Slade's Desire (White River Wolves Series, #2)
Read Slade's Desire (White River Wolves Series, #2) Online
Authors: Dawn Sullivan
Tags: #Shifters, #Shifter Romance, #Paranormal Romance, #Romantic Suspense, #Wolves
Slade’s Desire
––––––––
––––––––
Dawn Sullivan
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events or persons, living or dead are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or featured names are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or in part, mechanically or electronically, constitutes a copyright violation. Published in the United States of America in January 2016; Copyright 2016 by Dawn Sullivan. The right of the Authors Name to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by them in accordance with The Copyright, Designs and Patent Act of 1988.
Published by Dawn Sullivan
Cover Design: Kari Ayasha-Cover to Cover Designs
Photographer: Mandy Hollis Photography
Models: Julio Elving and Ashley Edmund
Copyright 2016 © Author Dawn Sullivan
Language: English
Dedication
F
or all of my wonderful readers. When I began my writing journey just over a year and a half ago, I never would have dreamed I would be where I am today. Always follow your dreams. You never know where you will end up! Thank you so much for your continued support. It means the world to me.
S
o, this was where they had taken his woman
, he thought snidely, as he slowly tracked the activity at the White River Wolves compound from where he was hidden on a bluff just half a mile from his prey. There were several buildings throughout the large property, along with a number of houses scattered on the outskirts of the small town. Some of the buildings he could tell were apartments because of the balconies on the second and third floors, along with the open curtains showing him exactly what was inside. Another one looked like an office building sporting blinds on all of the windows, most of which were also open. He knew shifters liked the wide, open spaces. They hated being confined in any small area, which was why all of the blinds were wide open for the world to see inside. They were either very confident that their homes would not be compromised, or very stupid.
There was another large building beyond the offices that he assumed was a hospital, because he had watched a couple of people arrive for work in scrubs just over an hour ago. That one was too far away to see inside from where he lay behind a large rock, and from his angle, it was mostly blocked by an apartment building.
The compound was surrounded by a tall chain-linked fence, stretching out over hundreds of acres. As far as he could tell, the fence was only on three sides of the land. It stopped where the mountains on the backside of the property began a few miles from the town. The fence seemed to be more of a deterrent than anything, because there was no way the pack would be able to watch that many acres of land closely enough that nothing could slip past them.
Readjusting his binoculars, he zoomed in on the lone wolf racing through the woods just half a mile from where he was hidden. Sunlight glistened off the huge animal’s dark grey coat as he jumped lightly over a fallen tree, heading in the direction of the buildings. There was a small patch of dark brown fur on his chest, and another on his nose and the tips of his ears. Most people would see a beautiful, majestic animal, but all he saw was an abomination. Something that should never had been allowed to live in the first place.
There was another wolf with what looked like identical coloring and markings further out, running toward the first one. They had made the same loop several times since he had been there, obviously watching for any enemies that may be a threat to the people in the compound.
People,
he grunted to himself.
They weren’t people. They were nothing but fucking animals. Animals that needed to be put down.
Narrowing his eyes, he quickly swept the binoculars over the area surrounding the two wolves. No one else was in the vicinity. It was early morning, so they were probably all still in bed or eating their breakfast; oblivious to the fact that he was stalking them. Yes, that was exactly what he was doing, stalking all of the disgusting creatures in their own homes. Chuckling to himself, he put down the binoculars and picked up his sniper rifle. It would be so easy to pick them all off one by one...and he should. They had taken what belonged to him, the only thing that mattered to him, and there was no way he was going to let them get by with it. He wanted her back, and he would have her...soon.
The more he thought about how the bastards had stolen his woman from him, the angrier he became. They had taken her when he was gone, hunting down a couple of escaped women for his boss. If he’d been there, he had no doubt that she would still be with him. He owned her, dammit! He fucking
owned
her. He’d paid his boss ten thousand dollars for her, and he was taking back his possession, he didn’t care who he had to kill along the way.
Fighting to calm himself, he called on his many years of training. He had been a hired assassin for over fifteen years. He knew how to look deep inside himself and connect to that part that allowed him to become unemotional and detached until the mission was complete. After several moments, he peered back through his scope and saw the wolves had almost reached each other. Making a quick decision, he pulled the trigger, laughing as the dark grey wolf fell to the forest floor. The other wolf howled loudly in distress as it quickly closed the distance between them. Pleasure coursed through him as he watched the devastation unfolding before him. Grinning in satisfaction, he slowly and methodically began taking apart the sniper rifle before putting it away in its case. Enclosing his binoculars in their bag, he picked up his belongings and walked away without a backward glance.
Soon
, he told himself, his woman would be with him again soon.
A
iden Andrews howled loudly, the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he ran swiftly to where his twin brother lay bleeding out on the ground. Fear for Xavier consumed him as Aiden watched dark red blood begin to pool on the ground beneath his body. Skidding to a stop beside the large wolf, Aiden looked around, baring his teeth in warning at any unforeseen danger, before shifting quickly. Anticipating more shots to come, he gathered Xavier in his arms and moved as quickly as possible to the buildings in the distance.
This could not be happening. He refused to lose his brother like this. Aiden was the oldest, only by a few minutes, but he still felt responsible for Xavier. Since it was just the two of them, it was his job to protect his brother. He should have been the one to take that bullet, not Xavier. Struggling to carry the two hundred pound wolf in his arms as he ran, Aiden growled deeply when he stumbled, almost dropping his precious cargo.
Not much further
, he told himself, as he rushed past the first set of apartment buildings. He just had to get to Doc Josie. She would know what to do.
Ignoring the shocked looks he received as he ran bare ass naked through the compound carrying his unconscious brother, Aiden started yelling for the doctor as soon as the hospital came into sight. Stopping briefly to adjust his hold on the wolf, he snarled when someone tried to take Xavier from him. Xavier was his brother, his responsibility, and he had failed to protect him. How the hell had someone gotten to him? They had been on patrol, and had split off to do one last round before they were relieved by Sable and Charlotte. What had they missed?
“It’s just me, Aiden,” Chase Montgomery said soothingly, as he once again tried to take Xavier from him. “Let me help you get him to the hospital.”
Aiden’s nostrils flared as he breathed in his Alpha’s scent. “It’s Xavier,” Aiden rasped, clutching his brother tightly to his chest, refusing to release him to anyone, not even the pack Alpha. “Someone fucking shot him, Chase,” he growled, his voice full of anger and pain. “Someone shot my brother. When I find the fucker, he will wish it was me he shot instead.” The last was said with purpose. Xavier was the only family Aiden had. He would do anything for him. If Xavier didn’t make it...shaking his head, Aiden pushed the thought from his mind. Xavier was tough, he
would
make it. Aiden refused to believe otherwise.
Chase’s eyes grew dark with fury. Reaching out, he ran a hand gently down Xavier’s head before responding, “You take care of your brother, Aiden. I will find the son of a bitch who shot him.” When Aiden would have protested, Chase promised, “I will keep you informed on everything I find, but right now Xavier needs you. Trust me, son, the person who shot your brother will suffer just as much, if not more, when I get my hands on him.”
Nodding, his dark eyes filled with barely controlled rage, Aiden stepped around his Alpha and hurried to the hospital. Doc Josie, the physician for the White River Wolves, was waiting just inside the front doors for him. “This way, Aiden. Quickly,” she ordered as she ran down the hall and through a door marked surgery.
Aiden followed, terrified because the ragged breathing from Xavier had slowed and almost stopped. After pushing his way through the swinging doors, he gently placed Xavier on the cold metal of the operating table in the middle of the room. Xavier’s body shuddered as he coughed, a small trail of blood leaking from his muzzle. Blood coated the table as it seeped from the wound in his chest.
“You need to wait in the lobby area, Aiden,” the doctor instructed as she donned surgical gloves. “I will come see you as soon as I know anything.”
“I’m staying,” Aiden snarled. He didn’t want to leave Xavier. He was afraid if he did, if his brother didn’t hear his voice yelling at him and pushing him to fight, Xavier wouldn’t make it. And that just wasn’t an option. His brother had to live.
Stopping in front of Aiden, Doc Josie glared at him. “Get the hell out of my operating room right now Aiden Andrews. I can’t do my job with you looking over my shoulder. If you want your brother to have a fighting chance, you need to go, now.” Aiden’s body shook as he stared at his brother over her shoulder. Relenting slightly at the fear in Aiden’s eyes, she told him softly, “Go, Aiden. I promise I will come get you as soon as I’m done.”