A Cougar Among Wolves (11 page)

Friendship only goes so far.”

“Okay, now we’re all clear on where Klaya stands with”—the alpha glanced over to Rogue and Seth then shook his head—“everything, we need to get down to business.”

Seth cleared his throat with a muffled laugh. “Uh, what’s the plan?”

“Ryker and I will go over the map and see if we can’t pinpoint an estimated location.

Show us where you found her and we can figure it out from there. As it stands, we have no cellular signal up here, so we have to head back to Los Lobos where we can check with some of the guys who deliver propane in the area. Let’s see if we can’t find our friends before they find Klaya.”

“Are we leaving now?” Rogue’s heart sank. He scanned the cave. A part of him wanted to stay with her. “We can’t put her out in the open.”

“We all go,” Ryker affirmed. “Together.”

“You told me, Rogue,” Drew said, his voice was low but stern. “The hunters showed up sniffing around right after you arrived?”

“Yeah, two men did, and they were communicating on radios with others.”

“It’s only a matter of time before they return. You’ll all be sitting ducks now,” the alpha asserted. “Pack your gear. We leave within the hour.”

70

The hike to town was dreadfully quiet. The sun burned bright, the air warmer than it had been on their trek up to the cave. They hiked along the stony ridge. The alpha and enforcer led the way. Klaya followed, and the brothers walked a few feet behind. The bags weren’t as heavy since they had two extra bodies to carry the load and threesome had used most of the food they brought and…the tequila. Klaya brushed her lips with the pads of her fingers at the delicious recollection of their late night adventures.

“How ya doin’, beautiful?” Rogue’s voice was gruff.

“Fine.” She glanced over her shoulder with a smile, but her chest tightened with the lie. “Actually, I’m worried.”

“About what?” He and Seth caught up to her.

The collective warmth of the wolves surrounding her didn’t bring the ease she had hoped for. The muscles of her shoulders tightened with the encroaching worry festering in her stomach for their safety and the risk they accepted in protecting her.

“It’s bad enough I got Griffith killed and put you two at risk. Now, we’re marching to Los Lobos. What if they come looking for me? People are gonna get hurt, maybe even killed.”

Drew shook his head. “Klaya, they’ve already been here searching for you. Because of the tracer Doc took out at the ranger station, it made sense to have you guys hide up here in case they tried to come to town next to find you. But they showed up here instead.

You’re a sitting duck up in the cave. It’s only a matter of time before they find you there.

Back in town, the pack is ready to fight. We have more strength in numbers.” He smoothed his hand over her hair.

The words rolling off his tongue didn’t sit right with her. “I don’t want anyone else hurt or killed because of me.” The need to dig her heels in swelled.

“Babe.” Rogue cupped her chin. “In case you’ve forgotten, they’ve been at this for years. If Gee and Drew are right, they’ve taken out cougars and wolves alike. The only difference between us protecting you up there”—he motioned to the mountain—“or down there”—he pointed to town—“is we have backup. Believe me, the pack wants payback as much as you do.” Rogue removed his hand.

71

Seth’s eyes darkened. “Darlin’, we haven’t discussed this. But given the new information, I’ll bet my life those fuckers are the ones who killed our parents.”

Klaya’s pulse raced. She glanced to Rogue to find he mirrored his brother’s expression. “They tortured your dad?”

Drew folded his arms and nodded. “I didn’t tell Rogue and Seth everything.”

“What do you mean?” She arched her brows.

“The wolf you and Griffith saved a few years ago?”

“Yeah?”

“He was their dad, Thomas. He was one of our pack.” Drew made eye contact with Ryker who gave a nod.

“When Thomas and Sue were killed last year,” Drew continued, “they were living outside of Keystone, past the pack territory. My guess is they tracked him down to finish the job you interrupted.”

“I didn’t know his name.” Klaya studied the tapered eyes and gritting teeth of her two wolves. Rage radiated from their bodies. Both brothers dropped their hands to their sides, gripped in fists so tight their knuckles whitened.

Drew flexed his jaw muscles. “He never talked while he was in your care, but when you brought him to town, he told Gee everything.”

“Why the hell did we not know about this?” Rogue spewed with a venomous glare toward his alpha.

“Your parents wanted to keep your dad’s capture from you because they feared you would try to retaliate.”

“You’re damn right we would have.” Seth crossed his arms over his chest. His breathing sped up and his cheeks grew a dark shade of red.

Klaya looked to Rogue to find him mirroring the exact stance with his broad shoulders squared.

“Thomas had even less information about his capture or the sick bastards who tortured him than Klaya did,” Drew continued. “At the time, it seemed random. No one had heard of anything else like this in the area. Because she and Griffith killed them all, it didn’t seem likely there were any others.”

“He was a wolf.” Klaya nodded.

72

“They both were,” Seth concurred.

“The hunters brutalize shifters.”

“Yes,” Ryker agreed.

“We’re only a few miles away now. We need to go, now.” Drew swung the duffle bag over his shoulder. “I don’t like how exposed we are out in the open.”

They headed down the ridge. The hairs on the back of Klaya’s neck prickled. She stopped and scanned the nearby tree line. The lack of movement spiked her adrenaline.

“We’re not alone.” She spoke in a hushed voice, loud enough for the guys to all hear her.

Ahead of her, Drew and Ryker stopped.

“Klaya, if we get separated, you run for the trees, climb like you did before. Don’t stay on the ground.” Rogue spoke slow and deliberate in her ear.

“I’m not leaving you, either of you.” She glanced behind her.

Thunderous cracks boomed through the air; bullets pinged along the ground and off the rocks all around them. Klaya crouched down and scanned the forest. She spotted six gunmen with rifles behind the first row of trunks.

Ryker shifted into a red wolf with bright amber eyes. Drew knelt down and growled.

His shift took longer, his facial features contorted with agony as he morphed into a magnificent black wolf. When he was done, he nodded to Ryker and they bolted down the ridge and rounded the edge of the forest.

“Stay still,” Rogue growled and dropped to his hands and knees. His transformation was instantaneous and he crouched in front of Klaya. Seth shifted next and stood at his brother’s flank, they shielded her as bullets zinged by. One assassin dropped to the ground with a murderous roar. Klaya caught a brief glance of the red wolf tearing at his throat and then bolted to the next tree. Two more collapsed, their guns firing off rounds as they crashed to the ground. Wood splintered and scattered in the air. A fourth guy dropped. Seth snarled and blocked her view. To the left, she caught a glimpse of a fifth man collapse. More barrels appeared from beside the trees and the shower of bullets amplified.

A fierce howl in front of her was followed by Seth dropping to the ground.

“Seth?” She crawled over his body to find his shoulder oozing blood. “No!”

Rogue nudged her with his nose and growled. He nodded down the path.

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“No, I won’t leave either of you here,” she barked.

The insistent mate nudged her harder and nipped her in the arm.

“No,” she snarled and clutched Seth’s bloodied fur.

Seth panted and looked back at her. He nipped at her fingers and bared his teeth. She understood. They wanted to protect her. “Don’t make me, please,” she sobbed.

Seth got to his feet and curled his lip with another cautioning growl.

“Okay.” Klaya bolted down the ridge. The frenzy of fire followed her and she increased her speed. Up ahead, there was a break in the ridge and the forest.

She froze with terror. Rogue caught up to her.

“It’s a trap.” She crouched down.

Her wolf huddled close to her.

“They’re not trying to hit us anymore; they’re driving us out into the open.” She pointed ahead. “Remember, they don’t kill shifters first, they torture. If we go into the clearing, they’ll hit us with tranquilizer darts and we’re done for.”

Klaya glanced around. “The ridge?” She spied over the side. “It’s a fifty-foot drop.

There’s no way without ropes.” Frantic she searched around for another escape. More shots rang out. At her side, Rogue let out a blood-curdling yelp and stumbled. Klaya whipped around to find his blond fur seeping crimson as he wobbled backward and fell over the ridge.

No, Rogue!
Her heart shattered.

Klaya’s stomach bottomed out and jolts of white terror shot through her limbs. Both her wolves were shot. Rogue was dead because of her. A gust of wind rushed past her.

The potent waft of gun oil and tobacco stung her nose. The bastard was close. Her lust for blood amplified. There was no way she could protect herself or her wolves in human form. Rage coursed through her veins. The spike of her claws speared through her fingertips, and she roared out in agony as she dropped on all fours as and shifted into her cougar.

There, at the edge of the trees, stood her intended target in camouflage gear. The man who had tormented her and killed her brother. She headed straight for him, fixated on his exposed jugular. A sharp jolt shot through her front leg, and she toppled over and collapsed. Searing pain shot up from her paw to her shoulder. She tried to get up but fell 74

down again. Klaya looked down to her leg to find a bear trap encased her entire foot.

“There’s my little bitch. I’ve been looking for you.” He approached with his rifle aimed at her head.

An ear-piercing explosion rocked the very ground she lay on. Dirt and chunks of grass shot up into the air and scattered all around them. Her tormentor dropped to his knees and aimed toward the wolves. “Looks like the cavalry has arrived for your friends,” he sneered. “No worries, kitty cat. I’ve got you for now. That’ll do.” He removed a gnarled nylon backpack from his shoulder and tugged out a crumpled black net then pulled a small gun from the holster on his thigh, aimed it at her, and pulled the trigger. A sharp sting swept through her neck and everything faded to black.

75

Back in Doc’s office at Los Lobos, Seth scowled at the time it was taking. They should be going after the bastards who took Klaya right now. He didn’t care about the bullet wound. He had to get her back, at any cost, before it was too late. He growled, seated on the paper-covered table. The pain speared through his shoulder and down his arm. “What the hell are we waiting for?”

If only the physical pain was the real cause of the fire burning through his veins right now. She was hurt and with the hunters. It would be a matter of time before they butchered her like her brother or maybe even worse. He gnashed his teeth at the mere thought of those bastards laying even a finger on his mate.

“Almost got it, buddy. Hang on.” Bastian dug the metal prongs deep into his flesh.

“There it is.” He gripped the tool hard, pulled out the slug, and dropped it into the metal pan on the tray beside him. “You’re lucky, no major veins or arteries. It should heal fast without any permanent damage.” The pack doctor patched him up.

“I want those sons of bitches.” He seethed. “We can’t just leave her there.” He fired a demanding glare at his alpha who was seated in the chair near the door.

“I talked to Justin. He helped us pinpoint the location of the cabin, and it’s one of his delivery sites and no more than three miles outside of pack territory.”

“Then, let’s go!” Seth hopped off the table.

“Stop.” Ryker blocked the doorway with folded arms and a stern glare. “We have a plan.”

Seth scrubbed his face with his good hand and snarled. “What is it?”

“First”—Drew got up from the chair and joined Ryker at the door—“we make sure we have everything in place.”

“She’s out of time. Did you see what happened to her? If she doesn’t bleed to death, God knows what the fuck they’re doing to her right now.”

“Chill, bro,” a raspy voice called out from the bed in the corner.

“You’re awake?” Seth raced over to his brother.

“Dude, stop with the loud voice. I’ve got a bitch of a headache.” Rogue sat up and clutched his scalp and winced.

76

“What you have is a mild concussion, five stitches in the back of your skull, and a bullet wound in your side.” Doc lifted Rogue’s left eyelid and shone a small light as he investigated. “I didn’t expect you would wake up for a day or so.”

“I’m with Seth. We can’t leave her there.” He swung his legs over the edge of the gurney.

“While you hot shots have been getting stitched up, we sent Z and Allana to scout the camp and do some recon. They’re due back within the hour. We’ll meet at Gee’s and go over the plan of attack.” Drew nodded to the brothers. “Get yourselves to Gee so we can go over what we’re doing.” He held their stares, the power of the alpha moving through their veins. “She’s family to me.”

The next hour dragged on for what seemed an eternity to Seth. They sat at the end of bar and sipped on soda water. There was no way they would risk losing their edge.

Gee patted Seth on his good shoulder. “How you holding up, son?”

He grimaced. “Not so good.”

“She’s a fighter; she’ll hang on until we get there.” He leaned over to Rogue. “And you, I always said your head was hard as nails, you tough little shit.” He nudged his shoulder.

“I guess you’re right.” Rogue snickered then gripped his head and winced. “Hurts like hell, though.”

“What do you expect, when you jump over a fifty-foot ledge?” Drew placed his water on the table and sat down. Ryker stood behind him.

“I wouldn’t say jumped.” He shrugged. “Shot, stumbled, fell? But definitely didn’t jump.”