Nafarius gave a quiet woof, sending Roland and the others into the woods. With one last look back, he turned and disappeared.
****
Craig lay flat in the bush, his muzzle resting between his paws and his ears pressed flat against his skull. He'd arrived at Nafarius' den just in time to see the small group disappear in the direction of Roslyn.
Excitement stroked his insides, and anticipation flooded his veins. Scooting backwards, Craig wiggled out from under the bush and turned towards home. Dimitri had ordered Sam destroyed but left the particulars to Craig. Resigned to waiting, Craig had expected to watch Nafarius and his mate, hoping for the opportunity to catch the female alone. But a trip to Roslyn opened the door on so many possibilities.
It didn't take a genius to know why Nafarius was headed to Roslyn. Dimitri had spoiled their hunting grounds, leaving the pack in a bind with winter fast approaching. Their best bet was to purchase meat in town, hauling it back and storing it for the first part of the season.
Craig grinned, lips pulled back from his muzzle as he settled into a steady lope and passed the pack house. Away from the main pack, Sam would be vulnerable, easy to get to. Crossing through Dimitri's territory would shave off half a day's journey, and give Craig plenty of time to get into Roslyn ahead of Nafarius and the others.
He knew exactly where the small pack of wolves would go first. The location of Nafarius' warehouse was no secret. In fact, both packs owned real estate in Roslyn. While Nafarius' predecessor had chosen a large warehouse in the industrial section, Dimitri had opted for a small homestead on a large piece of land. Both afforded their owners the necessary anonymity.
Craig pushed hard, running late each night to reach Roslyn. Heading to the empty homestead, Craig shifted and dressed quickly before gathering up supplies.
Grabbing the Winchester from the rack on the wall, Craig checked the barrel before emptying the safe of ammunition. Humans weren't the only ones that subscribed to the notion of better hunting through modern technology.
Cradling the rifle, Craig passed through the house on his way to the garage. The old rotary phone was nailed to the wall. Avocado green, it contrasted harshly with the faded pink wallpaper of the kitchen.
Spying the phone, Craig hesitated. Jones was sure to want to know about Dimitri's orders, especially since they conflicted with the Agency's agenda. The interest in Nafarius, Sam and Roland had been clear, and information on the triad was considered valuable.
Craig stared at the worn dial on the phone and ran his hand down the rifle's barrel. The wood was smooth and warm, the weapon a familiar weight against his shoulder. A call now would alert Jones and the others to the fact that they were about to lose one of their prime targets. Jones would order Craig not to take the shot and to leave Nafarius and the others for the Agency.
Leaving Craig to deal with Dimitri. Alone.
Craig turned his back on the phone, settling the rifle more firmly against his shoulder and walking back to the garage. Dust motes hovered in the air, disturbed by his passing. Glancing outside through dirt-coated windows, Craig saw that weeds had sprouted up through cracks in the driveway. The fields were overgrown with grass and the mailbox was missing from its stake in the ground. How long had it been since Dimitri last brought the pack down off the mountain?
Closing the door between the house and the garage, Craig tossed the rifle and ammunition into the trunk of the late model sedan before slipping into the driver's seat and backing down the driveway. One nice thing about Roslyn? Not even the cops would question the rifle in the trunk.
The warehouse wasn't far from the homestead. Nothing was far in Roslyn, the residents of the small town huddling close together. Say what you would, humans were still pack animals. The fact that they walked upright and had opposable thumbs did nothing to change their true nature.
Parking along the street that separated the industrial district from downtown, Craig got out of the car. Taking a moment to look around, he noted the closed stores and empty streets. It was late morning and most of the shops wouldn't open for another hour. Perfect.
Craig slipped down a side street. Hurrying by old cement structures and in between buildings, he made it to the edge of town unseen. Glancing back once, Craig made sure no one was near as he stepped off the street and into the trees.
Circling the south side of town, Craig quickly located Nafarius' warehouse. A look through his scope identified two entrances, a single door at the back of the building and the warehouse bay doors at the front. Knowing Nafarius' pack was traveling light and fast, Craig estimated they would make for the back of the building, entering through the single door rather than the bay doors.
Having identified the pack's likely point of entry, Craig circled back around until he found the perfect place to set up. He guessed the pack was less than a half of day's run behind him and should arrive within the next couple of hours.
All Craig had to do was wait.
CHAPTER SIX
Pie, Pie, I Love Pie...
Two days later, Nafarius bounded down the last ridge, leaping over deadwood with Sam by his side. The others were spread out behind him, Roland guarding the rear as they covered the last of the distance to Roslyn. The sleepy little town was nestled at the base of the mountain pass. Quiet and quaint, it was too small for most tourists to bother stopping, which made it the perfect place for the pack.
Anxious to get inside, Nafarius left the others at the tree line. Darting around to the back of the warehouse, he slipped inside a small, doorless shed that he had added to the property and shifted.
A ten-key pad installed at the back door of the warehouse eliminated the need for keys - or a place to carry them. Still naked, Nafarius quickly keyed in the seven digit code, popping the door and slipping inside.
Roland waited with the others, eyes and ears alert. This side of town was mostly deserted, the warehouses rundown and abandoned. Still, it wouldn't do for an unsuspecting human to come across a small pack of wolves sitting placidly at the edge of town.
A shrill whistle suddenly pierced the air, Roland's head lifting as Nafarius signaled the all clear. Nudging Natasha ahead of him, Roland kept his eyes on the surrounding area as they sprinted to the back side of the warehouse.
Catching sight of Sam's black coat, Craig shifted the butt of the rifle against his shoulder and eased his finger on to the trigger. The small pack of wolves darted around the side of the building and trotted down Craig's line of sight, Sam in the lead. Craig's finger flexed, putting pressure on the trigger, only to stop when a flash of silver cut across the scope.
"Bitch!" Craig whispered fiercely, recognizing Natasha's silver coat as she crowded Sam and followed the alpha female into the warehouse.
Easing back from the scope, Craig examined the warehouse. Made up of sheet metal and glass, the large square structure housed a row of windows on what was likely the second floor. If he moved to higher ground he
might
be able to catch sight of his target through one of the windows. Weighing his chances of success against the likelihood that Sam and the others would eventually exit out the back, Craig once again lowered his eye to the scope.
Nafarius held the door for Roland and the others, Sam and Natasha the first ones inside. He waited patiently as everyone shifted, handing out jeans and t-shirts as one by one they gained their feet.
"Roland, get the SUV ready, we'll need it to - " Nafarius was cut off as a small black wolf darted across the warehouse floor. "Sam, you need to shift." Once in town, they risked being seen by humans, or worse, hunters.
Sam stopped, sitting back on her haunches and looking up at Nafarius.
"Sam..." Nafarius growled a warning, unease turning to concern as bright, green eyes regarded him but she made no move to shift.
Roland glanced over at where Nafarius stood staring down at Sam. The male was frowning down at his mate, concern slowly filling the pack bond.
"What's wrong?" Natasha asked, pulling her shirt over her head and wiggling into her jeans.
Roland didn't take his eyes off of Sam. "Too much time as a wolf," he said quietly. Inside, his wolf paced restlessly. Too easily, the animal could connect with the alpha female, his wolf calling for her to run.
Catching movement to his right, Roland shook his head when Declan would have stepped forward, his intent to help. Too many people would just confuse the animal, making it harder for Sam to surface and shift.
Natasha followed his gaze. Head cocked, Sam sat staring up at her mate. "But it's only been three days."
"She's newly made," Roland reminded her, ignoring the rising wild call that was emanating from Sam's wolf. "This is the longest she's gone without shifting."
The bell toll of metal striking concrete rang in the distance, the sound breaking the tense silence. Sam darted off to investigate.
Nafarius snagged his mate as she started past, ignoring her sudden snarl of surprise as he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. Squatting down and pulling her in face to face, it was all Nafarius could do not to shake her. "Sam! I know you're in there..."
"Sam," Maddie pleaded, kneeling down beside Nafarius and burying her fingers in her alpha's fur.
Seeming to sense Maddie's distress, Sam leaned up and licked at the female's chin.
Mine
.
Ours
?
Nafarius searched the mate bond, a spike of fear searing his gut. He could feel Sam's wolf, the animal curious and happy, but no Sam.
The small black wolf left off licking Maddie, her green gaze shifting to where Nafarius knelt. Nuzzling his neck, she whimpered softly.
Mine
?
Ours
.
Sam laid down on her belly, her eyes darting back and forth between Nafarius and Maddie. Slowly, her body shifted, her human form painstakingly overtaking the animal.
"Well that was new and different," Sam panted as she tried pushing herself off the floor. The world was slow to snap back into place, shades of gray gradually morphing into a palette of color.
Nafarius scooped up his mate, cradling her against his chest and burying his face in her neck. "My fault," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I didn't think - "
"Shhhh..." Sam cooed, wrapping her arms around her mate and holding him tight. She could still feel his fear at not being able to find her along the mate bond, his spike of panic reaching her when nothing else did. "I'm here."
Roland turned away, relief mixing with a sense of loss he didn't care too examine to closely.
Nafarius carried his mate to the back of the warehouse and up the stairs to the loft. He couldn't bring himself to set her down, instead sitting on the edge of the bed and settling her on his lap.
"I'm sorry I frightened you," Sam whispered, Nafarius' big body shuddering in her arms.
"Don't apologize," Nafarius said, easing back and searching her face. "I was in such a rush and I never stopped to think..."
"I don't know what happened," Sam said, trying to understand. She remembered leaving the den, running with Nafarius and the others. The first night had been an experience, her first time spending the night as a wolf, curled up with the rest of the pack for warmth. After that, things started to blur. "I just sort of slipped away."
Nafarius nodded. "It's the risk of going feral," he said. Needing to touch her, he brushed the hair back from her face, running his hands over her shoulders and down her arms.
"But none of you had any trouble," Sam said, leaning into Nafarius' touch as she started to shiver with the realization of just how close she'd come to losing herself.
Nafarius pulled Sam back into his arms. Grabbing a blanket from the bottom of the bed, he wrapped it around her. "Most of us know how to slip into the background without letting our wolf take over completely." The ability allowed their human forms to rest even while their animals worked covering long distance like that between their den and Roslyn.
"I should have prepared you better," Nafarius said, guilt chewing its way down the mate bond. "Or made time to stop and let you shift for short periods." Such a stupid mistake, so easily avoided if he'd just been thinking instead of rushing to get them to Roslyn.
"Don't," Sam said, leaning back. Taking Nafarius' face in her hands, she brushed her thumbs across the tender skin under his eyes. "This isn't your fault - "
"I wasn't watching out for you," Nafarius said, taking her hands in his and pressing a kiss to her palms.
"You have a lot on your mind," Sam said. She could feel his guilt, understood that he felt like he'd failed her.
"That should never keep me from taking care of you," Nafarius said.
"You did take care of me," Sam insisted. "You brought me back - "
"You never should have been at risk in the first place," Nafarius growled, his wolf equally unhappy.
"Make me a deal," Sam said, once again taking his face in her hands. "When this is all over, we'll sit down and go through the 101 things every werewolf should know."
Nafarius smiled. Guilt still slid down the mate bond but it was tempered by the fact that his mate was sitting on his lap.
"Okay?" Sam asked.
"Not even close," Nafarius said. "But it will be."
Sam smiled, getting her first look around. "This wasn't exactly what I pictured when you said the pack had a place in town."
"You don't like it?" Nafarius asked, instinctively reaching for her when she slipped off his lap, his hands fisting on empty air. It took everything he had to let her go.
Sam walked over to the banister, looking down from the loft to the warehouse floor below. "Hey, that's my car!"