One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (13 page)

Church shook his head and laughed. “Come, have a drink before we must leave.”

After they poured a few glasses of whiskey, Lakota said because Church and Ivy would have their hands full making plans, he’d felt compelled to come down and protect his half sister, with whom he shared an unbreakable bond.

He also mentioned that if they went to war, his parents had offered to come down from Cognito and fight by their side. Now that they had a plan in place, and especially after hearing there were outsiders willing to join in, Austin’s confidence bloomed that they might have a chance at driving out the rogues after all.

At this point, they needed all the help they could get.

“Hell’s bells.”
Izzy’s green eyes rounded. “You want to throw me into the woods as bait?”

Her fiery sass made Austin smile, as did the way she jutted her hip while awaiting an answer. She planted her fist on that hip, flaming-red hair spilling over her shoulders.

“That’s why I vacated the house,” he replied. “This is confidential, and I’m ordering you not to discuss this with anyone else until I give you the okay. I chose you because you’re one badass Shifter, but no one would guess it to look at you.”

Her ego stroked, she relaxed her arm and looked about the study. Both Church and Prince remained seated, drinking their beers and not interfering.

Izzy studied the men, amusement dancing in her eyes. “I
could
be playing laser tag, but instead I’m invited to capture a bloodthirsty rogue. Sounds way more fun, and I’m up for the challenge.”

Austin chuckled. “We’ll be close by and won’t let anything happen to you. This is important, Izzy. We need to lure one of them out of the woods and question him. After the interrogation, we’re letting him go. That’s why it’s crucial that you keep your wolf in check. They’re watching our land—that much I know. So let’s turn the tables on them. You down for a little covert mission?”

“Actually, I’m
all
in. Every time the pack has had a confrontation, I’ve been pregnant and missed out on all the fun.”

A burst of laughter erupted from Prince before he shielded his eyes with one hand and silenced himself. It was an amusing habit.

Izzy reached in her pocket for her ringing phone. “This is the party to whom you are speaking. … Hey, baby.”

She flashed a look at Austin, and he knew it was Jericho. He could have guessed anyhow because of the Pink Floyd ringtone.

Izzy shifted her stance and looked away. “No, I don’t mind. When have I ever cared if you came home late because of work? It sounds like good money. Hey, I have an idea. Since the gig doesn’t start until eight, why don’t I swing by? … Sounds like fun.”

Then she giggled and turned her back completely, whispering intimately before hanging up.

“Jericho just ended their session in the studio, but he got a last-minute call about playing at Howlers.”

Austin leaned against the wall. “I set that up with Jake, the owner. Heat doesn’t play in their bar as much as they used to, so he was willing to pay extra.”

“They certainly bring in the crowd,” she agreed. “Plus, Jericho loves a live audience. I’d like him to get back into that now that the kids are older. He’s such a doting dad, always afraid he’ll miss a moment. But I don’t think he should have to sacrifice what he loves doing.”

Jericho’s band sold their music on a private Breed website sponsored by Howlers. Jake got a cut of the money, but nothing raked in fast, hard cash like a live show. Jericho’s band still played, just not as much as they used to. They had families now, and a viable alternative for making good money.

“Why don’t you change clothes, and we’ll get this over with,” Austin suggested.

“Something wrong with my attire?” she asked, widening her stance.

Austin looked at her feet and shook his head. “I don’t know what it is with women and bunny slippers.”

“If they’re good enough for the Packmaster’s mate, they’re good enough for me.” She twirled around and grabbed the doorknob. “Maybe if I run fast enough, they’ll think I’m a herd of rabbits.”

“Colony,” Prince said from behind.

Izzy furrowed her brow. “Huh?”

“A colony of rabbits.”

“I thought a colony was for ants,” she said.

“You’re both wrong,” Church interjected. “It’s a warren.”

Austin stuffed his hands in his pockets, jingling a few coins. “No, it’s a nest. I met a guy up in Kansas who was a Shifter rabbit. That’s the term he used.”

Izzy swung the door open. “This is the silliest conversation I’ve ever heard. And for your information, it’s a
herd
.”

She flounced out of the room, and they chuckled softly.

“I rarely argue with the women in my pack,” Austin mused, strolling toward the window.

Prince tilted his glass toward Austin. “To that I can agree.” After he polished off his drink, he set the glass on a square accent table beside his chair. “If the Northerners challenge us to verbal warfare, I’ll send in Kat.”

“And I would send in Ivy,” Church added.

Austin’s heated breath created a thin veil of fog on the glass. “That would be a short-lived war. Especially if Lexi was on the front line.”

“Are you certain we have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves, Cole?” Church joined his side, turning his gaze out the window.

“One thing you don’t know about my pack is how damn much they love laser tag.”

***

The only way Austin could watch Izzy while remaining undetected was to shift and lie low in the grass. An alpha could share his thoughts with his animal, making sure they stayed on the same page.

His wolf stalked through the high grass until he reached a nearby creek, his senses alert. He approached the edge of the clear water and rolled in the dirt, using earth and dried leaves to conceal his scent. He pawed the ground and writhed until dirt was sifting through his fur.

Austin didn’t like using Izzy as bait, but these tactics were necessary to gain a foothold in this war. He’d learned a lot about extreme (but necessary) measures from his former years as a bounty hunter. Besides, Izzy only
looked
meek—when in reality she was fearless and fast on her feet.

His wolf sneezed and shook his head. Izzy would be coming at any moment to the spot where the girls had been playing. Austin continued to lie low in the high grass near a line of trees.

Izzy approached, whistling a tune and holding a bird feeder as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She paused beneath a maple tree, studying the branches while letting the feeder swing between her fingers. A bird fluttered skyward, shaking a few leaves to the ground. The gentle sway of high grass created a soft hiss as a brisk wind rustled through it. The wind reversed direction only for a moment—long enough for Austin to lift his nose and make sure he didn’t pick up any scents behind him. Austin had instructed Izzy not to shift, concerned her wolf might inadvertently kill the rogue they meant to capture alive.

Izzy began singing one of Jericho’s songs while she hung the feeder on the branch, making enough noise to wake the dead. She had a sense of humor, but she’d changed out of the bunny slippers and put on jeans and a sweatshirt doused in enough perfume that Austin was certain the wolves in Oklahoma could smell it.

He froze when he spotted a rogue up ahead. The white animal crouched low to the ground, stalking its prey. Austin tasted the air to catch his scent, but he was too far.

Izzy seemed oblivious as she continued singing, briefly peering over her shoulder at Austin. She had her fingers wrapped around the branch, preparing to loop on the feeder.

Meanwhile, just yards away, the rogue bared his sharp canines and stealthily advanced.

Austin patiently waited for an opportune time to strike.

The leaves rustled in the branches overhead, masking the sound of the approaching enemy as he stepped out of the thicket of trees and into the open.

Austin’s heart raced at a dizzying beat—pounding against his rib cage like a drum. He lowered his head, nails digging into the soft dirt, every muscle rippling with waves of energy.

The wolf charged, his paws kicking up dirt behind him as he moved like a bullet toward Izzy.

With lightning speed, she swung her legs up and straddled the branch. The wolf bit her pant leg, and Austin exploded into action.

Izzy shouted at the wolf, but Austin couldn’t understand what she was saying without concentrating. The second she shook him off and stood on top of the branch, Austin collided with the wolf, rolling end over end.

Austin felt a puncturing bite in his shoulder, and he yelped, returning the bite threefold.

While they circled each other, a second wolf caught his eye, skulking near a bramble patch that was usually dense with blackberries in the summertime.

A sharp crack sounded, and Izzy yelped, hitting the ground with a thud and landing on her back. Her hair splayed around her head like a halo of fire.

Austin shifted and seized the wolf’s throat. “Shift,” he commanded, channeling as much power as he could into his words. It was a risky move since there was no guarantee the wolf would comply—especially with blood in his mouth. As soon as the rogue shifted, Austin punched him in the face three times and knocked him out.

Prince and Church ran down the hill, eyes scanning the perimeter. When the second wolf caught their scent, he turned from Izzy and fled.

Church reached the bottom first. “I’ll track him!” he shouted, his body changing shape from man to wolf in a graceful shift. When his grey animal’s paws hit the ground, he took off at breakneck speed.

Prince rushed toward Izzy and knelt down. “Are you injured?”

She scowled, looking at the fallen branch behind her. “I think I broke my tailbone.”

While she did a quick shift to heal, Austin unraveled the rope Prince had brought and tied the rogue’s hands behind his back. He was a lanky fellow with scruffy hair on his chin, gaunt features, and a swelling eye.

It was a quick trip back to the house. Once inside, Austin dragged the hostage into the adjoining heat house.

To prevent a further scuffle, he moved one of the tables out of the way and roped the man’s ankles together.

Izzy surveyed the room, removing anything the rogue could use as a weapon. “Are you sure you knocked him out? Let me know if he comes around so I can show him my gratitude for ripping my good jeans.”

She bumped into Prince, who was entering the room from the long hallway.

“My associate should be here in a moment. He was waiting down the road on standby.” Prince nudged the rogue with his Italian-leather shoe. “He still hasn’t woken up?”

Austin folded his arms, thickening his biceps. “When I knock a man out, they’re
lucky
if they wake up.”

And he meant it. Austin had captured many men in his bounty hunter days, and he didn’t hold back on his punches.

The room had a musty smell, like old clothes that had been tucked away in a cedar chest for years. They used the heat house infrequently, so the natural smells of wood and linens had taken over. The living quarters were humble, yet provided occupants with everything they needed. At the entrance was a small bathroom on the left, a couch and television straight ahead, and a kitchenette against the far wall. To the right they had built a cubby area into the wall for the bed to give it a feel of privacy. Over the years, the women had added small touches to the room to give it personality. April’s books were inside the headboard shelf, Lexi chose the paintings, Naya always kept magazines in the drawers, Izzy hung a curtain to give the illusion of a window, and Maizy kept the kitchenette stocked. Some of the men were envious of the snacks they hoarded, which were off-limits.

Austin hiked up his jeans while the man roused from unconsciousness.

Prince strolled about the room and studied the Southwestern décor that Lynn had added.

Austin pulled a wooden chair out from a small desk and spun it around, sitting in front of the rogue, his arms draped over the back of the chair. “If you can hear me, you’re better off not screaming for help. Not unless you want a good skull-crushing.”