He’s a shifter unlike any other. He will know the truth the minute you state your side.”

  “Oh, Adrian.” S
he kissed his cheek. “We should have met at a different time and place. I like you. A lot. Enough to keep you safe. Go do your duty and accept that healing is within reach. Your bond is damaged, but just think back to when you first met your wolf and how you built that bond. Start with one step at a time. Don’t expect to heal overnight. Give if you hope to receive. Show your wolf you still care and tell him how you need his help.”

  That sounded like goodbye.

  Cupping her head and bringing her eyes to his, he swore, “I’ll be back, Jaz. Do not give up on me. I’m in your corner. I’m willing to work on my issues if you’re willing to let me help you clear your name. I won’t say anything if no one asks me about you. Right now, they think I’m off on a personal task.”

  When her lips parted, ready to argue, he covered them with his, kissing her when words wouldn’t convey what he felt for this woman.

  He believed her words and others would too once he convinced her to meet with the Guardian. First, he’d have to inform the Guardian on everything he’d learned, but not until he convinced her to trust his boss.

  Until then, he’d use everything she’d shared to start untangling the side of Kaiser’s death SCIS didn’t know about.

  Breaking away, he growled. “I’ve got to hurry. The sooner I get out of here and back to headquarters, the sooner I can return and finish what we started. I don’t just mean our conversation.”

  “Go. I understand.” She backed away from him, visually pulling away emotionally even more.

  He silently cursed at leaving. She might understand, but she didn’t expect him to return. Jerking his shirt on, then his shoes, he shoved his phone in a back pocket.

  Would she be here when he returned? “This might not take long, Jaz. I hope not. If you leave here, please call Scarlett and give her a way for me to find you. I don’t want your call on my phone until your name is cleared to protect you from being tracked.” He gave her Scarlett’s mobile number from memory.

  “Got it.” She nodded, but her voice and actions said she would not use that number.

  “Dammit, Jaz. This is not goodbye. I don’t want to track you again. That risks me bringing someone unwanted to your door. Will you be here or not?”

  “If I can, I will.”

  He grabbed his hair. “Will you at least contact Scarlett and let her know where you went if you leave? Yes or no?”

  Huffing out an annoyed sound, she finally said, “Yes.” Her eyes glistened, but that stoic front never broke.

  She’d told him the truth. He couldn’t waste another second. He stepped up, kissed her like there was no tomorrow, because he worried there might not be.

  This time, she kissed him back with sincerity, lingering as long as she could until he reluctantly pulled away. He kissed her softly one more time and said, “Stay safe. For me.”

  Then he rushed out the door and leaped halfway down the stairs needing to make up every second he’d delayed to be with her. He landed on bent knees and strong legs, thanks to Jaz.

  When the Guardian called, no one wasted time responding to whatever that eagle shifter requested.

  It was never a request, but an order.

  But for the first time ever, he struggled with his duty when it came to Jaz.

  He grabbed a hidden key, jumped in and cranked the engine, backing around fast. Once he was under way and reached the main road leading to the nearest interstate, he thought about that last image of Jaz.

  The one that would haunt him if he failed to find her again.

  What about Leonard? Adrian’s best friend would be telling him he had a core of honesty. He’d ask if Adrian believed enough to put his life on the line.

  Simple answer? Yes.

  Leonard would believe her too, then he’d hurt over what Kaiser had done.

  With his conscience not hammering his skull, Adrian turned his attention to what the Guardian wanted. With a number of Gallize shifters in the Spartanburg area, why had the Guardian asked for him?

  Because he was a wolf?

  No. Cole and his wolf were strong and both had military experience, plus that shifter had no issues like Adrian and his wolf. But the boss had specifically wanted Adrian for this mission.

  Adrian racked his brain. After dismissing every expected possibility, he hit on the unexpected.

  Jaz had killed a jackal last night. That made two killings.

  His SUV ran off the side of the road before his mind snapped back on track. He gripped the wheel with white-knuckle fingers, realizing why he had to be the one.

  They wanted him to hunt Jaz.

  Chapter 16

  Jaz stood strong once Adrian left. She hadn’t been tested this hard in a long time, but she hadn’t cared for a man like this ... ever.

  She bathed again and dressed for her bar job. Regardless of what happened last night, she still had a mission to find Daisy and not much time. Being Saturday, none of the crew had to be there until ten, which gave them time to clean up and get food prepped.

  If after walking through the woods to the bar she detected no new scents, she’d have to make a decision about remaining another day.

  If none of this panned out, she’d have to start over digging for a lead.

  Before she left, she’d also have to convince Thea to return to her family or find some place where the kidnappers couldn’t get to her.

  Now that she thought about it, she’d run a mile down the road toward town and see if she could pick up the woman’s scent. Thea needed to get out of here now before the predators came back for her tonight.

  Jaz would be ready for them this time.

  When she walked out of the bathroom, her tiny apartment felt huge and empty.

  No Adrian. Her heart hit the floor.

  Her heart should not have come out to play last night. She should have kept a wall between sex and emotion, but something changed with touching him. More than that, something changed with how he’d touched her deep inside. His energy had joined with hers as she pushed her power around to heal him.

  She’d felt him. Not just inside her body, but inside her very being.

  At their first touch, his energy had seemed to seek out hers as if curious and interested.

  When he’d told her what happened to him and Red in that enemy camp, Tarski had rushed to the surface. Her wolf had been there listening to every word with her and said, Red wolf dying. Hurt and confused by human. Only knows to rage. Human must save wolf or die.

  She’d listened to her wolf and Adrian, sickened by what each shared. Then she’d given Adrian the best advice she could. Tarski had an innate ability to pinpoint what had to be cured when she asked for help healing someone.

  Her wolf had voluntarily offered that information.

  Jaz needed more time to help Adrian, but ... time would not play fair with her.

  That he hadn’t wanted to leave curled a finger of happiness around her soul. She missed him already.

  Driving her hands through her wet hair, she grabbed two fists full.

  How had everything gotten off track?

  For the first time in a long while, she’d left the world behind, content to be in the arms of a man who believed her words. He’d believed in her and was determined to help her. He had a steel core of integrity, which would not allow him to make a rash judgment on guilt or innocence. That’s why accepting her side of the battle meant even more.

  And now, he stood in her corner.

  The only way he’d change that stance would be if someone convinced him differently.

  Tanza hadn’t. Who else could?

  Adrian seemed to know only Leonard from that family. She hadn’t known Leonard long, but it had hurt to lose him. The one positive would be that he had died not knowing the truth about his brother and father.

  She’d had so many questions for Adrian, too, but that phone call interrupted. If he hadn’t kept pushing for her commitment to call when she ran again, she would have told him what last night meant before saying goodbye.

>   She never seemed to get a chance to say goodbye to people who mattered, and this one mattered more than others.

  Why had she agreed to call Scarlett?

  Because her heart would not let go of Adrian.

  She’d answered truthfully and would not break her word on that, but when she did call Scarlett, she’d ask her to keep Adrian from following.

  Jaz did not want a second death from this trek south on her conscience.

  Tarski had remained in a quiet mode, but now asked, How do you feel?

  Jaz grinned at her wolf’s way of asking if she was okay and answered, Not too bad. I enjoyed last night.

  Her wolf pressed. But you do not expect to see this human again, do you?

  Jaz asked herself that and had no encouraging answer. I have no idea, Tarski. I want to, but he’ll get in my way or he’ll get killed. I can’t have either of those happen.

  True. You must be careful today, her wolf warned. Your energy is very low after healing him this morning.

  I know. I’ll have time to regenerate during the day at work, Jaz reassured her wolf.

  Tarski changed the topic. I sense something new.

  What’s new? Jaz asked.

  You are happy inside. You fear this feeling.

  She thought about it and realized Tarski was right. She hadn’t been happy in a long time, maybe never truly happy. Not like she’d felt last night and this morning.

  She felt ... loved. Her Kodiak family cared deeply for her, but she hadn’t realized how big a hole had been left from her mother’s inability to love her. The hole seemed smaller now that Adrian had claimed a huge chunk.

  She’d tried to brush off what she’d shared with Adrian as only sex.

  It had been so much more.

  Adrian hadn’t declared his undying love, but he showed how much he cared in every touch, every word.

  You may be right, Tarski, she answered honestly. But we still have to find Daisy. We can’t depend on Adrian being able to help us. I’m concerned about him getting called back to his people. We’ll find Thea first and send her away from here.