Taze (Rise of the Pride, Book 11)

by Theresa Hissong

  “Do you have an update for me?” Kye asked the moment the usually quiet Guardian answered.

  “We are searching for the vehicle, but I am blind, man,” Storm answered. The male’s voice was still shaky, and Kye wondered why the male wasn’t his usual focused self.

  “Are you okay?” Kye’s instincts told him something was wrong with the Guardian. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think the male was trying his hardest not to go feral. Holy fuck!

  “I have to find her,” Storm repeated for the hundredth time.

  “Is that female your mate?” Kye asked, seeing his brother and Landon turn their heads in his direction. “If she is, Storm, I need to know.”

  “I…I don’t know, man,” he stuttered. “I’ve only seen her once. Yes…maybe?”

  “Hang tight, man,” Kye said, turning toward his brother and making a circling motion with his finger. “We are calling in other Guardians.”

  “Thank you,” the male sighed after a few tense moments of silence. “The sheriff is with us. I’m going to keep searching.”

  “I’ll give everyone the information I have,” Kye promised, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Storm?”

  “Yeah?” he growled.

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” he warned. “We will find her.”

  “For the sake of my sanity, I hope we do.”

  Kye hung up and turned toward his brother. They shared a knowing look between them, and Talon closed his eyes for a second and sighed when he reopened them. He must’ve sent out a calming presence to his Guardian. He shook his head and placed the phone to his ear, calling his right-hand man, Winter Blue.

  “Winter, we have a problem,” Talon began. “It’s possible one of our own has been taken by the Gadaí.”

  Taze sped toward Landon’s practice. Everyone was gathered there, making plans to find one of his employees, Amaya Bradley. She’d been kidnapped by what they believe was a member of the Gadaí.

  If it was true, the war had found its way out of Memphis and into the neighboring town where the Shaw pride lived. His thoughts immediately went to Calla, and he shot off a text to her, hoping she had stayed at his place after he left. She’d fallen asleep in his bed again after three constant hours of studying for her next exam.

  Stay at my house and do not go anywhere until I get home. I’ll explain later. Call in sick to work when you wake up.

  He checked the clock, noting it was just after three in the morning. Calla would be asleep for another few hours, and he could focus on finding Amaya.

  Apparently, Storm had shown some anxiety when word got out the female had been taken by a possible rogue. Taze didn’t know anything about the two of them, but from what he understood, Storm had only met her once, and it was briefly. The sheriff was with the male, helping him search, but they hadn’t found anything matching the vehicle Kye had described from the video. He knew how the male felt. If it were Calla who’d gone missing, he would be anxious, too.

  As the night turned into day, they were still without any information on the vehicle or Amaya’s whereabouts. Storm had to return to the pride on an order from the alpha. The day team was tasked with searching the area, and the local police were brought in to assist.

  “My men will be on the lookout, but without any further information, it’s going to be tough,” Garrett advised. “And before you ask, I haven’t had any visions. It could be that your speculations of the male being a wolf are true, or since Amaya is not part of the pride and human, I am blind to anything that happens to her. I know she’s considered part of your family, but she isn’t one of you by blood.”

  “Thank you for your help,” Taze said, shaking the male’s hand. “Keep us posted.”

  The sheriff left the parking lot as Diesel and Ranger arrived with a new door for the building. The new veterinarian who’d taken over for Landon had already been notified, and she stood in front of the male as they made a new plan for everyone’s safety.

  “You heading home?” Evie asked, covering a yawn with the back of her hand.

  “Yes, I need to get back to Calla,” he told her.

  “How is she?” Evie asked with a lowered voice. Calla and Evie had once been inseparable, and it was obvious the female missed her friend.

  “She’s actually doing better,” he advised, removing his keys. “I’m ready to go if you are. She’s at my house if you’d like to stop and visit.”

  “I would love to,” the female beamed. “Have you told her? About what happened tonight?”

  “No,” he answered with a shake of his head. “I told her to take off work today and not leave my house. She hasn’t replied to my texts, but she hasn’t woken up yet to check them.”

  “I’d like to help you break the news to her,” Evie suggested. “It’s going to be very important for our pride to be cautious when away from the land. If the rogues are coming this way, we need to be prepared.”

  “Agreed.” Taze let the others know he was heading home. Noah would be staying with his mate until the building was repaired.

  When Taze and Evie arrived at his cabin, Calla was out the door, meeting them at the truck. “What’s going on? Evie?”

  “Come inside,” Taze said, casting a glance over at the Protector. “We have some news.”

  Calla looked apprehensive, but she took the lead and returned to the house, walking over to his couch to take a seat. Taze noticed she took her usual seat, and it warmed his heart, knowing she was comfortable in his home. He’d built this place to be cozy and inviting for his mate, hoping she would feel the same sense of comfort when walking in the door.

  “What happened last night?”

  Evie took a seat next to Calla, turning to face the female so she could take her hands. She went into detail of Amaya’s kidnapping. She squeezed Calla’s hands as his soon-to-be mate gasped. “They’re getting closer?”

  “We believe so,” Taze inserted, finally taking a seat in his recliner. He didn’t lean back, keeping to the edge of the seat. Seeing fear flash across Calla’s face worried him. She didn’t need any setbacks in her therapy, and the news they’d brought her could do just that. “There is no guarantee those two males were wolves, but the way the kidnapper moved has us believing he is.”

  “How did they know to hit Landon’s practice?” Calla wondered.

  “Again, we don’t know,” Taze repeated. “Talon has requested we all are on strict orders to stay at the pride unless we have an emergency.”

  “So, I can’t go to work?” she barked, her eyes open wide. “I have to work, Taze.”

  “I’m sorry,” he frowned. “Right now, we can’t let you go anywhere. It’s just too dangerous.”

  “No!” she bellowed and jerked her hands from Evie’s grasp, jumping to her feet. “I will not lockdown. I have a job, and I need that job. It has everything to do with my schooling, and I have to keep an eye on the Amburo family.”

  “Talon will not let you go,” Evie reminded her. “You know this is necessary, Calla. Don’t fight him on that.”

  Calla quieted for a moment, and Taze knew she was calculating something in her head. The look of determination on her face had him cursing as she folded her arms across her chest.

  “I will take this to the alpha,” she growled and tried to march out the door, but Taze jumped up to stop her from leaving.

  “He’s not home yet,” he advised. Talon was still at Landon’s building with the sheriff and his brother, Noah. They were gathering all the evidence they could to hand over to the angel. “They’re doing what they can and getting the sheriff’s office involved. They will help us find her.”

  “Calla, it’s important,” Evie reminded her. “Don’t you have some time you can take off?”

  “I just took off ten days!” she bellowed. “I will lose my job.”

  “It’s better than losing your fucking life!” Taze had had enough, and his eyes glowed amber. His beast was in protective mode. He bared his canines at her to get the point across, and
when his mating scent filled the room, she relaxed…but only slightly.

  “Let’s all just calm down for a minute,” Evie begged. “I’m sure Talon will see you as soon as he arrives. He’ll probably have a meeting with the Guardians and Protectors today and call everyone to the circle tonight.”

  Calla calmed, and eventually, Evie hugged her and left them alone. She looked at her phone, but cursed loudly, “No, I’m not calling in. You know I will be safe there, right? I’m not human.”

  He knew damn well she would be safe, because of her training and the fact he kept those cameras outside every entrance to the building. He still hadn’t told her about his middle of the night mission around the end of December, and he was certain letting her know now wasn’t the best idea.

  “I trust you to take care of yourself, but an order from the alpha is an order, Calla,” he advised.

  “I know, but I will talk to Talon first,” she promised. “Look, I have four therapy appointments booked over the next two weeks. Can I still go to them?”

  “I would think he would make an exception for your appointments,” he agreed. He felt his panther push at his human body at the thought of her leaving the pride’s land. “But I will be taking you as extra precaution.”

  “Okay,” she said after a deep breath. “Look, you need to sleep and I need to study. I’m going home to shower and wait for Talon to get back.”

  Calla stood and gathered her things. He walked her to the door, stopping at the threshold. He leaned against the frame as she headed down the steps off the porch. When she turned around, a soft breeze blew her hair around her delicate face, and he felt his panther prowling for one single touch.

  “Sleep well, Taze,” she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

  Calla heard the alpha’s truck arriving about an hour later. She slipped on her shoes and made her way out of the cabin. The alpha’s home was only steps from hers, and he paused as she approached.

  “Talon, may I have a word with you?” she asked, ignoring the other Guardians who were getting out of their vehicles and heading toward their own homes.

  “Of course,” he nodded. “Come on inside.”

  Calla waved at a few pride members who were milling about the alpha’s home. From the scent that greeted her, the females were preparing a meal in the kitchen. That told her Talon was going to call a pride meeting. The females always fed them when Talon brought everyone together.

  “What did you want to see me about?” the alpha asked as she entered his office and closed the door. He didn’t walk behind his desk to take a seat. Instead, he leaned against the front of his desk and rested his hands on the edges of the old wood. She stood behind one of the guest chairs and folded her arms across her chest.

  “I understand we will be put on lockdown because of the events that took place last night?” She began her argument with a question, wanting to hear exactly what he had planned.

  “Until we know if the males who took Amaya were human or wolf, the pride will be staying on our lands for their safety.”

  “Talon, I have to work,” she stated, dropping her hands to her sides. The alpha’s orders were orders, and while she knew she had to obey them, she was going to argue her point. “There has never been any trouble in the area where I work. I still remember my defense training, and I am capable of caring for myself. This job is helping me learn what I need to know so that when I get my degree, I can help my pride and others of the species in the human courts.”

  There, she said it. He had to know she was experienced enough to watch her own back, but Calla had a feeling Taze was going to insist on taking her and picking her up from the office.

  “Calla,” Talon paused to pinch the bridge of his nose. Calla knew him well enough to know his action meant he was torn. “If I let you go into work, the other pride members will expect to go about their daily lives. I know you are capable of defending yourself, but I cannot risk your life again.”

  The punch to her gut was sudden. She cast her eyes toward the ground and gritted her teeth. “I also have my therapy appointments,” she reminded him with a whisper.

  “You are allowed to go to them,” he said as he pushed away from the desk. Gods, his magic was intense as it wrapped around her body, giving her strength.

  With his alpha powers, she straightened her spine and lifted her eyes. The odd sensation felt like a shot of adrenalin to her system. “Thank you, Talon.”

  “I want you to find happiness, Calla,” he said, changing the subject. Even with his powers, she felt the pain of her secrets weighing on her. Of course, the alpha now knew, along with the healer and Taze.

  “Actually,” she began, giving him a bright smile, “I’ve been spending a lot of time with Taze. He makes things…better. I feel like I can breathe normally when he’s around me.”

  “That’s good,” Talon praised, echoing her smile. “That’s what a mate is supposed to bring into your life, Calla. Taze is a good male, and he will cherish you.”

  “I’m starting to understand that,” she said. They could sit there all day and talk about her mate, but she needed to know where she fit in to this new lockdown. “As far as work, though?”

  “I will allow you to go to work, but a Protector will be placed there with you,” he offered. She breathed a soft sigh of relief. “I’ll send Hope with you.”

  “Thank you, alpha,” she replied with a nod.

  She hurried out of his home and jumped in the shower. By the time she was putting on her shoes, Hope had arrived to ride with her.

  “I’m not going to come inside and bother you while you are working,” Hope promised. “Talon wants me to be hidden. There’s no reason to give away that a member of our pride works in the building in case there is a wolf sniffing around.”

  “Good idea,” Calla agreed. “We can leave for my lunch. I usually take the full hour and grab a bite to eat at a restaurant near work.”

  “That would be nice,” Hope cheered. “I haven’t been out to eat in forever.”

  “Then it’s a plan,” Calla nodded.

  Their conversation was light on the way into the office, and by the time Calla got out of her car, handing over the keys, she wished she’d stayed home to wait for Taze to wake up. She missed their morning runs, and she felt bad about angering him that morning.

  Her panther was pushing at her more and more each day to finally touch him. While she was still scared of what would happen during the actual mating, there was a part of her that was growing, changing into a female who wanted to go through with it. In the depths of her heat, she had imagined so many times what would happen when they completed the mating. Sex was emotional, and the gods knew she was iffy on her stability, but it was Taze who’d be there with her.

  He had shown so much compassion toward her over the last several weeks, and he didn’t push her to make the connection, promising to let her make the first move.

  She wanted to try more now than she ever had. It’d been discussed during the last session with her therapist, and while she blushed the entire time, their conversation had helped. A lot. There would come a time in her life when she could move on from the things done to her and the memories would fade enough to give her back the life she deserved. Calla understood, because they were, in fact, getting easier to ignore. She would never forget her time there, but she could let it stop ruling her future.

  Her future with Taze.

  The day turned into afternoon, and the two females grabbed lunch like they’d planned. There were no issues all day, and by the time she came out to the car after work, she waved off the keys from her friend. “I’m so tired. You can drive.”

  She looked out the window on the drive back to the pride and daydreamed about Taze. She’d caught herself getting lost in visions of them together all damned day. At that rate, she wasn’t getting any work done.

  During the morning appointments, she had searched for Holden Manzelli and still couldn’t find anything worth reporting on. It stu
mped her as to who the male really was, and given he’d used an alias with the rogues told her that his real name could be something easily found. What could the male possibly be hiding in his background? His real name had to mean he was linked into something, or someone, that could get him into a lot of trouble.

  The Amburos were pretty much off her radar. There’d been no more links between the agent and the sister that she knew. Agent Murdock wasn’t listed on any of the papers the brother and sister had come to sign, either. So, she didn’t think Murdock was going to do anything crazy like marry the female. To Calla, it sounded like a marriage of convenience if there had been some sort of prenup involved, but there just wasn’t anything tying them all together.

  Unless…

  “Holy shit!” she gasped, causing Hope to jerk in her seat.

  “What the hell, Calla?” Hope scolded. “You scared me to death.”

  “I’ve got it!” she cheered, but along with the excitement of putting it together, she felt fear roll down her spine. “What does Agent Murdock scent like?”

  “I don’t know,” Hope frowned. “Like nothing, really. Other than some bad cologne. What are you going on about?”

  “I have to call Talon,” she said as she scrambled to dig her phone out of her purse. She’d call him and give him a heads up that she was on her way with information. He probably needed to gather everyone and get the sheriff involved. “Stop at the house as soon as we get there. I think I finally found Holden Manzelli.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Every Guardian and Protector was at the alpha’s home by the time they arrived. Sheriff Lynch was at Talon’s side as she entered the office. Taze was to her left, and she fought the lust she felt when his mating scent crossed her senses. She couldn’t think of him right now, because she had a more pressing issue to announce.

  “What did you find out today?” Talon stood from his seat and nodded toward Savage to close the office door.