Carnal: A Dark Shifter Romance

by Piper Stone

  Monsters were real.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Max

  “You must take the reins and your rightful place as leader of our people. Only you can bring peace, keeping the Wolfen safe.”

  My father’s words burned into my mind, my heart heavy with the realization of what we could be facing. Very few of our pack had ever faced true battle, the kind of bloody wars told in Wolfen history. I still hadn’t been able to sense other wolves in close proximity. Either my senses had been dulled or this particular pack had managed to garner the masking abilities sacred to the Wolfen.

  Or the killer was a member of the Wolfen pack.

  Greed.

  Power.

  I’d spent enough time around criminals who used one weapon or another to terrify their victims. Often, the majority had never fired a gun in their lives. In this case, the monsters didn’t need guns. They had a beast handling the dirty work who was much more dangerous than any AK-47 or Glock handgun.

  My father had been approached on two occasions by a consortium that had wanted to purchase a portion of Roselake, the offers very generous. Fortunately, Captain Walters had remained his friend, finally giving him a warning that several prominent citizens were being investigated and that my father should watch his back. It seemed the consortium hadn’t planned on being turned down. Then again, they hadn’t realized the kind of people they were dealing with. What my father hadn’t anticipated was the involvement of a different pack.

  Or so he’d said in front of the others.

  Between the rumors Stone had heard as well as the basic information my father had provided, we had to face the fact that another pack was ready to try to move in. While the move wasn’t unprecedented, the timing was terrifying given the Wolfen’s peace and the fact other packs had been pushed away, leaving us with no backup.

  The enemy pack would have no way of knowing we’d reconciled with the Nightwalkers. Would it be enough to fight them?

  As I stood on the back deck of my father’s house, I thought about the book he himself had given me to read. Why did I have the feeling that my father wanted me to find the answer, to locate the burial site? While disturbing the remains would push every pack into a primal state, none would be able to best the Wolfen in battle.

  Perhaps the best kept Wolfen secret.

  Or was there more to the legend than he was telling me?

  I heard the door, sensing my father. He flanked my side, staring up at his beloved mountains. He leaned over the railing, folding his hands. For some reason, he appeared even more frail than he had only a few minutes before.

  The quiet moment was something we hadn’t shared in so long. I’d been brought up to appreciate my heritage and my spiritual side, my father taking the time to nurture Cherokee rituals. If only I’d paid closer attention. I’d lost touch with my spirit animal and a certain amount of my abilities. And my father had never pushed, had never fully admonished me for forgetting my lineage.

  “There is a legend regarding the eagle that you haven’t heard,” he said quietly, his eyes searching the heavens.

  “What is that?”

  “For every eagle that crosses the path of a truly righteous man, another year of his life will be protected. But if two eagles pass, then one soul had reached an end, the other ready to soar.” He turned his head ever so slowly in my direction just as two of the most beautiful eagles flew out of the trees, their wings spread wide. The bright rays of sun created a glow around them, the most incredible sight I’d witnessed in some time.

  However, the weight on my heart was crushing. “Father. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “What good would that have done? You are your own man and you had to find your way back home. I believe you have. Do not shed a tear for me, son, for it is my time. I have lived a long and prosperous life. I have loved and had the love of two very important people. Now I want to go home, to be with my wife.”

  I gripped his arm, trying to keep my emotions at bay. “When?”

  He smiled, lifting his arm as the eagles disappeared. “When the eagles find a resting spot.”

  Another moment of quiet settled between us.

  “You gave me the ancient book for a reason.”

  “Yes. Within the sacred book you will find all the answers you seek. For honor. For integrity. For leadership. If only you open your heart and your mind.”

  Sighing, I tried to figure out what to say. “The burial ground. That’s the very reason this land is so valuable.”

  “Very good.” My father’s face seemed to glow.

  “If this land belongs to another pack, they will have the power, perhaps this ancient pack rumored to be in the area.”

  “Aw, but is that the truth?” He tipped his head in my direction.

  I laughed. The stories told were just that, incorrect details that the elders knew would be told to other packs to keep our enemies at bay. It had worked for thousands of years. “Any pack who attempts to claim the right of the Wolfen will be destroyed.”

  His eyes twinkled. “But if they are aided by another species and not of canine blood, the sacred ground unearthed, then what will happen?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Think, my son. You were taught this as a child. Along with being given the gift of sight, you were allowed the truest gift of all.”

  “Knowledge,” I whispered. I’d been groomed for this my entire life.

  “Yes...”

  I rubbed my eyes, struggling to remember. I watched as a single eagle circled again, hovering close. I was shaking from the understanding. “Then they can gain the power to destroy the Wolfen, becoming the supreme leader.”

  He turned and in those few moments as the eagle soared toward the heavens, his face seemed gilded with gold. “Then you must not allow that to happen.”

  “But how can I stop it?”

  “You have already begun. You fought for what you believed in and found what you needed. You asked me if humans can mate with Wolfen. My answer was not entirely correct. You must find the answer and you must remember what you were taught as a boy. The key is your knowledge, my son.”

  As he walked away, I was stunned, trying to figure out his cryptic message. What I did know was that whoever this rogue wolf was had to be stopped. This wasn’t about starting a war, but creating another wave of peace as an elimination of an enemy. In order to be a leader, I had to promulgate peace, also protecting humans.

  I fell against the railing, realizing that my father was even wiser than I’d realized. The riddle regarding a mate I wasn’t entirely certain of, but I did know it had everything to do with Kathleen. I took another look at the sky, marveling in the beauty of nature. While the eagle circled one last time, I tipped my head out of respect. I knew I’d see him again one day.

  Choices. The ultimate power of our community, our pack was having the ability to choose. And my choice was life as a human, not as a predator.

  The moment I was ready to walk back inside, the door was flung open, Gregor’s face pensive. “She’s gone. Kathleen has disappeared.”

  * * *

  I let out a primal howl as I stormed into my cabin, tossing almost everything in the room in my anger. Her scent was still in the room, but there was no sign of her. I rushed upstairs, searching her room then mine. When I noticed the dresser drawer was slightly open, I yanked it the rest of the way out. She must have seen the pictures. Maybe she thought I was lying about the girl I’d once cared about.

  I flew downstairs, furious with myself.

  “Calm down, Max. We’ll find her,” Stone said from the doorway.

  “How? She is part wolf.”

  His eyes opened wide. “You turned her.”

  “Not by choice,” I hissed, moving toward the computer. There had to be a distinct reason she left.

  “That is why the pack members couldn’t detect she’d left, and weren’t able to track her.”

  “Yes.” I’d been a fool to think she’d continue to trust m
e enough to wait for my return. I smacked my hand against the spacebar. Immediately the email regarding the identity of the last victim was displayed on the screen. Was this what had disturbed her so badly?

  “What do you want me to do, Max?” Stone asked, walking closer.

  “Get your men together and guard the perimeter. If anyone tries to breach, let me know. I need you and Gregor coming with me along with at least three of your best men. We’re going to find her.”

  “Are you sure that’s wise?”

  I snapped my head in his direction. “She is my mate and I have a feeling the very answer to what we’re facing.”

  He held up his hands, his attention drawn to the book on the coffee table. “The book we made fun of as children.”

  “One that is supposed to give us answers.” At this point, I was beginning to doubt my leadership.

  “Then you will find them, Max. I’ll make certain no one attacks our home.”

  I gave him a half smile before turning my attention to the computer, ready to start a search on the girl. I noticed the open website. As I flipped through the pages, I realized Kathleen had made a connection.

  To her father’s company.

  “What the hell?” I skimmed the mission statement and a list of projects before typing the company’s name in Google. “Shit.” The recent newspaper article on his firm had indicated an interest in Roselake, something owner James Kelly had neither confirmed nor denied. She truly believed that her father was behind the murders.

  Which meant she had no belief in the Wolfen.

  “Fuck.” She was purposely placing herself in harm’s way. I used my ATF standing to easily find her father’s home address.

  There was no discussion as three vehicles headed in the direction of the home of James Kelly. Stone rode shotgun, constantly getting updates from several of his men. While there had been no direct sightings of another pack in the vicinity, Stone had wisely sent out a few sentries to investigate the possibility. If they were out there waiting for the killer to make the ultimate move, I was determined to learn that first.

  I floored the engine as I headed up the long driveway, barely taking the time to kill the engine before jumping out. “Keep one on the front, one in back. No one leaves here without my permission,” I instructed.

  “You got it,” Stone answered, moving directly to his men.

  I yanked the weapon from the holster, checking the ammunition as both Gregor and I prepared to burst into the house. I was surprised the door was unlocked. I waited just inside the massive foyer, listening for any sounds. I didn’t like this at all. It smelled of an ambush. Stone soon flanked my side, both he and Gregor checking out the side rooms. I inched down first one hallway then another. There was no sign of a disturbance.

  I could hear what sounded like distress coming from behind one of the closed doors and moved to the side, opening it slowly. With the weapon in both hands, I stepped inside, scanning the room. A single man sat at his desk, his head down and a gun in one hand.

  And he was weeping.

  “Mr. Kelly,” I said quietly.

  He jerked up, immediately flashing the gun in my direction. I didn’t need my heightened senses to tell that he was drunk. “What do you want? Who the hell are you?”

  “I’m a close friend of Kathleen’s. I believe she’s in danger. Have you seen her?”

  “As if I would tell you!” he snapped, wiping sweat off his brow with his shaking arm. Whatever he’d been through had nearly destroyed him, thoughts of suicide written all over his face.

  Exhaling, I pulled out my credentials, holding them open as I walked closer. “I’m Special Agent Max Cordero. I’m working with your daughter on a murder investigation. I’m very concerned about her welfare.”

  He narrowed his eyes, blinking several times in an effort to focus. “Then it’s my fault. Mine.” He started to weep again, the gun slipping from his hand.

  Both Gregor and Stone walked closer, Stone sliding the weapon out of Mr. Kelly’s reach. The man didn’t react in any manner.

  “What are you talking about, Mr. Kelly?” I asked, still scanning the room. I gathered a scent of her. It had been a solid hour since she’d been in the room. Where the fuck would she have gone?

  “He’s going to find her. He’s going to kill her just like he promised. I tried to keep him from her, to give him what he wanted but I didn’t kill those people.”

  “Mr. Kelly. You need to calm down and talk to me.” The last thing I wanted to do was to use the wolf, but I would if I had to. “She is in danger.”

  “Why?” He jerked his head up, his bloodshot eyes boring into mine. “Do you know what he is? Do you? He’s a freaking monster.”

  I glanced from Stone to Gregor, lowering my weapon. “I know exactly what he is, Mr. Kelly, and you need to tell me right now where she is.”

  “You don’t know. You can’t know!” he exclaimed.

  There was no time to waste. I sensed she was indeed in extreme danger. I closed my eyes, allowing the beast to rise to the surface. After taking several husky breaths, I leaned over the desk, opening my eyes and growling.

  To Mr. Kelly’s credit, he didn’t panic, merely sat back with a hard thud, his entire body trembling. “I thought I was hallucinating. You’re one of them.”

  I tipped my head from right to left, allowing the beast to remain. One of them, which meant he knew exactly what the killer was. “Yes. Where. Is. She?”

  A slight commotion could be heard in the foyer. I threw my gaze in Stone’s direction, yanking back the wolf as he walked out of the room. The sound of a female’s voice was far too disturbing, the tone and inflection almost identical to Kathleen’s. I only yanked back from the transformation the moment she stormed into the room.

  “Father. What the hell is going on? Who are these people? They didn’t want to let me in.” While she was younger, the closeness in resemblance brought a pang of anger that I almost couldn’t control.

  “Business associates, Celia,” he said, laughing in a cackling manner.

  “I don’t like this. First Kathleen’s message and this.” She backed away, only to be stopped by Stone.

  “What message?” I demanded, the rasp still in my voice.

  “Tell them, Celia,” James commanded.

  Her hands were shaking as she yanked out her phone, hitting play. Kathleen’s voice was shaking yet full of anger. “See? What is going on here? She thinks Zane is going to hurt me? That’s crazy.”

  “Who is Zane?” I asked, shifting my gaze back to James.

  “Not the one you seek,” he said as he reached for his drink.

  “Then who is?” When he ignored me, I threw my hand across his desk, tossing everything onto the floor. I leaned over once again as Celia squealed. “I’m the only one who can save your daughter’s life. Tell. Me.”

  My father was right. The key was in my memory.

  * * *

  The house and massive rundown garage had been rented in a location with enough land surrounding that no one would notice any sounds, including screams. There had been no need for the wolf to disguise his true identity and while there was some surprise at his methods, I was beginning to realize that there were true criminals in every walk of life.

  Including canine.

  We rolled into the compound, realizing the wolf would sense our presence immediately. I moved to the front of the rather dilapidated house, taking a deep whiff. This time, he hadn’t bothered to mask his scent. The place reeked of him along with the blood of his victims. I also gathered Kathleen’s scent and from what I could tell, she was still alive.

  I’d instructed the others to leave their weapons in their vehicles. This wasn’t a fight that would be won with weapons. I tipped my head back, letting off a primal howl, the sound echoing into the trees.

  Within seconds, the sounds of wolves could be heard coming from every shadowed corner of the forest. I threw out my arm, forcing the others to hold back from transforming. I would face t
he fucker man to man. We were supposed to be civilized after all.

  We were surrounded, a solid two hundred wolves waiting for the command of their leader. None of them were bothering to mask their scent, obviously a trait they were lucky to have. I knew little of this pack, the difference in their appearance almost indistinguishable from the Wolfen.

  They were an ancient pack, a group that had been banished thousands of years before, much like the Nightwalkers had been in this century. If what my father had told me was correct, the crimes had been heinous but in a sense, history had repeated itself. What I had no way of knowing was how many there were in and around the city. Simply called the Lycans, they’d fought for power more than once and lost, realizing the Wolfen’s sacred ground was more powerful than any force they could use.

  As the door opened, the Lycans snarled, inching even closer.

  “Shit. There’s hundreds of them,” Stone hissed, turning in a complete circle.

  “Trust me, Stone. You must place your trust in me.”

  “Yeah, well, I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said under his breath.

  So did I. I walked closer as the monster stepped out onto the front porch. “Tyler Ridgefield, ancestor of the very first Lycan.” At first, Mr. Kelly hadn’t known anything other than he’d found an excellent employee.

  Until all the pieces were in place.

  “Maximillian Cordero, your father is a legend in our pack, but he is a dying man. Unfortunately, his son appears to be too weak to take the leadership. That’s why we’re here. We will rule.”

  “Over my dead body. You are a murderer,” I said in a formal manner. “And you will be brought to justice.”

  “Only I’m not the wolf you seek,” he said, laughing. “But I do think you know the real killer.” As the door opened again, I heard Stone hissing from behind me.

  “What the fuck? Brody,” Stone said under his breath. “Bastard.”

  The wild look in Brody’s eyes meant he’d enjoyed every second of the kills, trained to do just that.

  “He was very helpful in providing information. I enjoyed teaching him the ways of being a good little wolf.” Tyler grinned, his eyes twinkling. “I must admit, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed training a fresh blood.”