[Mammoth Forest Wolves 01.0] Liam

by Kimber White

  I gave them the highlights of my encounter with Zeke the night before. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I know I shouldn’t have gotten involved. But, you should have seen this asshole. I think he was going to kill that vet.”

  I left Molly out of my story. Jagger, Payne, Mac, and Gunnar hung on my words. Each of them gave me growls of support from time to time, but none of them questioned the details. It was only Keara who hung back, pursing her lips. It wasn’t like her not to interrogate me just as much as the others did.

  “You did what you had to do,” Jagger said. He came to me, putting a strong hand on my shoulder. “Let’s wait a few days, let the dust settle. Then, you can go back.”

  My heart hammered behind my ribcage. If anyone were going to sense a change in me, it would be Jagger. Just like Mac, Jagger and I were kin, after all, first cousins through our mothers. If it weren’t for Jagger, I’d still be up there, held against my will by the Kentucky Chief Pack. I owed him for that and so much more. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the complete truth about what I found at the Shadow Springs Veterinary Clinic. Because I knew, the moment I did, all hell would break loose.

  “It’s maybe a good thing,” Gunnar said. “I mean, this doctor. She owes you one. At a minimum, maybe it means she’ll look the other way if you have to break into the place and steal more meds.”

  “I thought of that,” I said. “I still think it’s better if you let me work an angle. I’ve only taken a few things. But, once they figure it out. We can’t go back there. If I get cooperation on the inside, maybe we can solidify a reliable contact.”

  “That’s dangerous,” Keara said, narrowing her eyes as she walked closer to me. “The more people we bring in, the more danger they’re in.”

  “I know that. Don’t you think I know that? I’ve been living up there for the past few days. I know what the risks are.”

  Jagger’s wolf simmered and growled. I took a step back and held up my hands in a conciliatory gesture. He knew I’d never in a million years do anything to hurt Keara. None of us would. But, she had been the one to press us for human help in the first place. She had grand designs about making this place a more sophisticated hideout and building a network of contacts above ground.

  “I just need time,” I said. “A few more days. Let me try to work it.”

  “You already have a contact in mind, don’t you?” Keara said. God, for a human, she seemed more in tune to our moods than any shifter I ever knew. I loved it about her most of the time. Right now, it was damned annoying.

  Jagger raised a brow. A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. I think he enjoyed it when Keara took me on.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Good,” Jagger answered. The others quickly agreed with him. Keara’s eyes narrowed even further. She came up to me.

  “Just be careful, Liam,” she said. “I may not be a shifter, but whatever happened up there is messing you up. I can smell it on you.” She reached up and tweaked my nose.

  Five

  Liam

  I spent the next few days underground. After getting so close to Molly, my need to shift into my wolf was nearly unbearable. I tried to get my mind off it by helping Mac and Gunnar excavate a new tunnel we’d found branching off the main antechamber. Keara wanted to turn it into a makeshift infirmary in case we ever needed it. It was back-breaking work, shoveling out gravel and dirt. But, the rhythmic monotony of it helped calm my inner beast.

  Payne had gone topside. He’d taken a tip that there was a wolf shifter friendly to our cause hiding out ten miles east of us. Those missions were always the most dangerous. Was it truly another shifter in need, or was it a spy for the Chief Pack? The safer thing to do was keep to ourselves. But, if we’d done that, we’d never have found Gunnar, or Payne.

  We all had different reasons for going underground. Mine was family. When Jagger left, I went with him. As my half-brother, Mac came for me. He had another reason as well. Our mother had mated with two different shifters. Mac had me for a half-brother on her side. He also had a human half-sister on his father’s side named Lena. Lena had disappeared. He believed she’d been taken somewhere for use by the Pack. He hoped someday to find her. Gunnar and Payne had also suffered under the rule of the Pack and lost people dear to them. Now, we had each other.

  At the end of the workday, Jagger found me. I’d claimed a smaller antechamber that branched off the main conduit we used to go in and out of the caves. It was dark, quiet, and connected to the natural springs on the east side, giving me fresh, cool water whenever I needed it.

  “You okay, man?” Jagger asked, his keen eyes flashing silver as he leaned against the cave entrance. I had lanterns, but I’d kept them off, preferring the dark solitude. It suited my mood.

  “Yeah,” I answered. I sat on a natural limestone ledge. It was probably two in the morning, but I couldn’t sleep. Jagger and I weren’t part of a pack, but he was blood. We were connected in other ways and he knew me well. I could fool the others, but never him or Mac.

  “Ever since you got back from recon at that vet clinic, you’ve been off, man. Something you want to tell me about?”

  “Not really,” I said. “It just gets hard sometimes, you know?”

  The air went still. Sometimes, when I closed my eyes and held my breath, this place felt like a tomb. No sound. No light. Just cool air and stillness. Most days, it helped to calm me. Today, I was agitated enough I felt like I could claw my way through the stone walls.

  The truth was, of all of us, Jagger didn’t know. He’d found his fated mate in Keara. In fact, she was the entire reason our motley band of resistance had formed in the first place. The Chief Alpha would never have sanctioned the match between them. No shifter in the state of Kentucky was allowed to freely choose their mate. Anyone who went against the Chief Pack faced swift execution if they were lucky. More likely, that wolf would be kept alive and tortured to send a message to any other man who thought about rebelling.

  Jagger moved further into the room. He tread carefully, sensing the turmoil within me. In another time, in another place, we might both have been Alphas of our own packs. God, what would that be like? Having the freedom to choose our own mates, carve out our own territory, and finding a group of shifters loyal to us. I couldn’t think it. I’d go mad if I dreamed it.

  “How did you know?” I asked. The words just popped out of my head. It would have been smarter to just keep it to myself.

  “Know what?” Jagger asked. He sat on the ledge next to me, resting his head against the stone wall.

  “With Keara,” I said, letting out a hard breath.

  Jagger’s low laughter bounced off the cave walls. “I can’t really explain it. It just was. The minute I got near enough to scent her, everything just changed. She said it was like that for her too. She said it was like having a second heartbeat. Then just one, ours. You’ll know it when it happens. It just comes over you, hitting you like a thunderbolt, and all of a sudden you can’t imagine what your life was like before. There’s no doubt. No question. There’s just her. A craving.”

  Jagger’s face changed. His eyes darkened and he frowned. He didn’t have to tell me what bothered him. Jagger had committed the ultimate act of rebellion against the Chief Alpha. Mating with Keara was one thing. He’d also marked her as his own. It meant they were connected forever in an unbreakable bond. He’d claimed her. If they weren’t careful, she could give birth to his son. His shifter son. He would be instantly marked for death from the Alpha the moment he drew breath.

  My cousin Jagger was the most hunted shifter in all of Kentucky next to me. If he was ever caught, he’d face brutal torture for the rest of his days. He’d become a trophy for the Chief Alpha. I shuddered just to think of it.

  “I know I was selfish,” he said. “And every single day I wonder if Keara and you wouldn’t be better off if I’d just tried to cross the border alone.”

  “Don’t say that,” I said. “Don’t even think that. God. Jagger.
..I’ll admit, when you first came to me with what you’d done, I was angry. It seemed so reckless. But, if you hadn’t, I know I would have tried to find a way to break away by myself. You were brave before I was. You just gave me the final push I needed to do what was already in my heart.”

  Jagger’s eyes flicked to mine. “You sure about that, Liam? I mean, look at us. Look at how we have to live. If we hadn’t found this place, we’d be dead by now, or worse. As it is, we’re living underground. You think I don’t worry every single day about how long we can survive here? What kind of life is this for Keara? For our family if we ever dare to have one?”

  “We’ve all made the only choices we could,” I said. It was in me to say so much more. I knew I should tell him about Molly. Our entire group relied on one another for survival. If we started keeping secrets, it could put everyone at risk.

  “Maybe,” Jagger said. “But, I wonder.”

  “What?”

  Jagger shrugged. He bounced his head gently against the wall. “It’s just...I feel them getting closer. Don’t you?”

  My blood turned to ice. I wished I could tell Jagger he was imagining things. We were safe enough down here. Miles underground, the Chief Pack hadn’t yet been able to sense us. The Alpha was powerful and his minions well-trained, but even their telepathy couldn’t pierce that mile of stone between us. It entombed us, but it also protected us. If they ever found out we were hiding down here, that would be another story.

  But, Jagger was right. Each time I went topside I could feel the pull of the Chief Pack getting stronger. It acted on me like a drug. The urge to submit seemed like the easier choice. No more pain. No more torture. I could stop thinking and just be. That was the seduction of the Alpha’s power.

  “Come on, man,” I said. I knew Jagger had come in here to see if I was all right. The tables had turned. “We’ve come this far. I’m going to go back up there tomorrow. I’ll get the rest of the medical supplies we need. Somehow.”

  “Maybe it’s too risky,” he said. “I know Keara wants all of it so we can be ready for anything. I don’t want you going up there if you don’t feel safe.”

  I laughed. “Right. And if I don’t go, you know Keara will. You want that instead?”

  I’d meant it as a lighthearted comment, but Jagger’s eyes grew hard. My breath went out of me in a whoosh as I realized the insensitivity of my remark. Keara would be defenseless without us. When Jagger marked her, he was only serving a thousand years’ worth of instinct. They were fated. He was supposed to be with her. But, her connection to him made her a weapon against him if they ever found her. She’d never be able to withstand the interrogation from the Chief Pack. Plus, if she were ever captured, I knew we’d lose Jagger too. At the same time it strengthened him, claiming Keara had opened up an Achilles’ heel that put us all at risk.

  “Enough!” The voice came from down the corridor. Keara stepped into view. Her smile was soft, but her eyes hardened as she looked at Jagger.

  “How long have you been standing there, woman?” Jagger smiled. It was a bullshit question. Jagger could sense Keara’s whereabouts from miles away. They shared a telepathic link. He would forever know when Keara was in danger. Her pain was his pain. A cold shudder went through me as I was again reminded how dangerous that could be if Keara was ever captured.

  Jagger had done what he had to, but he was right it put us all at risk. My mind drifted back to Molly and the cold shudder gave way to thrilling heat. My heart beat faster as I closed my eyes and conjured her. She stood strong and fierce with those wide, brown eyes.

  I craved her. Pure and simple.

  “Liam?” My eyes snapped open. Keara had come into the room. Jagger rose and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. He put a protective arm around her waist and drew her to him. They were one, inseparable. As big a risk as she was, I knew Jagger would die a thousand times over just to be with her. His words washed over me.

  You’ll know it when it happens. It just comes over you, hitting you like a thunderbolt, and all of a sudden you can’t imagine what your life was like before. There’s no doubt. No question. There’s just her. A craving.

  God, yes. A craving. Molly.

  “So you’re going back up there tomorrow?” she asked. Of course she’d overheard everything Jagger and I said.

  “What? Yeah. Tomorrow.”

  “Good,” Keara said. She broke away from Jagger and came to me. She put the back of her hand to my forehead and her eyes narrowed with concern.

  I pulled away, gently guiding her hand from me. “Quit fussing,” I said.

  “Hmm. You’re running hotter than usual, Liam. Just be extra careful. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. We need the meds, but we need you more. Got it?”

  Jagger came to her, giving her a playful swat on her ass. Keara’s eyes flashed with dark lust. My own wolf stirred. It was hard to be around them sometimes. As much as we loved Jagger and Keara both, it reminded the rest of us what we were missing. Normally, I could distract myself with a run or hard labor. Now, my inner wolf blazed inside of me. One thought pounded through me in a constant drumbeat.

  Molly. Molly. Molly.

  “Got it,” I said, my voice cracking. “No unnecessary risks.”

  I couldn’t take being this close to them another second. Jagger would easily sense the change in me. I brushed past them, heading out for the main rotunda. From there, I’d go back down the corridor and dig. My whole body vibrated with the anticipation of seeing Molly again tomorrow.

  Maybe I’d imagined the whole thing. We were all so keyed up with the Chief Pack growing stronger. It had to be that. The alternative was unthinkable. Except, all I could do was think about it.

  Molly meant something. I craved her. Her scent hit me like a thunderbolt. She wasn’t just some girl. She was mine. God help us all.

  Six

  Molly

  For the third night in a row, I woke tangled in the bedsheets, dripping with sweat. “The hell?”

  My heart raced as I threw the sheets to the floor and slid out of bed. Mid-September and a cool breeze floated through my open window. Crickets chirped outside and I went to the front door. Two trailers down from me, I could hear soft laughter and music playing. My neighbor, Lisa Ray, was always looking for her next hookup. More often than not, she chose guys who would get along great with Zeke Redmund.

  A full moon hung low in the sky and the bullfrogs were out. Shady Acres sat nestled in the valley with a scenic view of Mammoth Forest in the distance. Well, scenic if you could overlook the few dozen rows of beat up trailers along the way. Shady Acres was aptly named. How could I not rent a lot here?

  Lisa’s laughter rose and I heard her feign a protest when her guy of the night moved in on her. Then, her screen door slammed and they took their party inside.

  I grabbed a hoodie from the couch and stepped outside. Barefoot and still in my pajamas, I fit right in with the dress code around here. My hair whipped around my face as I headed up the small path to the courtyard. It was empty this time of night. On a Wednesday, that wasn’t unusual. When the weekend came around, this place had a constant campfire going up until almost Thanksgiving.

  Gathering my sweatshirt tighter around me, I looked toward the woods. Something skittered along my spine and the chill I’d felt seemed to blossom into a familiar warmth that I couldn’t quite place. For about the dozenth time in the last week, I felt like someone was watching me. Instead of unsettling me, excitement thrummed through me. I wasn’t myself.

  “Everything okay, Molly?” Lisa poked her head out her front door.

  “I’m good.” I waved at her. A hand slid around her shoulders, pulling her back. Lisa playfully slapped at it and gave me knowing wink.

  “Have fun, Lisa,” I called out. “Don’t worry about little old me.”

  Lisa made a joke about what not to do if her trailer was rocking. I bit back a retort. Hell, if we lived by that rule, no one would ever visit Lisa. I headed back down the little trail tow
ard my place. Still, I felt eyes on me. When I looked toward the woods, everything seemed dark, still, and normal. It wasn’t though. It hadn’t been for days. Ever since…

  When I closed my eyes, I saw Liam McConnell’s face swimming in front of me. I swear, if I hugged myself I could almost smell him. He had a clean, warm, masculine scent. There was something woodsy about it, and I wondered what he did for a living. God, who was I kidding? Liam McConnell probably didn’t do anything at all. He had that desperate look about him I’d seen a hundred times. He could pretend all he wanted, but he’d come to the clinic looking for meds. There was no point in him trying to hide it. Not for a second. Shadow Springs was a small-ass town. I’d never seen him before. And his clothes had been dirty and torn. He was homeless. No question about it. Homeless and looking for a fix. And he was far gone enough to think he could find what he needed from a vet. God, why couldn’t I get him out of my mind? My blood heated just imagining the feel of his strong arms around me. It was crazy. I felt like I was going crazy. This wasn’t the kind of thing that usually stirred me up. Homeless junkie, that was more Lisa’s style.

  When I reached my trailer, I still couldn’t go inside. There was something out there. I should have been afraid. I should have marched right back inside and slammed the door. I didn’t. Instead, I walked around the back. My lot abutted the edge of the woods. When I bought it, I thought it would give me some privacy. It did, but the lots were still pretty tightly packed. It wasn’t much, but it was all mine. My double-wide was paid in full. All I owed was lot rent. I was beholden to nothing and no one.

  I ventured closer to the edge of the woods. Mammoth Forest stretched for miles in all directions. Just a little ways up the interstate, this land turned into Mammoth Cave National Park. Living as close as I did, I’d only ever gone to the caves a few times as a kid. My father last took me when I was eleven years old the summer before he died. It had been just the two of us. Mama refused, citing severe claustrophobia. Daddy, on the other hand, loved it there. He’d worked as a park ranger through college before he met my mother and everything changed.