by Maddy Barone
An hour later all she could think of was her feet, numb with cold, her nose stinging with the chill, and her head throbbed with every step. She would cheerfully have laid down on the hard, cold road to rest. She didn’t complain though. They had to be close to Omaha by now. Cole walked beside her, his stride was as lithe and untired as it would have been if he’d only been walking ten minutes. She watched him from the corner of her eye, wondering if his head hurt too. From the easy way he moved, it didn’t look like it.
Because she was watching him she saw the minute his posture changed. His head came up and cocked to the side, as if he were listening to something. The cold night air was completely still. She heard nothing but the sound of their footsteps on the road. No, nothing but her footsteps on the road. He was utterly silent. She opened her mouth to ask what he heard, but his hand came up. She listened harder. Nothing.
Cole grabbed her hand and sped up. She was nearly running to keep up.
“Cole,” she began in a whisper, but then she heard it, a buzzing sound behind them. Her heart stopped. “Oh, God,” she moaned. “Motorcycles.”
The only people who had motorcycles were her stepfather’s advance troops. Cole ran faster, dragging her behind him. “There,” he said quietly, not panting. “Do you see the glow ahead? That is Omaha. Not more than two miles away. We have to run, Gina.”
She ran. The glow that Cole said was Omaha didn’t get any closer. Her breath rasped in and out of her lungs in huge ragged pants. Her feet hit the hard pavement like sledgehammers. She ran as fast and as hard as she could, but a quick glance behind showed the glow of headlamps grow far brighter and closer than Omaha.
“I can’t,” she cried.
Cole swept her up in his arms like a baby and ran faster than before. “Hold on,” he ordered, and for once she obeyed without complaint.
He was warm, but she barely noticed it. His speed was astounding. This was why her stepfather and the vicious major wanted to cut him open. They wanted to know how he could do things like this. She wanted to hide her face against his neck, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from the lights behind them.
“How many, Gina?” he asked, and now she could hear strain in his voice.
She counted the lights bobbing behind them. One, two, four...
“Six,” she shouted. “That’s at least six men, but maybe twelve, if they all have a sidecar.” That wasn’t likely though, was it? Then again, even six was too many. They would all be armed. Even a wolf with magical speed and strength couldn’t defeat six armed men. The headlamps were growing. The roar of the motors was louder. They couldn’t be more than a mile behind them. “They are getting closer,” she moaned.
“I can take twelve,” he said. His breathing was heavier, a little bit ragged, but his pace stayed the same.
Not if you’re exhausted, she wanted to say. Not if the men on motorcycles had guns. These men wouldn’t hurt her, but they would kill him. “Put me down. You can move faster without me. Go ahead to Omaha and bring back help.”
“Huh.” Derision rang in the grunt. “I’ll never leave you behind. Hang on.”
Somehow, he increased his speed. Being carried by a man running at full speed wasn’t comfortable but she’d rather be squeezed, bruised, and bounced around then be taken back to President Todd and the Allersons. She looked once more over his shoulder. The motorcyclists were close enough now for her to see the round outline of their helmets.
“Hurry, Cole,” she screamed. “They’re right behind us.”
Chapter Six
The sound of barely controlled terror in his mate’s voice forced more speed from his weary legs. Cole knew his boast that he could take twelve men was an empty one. Deep inside, his wolf cringed at the memory of the pain and confusion that followed the bullet slamming through his head. Omaha was only a mile and a half away, a mere five minute sprint for him if he were rested and not carrying a burden. No, never a burden. Gina was his one chance at love and a family. He would save her. He had to save her. He made his legs to stretch farther and faster. His head throbbed in time with his steps.
The outline of Omaha’s wall was a murky shadow in the dark ahead. So close. Not close enough. The shine of the motorcycle lights gleamed on the road beneath his feet. So close. Too close. He was running, but it was a terrible effort now. His lungs were on fire, his ankles threatened to turn with every step, his arms were clenched around his mate in a death grip.
“Drop me,” Gina screamed in his ear. “They won’t hurt me. You can run faster without me.”
He’d already said he would never leave her. He didn’t have enough wind to repeat himself. “No,” he grunted between pants.
The roar of one motorcycle was bare yards behind him now, the others close behind it. His speed was failing. His strength was almost gone. Defeat rose in a bitter wave to crash over his heart. But his mate was clinging to him, breathing in almost silent sobs against his neck, so he spit on defeat and kept running. His legs didn’t want to obey. His feet and thighs screamed with every step. The thought of his mate―his mate!—being forced to marry someone else kept him going. I won’t let them have you, Gina, he swore silently. I will save you or die trying.
It would be better to live, but with Omaha silent in the dark ahead and her stepfather’s army nipping at their heels, death looked more likely.
I failed you, mate. His footsteps were wavering now, his heart close to bursting with exhaustion. I’m sorry. So sorry.
“Put me down,” she begged.
For one moment he considered it. The motorcycles were right on his heels. They would shoot him as soon as they got a clear shot that wouldn’t hurt Gina. If he left her, he could run to Omaha and get help. Or, he thought with disgust, they’ll pick Gina up and shoot me in the back while I run away. He clenched his teeth. No, if I die, I’ll do it facing my enemy and defending my mate.
New strength rose in him from some deep well he hadn’t known he had. From the corner of his eye, he saw the front wheel of a motorcycle drop behind him as he poured on more speed. There was a lone tree by the road a few yards ahead. If he could get there, he could drop Gina to her feet and put her between him and the tree to make a last stand.
A sound rose in the distance. It first it was only an undefined smudge in the dark, but it sharpened, piercing through the roar of motorcycle engines. Cole’s heart leaped. The sweet familiarity of wolf howls turned his desperate despair to fierce joy. He couldn’t spare the breath, but he howled back anyway.
Four footed black shadows flowed in great bounds over the road ahead. Cole doubted if the motorcyclists either saw or heard the wolf warriors coming their way. In the distance, a widening square of light opened in the wall around Omaha. The rumble of trucks joined the howling of the wolves. He laughed in fierce exaltation.
“Cole?” His mate sounded worried. “What?”
The headlights of the motorcycles swerved and swung away.
“We’re saved,” he shouted at her.
She twisted her head to look over his shoulder. “They’re giving up? Why?”
He allowed his speed to slow to a trot, then a walk. “My kin,” he said simply.
“Your…?” Gina twisted to look forward again. When she saw the bobbing lights of the trucks coming from Omaha she gasped. “Oh, my! You can put me down now.”
For a moment he held her closer, savoring her scent. The fear which gave it an acrid tinge was fading. He wasn’t as good with scents as some of the pack, but he detected a sharp edge of embarrassment and unease. The trucks were only half a mile away now, and his cousins were even closer. He dared to brush his lips lightly over her hair before he lowered her to the road.
His mate made futile attempts to smooth her hair. He smiled at her as he tried to control his breathing. She had nearly been captured by the enemy, but she fussed now about her appearance. It made his blood run cold when he thought of how close it had been. His legs trembled so badly from exhaustion he had to hobble to the tree and lean aga
inst it. He glanced back down the road they had travelled and saw the red taillights of the motorcycles growing smaller.
They were safe.
*
Her hat must have fallen off somewhere along their desperate flight. Gina did her best to tidy her hair. She didn’t want to meet her prospective in-laws looking frazzled or bedraggled. Gina could see the trucks were almost here, three of them, with deafeningly loud engines. Was his father driving one of the trucks? Or was it his cousins that she had met in Omaha that day in the coffee shop?
Two of the trucks sped up and went past them, probably in pursuit of the motorcycles. They wouldn’t catch up. The motorcyclists were her stepfather’s crack advance troops. They could go faster than heavy, lumbering trucks. The third truck slowed and rolled to a stop nearby. But her attention was pulled from the truck by the arrival of what seemed like a whole pack of dogs. The headlights of the truck showed the dogs were big, gray, and fierce. She took half a step back and froze when they … shimmered.
Her mouth gaping open, she stared at the naked men who appeared out of the shimmers. She silently counted seven men. They were equally big and fierce. Some had long black hair, some had shorter hair in black and various shades of brown. One was blond. Most appeared young, probably in their early to mid-twenties. One was in middle age. Although his body was still lean and muscled, silver gleamed in the black of his hair. Was this Cole’s dad? When the men finished embracing Cole, they turned to look at her. The weight of their combined stares made her want to flinch. Of course, she lifted her chin and stared back, careful to keep her gaze on their faces, not other, more embarrassing, portions of their bare bodies. She felt relief when Cole came to her side and draped his arm around her shoulders.
“This is Gina Summer,” he said proudly. “My mate.”
She attempted a smile. Cold and maybe a little shock made her teeth chatter. Concern appeared on every face, incongruous with their savage auras. The older man waved toward the truck.
“Let’s get the lady inside the truck, out of the cold,” he said, his tone making it a command.
She expected Cole to snarl at being given an order, but he only rubbed a hand up and down her upper arm. “Yeah, come on, honey, I’ll help you up.”
The driver’s door in the truck cab opened and a small grizzled man leaned his head out. “I’m not sitting around out here all night,” he called disagreeably. “Get in before I go and leave you here.”
Several of the men exchanged glances. “Coming, Sal,” the older man said.
Cole pulled her over to the truck. The wolf men all followed closely, appearing to sniff discreetly as if trying to smell her. Gina fastened a hand over the throat of her coat and tried to look calm. Cole only grinned at them while he opened the passenger door and jumped in. The older man accepted a wad of dark fabric from one of the others. It was a pair of loose pants which he casually slipped into, as if being naked in front of a strange woman wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. He put his hands on Gina’s waist and lifted her to the cab before climbing in after her. The cab would have been roomy with two people, snug with three. There were four of them in the truck cab now.
“Dad,” Cole said, “you could ride in back with the rest.”
Gina stared at the older man. It was too dark in the cab to make out his features clearly, but his build was the same as Cole’s and the way he tilted his head was exactly the way Cole did.
“Sal’s a good man, but he’s not Pack. Do you want your mate sitting next to him?”
Cole’s eyebrows slammed down in a scowl.
“No,” his father said, as if agreeing with something Cole said out loud. “If you put yourself next to him, then your mate is vulnerable against the window.”
Sal, who was obviously not deaf in spite of his age, growled, “Sitting right here.”
Cole grunted in acknowledgement. His response to the crowded conditions was to slide her onto his lap. Gina felt uncomfortable and grateful for the warmth at the same time. The truck cab wasn’t heated.
Cole’s dad slammed the door shut and in just a minute Gina heard the truck’s tailgate squeak and clank as it was opened and the slight sway of the truck as men jumped into the back. Sal put the truck in gear and the almost quiet idle of the engine turned to a monster’s roar as the vehicle jolted down the road at an alarmingly fast speed. Cole tightened his arms around her to keep her from bouncing into the cab’s ceiling.
Cole’s dad raised his voice to be heard. “I’m Taye Wolfe,” her shouted. “Colby’s father. We’ll talk more once you’re safe in Omaha.”
There was no more talk during the short ride to Omaha. The little man drove like a demon. He drove so fast that whoever was manning the gate in Omaha’s wall didn’t have time to get it fully open before they roared through. Gina clenched her eyes shut and hunched her shoulders, expecting a sideswiping crunch if not an outright crash. Somehow, Sal was able to pass through with precision, like he was threading a needle. She collapsed like a wet noodle against Cole’s chest in relief when the truck left the gate behind. Cole rubbed his hand over her shoulder in soothing circles.
“Scared ya, Missy?” Sal screeched.
Gina didn’t answer. He didn’t notice, probably because he was too busy cackling with glee while he raced the truck down dark roads.
“Where are we going?” Cole asked his dad.
“The Limit,” his father replied. “We have rooms there.”
Gina knew of The Limit, although she’d never gone inside. The high-end restaurant and club was outside her barista budget. She’d seen the outside of the historic mansion that housed the restaurant and had wondered what it was like inside. It looked like she’d get to find out.
At this crazy speed, they reached the posh district in only ten minutes. Sal cruised through a gate in a stone wall and drove up a long driveway.
The house was dark, but as they drove around to the back, Gina saw lights come on in some of the windows.
“Everybody out!” the little driver screamed over the idling motor.
Cole’s dad hopped out and raised his hands to help Gina down. The men poured out of the back of the truck. Sal roared off toward a stable turned garage before the tailgate was closed. The sound of the heavy metal door banging against the truck faded quickly.
Cole took her hand and led her into the house. The rest of the men trooped in after them. They went through what must have been a mudroom, although it was too dark to see it clearly. The next room was a large kitchen. A light flipped on, dazzling Gina’s eyes. A voice quavering with age spoke.
“Mr. Wolfe? What are you doing up? It’s not dawn yet. Even the cook isn’t up yet. Couldn’t you sleep?”
The woman who spoke was tiny, with a puff of silver hair rising around her head like a halo. Going by the wrinkles on her face, her age must be great. There was a younger woman on her left, probably around forty or so, with dark blond hair brushing her shoulders. A slightly older woman with long brown hair was on her right. That woman’s eyes were fixed on Cole with tears gleaming on her lashes.
Cole’s dad spoke respectfully. “We went out to find my son, Ms. Mary.” He nodded to the younger woman. “Rose said she knew where he was.”
The old lady turned to her youngest companion. “You are so clever, my dear.”
Rose smiled, nodding at Ms. Mary, but her gaze turned quickly to Cole, and then Gina. The third woman launched herself at Cole, clenching her arms around him. He let go of Gina’s hand to hug her hard.
“Colby,” she said over and over. “Colby. Colby, you’re alive.”
“Mom. I’m alright. What are you doing here?” He lifted his cheek from her hair to glare at his dad. “This isn’t a good place for her. Or Aunt Rose.”
“Or your sister?” His father gave a faint grin.
Cole’s mouth dropped open and snapped closed. “Patia is here? Dad, it’s not safe.”
“If you think I could have kept your mother home when you were lost and maybe dea
d, then you don’t know her. And your sister is frantic with worry about her mate.” He went to his wife and son to join in a group hug.
Gina stepped back to give them room. One of the naked men behind brushed past her to hug Rose. Gina primly averted her eyes, but not before she saw the strong line of his back and the curve of his muscled butt.
“Well.” Ms. Mary cleared her throat loudly. “I’m very happy you found your son. But it is time you gentlemen put on some clothes. The kitchen staff will be here in a few minutes and they are too young to see such a thrilling sight.”
Gina choked trying to stifle the giggle that flew into her throat. The men behind her made a hasty retreat to the mudroom.
The old lady came and took Gina’s hands in her own frail, blue-veined hands. “My dear, you are frozen right down to the bone. Please, come in. Sky, build up the fire in the …” She trailed off, frowning slightly at the man still hugging the blond woman. “Sky, hurry and get dressed. We need to decide where this lovely young lady is going to sleep.”
Cole untangled himself from his parents. “With me,” he said forcefully.
Gina opened her mouth to protest. His mother spoke first, in a hopeful tone. “Did she accept your mate claim?” She turned to Gina. “Did you?”
“No!” said Gina.
Cole’s dad made soothing noises. “Now, sweetheart, there’s no reason for them to be apart. Colby would never take advantage, and it would be a good way for them to get to know one another.” His smile turned roguish. “And it worked for us.”
His wife sniffed. “It did work for us, Taye, but if your mother had been there, what would she have said?”
