Damien’s Dilemma

by Cohen, Julie K.

  “Callen only told me because he knows this plan of yours won’t work.”

  Damien kissed the top of her head. “Sorry, Sweetness. You’re staying here. Hayden, take her. Lock her into Aloe’s house if you have to, just don’t let her leave here.”

  Hayden hesitated.

  “Now’s not the time to disobey me, Hayden. I’m itching for a fight, thanks to Drake, and now Callen.”

  “Bring it,” Callen said.

  After shooting his own puzzled look at Callen, Hayden said, “Everyone needs to settle down for two minutes and listen. I’m questioning why Drake wants Tess. He has no reason to kill her now that there have been attacks elsewhere. He must know that killing her won’t solve the problem at this point, since she’s not the only source of the virus.”

  “Which is exactly why we leave her here,” Damien said. “There are too many unknowns.”

  “This isn’t your decision, Damien.” Tess again. “But you need—”

  Her words faded amidst the growling and snarling going on inside of him. He’d kept his wolf silent, so the others would not hear, but the clamoring was so distracting, so hard to contain. He was slipping closer and closer to turning feral each day, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still run this pack.

  “—and I know she’s your family, but she’s my friend, and you have no say over me. I’ve never been officially accepted into your pack, and we’re not bonded.”

  Damien winced at that. He should have done both by now. Too many oversights of late. Maybe he wasn’t as fit to lead as he thought. Or maybe he needed to take Aloe’s advice and start listening to those he trusted, since his judgment was compromised.

  “Hayden, you know Drake best. Give me your best guess as to why he wants Tess.”

  “He needs something from her. He doesn’t want to kill her, at least not today. My brother might be an asshole, but he’s smart, Damien, always has been. Drake certainly won’t harm her in front of you. You need to keep two constants in mind when it comes to Drake. First, he doesn’t break his promises.”

  “And?”

  “He’ll have no qualm about killing Aloe if you don’t comply with his demands.”

  Fuck. “Weeks ago, Drake said he’d kill Tess if I didn’t kill her first.”

  “That wasn’t a promise, exactly. More of an ultimatum. He was showing you respect, alpha to alpha, by first giving you the chance to do what he saw as necessity. Then circumstances changed, making Tess’s death no longer necessary.”

  “I can’t believe you two are brothers,” Callen said.

  “I’m going,” Tess said.

  “No, you’re not,” Damien said.

  “I’m not arguing this. Either I go with you, or I’ll find a way to cross into Drake’s territory on my own. That’s my ultimatum,” Tess said as she moved to stand beside Callen. He never thought he’d see the day where she moved away from him and closer to Callen.

  Three against one. This pack wasn’t a democracy, but it was taking all Damien’s strength to keep his wolf in check. He didn’t have enough energy to fight all three of them.

  “Fine. But you’ll listen to me, even if I tell you to turn back at any point. Do you agree to my terms, Tess?’

  “Yes.”

  She wasn’t smiling, as the seriousness of this had not escaped her. He had to admire her, even though he was fuming at her for putting him in this position of risking her life.

  Since Damien and Callen now had Tess accompanying them, they took the truck and entered Drake’s property through the one road that led to his territory. Damien prayed that Hayden was right and that this wasn’t simply a matter of Drake carrying through on his earlier threat. Callen had men standing by at the border, in case Damien needed to call in backup.

  Tess sat in the front of the truck, between him and Callen. Fear was rolling off of her like the day he found her in that cage. Then she turned that sweet face toward him and smiled. It was as if she understood his agitation skyrocketed the closer they got to Drake. She was trying to calm Damien. She always made him feel as if everything would be okay, even when she didn’t believe it herself. His need to protect her was so consuming that for a split second he considered turning the truck around and sacrificing Aloe, but Aloe was family and one of his pack.

  Damien hated that he was putting Tess at risk, even if she was the one who had strong-armed him. He was still alpha, still responsible if something were to happen to her. Right now, just smelling the fear tainting her lovely floral scent made him want to pull her onto his lap, lock his arms around her, and never let go.

  Her left hand fell to his thigh, and immediately his wolf calmed. Finally, Damien could take a long-needed breath. Her brows hiked upward, as if to ask if he was okay. He’d always be okay with her at his side, but he wanted her elsewhere, away from Drake.

  As the group entered Drake’s territory, wolves appeared to the left and right of the truck. An escort. A white wolf on the right took the lead. Damien followed, his wolf clawing at him the entire time. He and Callen exchanged looks when they were led past their usual meeting spot, a clearing with easy access in and out for all parties. That the white wolf was taking them somewhere potentially more isolated made Damien nervous. Tess seemed blessedly unaware of how dangerous the situation had become.

  Damien put one hand over hers, and she smiled, but not a big wide smile or one of her flirty ones that had the power to bend him to her will. This smile told of her trust in him and his ability to keep her safe. That she could feel that way about him, believe in him even in the middle of another’s territory, shored up his determination to do whatever was needed to save her and Aloe both.

  “I guess this is it,” Callen said as their escort stopped in the middle of nowhere. Off to the right was an old quarry. “Good place to toss a body or two.”

  “I’ll remember that if we get the upper hand here,” Damien said. Callen wisely declined further comment, but Damien knew his enforcer was even less thrilled about the open space than him. The tree line was a good two hundred yards away, leaving nothing other than the truck to provide cover. While he and Callen could outrun any of Drake’s guards, Tess wouldn’t have a chance.

  A black sedan rolled up, gravel crunching beneath the tires. The car stopped twenty feet to their left. Out stepped Drake, who scanned the area, locked eyes with Damien for a brief second and then leaned in and pulled Aloe out, his hand gripping her upper arm so hard she yelped. Aloe pulled as far from Drake as she could, given his hold on her arm. Her eyes glanced up and found Damien’s. She was scared, really scared. It took all his focus not to shift and leap at Drake right there, but he and Callen were outnumbered, and Damien also had Tess to think about.

  “Stay here,” Damien ordered Tess as he jumped down from the truck. He nodded toward the keys he’d left in the ignition. “Just in case,” he whispered. She nodded and slid into the driver’s seat.

  Callen climbed down on the other side and remained by the open door. He made no move to approach Drake or any of his men, though Callen tracked every twitch of the dozen wolves who had surrounded them.

  “Tell her to get out of the truck,” Drake said.

  “First, we talk.”

  “Nothing to talk about. If you want this one, have your bitch climb down, and we trade.” Drake yanked Aloe closer, and she yelped again, this time biting down on her lip to try to remain quiet. When Damien spotted the bruise on her left cheek, he had to force his wolf down. This was not the time to react without a plan. Another shifter exited the car and moved to Drake’s side.

  “This is pointless, Drake. Tess’s blood holds the key to the cure against the virus. Killing her gains you nothing.”

  “I’m not planning to kill her.” One of Drake’s guards approached and whispered in his ear. “I’m told your wolves are massing along our border. Hardly a sign of good faith.”

  “They won’t trespass unless you give them reason. My not returning would be one such reason.”

  “I on
ly need the human for a while. Then I’ll return her. Alive, if that makes you feel better.”

  “She’s not a shovel. I don’t lend her out. Maybe if you tell me what you want with her, we can work something out.” Not that Damien intended on handing Tess over, but one step at a time. He needed to know why Drake wanted her.

  “My pack is sick.”

  Hell. Damien already knew the WSSO had found a way to deliver the virus without a living host, such as Tess, but he didn’t think the bastards would be ballsy enough to return to the area so soon. This meant more than Drake’s pack was in danger.

  “Your female’s the only survivor so far, Damien. We need her so we can create a cure, before it’s too late. You’ve been saying all along that we need to join forces and pool our resources when it comes to combating the WSSO. Prove it. Give me the girl.”

  “I’ll give you the research our doctor has conducted. I’ll even allow him to come over here and work with your doctor, but Tess stays with me, and you give me Aloe.”

  “Who’s your doctor?”

  “A virologist from Boulder. Dr. Alex Kerns.”

  Drake conferred with the shifter next to him. He was scrawny with dark skin and shaggy hair, weak from all appearances. Given that Drake tended to rid himself of weak shifters, Damien guessed this shifter was a lone wolf who had a skill or information Drake needed.

  “My doctor prefers to work alone.”

  “But—”

  “Ravirez’s skills are the best, or he wouldn’t be here. Keep your doctor and give me Tess. We need her and her blood, for as long as it takes to develop the cure and help my pack. Then I’ll let her go. She won’t be harmed or touched, except for blood draws and whatever Ravirez needs from her as he develops the cure. You have my word, Damien.”

  “I’ll do it,” Tess said from behind Damien, before he had a chance to turn Drake down.

  * * *

  TESS

  Tess knew that if she waited, Damien would refuse, and for no good reason other than he didn’t trust Drake. It’s not like she trusted Drake either, but she trusted Hayden, and Hayden said Drake would keep his word.

  The moment she slid from the truck and agreed to Drake’s proposal, she could feel the sense of dread pouring off of Damien. He pulled her to the side of the truck, his gray eyes imploring her not to do this. He hadn’t forbidden her or threatened her not to, however. Her Damien was learning that not everyone could be controlled, least of all her. The moment he had agreed to let her come, he had known the outcome might not go his way. Except he had never truly entertained the possibility of trading her for Aloe. It was part of the reason she had made the decision for him. If the exchange went wrong, he wouldn’t be able to blame himself.

  “I’ll do it, on two conditions, Drake,” Tess spoke up loud and clear. “Once you agree, I’ll go with you and become your guinea pig for one month, no more.”

  “Please, Tess, don’t do this,” Damien said, bending his forehead down to lean against her. It was the most submissive action Damien had ever taken, lowering his head and pleading with her, and he was doing it in front of Drake, no less.

  “I know you don’t like this,” she said low, though everyone else would hear them with their shifter hearing. “But his pack needs me. We can’t let more shifters die, especially the children. Who would we be if we let that happen?”

  “I don’t trust him.”

  Tess sighed as she laced her hands together behind Damien’s neck. “I’m not asking you to trust Drake. I’m asking you to trust me.”

  Damien cupped her cheek, his thumb gliding back and forth as if it was the first time he had touched her. His touch felt amazing. “I can’t lose you.”

  She was straining to keep her composure, but already her eyes were filling with tears. “Shifters will keep dying if we don’t put an end to it.”

  “Tess, I can’t do this without you.”

  “Yes, you can, and you will.”

  His voice brimming with impatience, Drake asked, “What are your conditions?”

  Tess kissed Damien on the lips. It was deep and passionate and too short-lived, but it was all she could do with Drake standing nearby. She hoped Damien would understand. “I love you, big guy,” she said as she stepped toward Drake, her hands slipping from Damien. Tess stopped a few feet short of Drake but kept her chin up and her eyes locked on him, much as she had seen Damien do time and time again with anyone who even thought of crossing him.

  “First, you give fresh samples of blood from someone infected with the virus to Damien to take back to Alex, so he can continue working on a vaccine.”

  “Agreed. And your second demand?”

  Tess stepped up to stand right before Drake, whose hand tightened around Aloe’s arm. “I have your word that when you are done with my blood or when a month has passed, whichever comes sooner, you will release me.”

  “I’ve already agreed to that.”

  “And…” Tess paused, to make sure she had his attention. “…when I’m done here, you won’t return me to Damien’s pack, but you’ll let me go wherever I want.”

  “What?” Damien said, his head snapping up.

  “Agreed,” Drake said immediately as he simultaneously pulled Tess behind him and pushed Aloe toward Damien.

  Damien charged forward and two of Drake’s guards blocked him. Meanwhile, Callen had come up from behind, ready to pull Damien back if necessary.

  Tess caught Aloe’s expression and knew the shifter understood why Tess was doing this. Aloe quickly climbed into the truck.

  “Damien,” Tess said from behind Drake. “It’s better this way. Now you’ll be able to find the mate you are destined to have. Goodbye, Damien. Please, don’t hate me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  TESS

  Tess walked up to the guard at the entrance of the cave Drake’s pack used for prisoners. The cave had only one entrance, and three cells in the back, each cell with iron doors drilled into the rock. She waited as the foul-smelling, misogynistic guard raked over her with his eyes before she lifted the hand towel laying on the tray of food.

  There was no joy, or even basic respect, to be found in Drake’s pack. Only obedience, complete and utter obedience to the alpha. Some of the males, like this guard, figured that they in turn were to be fully obeyed by any female.

  Only Drake’s orders to leave Tess untouched gave her some protection. Not that she trusted any of his shifters enough that she didn’t sleep with a knife under her pillow. She had seen them break rules here and there, small infractions usually, such as being late for guard duty. Drake’s pack ran on fear and consisted of self-serving shifters whose behavior deteriorated when Drake wasn’t around. One day Drake nearly beat a shifter to death for disobeying him. “A lesson,” Drake had said to her in passing. She wasn’t sure if he meant that was a lesson for the shifter, the others in his pack, or her. Probably all three.

  Tess counted the days left with Drake’s pack—eight now. Her last day couldn’t come soon enough.

  On her third day into this tour of hell, toward the end of July, she had expected a running of the Moon only to discover that Drake didn’t believe in pack runs. Life with his pack was depressing and stifling. Fortunately, Drake held to his promise and left her alone. The only way he took out his anger on her was to lob insults about Hayden or Damien for inviting Hayden into his pack. Every mention of Damien made her tense. Allowing Drake to see any reaction, any emotion—and God forbid any longing for Damien—was unwise.

  “Strip, and then you can go in,” the guard said outside the entrance to the cave. It wasn’t the first time the bastard had tried to get her naked.

  “I guarantee if I have to undress to deliver food to the prisoner, I’ll run back to the compound screaming that you attacked me. What do you think Drake will do, especially when he sees I’m naked?”

  It was times like this that Tess thought of Damien often, longing for him, for how he ran his pack, for the respect, and not fear, she saw in
his packmates’ faces when his name was mentioned. Her decision to leave Damien and not return haunted her.

  The only comfort that kept her sane over the last three weeks in Drake’s pack, besides knowing her blood would help Ravirez develop the cure, was knowing one or more female shifters would offer to blood-bond Damien now that she had left. He’d blood-bond another female shifter, permanently regain control over his wolf, and continue to be the alpha the pack needed and deserved.

  “Any word?” blonde-haired, blue-eyed Anna asked as Tess approached the cell.

  A beam of Tess’s flashlight struck Anna in the eyes, and the battered woman reared away from the bars. Tess pointed the light toward the ground. “Sorry. I was trying not to drop the tray.”

  The cave was dark and dank, but at least they had a few minutes of privacy before the guard would yell at Tess to leave. “No word yet,” Tess whispered as she slid the food tray through the slot in the bars.

  Now that Tess’s hands were free, she pointed the flashlight along Anna’s naked body to check her condition. The woman had a few more cuts and bruises than yesterday. Anna turned away from the light. Drake had left her naked, no doubt to humiliate her, to break her spirit.

  For what felt like the thousandth time, Tess racked her brain trying to think of a way to help Anna escape. She didn’t have access to the keys, and there was no way into or out of the cell except through those iron bars that had been driven into solid rock.

  “I think the cure’s working,” Tess added, trying to give Anna hopeful news to think about. “The fever broke in two of the first to fall ill. Ravirez seems confident.”

  Anna breathed a slight sigh of relief. “That’s good.” She pulled the tray in and set it down next to the tray from yesterday. She hadn’t been eating, but she politely took the tray Tess gave her with a smile and a “Thank you.”