“Quit being so smart.” He groaned. “We can tell her after the Decennial Gathering. Let’s get through the next two weeks and bring her in then.”
“I’ll push off her questioning for a little while longer.” I stood. “I’m going to go prepare, but I’ll come see you before I leave.”
I swung the door open but turned back to face my dad when he called my name. “Yeah?”
“I love you, Son.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
Four days later, I was driving away from the Southeast territory, tired and irritable. The little addition my dad had thrown into his emails was that the alphas were encouraged to not only show me some of the things they do, but to also put me to work on their lands. Thankfully, only the Southwest put me to work, but the Southeast territory tried to bore me to death. I hadn’t yet decided which had been worse.
In Arizona, also known as the pits of hell for being so damn hot, I had not only hauled more bales of hay than necessary, I ended the trip with my arm up a heifer’s ass, delivering a calf. It was quite the experience, one I hoped to never repeat again.
In Florida, with their humidity of a million degrees, I sat in an office for ten solid hours, doing nothing of significance. I was bored out of my mind. Finally, I claimed being sick and left half a day early, so I wouldn’t decide to poke my eyes out for fun.
My dad had been dodging my attempts to get a hold of him since I left, but I called again anyway to let him know I was leaving the Southeast early. I hit the speed dial as soon as my rental car was on the freeway headed north.
“Hello, Son.” I could hear the smile in his voice as he answered my call.
“Father.”
He chuckled. “Why do you sound so upset? Sorry, I haven’t been able to take your calls the last couple of days. How is everything going?”
“I’m not even going to give you the satisfaction of answering either of those questions,” I replied sarcastically. “I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving Florida early and won’t be taking my flight. I’m going to drive up north instead. I need some time away from people.”
I shuddered at the thought of being cramped on a plane after having spent all day in an office. There was no way my wolf could tolerate it. Driving down the interstate in the middle of the night with minimal traffic sounded a lot more appealing.
“Alright. When you get tired, stop at a rest area, or reach out to Eric in Virginia. I’ll give him a call now and let him know you might be by in the middle of the night.”
“Text me the address and I’ll probably do that. Just make sure you don’t accidentally slip in some bullshit about putting me to work before I leave, and it should work out perfectly.”
He attempted to suppress his laughter. “Sure thing, Son. Call me tomorrow.”
As I hit the end button, I heard his laugh finally break free, loud and clear. At least someone was getting a kick out of all this. I was just glad to be on my own for a while and enjoying the open road. Each step I took was bringing me closer to answers. I could feel it in my bones. I just wasn’t sure if those answers were going to make things better or worse.
Declan was up to something. I had tossed a few ideas around in my head as to what it might be, but there was still too much we didn’t know to be certain which, if any, of my thoughts was right.
He might have somehow recruited a bunch of rogue wolves. Or found a way to make his pack more enticing by illegal means. There was also the chance that he was blackmailing shifters to leave their packs in other territories and join his, but Augie couldn’t find any paper trails of the new pack members in the Rocky Mountain territory, so that was least likely.
The more I let my mind wander, the more insane the ideas became. I decided to roll down my windows and turn up the music instead. I had seven hours to go before I’d arrive in Virginia, so I was going to use all of that time to unwind and enjoy the peace.
As I was just getting comfortable, something darted across the interstate in front of the car. I slammed on the brakes, but I still nicked it. There weren’t a lot of cars on the stretch of road I was on, so I pulled over, wanting to check it out as my curiosity got the best of me.
Whatever it was, it had been decent-sized. Maybe a small deer. My intention was to put it out of its misery if it was lying on the side of the road, suffering. I popped the trunk, remembering that there had been an emergency kit, and dug around until I found a flash light and tire iron, then started searching for the animal.
Several cars slowed, but I waved them past. I didn’t need humans gawking if I had to kill it.
A trail of blood and paw prints on the side of the road caught my attention, making me pause. The prints weren’t as large as I was used to seeing from shifters, but they were certainly bigger than an average house dog.
The shitty part about flying was that I had no weapons on me, and the tire iron wasn’t going to do me much good against a pissed-off animal. I’d have to risk shifting on the side of the road, with cars passing by, if something decided to attack me. While traffic was slow this time of night, it was still a danger I wasn’t happy about taking.
For a split second, I considered going back to my car and forgetting about whatever I might have hit, but twigs snapped to my left, and the telltale sound of bones shifting as someone changed forms reached me. My hand released the tire iron as I crouched into attack mode. The metal would do me no good against a shifter. I couldn’t see anything yet because of the thick foliage, but the longer I focused on my surroundings, the more I began to hear.
I took a few tentative steps toward the sounds; the heavy breathing and light whimpering were getting louder by the second. With my arm extended, I pulled the branches aside, and was scratched by small but sharp claws. Whoever they were, he or she stayed in a partial shift and was on the defense.
My feet shuffled back a couple of steps. “What the fuck?”
“Go away and I won’t hurt you,” a female voice demanded.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Just my luck I would find a young female shifter in the middle of nowhere, by herself. Kneeling, I tried to not seem so imposing. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
She snorted. “Says the guy who just hit me with his car.” She was certainly feisty.
“Right, because I set out tonight with the intention of running down a lone wolf,” I said sarcastically. “Why were you running around in public anyway?”
Wild dark curls cascaded around her olive toned face as she peeked her head around the corner, her green eyes wide with fear. “They killed my family. I had to get away.”
My upper body tensed, glancing around for others. “Who?”
“Rogues. A pack of rogue wolves.”
Chapter 5
My eyes closed, taking a moment to process what was happening. I was supposed to be finding out what Declan was up to. How in the hell had I ended up hitting a wolf shifter on the run? This whole trip was beginning to feel doomed.
“Let’s start with the basics,” I offered. “What’s your name, and where are you from?”
She huffed. “Why the hell should I tell you anything? Just leave me alone. I’ve already said too much. I’ll just sleep here tonight while I heal and be gone by sunrise.”
I didn’t have time to deal with a pain-in-the-ass female. I wanted more than anything to leave her and get on with my trip, but she had just lost her family. They obviously didn’t live with a pack, or she would have had an alpha to turn to after the incident. She probably didn’t even know the resources available to her.
The alpha in me instinctively wanted to take her in and protect her. It also didn’t help that the further she leaned forward, the more I saw of her, and my eyes had a hard time staying on her face instead of her naked body.
“Hey, asshole.” She snapped her fingers. “My face is up here.”
Thinking of a good excuse for my ogling, I cleared my throat. “I was just looking for injuries. Where did my car hit you?”
&nb
sp; A wince altered her features as she attempted to move. “My left leg. It’s just a fracture. I’ve had worse, so you can go now. I don’t need you.”
“I can’t leave you out here.” I let out a heavy sigh. “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want, but at least let me get you to a pack I know will keep you safe until you decide where to go. You don’t want to be alone, especially after you’ve just lost your family.”
I needed to speak with Samuel, alpha of the Southeast territory I had just left. He had to be made aware there were rogue wolves slaughtering families on his land.
“We’ve always been on our own,” she snapped. “I’ll be fine.”
“Come on. Don’t make this difficult. I can’t leave you out here alone. You’re bleeding. If those rogues are still tracking you, they’ll scent you from miles away. You’re not safe here when you’re injured.”
She struggled to stand and fell with a thud, before tossing her hands in the air. “Whatever. If you expect me to follow you back to your car, at least get me some clothes. If I’m forced to be with you, I’d rather not spend the entire time having you stare at my tits.”
My wolf rumbled inside. He liked her. Her defiance was intriguing him as the minutes ticked by. I didn’t have time for a fling, though, especially with someone who wasn’t okay with the pack life. I’d never leave my pack and home. Not even for someone who caught my attention like she had.
I didn’t even bother to respond to her. I simply nodded and turned back for my car. Picking up the tire iron on the way back, I tossed it into the back seat before grabbing my bag. I had some sweatpants and a plain t-shirt. It would be big on her petite frame, but she’d have to deal. Something told me she would figure it out.
I hurried back to where I had left her, thinking the chances were pretty high that she’d be gone. I was surprised by the relief I felt when I saw her dark curls peek around the bushes once again.
I tossed the clothes at her. “They’re going to be big, but they’ll do the job of covering you.”
Still sitting on the ground, the shirt slipped over her head. “Help me up?”
My eyes widened, surprised she asked for the assistance. “Sure.” I reached down, pulling harder on her hands than I meant to.
Her body collided with mine, and she let out an audible gasp before pushing away and balancing on one foot. “Don’t touch me like that. Ever.”
Both of my hands went up defensively. “I didn’t expect you to weigh practically nothing. I meant no harm.”
“You’re all the same. Alpha male dickheads.” She seemed angry about far more than the rogues who had killed her family.
I told myself I wasn’t going to concern myself with it, no matter how much my wolf wanted me to. He wasn’t calling her mate, but there was a strong need to protect forcing its way through. As long as I made sure she was safe, that would have to be enough.
“Well, then,” I drawled. “Let’s get on the road. I’m headed to a pack in Virginia. My dad is friends with the alpha there. He can put us up for the night, but then I’m leaving for the Catskill Mountains in the morning.”
I made sure to imply in my tone that she was not being invited to stay on the journey with me. I couldn’t afford the distraction. Maybe if she hung around Eric’s pack, I’d consider making a trip back out there to check on her, but I didn’t have it in me to give up on my current task.
Making my way to Declan’s pack held top priority.
She struggled to get the pants on, so I reached out an arm to give her some support. She flinched but took the offered help, muttering her thanks before hobbling past me. I caught up to her in two long strides but stayed silent. We crossed the road together, and she surprised me by opening the door to the back seat. She tossed my bag to the opposite end, then laid down, using it as a pillow.
Her head lifted and brow raised. “Are you going to stand there all night or shut the door and drive?”
Grinning, I closed the door. When I was situated in the driver’s seat, my eyes cast a quick glance at her in the mirror. “Any preference on the music?”
“No music. Roll down the windows if you need noise.”
I turned the car on and the radio off. If she wanted to be left alone, then that’s what I’d do. I didn’t even know her name, and tomorrow I’d be on the road again while she did as she pleased. I could suffer a few hours of awkward silence to ensure that she was safe.
Several hours later, the girl was still asleep. The interstate was mostly empty now, as it neared one in the morning. I was bored out of my mind and decided a little music couldn’t hurt while she slept. As my fingers reached for the volume, I heard a slight whimper.
I paused, waiting to see if she was awake. A sob tore from her, causing me to brake as quickly as possible without disrupting her even more. I was out of the car and reaching for her in the backseat within moments. Her whole body shook, as what I could only assume was a nightmare, consumed her.
“Hey,” I whispered. “It’s okay. You’re safe. It’s just a dream.”
Her eyes fluttered open as she gripped my arms. “It’s never just a dream.” She wiped angrily at her face and glanced around, disoriented. “Where are we?”
“About three hours from Virginia.”
She sat up, her face inches from mine. “Then, why did we stop?” Her eyes glared at me with a hatred I didn’t understand. I had never met someone with so much anger on the inside, and it made me want to know even more.
It was ridiculous.
I mentally slapped myself. “Good question.” I slid out of the back and got back in the driver’s seat. “You’re welcome to go back to sleep, but I’m turning the music on. I need something to keep entertained up here, and it’s been a long fucking day.”
I was agitated now. More with myself than anything else, for letting her get under my skin when I didn’t even know her name. I had more important matters to focus on. Damn my alpha genes for making me care more than I wanted.
I flicked on the radio, not really caring what was on. Static was better than silence at this point.
She mumbled something, so I turned the song down. “What was that?”
“Harper. My name is Harper.”
My gaze shifted to the mirror. “Nice to meet you. Mine’s Cord. I’m from the West Coast territory.” I added that last bit, hoping she would tell me where she was from, too.
“I’m from nowhere and everywhere.”
“Care to elaborate on that?” I asked.
She sighed. “Will you leave me alone if I do?”
“Sure.” I shrugged.
“Fine. My mother was the wife of an abusive alpha, my blood father. We lived in South Dakota, in a small pack that was often ignored. One day, I got tired of his beatings against my mother, so I stabbed him, but he didn’t die. Instead, he beat me so badly I wished for death.”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel as she said the words with no emotion, as though she was reading them from a paper about someone else.
“That night, the alpha’s brother came to us,” she continued. “He convinced my mother to run before my father had the chance to trade me off to another pack. We left with no belongings, and never looked back. We moved around to stay hidden from my father, because he continued to search for us. We’d been in Florida for six months, ready to move again, when we were attacked yesterday. They came before the sun rose, killed my step-father first, then my mother and baby brother.”
When she stayed silent, I calmed myself before speaking. She didn’t need my anger. She had enough of her own.
“I’m sorry that happened to you, but I can assure you that it’s possible to find safety in another pack. You don’t have to live alone.”
She huffed. “I don’t trust the pack life. I’m better off on my own.”
“You’re a stubborn woman, you know that?”
She smirked but said nothing.
“I have another situation I’m dealing with right now, but
if you stay with Eric’s pack until I’m done, I’ll make arrangements for you in a territory of your choosing, with an alpha I am certain you can trust to protect you.”
“How can you do that?” She huffed. “You can’t be much older than me, if at all.”
It was my turn to smirk. “My father is Gerald Rush, Chief of the Alpha Council.”
Her eyes widened briefly before she flicked her mass of curls out of her face. “Of course he is.”
“Will you let us help you?”
She glanced out the window, avoiding eye contact. “I’ll think about it.”
I smiled, turning the radio back up. She had been through a lot and had told me more than I would have guessed, which let me know she didn’t actually want to be alone, no matter how much she fought for it. I didn’t have the ability to help her immediately, but if she stayed with Eric’s pack, she would be okay until I could.
Declan would be handled, and I would come back for her. Nobody deserved to live in fear, especially someone as strong as she appeared to be. I didn’t know her, and she wasn’t my mate, but I was certain she deserved the kind of happiness life hadn’t given her yet.
Everything happened for a reason, and I had no doubt that I was meant to hit her with my car.
Chapter 6
We arrived in Virginia a few hours later. It was just after four in the morning and I was exhausted. Part of me was really wishing I had just used my damn plane ticket, but then I wouldn’t have been able to save Harper, and I decided a little sleep deprivation was worth it.
During the drive, we chatted on and off about the places she had lived in, but she kept everything very vague, avoiding any more dark subjects. She helped keep me awake, and I tried to help her forget about losing her family as I told her entertaining stories about mine. We certainly had plenty of them.
“The fifth cabin on the left is supposed to be unlocked,” I offered when we pulled on to the long dirt road.
Harper’s head snapped to attention while she rubbed her eyes. We both were in serious need of sleep. I couldn’t see much of the pack, except some houses with porch lights on. Closer to the pack house, a few men were out, probably on patrol, but I didn’t bother with driving all the way up there.
Shades of Secrecy: Prequel Novella (Raven Point Pack Trilogy) Page 3