Taze (Rise of the Pride, Book 11)

by Theresa Hissong

  “Fuck, this is insane,” Taze said, shaking his head. The wolves were terrible fighters, and it proved the alpha was looking for numbers. He didn’t choose his victims wisely at all. Hopefully, one of the males would be able to give them information on the alpha’s whereabouts. With the mind control, they were brainwashed into not telling the Guardians anything. Holden Manzelli would give them his blood in a darkened room, connecting the rogues to him. He would send out his orders to them through his magic, and after that, they would be pumped full of Khat.

  By the time their reports were written, it was close to the end of their shift. The first rays of light were peeking over the horizon, and as Taze drove them back to the pride, he wondered if Calla was awake, watching the same thing.

  He was disappointed to see her home still empty when he arrived. Noah didn’t say anything as he left Taze standing in his driveway, staring down the road. He was exhausted, and he had to listen to the healer’s advice. Calla would be back.

  Chapter Ten

  Ten days…

  It took ten fucking days for Calla to return to the pride, and Taze gave no fucks about getting sleep for the day when he pulled into the pride that morning and saw Luna hugging her as they said their goodbyes at Calla’s door.

  “Noah, I have to stop,” Taze said as his body began to vibrate. “Evie, I’m sorry.”

  “I can walk from here,” Noah replied. Evie nodded but didn’t say anything as he pulled off the gravel drive in front of Calla’s house.

  “I’m good to walk, too.” Evie gave him a knowing look as she caught his eye in the rearview mirror.

  The two of them disappeared as soon as the truck came to a complete stop. Taze was out of the vehicle and at her porch a second later. Luna gave her a nod and slipped off the porch. Taze didn’t look over his shoulder to see if the female had made it to her house, because he couldn’t stop staring at his female.

  “Taze,” she said, stepping away from the threshold so he could enter without accidentally touching her.

  His panther snarled and paced inside his head to just touch her. It would only take an instant to complete the bond the animal was feeling.

  But instead, he froze on the doorstep, drinking her in like a man who’d found an oasis in the desert. She looked the same. He didn’t scent anything out of the ordinary on her, except for a slight burn of human-made chemicals. He couldn’t place the scent and chalked it up to something she was using for cleaning.

  “Do you want to come in?” she asked with a frown.

  The awkward silence between them was making his beast agitated. There were so many questions about her disappearance, he didn’t know where to start. She dropped her eyes to the ground and sighed, “I’m sorry. I had to leave the pride.”

  “Why?” he growled. He knew his eyes were throwing amber sparks when hers did the same thing in return. They were both fighting their need for each other.

  “I can’t say,” she replied. “Just know that it wasn’t for any bad reasons. I just needed some time alone.”

  “You can’t or won’t say?” he pressed.

  “Won’t.” she replied.

  He nodded and still couldn’t figure out what had happened. His eyes raked over her body, making sure she was telling him the truth. His eyes lingered on her exposed skin, looking for any damage, but there wasn’t a flaw to be found.

  She was perfect. She’d always been perfect.

  “My panther is not in a good headspace for you to be so close to me right now, Calla,” he admitted as he felt a push from the beast. “Your mating scent is heavy.”

  Her eyes widened with fear, but she quickly righted her features when he took a step toward her. He paused when she took a step back. “Why did my words just put fear in your eyes?”

  “I’m not ready,” she blurted.

  “I know that,” he scowled. “You know I’d never hurt you, right? I’d never raise a hand to you in anger.”

  “I know, Taze,” she admitted as her shoulders relaxed.

  “Your brother and I talked,” he added, holding out a hand toward her kitchen table. “Can we sit and talk?”

  Calla walked over and took a seat, crossing her legs and resting her forearms on the top of the table. “What did you two talk about?”

  “You, and our hatred of each other,” Taze explained with a violent curse. “There is something you and your brother are keeping secret from me…the pride. It’s obvious that it’s huge, and it’s killing me imagining what that could be. I can’t sleep during the day, and my temper is getting harder to control when I’m fighting Gadaí.”

  “Are you two still fighting?” she asked.

  “We’ve come to an impasse,” he shrugged. “We understand that our fighting is hurting you, and because we care for you, we’ve called a truce.”

  Taze didn’t go into the ass chewing he got from the healer. It was a hard pill to swallow when it came down to it, but his care for her was worth more than the differences between him and Malaki.

  “Thank the gods,” she whispered, releasing a heavy sigh.

  “Have you shifted at all since you were gone?” he asked, changing the subject. Now that she was home, safe and sound, he was going to do everything in his power to help her heal. The panic attacks were bad. He’d never seen anything like it.

  “No,” she replied with a shake of her head. With his question, her eyes sparked amber again, and he knew her beast was just under her skin, listening to his every word.

  “I was going to run this morning,” he said. “Would you like to go with me?”

  She hesitated for a moment, mulling over the idea of getting out of the house. He didn’t have to wait for her answer, because her eyes had completely changed over. “Yes, I would like that.”

  “I’ll meet you outside.” Taze left her to undress, giving her privacy. It wasn’t a matter of being embarrassed about being naked in front of each other, it was his way of showing her the respect she deserved.

  Outside, he stripped and shifted as he watched her front door. The panther nudged the door open and bit into the door knob to pull it closed.

  When the female approached him, he took a step back, giving her the lead in their morning run. The female panther glanced at the woods and back at him before lazily walking across the backyard to the alpha’s home. Once she reached the trailhead, the panther picked up speed and eventually took off at a dead run like it’d been trying to get out of its human skin for a very long time.

  Agent Murdock wrapped his arms around his woman. He’d done a lot of things to make sure her brother left him with the female when he returned to Somalia.

  “When are we going to do it?” she hummed, pressing her ass into his hardened cock. “I’m ready now.”

  She was always ready, but he would make her wait. He had plans for her, and giving in to her wasn’t one of them. The beautiful female was quite demanding, and eventually, she’d make the perfect bride.

  “It’s not time,” he replied. “I’m still getting things in order.”

  “I’m not legal to stay here until we do this,” she reminded him. Of course, she would bring that up.

  “Don’t worry about a thing,” he replied. “I’ll have your papers done in the next few weeks. Until then, you should go shopping and spend some time with the other females. They need a guiding hand.”

  He wasn’t sure she could keep his hidden identity secret with the wolves under his rule. They would have to be ordered to forget her name, only calling her “mistress”.

  “They don’t like me,” she pouted. “They’re focused on your jobs for them. If you’d turn me, I could lead them better.”

  He felt his canines thicken in his mouth at the thought of finally mating the female. He’d held back, and it was killing him to do so. The wolf that ruled him wanted more and more riches, and a pack that would help him take everything.

  He’d amassed a fortune already, but the panthers and FBI were taking so many newly changed wolves out o
f his hands, he was going to have to make more. Thankfully, the Khat he distributed was still flowing. They’d picked up one of his dealers, but the amount he had wasn’t enough to cripple his little business.

  With Magan at his side, and her brother supplying the drug from overseas, the rest would fall into place. His hidden identity was working out perfectly. The FBI was looking for a man with a fake name, and it’d kept him in business. The oils he drank kept his wolf scent suppressed long enough to be around the other shifters without being caught, and with that, he could scope out areas to hit after doing fake patrols with them.

  “I have a house I’d like for you to go look at,” he said, changing the subject from her need to be turned into a wolf. “It’ll be big enough for you to brag about to your friends back home, and it will rival your family’s riches.”

  “I’d like that,” she purred as she rolled over to kiss him. He wouldn’t mark her, but he’d bury himself in the female until it was time for him to put on that badge and do everything he could to keep the panthers off his trail.

  “Now, let’s forget about everything for a while,” he suggested, rolling Magan to her back. The female spread her legs easily and was always willing to take him into her body. Once she was changed, he would impregnant her to get an heir to his pack.

  The money her brother had offered to sell her off was just the beginning. When they had touched and he realized they were mates, it had set everything into motion. His people were already in place all over the world. When he’d turned several males who showed alpha abilities, he sent them to different areas, priming them to start their own Khat business, sending him a percentage of the profits. He’d made millions in a matter of months, and as long as the government was two steps behind him, he would eventually disappear with none the wiser.

  Calla’s panther ran with its head held high. The crisp morning air didn’t matter. She’d finally let the animal free after those days hidden in Savage’s cabin while she went through her yearly heat.

  She hated to lie to her brother and Taze, but it had to be done. At the end of her cycle, her beast had begged to run, but she held back because she didn’t know the area around the cabin well, and the last thing she needed to do was cross onto someone’s land and get shot.

  Letting her human mind relax as she ran wasn’t an option. It’d been many years of fighting with the beast to accept her presence. It was her own way of protecting herself. Even when she was training in her panther form, the human side was there, making the decisions for the beast.

  But as Taze kept pace with her through the woods and trails, she felt that control slipping. She pushed to keep her human mind focused on their walk, and she took note of how the male had positioned himself at her flank.

  The animal snarled and slowed its steps no matter how hard Calla’s human mind tried to stay on alert. It was getting harder and harder to let that side of her go. Before, when she was a lot younger, she’d always let the panther have the lead. It was something her mother had taught her when she’d made her first shift at the age of six. She was a late bloomer, apparently. Most cubs shifted right around their fifth birthday. The absence of her heat was just another thing to add to her growing list of oddities.

  Luna had assured Calla that she was in perfect shape, and the healer had come by around day five to check on her. He echoed his mate’s promise. A little part of Calla’s mind reminded her that when she was in training with the other females, she was ahead of the curve. Her abilities at tracking were better than any Guardian they had on staff, and that said a lot, because Savage could find a needle in a haystack. She was at the top of her classes, so far, and learning the human laws came with ease. She was a small female, like Evie, but she was quick, and with the Guardians’ help, she’d learned how to take out a male twice her size.

  As she got closer to her maturity, she had changed. She no longer cared to be in the training facility with the other males. She’d paid attention to a lot of the changes the shifters were experiencing when it came to protecting themselves. Shifter law was a shifter law, not a human one. Humans didn’t understand their animal nature, and if one of the species was caught killing a rogue wolf, their laws would imprison them with no regard to their need for an alpha or shifting. How would the human authorities handle that?

  So far, with Gabriel Jackson’s help, they were reforming the Gadai they had caught. Was that always going to work? And what would happen if Gabriel ran out of room? From the reports she’d heard, there were a lot more cities blowing up with rogues, and from her understanding, Cimarron, Colorado, was a ghost town with nothing more than a general store, a health clinic, and a small airstrip. The place was secluded, which gave them room to grow, but how many could the alpha handle?

  Her panther snarled to get her attention. They’d made it all the way back to the pond on the property where she was standing, staring out at the water. Calla had actually let her human mind mull over things while the panther walked alongside Taze.

  The beast sat on her rear as she looked over and saw him lying about three feet away. His beast was fast asleep, reminding her that he’d been working overnight. He’d also told her he’d been having trouble sleeping while she was away.

  Gods, how she wanted to accept the mating, but she was scared. Taze was a good male, and if she didn’t accept him, would they be able to live in the same pride forever without physical contact? She’d never known a couple to resist the mating pull for very long.

  The sound of several panthers barreling through the forest perked her ears up, and her head turned toward the sound. Her panther backed up and snarled when Taze came to his feet from a dead sleep, putting his panther body between her and the incoming teenage panthers.

  He snarled to get their attention, baring his canines at them as they came to a halt. There were three of them, not fully grown into their adult size. Her panther caught his mating scent as it sent out a warning to the males. They backed up slowly and turned toward the woods to make their way around to the other side of the lake. By the time the males splashed into the cold water, Taze’s panther had calmed, turning its eyes on her.

  Calla knew he should get home so he could sleep. She forced her animal to head back toward her house. Taze took up his protective stance at her flank, and by the time she arrived home, she’d relaxed more than she ever had when running through the woods.

  “You should go home and get some sleep,” she suggested as soon as she shifted and reached inside to grab her clothes. Taze had grabbed his jeans from the back of the truck and slipped his feet into his black combat boots. He didn’t put on his shirt, opting for his leather jacket. She had to look away when he ran his fingers through his hair. It brought the bottom of his jacket up, revealing a thick band of muscles that disappeared into his jeans. His abs were on full display and she licked her lips when her mouth watered from the sight.

  “I should,” he nodded.

  “Thank you for today,” she said as she added a sweatshirt. It was still cold outside, but Taze didn’t seem to mind. She stepped off her porch and walked toward his truck. “I haven’t had a chance to just run freely in a long time.”

  “Your beast was in control,” he reminded her.

  “Usually, she isn’t,” Calla admitted as she looked at her feet.

  “Why not?” he pressed, leaning against the side of his truck. He’d left his boots untied and when he crossed his ankles, something about the way he looked made her panther sit up and notice.

  “It’s been a constant fight with her over the past several years,” she admitted, wondering what she was telling him. “I always keep my human mind focused on what’s going on around us.”

  “I was protecting you…we were protecting you this morning,” he replied, his brow pushed forward. “I want you to always feel safe with me. I promise to always have your back, Calla.”

  “You always have,” she sighed. “Thank you, Taze.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  �
�Go home so you can sleep,” she ordered, looking up into his icy blue eyes. He was so much taller than her. It’d been a long time since she’d been that close to him and actually noticed his size. How the hell had she ever bested him in a fight before she quit?

  “I’ll talk to you later tonight,” he promised and walked around to get into his truck. He waited until she was back inside before leaving.

  She caught herself watching him until he arrived at his cabin, and she didn’t close the blinds until he was safely in his house.

  Chapter Eleven

  Malaki knocked heavily on her door. He finally stopped by during his lunch break from working the gate. He’d been surprised to see her pull up to the pride’s land that morning, but his surprise turned to a bit of anger and worry.

  “Where have you been?” he bellowed the moment his foot crossed the threshold.

  “Come in and have a seat,” she suggested. “I’ll make you some lunch.”

  “No, I don’t want to eat, Calla,” he growled. “I want answers.”

  “I left because I couldn’t be at the pride,” she answered honestly. She grabbed a plate out of her oven that she’d kept hot for him since she knew he’d be coming by on his break, stopping at the refrigerator to grab a bottled water. He cursed, but removed his hat and took a seat. “Eat and listen.”

  “I’m listening,” he huffed and took his seat. He picked up the piece of chicken and took a bite. Once she was satisfied he had something to do with his mouth and hands, she came clean with her whereabouts.

  “I had gone into my yearly heat,” she blurted. “It was best for me to do it on my own, away from the pride.”

  “Fuck, Calla,” he mumbled, sadness rolling over his features. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t want you to know,” she admitted. “It was my first time, and the healer helped me secure a place I would be safe. Luna kept me sedated and brought me food.”