Echo of Magic: A Wolfguard Protectors Novel

by Kimber White

  “And who might that be?”

  “The Ring, sugar,” he said. My father looped his fingers behind his head and gave me a smug smile.

  “The Ring?” I asked. I’d heard the term used before. My grandfather had said it a few times in hushed whispers. I never knew exactly who or what they were. Some kind of deep black market dealing in magical items. I also knew my grandfather tried to steer clear of them.

  “The Ring is offering more money than I can even count,” he said. “And I can count a lot.”

  “So why all this nonsense?” I said. “If they had the means to make an offer or outbid everyone else, they could have worked through a third party. I never would have known who or what they were.”

  I was bluffing. I prided myself on knowing exactly who I was selling to.

  “No way in hell I was letting you be in charge of this one, Meg. And I’m done talking about it.”

  “What do they want with this thing?” I asked. “What’s so special about it? It’s a rare red diamond, yes, but…”

  “Not our business,” he said.

  “Yes, it is! You know that. Grandpa was careful about what passed through our hands. If this Ring was willing to use dark magic through Alonzo to get the thing, then they weren’t willing to pay for it. They were trying to steal it. How exactly does that serve your latest get-rich-quick scheme?”

  My dad didn’t answer, but his squinting eyes told me volumes. So, it wasn’t just money they promised my father. It was some kind of power, some darker angle I couldn’t yet see. It sent a chill through me.

  “I don’t have it,” I said. “So this whole exercise has been basically pointless, Dad. The diamond’s with Wolfguard. You already know that. If you really wanted to steal it out from under me, you should have planned better. Your timing was lousy.”

  He was still smiling. “If you’d have just let me in, neither of you would have had to be involved.”

  “So you used your only family to flush it out. That’s great, Dad. You’re still going to come up short, though. I don’t care who you’re working with. They’re not going to fare well trying to come up against Wolfguard.”

  My father leaned forward. He stood and came around behind me. I strained against the bindings as he yanked my hair away from my neck like the shifter had in the van.

  “I don’t have to come up against Wolfguard,” he said. “At least, not all of them. I only need to deal with one.”

  He pinched my neck then let my hair fall. This time, I really did think I might be sick. He knew. Somehow, my father knew what Leo was to me. And now, his final betrayal became clear. He’d offered me up to the Ring to lure Leo in with the stone.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Leo

  If it were anyone else I would have killed them. As it was, I strained so hard against Milo’s grip I’m pretty sure I broke the bones in his hand.

  They would heal.

  “Lay still, you idiot,” Val shouted. My uncle held a knife to my leg while my cousin Erik sat on the other one and my cousin Edward sat on my chest. Milo had my arms pinned above my head.

  The Dragonsteel bullet had penetrated the meat of my calf, shredding the muscle. Left in place, it would never heal.

  I knew all that. The logical side of my brain knew Val was only trying to save my leg. But, I had no room for logic. There was only primal fear.

  Meg.

  I had held the echo of her heartbeat inside of me for days. Now, it was drowned out by the sound of that van door slamming and speeding away.

  “Will you hold still!” Val said through gritted teeth. “You want to be of help to your woman, let me get this damn thing out. What good will you be to her if you can’t run, Leo?”

  I let out a thunderous roar. Erik, Edward and Milo tightened their grip on the various points of my body.

  I could barely see straight in the harsh kitchen light. My wolf eyes glowed. I gave Val a terse nod and took a sharp inhale.

  “1, 2…”

  Before three, he plunged the blade into my calf. I arched my back and let out a yell that shook the windows. White heat zinged through me, choking me. Then, it was over. Blood flowed out of the wound, and I was left with throbbing pain, but the heat was gone. The bullet was out.

  Val tossed into a glass bowl on the table next to me. He gave a quick nod to the others and one by one they let me go.

  I sat up, thinking I’d tear straight out of there. When I got upright, a wave of nausea came over me. Val was ready for it. He had a bucket next to the table and shoved it under my chin two seconds before I would have puked all over the floor.

  “Better now?” Val asked.

  I nodded. Milo handed me a glass of water. It was then, as the room stopped spinning, I became aware of a fifth person in the room.

  Payne stepped forward, his arms crossed, his own wolf eyes glinting.

  “Where is she?” I said. “You’ve got someone tracking her?”

  “Leo,” he started. “Before we…”

  I threw my legs to the side of the table. I put my weight on my good leg and stood. I waited a few seconds then tested my bad one. It hurt like hell for a beat, but I could already feel the wound starting to heal. I’d be back to normal in an hour or two.

  Only I refused to wait that long.

  “What the hell happened?” I asked. “That was an ambush.”

  Rage overtook me. Milo stood leaning against the kitchen counter. I lunged at him.

  “Where the hell were you?”

  He shoved me backward. Erik and Edward, the twins, grabbed me by the shoulders. Val stepped in between us.

  “Save it for later!” Payne roared. “I don’t care if you all tear each other apart, but do it on your time, not mine.”

  “What. Happened?” I said through clenched teeth.

  “It was a setup,” Milo answered. Sweat poured from his brow. “Someone hacked into our texts. They knew exactly where you and Meg were. They jumped Erik and Edward on the other end of the block.”

  I looked at Payne.

  “They weren’t after that diamond,” he said. “Or at least, they knew we had no intention of bringing it to the drop. So, they took collateral instead.”

  “Collateral,” I said. “You mean Meg.”

  “That’s the working theory,” he said. “I’m sorry, man. We’re doing everything we can to figure out where they took her.”

  “I’m going back there,” I said. “I can track her.”

  “Leo, listen,” Payne said. “We don’t know who we’re dealing with. What we do know is disturbing. These people were sophisticated enough to get access to your and Milo’s phones. They lured you and Meg out in the open and we fell for it. And they came with Dragonsteel. We don’t win this one on bloodlust alone. We need a plan.”

  “I’m the plan!” I shouted. “They can’t hurt me. They can’t stop me. I’m going out there and I’m bringing Meg home. She’s mine, Payne. You understand what I’m saying? Val?”

  They did. Of the men in this room, Val and Payne had mates of their own. They understood the pull. They knew there would be no talking me out of going after her no matter what it cost.

  “This?” Val said. He picked up the flattened Dragonstone bullet and waved it in front of my face. “This is the tip of the iceberg. You go charging after her alone or without a solid extraction plan, you’ll be riddled with these and dead on the ground.”

  For the first time since I came to on the table, I tried to figure out just where the hell we were. It wasn’t the safehouse where I took Meg. This was a different one.

  “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “I know how to protect myself from whatever they bring.”

  “Sit down,” Val said. “You need to hear us out.”

  “To hell with that!” I shouted. “She’s out there right now. Alone. Unprotected. She could be…”

  I couldn’t bring myself to say it. My wolf tore at me. In another second, I’d need to shift.

  “I’m going back to
the safehouse in Detroit. I need to get something. If one or all of you want to come with me, that’s fine. But, I’m not waiting around for whatever bullshit you have to say.”

  Payne walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Then, he came back holding the wooden box containing the Kingsblood Diamond.

  “You were planning on going back for this?” he asked. He opened the box and took out the stone.

  “Yeah,” I said. “If I have that thing with me, they can shoot me with a thousand Dragonsteel bullets. I won’t feel a thing.”

  Milo knew what the diamond could do. So did Payne. Val, Erik and Edward hadn’t yet been brought in the loop. They looked confused as hell. I didn’t want to waste another second explaining. I grabbed the stone from Payne.

  One look from him, and the five of them formed a wall trying to block my path.

  “She’s. My. Mate,” I said.

  Payne stepped out of the line. He turned to the others. “Val,” he said. “Can you take your nephews out? I need to talk to Leo alone for a few minutes.”

  “Payne,” he said. “If this is about Wolfguard, I’m a full partner now. This is about family. I respect and love you like a brother, but you’re not a Kalenkov.”

  “I know,” he said. “And I have no intention of leaving anyone out of the loop. I’m not ordering you. I’m asking you. Please. I need a few minutes. That’s all.”

  “Enough,” I said. “We don’t have a few minutes for any of this bullshit. I’m taking this damn stone and I’m going out there and getting my girl back. You wanna fire me from Wolfguard for it, fine.”

  “Leo,” Val said. “I know what you’re feeling. Believe me. When Willow was the one in danger, I would have…”

  I erupted. I shoved Val backward for all I was worth. My cousins and Val acted as one. They pinned me back again.

  This time, there was nothing they could do to stop me. I had the stone in my hand.

  “Leo,” Payne said. “I know where Meg is. And I know who has her. If you’d just calm your shit for five minutes and let me talk to you, this whole thing could be a lot easier.”

  Val and the others let go. I gave Val a nod. He and the rest of the Kalenkovs stepped back and gave Payne and me the room. Once the front door shut, Payne turned to me.

  “Leo, I’ll make this quick. I think we’re dealing with a mole inside of Wolfguard.”

  Of all the things he could have said, I didn’t expect that. I opened my mouth to answer, then a different truth washed over me. He’d wanted to tell me this outside the presence of my family.

  “You think it’s one of them?” I asked.

  A new rage tore through me. Payne sensed it and put a hand up.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “I hope to God not. But, these people and this diamond. They’ve been one step ahead of us the entire time. Someone knew you were staying at Meg’s shop. They knew that Fry character was going to get called in to look at the thing. And they knew our plan for the drop last night.”

  “Milo,” I said, my insides turning to acid. “Christ. You think it’s Milo.” Of the five of us, he’s the only one it could be. I’d been in communication primarily with him this entire operation.

  “We don’t know that,” Payne said. “But whoever it was knew we weren’t bringing the stone to the drop. And I think they knew Meg is your fated mate. Besides me and Milo, who else knows that? I haven’t brought Val into this. He runs the New York office now. He was never a part of this job. He’s only here today because you were involved. Erik and Edward have been on opposite ends of the country for the last year.”

  I tore a hand through my hair. “This is bullshit. We’re talking about Milo. He’s family. He might as well be my brother. I don’t care who these assholes are, Milo isn’t for sale.”

  “I don’t know that it’s money we need to worry about. Leo, the Ring. Now that they exposed themselves on Val’s last mission, I’ve been gathering intel.”

  “The Ring,” I said. “You’re sure they’re behind everything that’s gone wrong?”

  “Yes,” he said. “I’m still trying to follow the money from Alonzo Fry. And from what we learned on Val’s job last year. But, if they know the true value of that diamond, I think they’ll stop at nothing to get it. I think Meg was the target today all along. Once they figured out she wasn’t willing to and we weren’t going to let her ransom her dad with the Kingsblood, she was plan B. They’re expecting you to do exactly what you’re planning. Which is charge in there wolfed out and carrying the damn diamond.”

  I threw a fist into the nearest cabinet door, shattering the wood.

  “I don’t care!” I said. “They can have the blasted thing. Meg is the only thing that matters.”

  “Leo…”

  “No. You can’t stand there and tell me you wouldn’t be willing to do the same if this was Lena we were talking about.”

  Payne blanched. It only took an instant, but I knew with certainty I was right. So did he.

  “Fine,” he said. “But can you at least entertain the idea of some preparation first? I know what you’re feeling. I swear to God I do. I’ve been in your place. Not too long ago, someone tried to take Lena from me. I would and did fight for her and damn any other consequence. But, this diamond in the hands of the Ring? Leo, it’ll only get worse for all of us. If they decide to back a Tyrannous Alpha with it, this will be Kentucky all over again, but we’ll have no chance of ever ending it. We’ll all lose our mates eventually. We have to come up with a way to save Meg and keep this cursed rock out of their hands too. Because even if you...when you get her back, you won’t be able to protect her the next time they come for her. Think about that.”

  I hated this. For the briefest of moments, I hated Payne. Screw logic and righteousness, he was the most immediate barrier to me going after Meg.

  “They’ll kill her,” I said.

  “I don’t think so,” he said. “That wouldn’t be my play. Remember, I spent a lot of years under the thumb of a Tyrannous. He was cunning. He played a long game. If they kill Meg, that’s a one-shot solution. If they can’t get you to bend, they can take her away from you in other ways. More effective ones.”

  I had the urge to grab the bucket again. An Alpha’s mark. He was talking about an Alpha’s mark. What better way to keep Meg from me and guarantee her cooperation then forcing a mark on her against her will? Bind her to another Alpha against me.

  I punched another cabinet. I tore a third one off its hinges. My wolf growled and my fangs dropped.

  Payne just stood there, out of my way as I raged. After a moment, I found some control again. I turned to Payne, chest heaving, nostrils flared.

  “You ready to listen now?” he asked. “I mean really listen? Because I have a plan that just might save you girl, the diamond, and help us figure out if Wolfguard is compromised.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Meg

  I fell asleep at some point. At least, I hoped that’s all it was. I didn’t think any of them had the chance to drug me. When I woke, my shoulders ached from being held back by the zip ties. My legs and buttocks burned from sitting on that cheap office chair for so long.

  My father pounded on the outer door. Sweat dripped from his brow. His white dress shirt had great, dark patches under each of his arms.

  “We’re done in here!” he shouted.

  “Done?” I asked. My voice was dry and ragged. There were no windows in the room. I had no idea how much time had passed.

  I tried to make my mind go still. Was he out there? Could Leo hear or sense me? I closed my eyes. My pulse beat strong and steady. It felt singular.

  If only, I thought. If Leo had marked me, I knew the bond between us couldn’t be broken no matter how far apart we were.

  My father jumped back as the door swung inward. Two of the masked shifters walked in. Both carried assault rifles and took a military stance on either side of the door.

  “That’s a lot of firepower to guard to lowly humans,”
I said.

  My father shot me a look. Then, he turned to one of the guards. “Tell him I’m ready to finish this. I delivered my end.”

  “Your end,” I said. “You mean me?” I was still trying to wrap my head around it all. My father had sunk so far. Whatever soul he had was gone. He was willing to sell out his own daughter for what?

  “Don’t give me that look,” he said. “This might benefit you too someday.”

  “Might?” I asked. “The shop’s gone, Dad. Everything in it too, by now, probably. You splashed our business all over the internet. None of our regular clients will want to have anything to do with Crossley Antiquities again. You killed it. I hope it was worth it.”

  My father waved a dismissive hand. Another man came to the doorway. He too wore a mask. I couldn’t see his eyes. No, that wasn’t true. What I did see was the purest black. No whites. No color.

  I’d seen bear shifters that looked a little like that. Unlike wolves, their animal eyes went dark. This was different though. It was as if instead of actual eyes, the guy had two orbs of onyx peering out from behind the slit in his mask.

  It chilled me.

  He strode into the room, completely ignoring my father’s commands and complaints. He pulled a hunting knife from his belt. My heart slipped. He went behind me. With one quick flick, he sliced through the zip ties at my wrists and feet.

  Blood poured back into my hands, sending stabbing pain all up and down my arms. I doubled over and tried to rub feeling back into my fingers.

  “I’m waiting for an answer,” my father said. “Tell your boss he’s got what he came here for thanks to me.”

  What he came for. To my father, I was no more valuable than some antique trinket we bought and sold. Property. A bargaining chip.

  I hated him at that moment. I’d been disappointed in him my entire life. Now, white rage flooded through me along with my returning circulation. And I knew it was wasted on him. He didn’t care.

  “Grandpa did everything for you,” I said. “His entire life, he always put your needs first. You were all he had until I came along. Is that what pissed you off the most? You think he had a finite amount of love to give or something?”