“Did you get the text?” Lucky asked, holding up his phone. “Talon wants to meet with us before we leave.”
“I saw it,” Storm grunted. The text had come in while he was cooking for Amaya. He didn’t want to leave her, but he had a job to do. They were going to come up with a plan for the mission tonight, and he couldn’t wait to take down that piece of shit FBI agent.
He left his brother to get dressed, returning with his combat boots in hand. Lucky dug through his fridge while he waited. Storm rolled his eyes. That brother of his was polar opposite from him. Storm liked things quiet and organized. Lucky was a bit quirky and eccentric like their mother.
“I wish I’d learned to cook,” Lucky mumbled around a bite of cold chicken. Storm just shook his head and continued to tie his boot lace. “Might need to do that if I want to woo a female one day.”
“You need to get your life organized,” Storm grunted while Lucky chuckled at himself for his own joke.
“It is organized,” Lucky smirked around another bite of food. “I know where everything is.”
Storm gave up, tossing his hands in the air and letting them fall to his side. Getting into a heated debate with his brother about growing up wasn’t what they should be doing right before meeting with Talon. The young Guardian needed to be focused on what was to come over the next few days.
“You, on the other hand, need to get your shit together.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Storm flashed his canines at Lucky, giving him one warning shot before he broke his promise not to beat his ass before a meeting. Thankfully, Talon didn’t get into brotherly squabbles very often. He’d had plenty with his own brothers over the years.
“I’m talking about claiming your mate,” Lucky deadpanned when Storm didn’t say anything. When Storm’s eyes flashed amber, his little brother laughed it off. “Storm, you know she’s the one. What’s taking so long?”
“She’s not ready,” he replied, his words ending on a growl.
“She’s not ready?” Lucky scoffed. “Or is it that you’re not ready?”
“Amaya has been through a lot,” Storm reminded him. Lucky already knew the female didn’t come from the greatest background. Amaya’s future was going to be different since she was no longer a human, but it was going to take time for Storm to work up to touching her.
“You both deserve happiness, and the only way to do that is to touch her,” Lucky reminded his brother. He was so fucking stubborn.
“Let’s head over to the alpha’s office.” Storm changed the subject. He wanted to get the night over so he could sleep until noon and return to Amaya’s side.
He wasn’t sure what she would be doing the next day. It never came up. They’d talked more on the mating scents they both carried, and she was still struggling with the anger from the new wolf, Emery. She’d promised him she would get some rest and not worry about the wolf. Storm knew from the news about the other females who’d been turned, once she was settled in Colorado, the female would calm and learn to live her new life among others like herself.
He understood the changed one’s uncertainty, but he couldn’t say he knew exactly what they were going through since he’d been born a shifter.
The turned ones were different. They still had some of their human traits. Small, minute differences in their essential makeup made it difficult sometimes. Mostly, that he knew, it had to do with the female’s ability to conceive. Born female shifters went into heat once a year. That was their only fertile time, but turned females still cycled like they did when they were human, meaning they were fertile every month. The one truth they did know, from Harold and Luna, the species didn’t mix breeds. A wolf and a panther couldn’t have children.
A tightness built in his chest at the thought. He barely knew Amaya, but the thought of her carrying their young excited him. The truth, knowing she wouldn’t ever conceive a child for him, however, hurt…physically.
“Thank you for coming,” Talon began the meeting. Storm continued to stare at his feet, keeping his eyes downcast. His thoughts were on Amaya. He wondered what she was doing at that very moment. Was she okay? Did she need anything that wasn’t stocked in the old dorms? She didn’t even have a cell phone. “Storm?”
“Sir?” Storm jerked. Talon, and all of the other Guardians, were staring at him.
“Do you need to be dismissed for the night?” Talon’s worry bled through his words.
“No, I’m fine,” he replied.
“As I was saying,” Talon continued, gaining everyone’s attention. “Murdock is still missing, but from the information Amaya provided, we know he’s still in the area. At this time, we are not involving the FBI in our search for the warehouse. A team will go out tonight and look for the place he is keeping them contained until they go out at night. Winter and Savage will be driving through the area tomorrow afternoon to get a visual during the day. We will all meet back here at ten tomorrow night. We go in at three in the morning to capture the others when they will most likely be back from their nightly hunts.”
The rumble of agreements and excitement rolled through Storm’s brothers. Murdock had caused too much chaos already, and if they found him, hopefully the crime would stop. The alpha in Colorado was getting to the point where he was having trouble keeping up with the incoming shifters. The Shaw pride wasn’t the only ones sending Gabriel Jackson newly turned humans.
“We will have a solid plan for you when you get here tomorrow night,” Talon reminded them. “Those of you who are scheduled for tonight may leave, and be safe out on those streets. The others are free to go home. I’d like to spend some time with my mate before she falls asleep tonight.”
Everyone was dismissed with Talon’s words. Lucky came to Storm’s side as they exited. “You ready to go? Or would you like to check on Amaya before we leave?”
“Give me your phone,” Storm ordered, holding out his hand.
“Why?” Lucky balked.
“I need it for Amaya,” Storm admitted, shaking his beefy hand in front of his little brother. “She doesn’t have one.”
“Why…no. Go buy her a phone tomorrow when the store opens up,” Lucky replied, his eyes open wide. “I need mine.”
“She needs it more,” Storm argued, stopping in the center of the alpha’s living room. “She doesn’t know how to call to Talon. What if something happens to her tonight and she needs me?”
“No.” Lucky stood his ground.
“Lucky,” Storm warned. He didn’t want to kick his brother’s ass right there in Talon’s living room.
“Uh, dude. What if something happens to me tonight? I’m out working on the streets. Your mate is going to be sleeping the entire time we are gone.” Lucky backed away when Storm made a move to grab him.
“You know how to call out for help,” Storm reminded him.
“Give her your phone.” His brother wasn’t going to budge, and just about the time Storm was about to give his brother an ass kicking, Liberty leaned her head out of the kitchen, saving the two males from getting in deep trouble for fighting in front of the alpha’s mate. Lucky quickly turned around and stepped close enough to Storm to look like they were soldiers standing at attention. No one wanted to piss her off.
“We have an extra phone she can use,” Liberty said with narrowed eyes. “I’m also certain Talon would have you two back in his office if this little…conversation you’re having gets any louder. Why don’t I save you two the trouble of getting your asses chewed?”
“Thank you, Liberty,” Lucky replied, his shoulders relaxing.
“Thank you,” Storm hurried to say when Lucky elbowed him in the side.
Liberty disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a black box. She set it on the chair by the back door and nodded, saying nothing as she returned to the kitchen.
“I’ll meet you at your house,” Lucky said as he walked out the door.
The walk to the building was short, and it wasn’t enough time to get his b
east reeled in at the idea of seeing the female again. When he entered the front door, she was there, sitting on the couch. Her scarred body was hidden behind sweatpants and a hoodie that didn’t even belong to her.
“Storm?” she breathed, standing up as he approached. “Is everything okay?”
“I got a phone for you.” He cleared his throat. “It should have everyone’s numbers programmed into it already. If you need me while I’m gone, use it.”
Because he didn’t have his gloves on, he didn’t hand it over, opting to set it on the coffee table between the couch and television. She was watching a movie.
“Thank you, but I could’ve gotten my own,” she frowned. “I lost mine when I was taken, and I haven’t had a chance to get it replaced since…well, you know.”
“I’ll take you shopping for clothes tomorrow, too,” he blurted.
“Actually, I have a home, Storm,” she announced. He didn’t even think of that. Would she want to move off the alpha’s land? It could be done, because she would still be close to the pride, but the thought of her leaving made him panic.
“Are you going to stay here or there?” he asked, kicking himself for the short words. He’d never been a talker, preferring to blurt out what he needed to say.
“I haven’t decided.” She shrugged and picked up the box, giving it a little shake. “I’ll charge this. Do you have the number?”
“I do,” he replied. The numbers were written on the back of the boxes, and he’d made note of it as he picked it up from the chair in the alpha’s home. “I have to leave for work, but I will come by tomorrow afternoon and pick you up if you’d like to go to your home.”
“Yes, please,” she answered. “Be safe tonight, Storm.”
The female’s eyes flashed a hazy yellow. Storm was sure his were sparking a bit of amber, too. Leaving her was hard to do, but he finally turned on his heel and left the building. He’d text Kye and remind him to keep an eye on the dorm tonight while he manned the cameras in the office.
Chapter Ten
Amaya stepped out into the morning sun with a cup of coffee in her hand. She’d slept better than she had the night before, and with that, it brought a fresh outlook to her day. She’d be going back to her house for the first time in weeks. The only problem she was dealing with was the idea that she was already home. The pride felt like she’d already lived there her entire life, but the human side to her brain wondered if it was a wolf thing…a shifter thing.
The air was cool as a soft wind blew in from the south. It was barely after seven in the morning, and she wondered if Storm had made it home. She set the cup of coffee on a picnic bench in the small yard in front of the door and walked down the length of the building, thinking she could see his cabin now that she knew where it was on the property.
If the leaves were full on the trees, she wouldn’t be able to see it, but lucky for her, it was still in view. His black truck was parked on a concrete pad on the side of the house, and the curtain over the back door was drawn. He must’ve come in around sunrise.
Now, she had the entire day to herself. Or, she could see if Landon’s phone number was in the cell phone Storm had given her. It was still too early to call him. Instead, she cleaned up her coffee cup and put it away before heading to take a shower in the common bathroom at the top of the stairs.
She remembered which cabin belonged to her friend. At least, that was something she could refer to as being “before” her life changing abduction. The during and after was the part she was still dealing with. Even though Storm was a silent man, err…male, she enjoyed being around him. Maybe it was the magical connection everyone talked about? Maybe it was because she really did feel like he was home to her?
A glance across the yard to the back of his home was all it took for a smile to pull at the corner of her mouth. A smile. A real, genuine smile spread across her face. She hadn’t done that in what seemed like forever. Forever had been a long time.
As if her deformities were mocking her, she felt the scars all over her body tingling as her wolf made itself known. It wanted out. The need was a bit painful; almost like a three-day old bruise. In the beginning, during her change, it wasn’t anything like that. The pain of her transformation was something she wanted to forget, but she didn’t think she would ever wipe that feeling from her memory.
The animal reminded her of its request again, pushing at her mind to give herself over to the beast. The skin along her scarred arms bubbled and moved as the animal wanted its freedom from the confines of her human shell.
“Okay, girl,” Amaya whispered. The pride had told her she could shift and run anytime she wanted, and since she was all alone that morning with nowhere to go, she decided to give the animal what it wanted.
She was barely undressed when the wolf burst from her skin, taking over her mind. Digging its nails into the soft dirt, the wolf ran toward the trails, lifting its nose to the air, scenting for anything out of the ordinary.
Leaves from the previous fall crunched beneath her paws as she ran. The other shifters out for their morning runs gave her a wide berth, moving out of her way as the wolf freed itself. Young panthers playing in the valleys between the trails didn’t pay much attention as she passed.
If she remembered correctly, there was a beautiful hidden pond at the back of the fenced property. As she let her mind relax, she felt the thoughts of the wolf. It wanted to hide in the underbrush and hunt by the pond. Amaya calmed her human mind and left her wolf to play. She would worry about Guardians and mating things later.
She was alone as she found a low-lying bush to the east of the trail, overlooking the pond. It was overgrown and perfect for her to hide and play. The wolf’s tongue hung to the side when its excitement mounted. The vines and small limbs crisscrossed in front of her, but the wolf didn’t care and wiggled its way into the middle where there was enough room for the animal to lay down and rest.
As time passed and the sun moved higher in the sky, the wolf watched the panthers while they played around her. The wolf didn’t bother wondering if they knew she was there. It just didn’t care.
By the time the sun was above her, Amaya’s wolf stretched lazily and found its way out of the brambles. A young male panther zipped past her, causing the wolf to jump back and snarl; an automatic response to having another male close to it.
Internally, Amaya’s human side sighed. The wolf already knew, and it was obvious the animal was interested in Storm. Okay, more than interested. The mating scent it gave off was obvious to her, and she knew it was only a matter of time before they bonded.
Her return to the old building she now called home was slower than her escape. She should shift and check her new phone to see if there were any missed calls or messages from Storm, but at the moment, she didn’t want to do anything other than stay lost in the woods.
Her wolf yelped when a gangly teenage panther darted around a tree, appearing from nowhere and plowing into her side. The wolf lost its balance, tumbling down an embankment right off the trail. She rolled faster and faster, but it was a tree that slowed her fall. The immediate pain to her right side caused the wolf to shift to her human form.
“Ow,” she moaned, clutching her side. She felt something bony poking her hand.
“Oh shit,” a young voice barked. “Shit! Shit! Someone get the healer!”
“No,” she moaned again, shaking her head. “I’m fine. I think I just broke a rib.”
She opened her eyes, looking up toward the naked male. He had to be around nineteen years old, maybe older. In his panther form, he looked younger, smaller. The other males with him scurried away, heading away from them.
“Storm is going to kill me,” the male fretted, trying to reach out to touch her, but pulled his hands back instead. “Your rib is definitely broken, but you need the healer. It’s sticking out a little.”
“What?” she gasped as another pain flared. “Oh, God. Don’t tell me that.”
“Sorry,” he blushed. �
�The others went to get some help. You’ll need to be carried out, but I can’t do it. I just turned twenty.”
She remembered the females telling her about the coming of age being around the time the shifters turned twenty. That meant the young male couldn’t touch her without wearing protective gloves like Storm had used if she was mated.
“We haven’t mated.” She paused to suck in a healthy breath, but it didn’t happen. She was sure the broken rib, or ribs, had punctured a lung. “Just help me up. I’ll try to walk.”
“Um,” he said, backing away. The young male shook his hands, pointed to her rib, widened his eyes, and backed away again. He looked like he was in distress. “No, ma’am.”
She started to ask him what the hell was wrong with him when she heard an odd, deep sound coming from the direction of the alpha’s home. It sounded like a stampede of elephants. As the sound got closer, the young male’s eyes got wider, flashing between his normal icy blue and the amber that told her his panther was sitting right under his skin.
“Amaya!” the deep voice bellowed, and when she realized who was making the sound, she covered her eyes.
“Kid, you better get out of here,” she suggested, pointing behind her head. The older males would probably tear this kid to bits once they got a look at her. She was bleeding more now, and the dead leaves were coated in it. Great! “Go on now. Get!”
He hesitated for only a second before shifting and running in the direction of another trail. Amaya tried to sit up, but the pain was just too much. She clenched her teeth and took a glance at the wound, immediately feeling bile rising from her stomach. If she threw up, she’d be in more pain. It took every ounce of strength to keep from losing her breakfast.
“Amaya!” Storm’s voice echoed off the neighboring trees as he slid down the embankment she’d more or less rolled down ten times faster. At least, he missed the tree. “Landon! Harold! She’s over here!”
Storm’s voice was frantic and his eyes zeroed in on the wound. His hands shook as he started to reach for her, but as usual, he pulled back. “Where else does it hurt?”
Storm (Rise of the Pride, Book 12) Page 9