Summer clasped her hand and felt the heat as Imogen’s energy flowed into her body.
“India, give her your hand, she needs more energy!” Imogen implored her sister.
She repeated the process with India and it would sustain her for a little while until she could sleep and replenish it herself.
With her friend's help she managed to crawl over to Connor who was still unconscious.
Cars began screeching into the courtyard and more armed men appeared and Summer wanted to weep as she thought this is it, her idyllic life with the wolf of her dreams was officially over. A chopper was also hovering overhead and three men descended from it, there were just too many of them and the bulk of the pack were still not back yet.
One of the men from the chopper ran toward her and she raised her hand to repel him but nothing happened, she was depleted, burnt out.
“Summer, are you okay?” the man held out his hand. “I’m Linc, we spoke on the phone. These people are Connor’s men.”
“Oh, thank god! Connor is hurt, he has been shot several times. Help him please, I will be okay after I rest for a while.
Linc helped her to her feet while Seann and Garrett shifted back and carried Connor into the house.
“Rafe is on his way. Round up all this crap until I have time to deal with them,” Jay called out as the rest of the pack finally made it home in one piece and the courtyard filled with wolves.
She held onto Linc’s arm as she limped across the courtyard and heard the whiz of the bullet before she felt the sting in her back and her legs gave way. As she went down she saw Kandis spring and clamp her jaws around the stray shooter's neck. He was likely dead before his body hit the ground, Kandis didn’t play nice with others.
“I love you Connor.” she whispered as Linc caught her in his arms. All she heard was a chorus of mourning wolves as everything in her world turned black.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Connor
“All I’m saying is you should tell her, Connor. She isn’t likely to fire one of those blue flame balls at your head, but she might throw them at me when she finds out what we’ve done. You saw that scary shit, she is one impressive witch and I’m not going to get in the firing line.” Garrett was smiling but Connor knew he was a little afraid of what Summer would say when she realized what he had done.
“We don’t even know whether she will still have that ability, or any of her gifts now. We just need to wait for her to wake up,” Daria said as she accepted a cup of coffee from India.
“Hopefully, she will retain them. Imogen’s gifts get stronger with time and I didn’t have any at all before I transitioned, so it was a win for both of us.” India added.
Daria had come to the mountain as soon as Imogen called to say her niece had been shot. Linc had sent the chopper to the old Danvers place to collect her. India and Imogen had given Summer bursts of energy to keep her breathing while Rafe removed the bullets, but it wasn’t enough to save her. Daria was able to give her more and it was enough to keep her stable while her body began to heal.
Connor stood up and stared out the window, desperate to get back upstairs and sit with her again but Rafe had insisted he take a little time off and get some food while Hope sat with Summer for a while. His own wounds were healing fine and Rafe had removed three bullets from his back and thigh. He forced down the sandwiches under India’s watchful eye and put the empty plate on the table.
He knew his brother was only teasing about Summer’s wrath and he would be eternally grateful to him for saving her life, but he had a feeling she would be furious with them and he wouldn’t let Garrett take the fall. Connor had been in and out of consciousness when Garrett had asked him for permission and he had given it freely. Lukas agreed with him too, he wanted his sister to live so at least they were on the same page.
Garrett had prevailed where traditional medicine and a witch's magic had failed and Connor was struggling to feel bad about his decision. He loved her with everything he had and if she had died tonight it would have been his fault because he brought the danger to her doorstep.
Jay, with the help of the other wolves and Linc had rounded up the rest of Pettigrew’s men in the surrounding woods, but there were more of them out there. Linc had extracted the information from the ones who they kept alive with India’s help. Her built in lie detector was crucial to them and thanks to her they knew where to find the others as well as the prosecutor's daughter they were holding hostage.
None of the men made it out alive. It was bad enough that they had watched dozens of them shifting but they had been willing to burn down the Den knowing there were children inside. Connor thought they were scum and didn’t deserve any better than they got.
He wanted to go after Pettigrew himself but he wouldn’t leave Summer until she was back on her feet and despite what he had told Garrett, he would be the one to tell her she was now a shifter. He couldn’t help but feel he had wished it on her, god knows he had thought about it often enough but instead of being grateful for her much longer lifespan and less fragile body, he felt nothing but shame.
Seann and some of the others wanted to be part of the team that took out Pettigrew and Connor was glad. It would guarantee the bastards death if the pack was involved after that stunt tonight. The intel they had gotten from his men gave Connor an idea and now was as good a time as any to run it past the others.
“I have an idea but not for young ears.” he told his brother.
“Anjelica, how about we take these guys upstairs and order pizza for dinner.” Roisin winked at Garrett and took Ethan from his mother and carried him from the room. The babies were already in the nursery and Anjelica took Everly and Kali and followed Roisin upstairs.
Garrett closed the doors and everyone took a seat on one of the chairs or on the floor except Connor who was standing by the fireplace ready to address them.
“We now know from his associates that he likes to entertain at his country hideout on Friday nights. It’s all very casual, they drink a lot, order food from a local restaurant that he just happens to own and he even hires half a dozen scantily clad girls to wait on them. There will be no more than a dozen guests but there will be a lot more guards outside. This house is also where he is keeping the girl.”
“We can’t risk him killing her and we also need to get inside the house to take him out, that’s the difficult part. He will also know what happened up here when his men fail to return home.
“We could have one of ours delivering the food.” Liam offered. “Hijack the delivery van on the road.”
“Strange faces might trigger them and how would we get someone inside the restaurant.” Garrett asked.
“I could handle that part.” Daria smiled. “Humans are so much simpler to compel than witches or shifters, but to what end?”
“We could put something in it to knock them out cold. Can’t risk poison as they may feed it to the girl. But it would be better if we could get someone inside the house so that we know when they are all unconscious and we could take out the perimeter guards safely.” Connor felt himself slipping back into work mode.
“I have an idea.” Kandis shared a look with Imogen and India. “You said they ‘order’ girls to wait on them.
“No fucking way!” Seann barked as he knew where she was heading. “Are you out of your mind, Kandis. Do you think these girls leave at nine o’clock and go home to bed, they are probably hookers for god's sake!”
“We serve them food and drinks, we could drop the potion straight into their glasses and knock them out quicker. By nine o’clock they will be fast asleep and we will have taken over the asylum,” she grinned, ignoring Seann’s anger and Connor could already tell that Imogen and India were all for it too.
“I’m in.” Imogen said.
“Me too.” India added.
Garrett and Liam started to protest too but Kandis shut them down.
“When are you going to get it into your thick heads that we are every b
it as capable as you are and you can rely on a scum ball like Pettigrew to think like you do and see us as weak, pitiful women so he won’t see us as a threat, giving us a clear advantage.”
Liam knew when to give up and Connor could feel Garrett’s anger, but he also wouldn't win this one. Kandis was as tough as any man here and Imogen and India were pedantic to say the least.
“If we could find out where they hire the girls from we could get the three of them on staff. It will be easy to compel them to send them along on Friday night.” Daria said.
“Or we could intercept the real girls and send six of our own in. It would give us so much more control.” Bree said from the doorway.
“Bree you are not going, you just had two babies and almost died.” Seann tried again but his sister brushed him off.
I make four and if Rylee and Lexi were willing to join us, we have a full quota. Summer could communicate with Imogen on the inside and you would know what’s happening every step of the way.
“If Summer even has that ability anymore?” India said
Connor rubbed his hands through his hair, feeling worse than ever and hoped that Summer would even be talking to him by Friday.
Hope came into the room and smiled at him.
“Summer’s awake and wants to see you.”
A chorus of teasing went around the room and he ducked out and ran upstairs to see just how pissed off she was.
She looked so tiny and frail lying in the king size bed and he just wanted to climb in with her and hold her in his arms. He wondered if she sensed anything different yet or if he was going to have to spell it out for her.
“How are you feeling, darlin’,” he asked, closing the gap and sitting on the edge of the bed.
He clasped her small hand in his and could feel the heat radiating from her. Shifters ran a little warmer than humans or witches too he guessed but he would mention it to Rafe anyway.
“What happened, Hope says I have been unconscious for a while?” she pushed herself into a sitting position. “I saw you being shot again.”
Connor cleared his throat and told her everything he remembered right up until the part where he was shot and filled in the blanks from Garrett and the others perspective.
“My wounds weren’t life threatening … but yours were, Summer. Rafe tried everything he could to save you but the bullet pierced your spinal cord and even if he could have kept you alive the lower half of your body would have been paralyzed.
“You bit me,” she said matter of factly.
“No, actually it was Garrett. I was still floating in and out of consciousness at the time but he asked my permission to do it as he was unable to ask yours.
“I can’t feel any of my magic but I can feel the presence of my new acquaintance, this will take a little getting used to,” she said wryly and Connor was amazed she wasn’t more upset with him.
“If there had been any other way to keep you alive Summer, we would never have sanctioned this without your express consent. I’m so sorry, baby.”
She squeezed his hand and attempted a smile.
“I’m glad to be alive, let's start with that.”
“I love you Summer.”
He scooted up against the headboard and put his arms around her. Her scent was just a little different but no less potent to him. He closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer to the goddess that Summer would retain some of her powers. That was the single thing that would make her start to resent what they had done to her, but it wasn’t looking hopeful if she could sense nothing.
“We are going to attempt a rescue mission this Friday night to get Henry Daniels' daughter out, I don’t even know the girl's first name, and Linc wants the rest of Pettigrew’s men. If we don’t, they will just keep coming back,” he told her.
Hope came upstairs with a tray and put it on the nightstand and closed the door quietly behind her again when she left.
“Try and eat something, it will help you heal,” he handed her a coffee cup and a small plate with some sandwiches on it.
She bit into one and surprised him when she polished it off and ate another in quick succession and peeled the paper from a giant chocolate muffin.
“Shifter genes working already I guess,” she said as she bit down.
“Are you up to seeing anyone? India, Imogen, Bree and Kandis are downstairs and would like to tell you about their plans for Friday night.” He grinned and she raised an eyebrow.
“I want to help too if I am recovered enough by then.”
“You don’t even know what the plan is?”
“It doesn’t matter, I want to be involved in cleaning this up for good. I just hope I haven’t lost everything.” She tapped the side of her head with her finger and closed her eyes for a few moments. He didn’t miss the fleeting frustration on her face as she opened them again.
Connor leaned over and kissed her and walked to the door.
“I’ll send them up for a little while,” he promised. “But don’t let them tire you too much.”
He closed the bedroom door behind him and leaned against the wall in the hallway. He could tell Summer had been trying out her telepathy but obviously nothing had happened and he felt like a bully taking candy from the baby. If she had lost all of her gifts it would all be his fault and he wouldn’t blame her if she resented the hell out of him.
He went downstairs and schooled his features into an amiable mask as he asked the women to go upstairs and see her. Garrett was watching him closely too but the last thing he wanted to do was make Garrett feel bad. He had only done what Connor would have done himself had he been able to.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Summer
Summer was on her feet and getting better each day but still nowhere near fully recovered. She could feel her strength returning by the hour and she was pleased that her hearing and eyesight had improved even further. She could feel the grumbling of her wolf too as she kept pushing her away and knew she would have to embrace her at some point but it was too distracting for now when she had her mind on tonight. Connor, Linc and a handpicked team were going in to rescue Victoria Daniels.
She was a little jealous that she wouldn't be going with the other women but part of her was also relieved as it reminded her too much of her time in captivity with Danvers. She hoped they could get in and out without anyone else from the pack being hurt.
Rafe said she could go home tomorrow and she couldn’t wait to have a little alone time with Connor. He was treating her like a fragile piece of china and he needed to know she was so much more than that. Even if she had lost her powers she was now a shifter and more than capable of looking after herself. She would ask Kandis to train her, she already knew she was strong and fast and if she only learned a fraction of her ability it would be a start.
She had refrained from trying out her powers since the first night, scared that her worst fears may be realized and she was just an empty shell of her former self. Daria told her to put it out of her mind for a few days until she was much stronger and she knew it was good advice, just difficult to follow. There was nothing left.
She helped herself to one of Imogen's pecan and maple pastries and munched on it as she wandered around the house. She could hear the others upstairs getting ready but she wasn’t in the mood to join them. Connor and Linc were out front with some of the others but she was enjoying a snatched moment of solitude.
She was pleased to discover that Linc was an incredibly nice guy and easy company. She realized that first night when he took her hand that he was a wolf and already the younger she-wolves in the pack had started vying for his attention. He was friendly with everyone but didn’t seem to be interested in hooking up with anyone. She hoped for Connor’s sake that Linc would consider Seann’s offer to relocate the business to the mountain town. They had already agreed that after this was all over they would not actively seek out any more cases that could put the pack members in jeopardy and Connor was willing to take Linc on as a full pa
rtner. It was the perfect scenario but Summer knew Linc was holding something back, maybe Connor knew why he was so reticent.
She felt a stirring deep in her belly and knew she was going to have to face this other side of herself sooner rather than later. She slipped out the kitchen door unnoticed and walked out to the orchard for some privacy. She took a seat and making sure she was alone she relaxed her tense body and felt the other presence begin to surface.
It was a strange sensation but comforting at the same time and for the first time since she was bitten she felt a frisson of excitement at what she had become and the new life she would face with Connor at her side. Suddenly there were so many years stretched ahead and so many possibilities before her. She had her first shift to look forward to and the feel of the wind on her face as she ran with the pack, with her pack. She already thought she might be fast like her father but everything else would be a learning curve.
The loss of her powers was like losing a limb. She would grieve for it and it would take some getting used to, but her life wasn’t over. It was just the beginning of a brand new one.
She stood up and wandered back to The Den to wish the women good luck as they got ready to leave for their mission. Connor was standing at the corner of the house leaning on the wall and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. He was all sexy, bad boy vibe and good guy rolled into one fine package and before she could stop herself a growl of appreciation burst from her lips.
Connor grinned and she smiled at her lack of control as she felt the uncontrollable urge to throw back her head and howl into the approaching dusk.
The End.
Please read on for a glimpse into the next book in the Children of the Moon series.
Yvonne x
CHILDREN OF THE MOON - BOOK SEVEN
PROLOGUE
She had been avoiding coming back to the pack for too long and knew that she couldn’t put it off any longer. Her brothers were beginning to ask too many questions about why she was dragging her heels and it was time she got on with her life and put the past firmly behind her. She wanted her Mom to come out and live with her on the mountain but she was happy where she was and besides, she still had Cillian there with her. She was going to come and stay for a few days soon, but she wouldn’t leave her home permanently.
Children of the Moon: Book Six Page 16