Authors: Kassanna
The tank wobbled under her feet when she landed on it.
She flipped around and decided to go out the window backward. Fre 69
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shimmied, slipping her arms out first then, planting her hands on both side of the exterior, she pulled herself up. Almost out, she prayed her luck held as she moved and got stuck.
What the hell? She wiggled, vowing to herself she would never eat another honey bun again. Sweat beaded on her temples and her biceps strained as she pushed against the wall. The stucco bit into her palms and the windows metal edges bit into her hips. She slapped the wall in frustration and her hands stung. Past the point of caring, she grunted and heaved, scraping her ass as she tumbled backward into the grass. Jumping up, she rubbed her butt cheeks and glanced around. A quick pat of her pockets and waist, she ducked, running for the tree line.
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Chapter Ten
Rhys sat at his desk. His elbows were parked on both sides of the papers he was reading, new contracts from allies of the United States. He heard giggles, looked up, and saw Keen streak past. Watching as his son threw off his shirt, he rose out of his chair and went to the doorway. Keen stopped long enough to lose his pants before he resumed his activity. Rhys turned his head to see his brothers come laboring down the hall. He looked back at Keen as his son shifted in midstride. He chuckled to himself. Ever since the boy had turned six and discovered he could change, Rhys was having a hard time keeping him in his human form.
The puppy skidded on the tile and worked his legs for traction. Once he got a foothold, he shot down the next passage. Rhys leaned on the doorjamb and waited for Boris and Myka. They stopped and looked up, large smiles evident on their faces. Myka dropped a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Just tell us, Rhys, which form Keen’s in and what direction he took?” Myka’s eyes twinkled.
“I take it Fre finally came out of the bathroom?” Myka and Boris looked at each other, speaking in unison. “Ah…No.” Rhys scrubbed his knuckles across his chin. “So if you’re here, where is she?”
“Still in the bathroom, I think,” Boris answered before shrugging.
“If my mate is not in the room, or the general vicinity, I will have both your heads.” Rhys straightened and turned on his heel, jogging to his wing. He didn’t trust her to stay within the protection of his home. He’d seen the panic in her eyes this morning. Rhys started to run.
Colin came out of his office and bumped into him. He pushed past his father and heard his dad ask his brothers, “What’s wrong with Rhys?” He wasn’t sure which one of his siblings answered. All her heard as he turned 71
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into the next hall was, “Don’t know. I think it’s mate issues.” Rhys shook his head in agitation as he reached his room. The door was wide open and the tables were overturned. Clothes were strewn across the floor. His heart stopped. He rushed to the bathroom door and without thinking, kicked it in. A breeze blew in through the open window.
He raised his head and sniffed. Fre’s distinct scent of oranges mingled with the various others that had been in and out of his room throughout the day.
Someone had dared to come in and take his mate. He dropped his head back and bayed, alerting the pack. He could hear the others running his way. Boris was the first one through the doorway and Rhys didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his fingers around his brother’s throat and hefted the big guy up against the door. The barrier split in two from the weight being thrust at it.
“All you had to do was watch her.” His claws cut into the soft skin of Boris’s neck. Blood made his grip slip. He slid his hand up and pulled his arm back to slam Boris back into the broken wood.
Boris narrowed his eyes. “That all you got,
little
brother?” Boris threw his left arm up, breaking the hold then threw his right fist, connecting with Rhys jaw. Rhys stumbled back a few steps.
Rhys didn’t stop his animal. Claws extended from his fingertips. He charged his brother, whose own arms were covered in fur. Boris had stiletto-sharp nails of his own. Colin stepped between them. “Enough!” His voice boomed over the grunts and growls.
Both men stopped and turned animal eyes on their father.
“I swear you boys got the stupid gene from your mother’s side,” Colin rasped. “I’m getting too old for this shit.” Rhys inhaled deeply, forcing his animal back. Fre’s scent wrapped around him, his only thought getting to his mate. Colin called his name to get his attention. His wolf paced within him.
Fuck them. Find her and kill
the bastards that have her
. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and hear what Colin had to say.
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“Where is Lori?” Rhys spoke over his dad.
Once again, his room was full of pack members and house staff. They all looked back and forth between each other. Myka shoved his way through the crowd. “She’s not here. I went to her set of rooms looking for Keen.”
“Find her now!” Rhys yelled. People hustled.
Boris clamped a big hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Rhys. Let’s go find your mate.
***
Fre took the same path she’d taken the day before. She knew she had a head start but they were wolves for Christ’s sake. It wouldn’t take them long to find her, and Rhys was positively scary with the possessive look he had in his eyes that morning. She licked her lips and tried to behave casually as she walked down the town sidewalk. Citing her mantra in her head,
keep calm, keep calm, just keep fucking calm
, she pressed her hands into her side pockets. Couldn’t animals smell fear? She smiled as she passed other folks on the sidewalk.
Her stomach grumbled as the scent of fried food wafted to her nose.
She ignored the smell. She could eat when she got to a rest stop and a good hundred miles out of town. It was already well into the afternoon, and she was on foot.
Keep walking
, she told herself during her internal conversation. Her neck itched as if she was being watched. Fre scratched her throat and maintained her stride.
***
“Be ready. I’m heading toward your hotel now.”
“I’m ready. Are we picking up Fre?” Wallis’s tone escalated a notch.
“Not exactly. Scar challenged your right. You will have to fight for your mate,” Roman answered quietly.
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Wallis took a deep breath. “Okay, I had an idea he would. What are the stipulations?”
“I induced the gauntlet. First he has to fight four of your pack mates.
That should take some of the wind out of him,” Roman added.
“Is there anything else?” Wallis dropped into the chair in his hotel room.
“You fight in Volkshire, and it is a fight to the death.” Wallis wiped his face with his hand and his palm grazed his bandaged throat. “Okay.”
“This is good, Wallis. While we are in pack circle, I will have my other men meeting our contact to bring Keen home to Black Mountain.
When you win, we will all have what we want and Scar will be dead.” Wallis swallowed and grimaced from the pain. “Yeah,” he mumbled.
“If I win.”
“I’ll be at your motel in a half hour. I thought I’d surprise Scar with our promptness.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Wallis ended the call and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He shook the pack and realized it was empty. The cellophane crackled as he balled it up. With a growing frustration, he tossed the empty packet across the room.
He rose from his seat and stalked the room, stopping in front of the dresser mirror. He stared at the bandage wrapped around his throat. The white gauze was tinged pink where the wound was. Fre was his. He saw her first; he’d have her. He might have to do a little killing but he’d killed before. Wallis raised his hands and flexed them, allowing the claws to flick out the pads of his fingertips. Yes, he’d kill again to wake up to the smell of oranges every morning. Turning away from his reflection, he grabbed his overnight bag and pushed the few belonging he had with him in it. Tossing the strap on his shoulder, he exited his room and went in search of food, his step lighter than it had been in days. After tonight he’d sate his hunger in his Fre.
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***
Rhys stood at the copse of trees that circled his property. Fre’s sent was strongest in that particular spot. Slowly, he started to unbutton his shirt.
“Son, you have a pack challenge tonight you should be preparing.” His father stopped next to him.
“What is there to do, Dad? I show up, I fight, I kill.” He dropped the shirt to the grass.
“Your brothers will find her.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but considering they lost her in the first place I’m not sure I trust that they’ll locate her. Plus I told them to focus on finding Keen.” Rhys kicked of his boots.
“Boris and Myka won’t fail you.”
“I can’t lose my mate and my son, Dad. I won’t.” He pushed his jeans over his hips and shifted.
Without a backward glance, he ran into the woods. Wind whipped across his muzzle as he took in, evaluated, and dismissed the various scents. He jumped a fallen tree and water flew up as he traversed the stream behind it. His son’s smell wafted to his nostrils. He turned his head and caught the briefest smell of oranges. It was there and gone. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The boy adored Fre. He’d bet money Keen was following her. Changing direction, he followed his son’s trail. Amber rays shined through branches and he picked up speed. Darkness would be falling soon.
Racing through the forest, he skidded to a stopped at the edge of the road into town. Rhys used the foliage as his camouflage as he walked the along the road. He rounded the bend and met up with his brothers in animal form. He pushed past them to see what they were staring at.
Fre stood behind the town sign, occasionally stomping her feet. He guessed she was trying to stay warm. With the onset of nightfall the temperature had dropped. Every now and then, she would peek around the 75
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sign as if she was expecting someone. Rhys changed into his human form and waited for his brothers to do the same.
“Wonder what she’s waiting for?” Myka voiced the question.
“She’s human. Who knows? They tend to do strange things,” Boris answered. He turned to face Rhys. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her.”
Rhys shook his head. “I want to see what she’s up to.” Boris and Myka settled into their spots. Myka added, “That might take a while.”
“You’ll live.” Rhys tone was dry. “Have you two seen Keen?”
“I thought I spotted him in the bushes behind her. I tracked him here.
You need to teach that boy how to hide his scent. Now that he can shift, he needs to start training with the older boys,” Boris reprimanded his brother.
“Take it up with Colin. He doesn’t want to let the boy grow up,” Rhys shared.
Myka snorted. “Yeah, blame it on Dad.”
Boris and Rhys spoke at the same time. “Shut up, Myka.” All three men quieted at the sound of a car engine. They rose up, peering out into the road. Car headlights flowed over the sign and Fre stepped from behind it. The sedan stopped and she walked up to it.
“Ah, brother, there might be a human that has a previous claim on your mate.” Myka chuckled.
Rhys growled.
“Wait. Do you smell that?” Boris lifted his chin.
“Fruit. Oranges, vanilla, and…strawberries?” Rhys listed the scents.
The car door slid open and a petite woman with riotous curls in a multitude of neon colors jumped out of the automobile. She bounced up and down, then grabbed Fre when she was within arm’s length and hugged her. They broke apart and started talking over each other.
“Oh shit. Your mate goes both ways, Scar,” Myka sounded excited.
“You lucky dog.”
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“I swear, Myka, I will stuff your face in the mud if you don’t shut up.” Rhys leaned forward to hear their conversation.
“Regardless, her friend smells”— Boris inhaled deeply— “delicious.”
“She does smell good. Like Rhys said, fruity.” Myka sniffed again.
“Not just fruity. Like strawberries and champagne.”
“We’re going to hell in a hand basket. Not you too,” Myka commented.
Rhys ignored the commentary and watched as the two walked toward the car. A smallish wolf burst from the bushes. The animal growled and he knew exactly who it was—Lori. The animal pulled her lips back to expose her canines and snapped her jaws at Fre. Fre reached behind the small of her back while her friend ran to the vehicle, snatched open the back door, and reached into the backseat.
The woman pulled out a shotgun and walked around the rear of the car while cocking the gun. She raised her arm, braced the weapon in her shoulder, and took aim. Boris groaned.