by Fel Fern
Raul frowned. “You’re one of the hawks that betrayed your flock.”
“We’ll accept any punishment the flock deems fit,” Tanner whispered, still holding on to his half-crazed brother. Tanner gave Nathan a pleading look. “Please, save Ken too.”
“We’ll get Ken out. Take Kayden and get out of here, we’ll meet you outside,” Nathan promised.
Tears blurred Tanner’s eyes. “Thank you.”
Nathan didn’t have time to linger.
Once on all four paws, Ryan broke into a run, and he trailed after his mate. It was wonderful to be in his wolf’s skin again. He couldn’t imagine life behind bars, unable to shift. They retraced their steps. Adrenaline racing in his veins, Nathan ran shoulder-to-shoulder with his mate.
With backup, they took down the guards who open fire on them. It felt good, sinking his teeth into the enemy. Nathan wasn’t naïve. He knew mercy had no place here. Their enemies would never stay down. Personal experience taught him Alpine Industries wouldn’t rest until every one of the paranormal community was dead.
A few shifters were injured, but Nathan saw Sergio had brought plenty of backup. They were going to win this one.
Some of Raul’s wolves turned back to human to open the cell doors, and Nathan trusted them to get everyone out.
Leaving Raul’s group behind, they headed right for Allie’s cell. The door was opened, but the occupants remained inside. A bear shifter lay on its side, full of bullets. They halted, seeing Dr. Williams standing in front of the cell. The doctor turned. Seeing the dynamite strapped to the man’s chest—a suicide vest and Dr. Williams was holding the trigger—made him freeze.
He panted, glancing at the frightened captives still in the cell and the insane doctor. Two guards shadowed Williams, and both had bloodshot eyes, telling Nathan these two were amped up on L.
“None of you are getting out of here alive,” Williams said with a smile.
Chapter Eleven
Nathan was at a loss. He could sense Ryan’s frustration beside him. They’d literally walked into hell to save Allie, but it all still came down to this. Trusting Williams wouldn’t trigger the explosion yet, Nathan shifted back to human and raised his hands. Ryan remained close to him, ready to attack at any moment.
“What do you want, Williams?” Nathan finally asked.
“Safe passage out of here, including my guards,” Williams automatically said.
Nathan wasn’t sure he could believe the man.
“See these pretty things strapped to my chest?” Williams said at his silence.
Nathan looked closer and saw the scientist didn’t have normal dynamite there, but cylinders filled with a colorless liquid. Ryan snarled beside him, probably recognizing what they contained. Williams must have seen the recognition in his eyes because the scientist nodded.
Williams continued, “That’s right. Silver nitrate. This device was created by yours truly, and if I press this button, the radius is enough to take every miserable animal in that cell including the two of you lovebirds.”
“I’m not sure if the Alpha of the Darkfall pack will allow you to leave unharmed,” Nathan answered truthfully.
“Convince him,” Williams said simply. Williams flipped the slender switch in his hand. There was only one button there, the trigger to the bomb.
“All right. I need a phone,” Nathan explained.
“Dax, give the wolf a phone.” The guard grunted and slid a phone across the floor.
“No funny business now, wolf, or we all die here,” Williams warned.
“I understand.”
Swallowing, he picked up the phone. He couldn’t remember Sergio’s number from the top of his head, but he’d glimpsed the familiar black fur behind the guards. Noel was there, and he knew Noel would have backup with him. The situation was delicate, but if he could play this right, no one would be harmed.
He dialed Kian’s number.
“Put it on speaker,” Williams commanded.
Nathan pressed the button. No one picked up. Why should Kian? Nathan knew his brother was somewhere in the facility too, helping the others.
“He’s not picking up,” Nathan said coolly.
William’s face contorted with rage. “Do you take me for an idiot? Get me someone else.”
Noel slipped out from his hiding place, a black blur. Two other wolves followed him. Convinced they would take the guards, Nathan dove for Williams. Ryan followed suit, tackling the doctor by going for his legs.
With a cry, Williams lost his balance. Nathan snatched the remote as soon as Williams let go of it. One of the guards pointed a gun at him, but Ryan switched targets, lunging at the guard. Nathan fell on his ass with a thump.
“Go!” he yelled at the captives. Some looked confused.
“Everyone out,” Allie ordered, and the shifters began to move.
“No fucking way.” Williams’ breath was hot against his ear. Nathan could overpower the human, but he paused, feeling the sharp edge of a knife against his neck. “Give me the remote, animal.”
“I’m not an animal,” Nathan spat.
He saw Ryan moving at inhuman speed. The warning growl that came out from Ryan’s throat echoed through the narrow space. The doctor froze for a millisecond, enough time for Nathan to ram a fist into the doctor’s face. The knife drew a line of blood, but Nathan knocked it away, satisfied when it clattered to the ground.
Ryan was a dangerous blur of claws and teeth. When Nathan looked for his mate, Ryan had torn out the scientist’s throat. Seeing a guard on the ground reach for his fun, Nathan cried out and dove into the guard’s line of sight.
The gun roared. The bullet hit Nathan right to the chest. With a painful grunt, he slid on the floor, a couple of inches from his mate. Pain registered. His vision became shaky, and Nathan knew the bullet might have missed his heart by an inch, but it was silver. Soon, the poison would reach his bloodstream.
The wolf in him encouraged him to fight. He could vaguely hear Ryan’s roar. He could see well enough to see his mate going berserk.
“Ryan,” he rasped, coughing out blood.
Hearing him, his mate returned to him, nudging his nose into his face.
“It’s going to be okay, baby,” he whispered, grabbing hold of Ryan’s fur. “I’m glad I met you.”
With those last words, Nathan could feel the life leaving his body. Part of his mind knew he still hadn’t said the three important words, but he was so tired, and death was so tempting. He would no longer hurt if he went to that place, but he would still feel empty without his mate. It didn’t matter, Nathan decided. No matter how long it took, he would wait for Ryan. With that lingering thought, Nathan closed his eyes.
* * * *
Something vital broke inside Ryan when Nathan took the shot meant for him. He went berserk, tearing apart any enemy in his way. Nathan calling his name returned him to reason. He padded to his mate’s side, heart breaking when Nathan grabbed his fur and looked into his eyes.
Nathan wore a small smile on his lips as if he was keeping some secret from Ryan. Ryan couldn’t believe this was happening. They got the bad guys. They saved Allie and the others. Losing Nathan was never on the itinerary. Grief settled over him once Nathan closed his eyes. Ryan reached for his human half.
The change was brutal, painful, but he didn’t care. He wanted to feel Nathan’s lips on his for one last time. Gathering Nathan’s limp body in his arms, Ryan wondered how he would be able to go on after this.
How could he be so stupid? How could he let go of someone so important, right after he found Nathan?
He felt someone join him on the floor, but whoever it was wasn’t a threat. Right now, he cared about nothing. Ryan merely wanted to hold his mate until their limited time was over.
“Brother, I have someone who can help.”
Ryan was surprised to see Allie kneeling beside him. To her right was a tired woman in her late forties.
“This is Kate, she’s a healer,” Allie expl
ained. “Let her see your mate.”
Ryan didn’t want to let Nathan go, but he also needed to take the chance. The woman examined Nathan and laid her hands over his chest. He felt warmth emanating from her. It felt like eternity passed, but suddenly, Nathan’s chest rose and fell. Something rolled to the ground, and it took Ryan a second to realize it was the bullet previously lodged inside Nathan’s chest. The woman drew back.
Allie met his gaze. “We’ll go on ahead, brother. See you outside.”
Ryan kissed her cheek before she left, before turning his attention back to his back. With a gasp, Nathan’s eyes flew open, instantly searching his.
“H-how am I alive?” Nathan asked.
There was wonderment in Nathan’s voice, but Ryan could hardly believe it himself. Pulling Nathan into his arms, he took Nathan’s lips. The familiar taste and warmth and taste of his mate flooded down his throat. His cock perked, but they had time for that later on.
“Allie had a healer with her,” Ryan murmured. “Thank fucking God, because I don’t know how could I live with myself.”
“Don’t be overdramatic,” Nathan said with a grin.
Ryan frowned at him. “I nearly lost you, baby. That’s never going to happen again because I’m never letting you go.”
“Sounds like a promise.”
Ryan helped Nathan to his feet. “How are you feeling?” Ryan had to ask. He touched Nathan’s chest. There was drying blood there, but the wound had closed.
“Never felt better, especially when I woke up in your arms. I thought for a second there that I was in heaven.”
Ryan snorted. “Heaven shouldn’t be this gloomy. Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”
He took a good look around. Most of the cells were emptied out. There was still gunfire and shouting mingled with roars and growls somewhere in the facility.
“It’s time to go home,” Nathan said.
“Wait a second,” Ryan said, pausing in front of what appeared to be a private office with the name Dr. Todd Williams on the door.
Turning open the door knob led them inside a normal looking office complete with desk, shelves, and a computer.
“What are you looking for?” Nathan asked.
“Anything that might help the cause,” Ryan said, swiping all the files he could find.
Nathan fired up the PC and found a thumb drive. “I’m taking everything on his hard drive. I’m sure Sergio ordered the rest of his wolves to do the same.”
Hearing several series of explosions somewhere close, Ryan held on to the wall as the floor suddenly shook.
“We need to get out of here fast,” Ryan said. He dumped the folders in a bag. Nathan finished copying the files and placed the drive in his bag. “Let’s go, wolf. This building won’t hold out long.”
Ryan looped the bag around his neck and shifted. Once they were back in wolf form, they broke into a run. There were bodies everywhere, both humans and shifters. Plenty of folks died today, Ryan mused with a heavy heart. There would be more casualties in the future. Too bad Alpine Industries didn’t seem interested in altering their plans.
Several shifters joined their escape. Ryan vaguely remembered the path back to the entrance. More bombs went off from behind them. It appeared the Darkfall wolves wanted to bring the entire place down, and Ryan couldn’t blame them. Once all the prisoners had gotten out and the data retrieved, there was no use leaving evidence behind.
They finally reached the tunnels they first entered. Their group was the last to arrive. Ryan tasted the night air on his fur and was relieved. The forest clearing was filled with the rescued captives and their rescuers.
Sergio had been thoughtful enough to bring healers as well, who were tending to the injured. Ryan smelled several humans among the group. He guessed these were the ones who changed sides during the fight.
Seeing his brother and mate standing to one side, he nudged Nathan. They made their way to Noel and Kian. Noel was admonishing Allie, who was being tended by a healer. Kian had spare clothes ready for them. Ryan put on a pair of sweatpants.
“Looks like nothing has changed, you’re as bossy as ever,” Allie was saying to Noel.
Ryan shifted back to human, slinging the bag off him. Seeing him, Noel pulled him into a tight hug, a surprising move. He also saw Kian and Nathan exchange words of relief.
“You bastard,” Noel said, but there was fondness in his tone. “I’ll never forgive you for running off like that.”
“It’s not his fault,” Nathan quipped.
Noel gave Nathan a look. “You were supposed to watch for him.”
Ryan snorted. “No one tells me what to do, not especially my mate.”
Noel chuckled. “It’s good you finally had the sense to make Nathan your mate.”
“No one made me do anything,” Nathan declared, making Ryan laugh.
“I never thought I’d see the day my brothers would find their mates. You two are stubborn as hell,” Allie remarked.
“Tell me about it,” Nathan muttered under his breath.
Ryan hunkered down beside Allie. “We’re sorry it took so long to get you back.”
She touched his cheek and smiled. Despite how strong she appeared, how like her old self, he knew she would forever be altered by her experiences. It didn’t matter though because they would be beside her as she healed. He hugged her, glad to have his little sister back.
“You guys came back for me. That’s all that matters. What’s better, you helped save the others too. If you just came back for me, I would’ve tried to convince you guys to save everyone too.” She returned his hug.
“I know.” Ryan swore nothing like this would ever happen again.
The humans may have caught them off guard, but they’d never underestimate the enemy again. A scarred and huge man walked up to them, flanked on either side by two other werewolves.
Even from a distance, Ryan could sense the waves of power rolling off the man. He recognized an Alpha when he saw one. After all, his brother was one, but he knew right there and then this was Sergio Esteban, Alpha of the Darkfall Mountain pack.
Even Noel grew wary, despite Sergio lending them aid. Ryan met the approaching Alpha’s stare evenly.
“Sergio, you arrived just in time,” Nathan said.
“We nearly got lost trying to find this place,” Sergio said, looking at Ryan. “You know who I am?”
“Yeah. I’m Ryan, Beta of the Blood Ruby pack.”
“What you did was pretty reckless,” Sergio said flatly.
There was no emotion in the Alpha’s voice when he spoke. This man once knew how to smile, Ryan thought, but it didn’t take a genius to know Sergio experienced loss and tragedy. They might have saved Allie, but he heard Sergio lost his sister during this war too.
“Someone had to do it,” Ryan said, not looking away from the Alpha’s gaze. He ignored the warning squeeze Noel gave on his shoulder.
“That’s true. Without you or Nathan, we would have never found this place,” Sergio said, sounding tired. He nodded to Noel. “I expect the support of your pack in the future.”
“We’re with you. Promise me we’re going to get all these fuckers,” Noel said.
“I’m not going to rest until Alpine Industries is burned to the ground along with their drug,” Sergio answered grimly.
After the Alpha walked away, Ryan took a good look at the now nonexistent entrance leading to the labs, buried by rubble. Ryan completely agreed with his brother’s sentiment.
All of them had been scarred by this experience. Anyone else could choose to forget and move on, but he wasn’t one of them. By his side, Nathan reached for his hand. Ryan twined their fingers together. Nathan rested his head against his shoulder. His mate felt warm, inviting.
Ryan could leave the fight. Nathan and he could go to some quiet little town and settle down. God knew they both deserved it, but seeing the huddled, rescued shifters, Ryan knew their work was far from done. Most of these people had families or frien
ds who cared about them. Even if Ryan wasn’t on the front lines, their pack could help in getting these folks back to their loved ones.
“Nathan,” he began, but Nathan planted a quick kiss on his lips.
“I know. I want to help out where I can too,” Nathan insisted. “We’re together at least, right?”
“And I’m fucking never letting you out of my sight. Remember that.”
Nathan laughed. “I know, baby. Nothing like that is ever going to happen.”
“If you two lovebirds are done whispering,” Noel drawled. “I think it’s about time we go home.”
Home wasn’t a place, at least not for Ryan and his pack. Home was the people that comprised his pack and home was his mate. Hand in hand, Ryan walked with Nathan to a waiting car. Building a house and raising a family with Nathan was still part of the plan. Plans could be delayed, but Ryan had something to look forward to.
They only had to wait a little longer, but it didn’t matter. Ryan already had a taste of happiness when Nathan became his mate, and that was something the enemy could never take away from him.
Chapter Twelve
Six Months Later
“Can you get the last boxes in the trunk, babe?” Nathan called to his mate.
While it was tempting to sit on the curb with his brother and watch their sexy mates do the heavy lifting, he had to help out here and there.
Most of the Blood Ruby pack members were already in their new pack house. Six months had passed since they rescued Allie and blew up Alpine Industries’ facilities. They decided together as a pack, to temporarily move into Darkfall. Plenty of allied smaller groups had done the same.
Sergio thought it was best all they all stay within range of each other. Despite the tense atmosphere, life still went on as usual. Someday soon, Nathan knew the big battle was coming, but it wasn’t today or tomorrow. For now, all they could do was live one day at a time, but he didn’t mind.
“Got it,” Ryan said, grabbing the last box from the trunk of their pack car.
