Kill them. Our rules apply tonight.
With Talon’s words, the air around him swirled with magic, his beast swelled with the need for the blood of those wolves. Noah lunged for the male’s throat, ripping it from his body with ease. The male wasn’t trained to protect himself, and that stunned Noah’s human mind. He pushed for balance with his beast so he could keep track of the violence in the alley.
Storm was in human form, latching a collar around another male who’d not shifted. Evie was engaged with a male, landing a roundhouse kick to his jaw and knocking him out cold. As she spun around, hearing another approach, she was a second too late and the werewolf in his human form wrapped his arm around her waist, throwing her body down the alley. His beast roared and lunged for the male, knocking him to the ground. His eyes found Evie as she landed on her feet, sliding a few feet before running back into the crowd.
Lucky, in panther form, dispatched two quickly. Taze was in hand-to-hand combat with a female, her eyes glowing a hazy yellow. The beast inside her was just under her skin, and Noah needed to get her to the ground before she shifted. Taze would have to collar the female once they got her to the ground. Noah was poised and ready for Taze to drop her.
His beast yelped as a hot fire bloomed in his shoulder, sending him to the ground. The sound of the brass shell falling to the pavement was the only proof someone in that alley had a weapon. His beast whined when it tried to stand, and his right front leg buckled beneath him.
His beast wouldn’t allow a shift, and he pushed at the animal, but there was no use in fighting. It wouldn’t give back Noah’s human body. The beast was in distress.
Storm’s grunts and Evie’s yelps could be heard as his beast fought for control. The animal’s fur did nothing to keep the blood pouring out of his shoulder from turning cold. Noah pushed at his beast to stand one more time, and with an unknown strength, he was able to get upright.
He limped toward the scene as lights flashed across the alley. The sound of doors opening and the scent of his pride jumping in to protect the innocents was like music to his ears. He heard his name called, but the beast kept limping toward the ones screaming from the pain of the change that was upon them.
With each step, the snarls and sounds of fighting slowed until there was nothing left except the screams of the human females being turned. His eyes glazed over as Booth dropped to his knees in front of him.
“It’s okay. We’ve got them,” Booth promised. Noah’s leg buckled and he fell to the ground. His panther body was picked up and taken to the back of an awaiting van. He tried to make a noise, but the blood loss was making his panther weak. He needed to shift and get the bullet out of his shoulder, but he was going to need help.
Chapter Thirteen
The sound of someone banging on the door woke him from a deep sleep. Stumbling to his feet, he blinked away the confusion and started for the door. With each step, the pounding became more intense, then the sound of a male’s voice registered.
“Landon! Wake up!” It was Kye, his mate’s brother.
“What’s wrong?” Landon gasped as he pulled the door open wide. The look on Kye’s face told him everything he already knew. His heart sank into his stomach as his body swayed. Kye started to reach for him, but immediately jerked his hand away. “Where’s Noah?”
“They’re bringing him in to the healer,” Kye blurted. “Get your shoes on. They’ll be here in five.”
Landon quickly grabbed his shoes and slipped them on, reaching for his coat behind the door. Kye lit the way to the healer’s home with a flashlight since Landon didn’t have the extra senses to see in the dark. “What time is it anyway?”
“Three,” Kye replied. It’d only been three hours into their shift, and something bad must’ve gone down.
As they arrived at the healer’s home, the door opened to reveal the pride’s doctor. His brows were pushed forward as he stepped aside to let them in. “Noah’s been shot, and he hasn’t shifted from his animal form. The bullet is lodged in there, and he’s lost a lot of blood.”
“No,” Landon breathed.
“They found twelve females being turned tonight, and they are bringing them here,” Harold continued. “Landon, I need your help. I cannot do this on my own.”
“What do you need me to do?” Landon asked, his medical training kicking in. He was worried for his mate, but the desperation in the healer’s voice squared his shoulders. “I know nothing about the changing females, but I will do whatever it is you tell me.”
“We need to make sure you are okay seeing Noah hurt,” Kye interrupted. “I cannot let you near him if you are going to show signs of rage at his injuries.”
“I’m not a shifter,” Landon reminded him. “I can, and will, be able to care for him. If I need to get the bullet out so Harold can care for those females, then that’s what I will do.”
“Are you sure?” Harold asked.
“Where’s your operating room?” Landon pressed, ignoring his question.
Harold smiled and sent Kye outside to prepare for everyone’s arrival. Landon followed the doctor into a back room he’d set up as a small operating room. It was nothing like what he had at his office. The walls were painted white, and in the middle of the room sat a gurney. Monitors were on a pole above the head of the bed, and against the wall was a long cabinet with sterilized tools and everything else they’d need to operate on Noah.
“We heal very well, and I hardly ever have to operate on them.” Harold handed Landon a pair of gloves and pointed toward the sink. “Wash up. I’ll help you get him sedated, then I must attend to the females. “
As Landon scrubbed his hands, Harold quickly filled twelve syringes with what he assumed was a sedative for the females, dropping them into his black bag. He tossed an entire box of gloves inside and turned for the sink once Landon stepped away.
He walked over and turned on the light above the bed, trying his best to calm his nerves. He would be operating on Noah in his animal form. That was something he could do. He knew what he was doing, and would get the bullet out. He was just thankful Noah wasn’t human when he came in, because if he was, Landon was sure to make what he was about to do personal.
“I still can’t get over the magic you all carry that allows the shift,” Landon mumbled.
“It’s a lot to take in,” Harold replied. Landon had forgotten about their hearing and just added that to the list of things he still needed to remember about the shifters.
“What do I need to do after the bullet is out?” Landon asked as Harold was setting up the instrument tray with the needed tools. He took a larger syringe and added the same medicine to it, capping it and setting it on the tray.
“That is the dose for a male,” Harold informed him, nodding toward the tray. “The females need about half of what we give the Guardians. The meds work in two to three minutes if they are not in distress.”
“Distress?” Landon asked as he sat heavily on the rolling stool by the door. “I need to know everything. I’ve been out of the loop for most things regarding the shifters.”
“You’ve had your own reasons, and we don’t fault you for that,” Harold stated, his eyes shadowing at the remembrance of Landon’s ordeal. “You are one of us. It doesn’t matter that you are a human, Landon.”
“That’s nice to know.” Landon smiled for the first time since Kye had woken him. He heard voices outside and knew it was time to go.
“Once he is sedated, you have thirty minutes to get the bullet out,” Harold said in a rush. “If you need more time, give him another dose. After that, he will need to shift back and forth from his panther to his human self. This could take several hours, but his beast knows what to do once that starts.”
Good, because Landon had no idea how that worked, either.
Two Guardians entered the healer’s home carrying Noah’s panther body. The male wasn’t responsive, and Landon felt his heart stop for a split second.
“Why is he in here?” Taze
growled as he helped Lucky lay the panther on the gurney.
“He’s human,” Harold snarled, coming to Landon’s defense. “He’s also the only one who can operate on Noah while I deal with the females.”
The healer pinned them all with a hard look and moved to stand between the bed and the males. Landon didn’t give a fuck what they were all worked up about, because he needed to get the bullet out of his mate’s shoulder.
“Everyone out!” Landon shouted as they continue to argue.
Pulling the tray over, he injected the sedative into the panther’s hind quarter, noting how he didn’t flinch. As the Guardians were removed from the room, he glanced up at the alpha when he entered the room. “Guardians need to help move the females into the dorms. Take gloves with you. Hope and Jade are getting Calla to help.”
“How bad is it?” Landon asked as he put on a mask to cover his mouth. He handed one over to Talon, who frowned. “If you’re going to be in here, you need to wear that. I’ve been told I have thirty minutes to remove this bullet, and I’m sorry, Talon, but I need every second of that time. If you want to talk to me, you’re going to have to wear that while I work.”
“Thank you for loving my brother,” Talon stated, pausing Landon’s hands as he reached for the small razor to shave around the bullet wound.
He hadn’t told Noah that he loved him, but he would do it soon. They’d been so busy and mostly separated since the night they’d mated that they hadn’t spoken of their feelings. He and Noah had been too busy using what little time they had together to get to know each other in all ways.
Did he love Noah?
As his eyes lowered to the animal on the gurney, he felt the strings in his heart pull tighter. The connection they had was one-of-a-kind, and he knew he didn’t want anyone else. Noah was his end game…the male he would always want in his life.
“Can you assist me?” Landon asked after he cleared his throat. He would think about his feelings toward Noah after he cut the bullet from his shoulder.
“I can,” Talon replied. “Just tell me what you want me to do.”
“Stand there and hand me things I ask for.” Landon jerked his chin toward the cabinet. “Wash up and put on some gloves.”
Noah’s panther snarled aloud as his mind registered a fog. His beast moved, attempting to stand up, but hands pushed his body back on a comfortable bed. God, he was so tired.
“Brother, you’re coming out of sedation,” Talon’s mumbled voice said. “I need to move you outside so you can shift to heal.”
His panther registered hands underneath him, movement, and then finally cold air. His nose twitched at the scent of the healer’s backyard and his mate. The beast opened its eyes and searched the dark, finding Landon with ease. He was walking behind Talon, who was carrying him to the yard.
“Shift,” Talon ordered, pushing his power to force the animal to recess.
Noah gritted his human teeth at the sharp bite of pain in his shoulder, but didn’t fight the need to shift. As soon as his body returned to its human state, a blanket was draped over him.
“Landon,” he said, not recognizing his raspy voice.
“I’m here,” his mate replied, coming into view. The sedative was wearing off and his vision cleared a little more. “You’ve had surgery, and the bullet is out. Your brother told me how you have to shift to finish the healing.”
“You took the bullet out?” Noah was confused.
“Harold had to care for the females who were being turned when you found them,” Talon explained, squatting beside Landon. “Your mate had a steady hand.”
“He’s smart,” Noah mumbled as he felt a wave of exhaustion roll over him. He didn’t know if it was from the last of the sedative or from his wound, but he didn’t care. He was okay and home with his family, and that was all that mattered.
“You have to shift again, Noah,” Talon ordered. Landon locked eyes with Noah as he began to change. He winked once, and within the next breath, his body changed, forming into the beast.
Landon never left Noah’s side, sitting next to the beast and checking the wound each time he shifted from one form to the next. With each shift, Noah would reach for him, taking comfort in his soft touch. There, in the backyard of the healer’s home and underneath a soft yellow light, he knew he would love Landon Bryant for the rest of his life.
Noah and his beast purred softly as he rested in his shifted form, feeling the last of the wound close up with his enhanced ability to heal. It couldn’t have been more than an hour since he’d woken from surgery. He felt the beast pull away, letting his human mind take over. Noah’s shift to human revealed a fine pink line where there used to be an incision.
As soon as Noah sat up, he pulled Landon to his lips. “Take me home, mate.”
“You’re off rotation for two nights,” Landon informed him. “Talon ordered it while we were working to remove the bullet in your shoulder.”
“Talon helped?” Noah asked.
“Your brother loves you very much,” Landon said with his trademark smile. Noah had been seeing it more lately, and that made his heart soar. He didn’t ever want to see it go away. “Everyone is safe and sound here at the pride. You can rest now.”
“Good.” Noah winked as he stood to his full height. His cock was thickening with every second. “I have more time to make love to my mate.”
Chaos.
There was nothing but chaos at the old dorms. Evie had called in all of the Protectors and forced Calla out of her bed to help. There were twelve changing females and a host of Guardians who were having a hard time touching them. The unmated males cleared out as soon as Talon gave them the order. Evie mentally rolled her eyes. They were of no use to them anyway. The mated Guardians were on protection detail down in the living room.
Thankfully, there were still beds in each room. The alpha had wanted to keep the dorms maintained for visitors, and boy was she glad he had. Discovering the rogues in the alleyway had been a shock. Finding them feeding twelve human females their blood had been another.
“Evie, here’s some cold rags,” her mother said as she peeked in the door. “I’ll set this bowl in the other room.”
“Thanks, mama,” Evie replied, taking the cool rags over to the female she was checking on. In all, each female brought in was being watched over by a Protector or an elder female of the pride. Nova and Mary Grace were not allowed to come help because of their pregnancies. No one knew how the females would behave once they shifted for the first time.
“I hope you can hear me,” Evie said softly to the sleeping female.
Harold had just given her a dose of sedative, and she’d calmed right down. Her eyes were already turning, and it ripped at Evie’s heart. The fact she was a wolf didn’t really matter. This unsuspecting female was attacked and given blood for greed and the gods only knew what else. A shiver rolled up Evie’s spine when she imagined all the things they would’ve done to her.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Evie whispered, wiping a cool cloth over the female’s hot skin. “There is a male who will care for you and teach you the ways of your new life. I promise things will be okay.”
The males had discarded the bodies of the dead. There were five that were still alive and captured. The mess had been cleaned up before the agents caught wind of the fight. In the end, Taze had taken over and made up a story of them capturing the males after one had shot Noah, leaving out the part about finding the females. They’d been put on a plane to Colorado and that was that. Her pride had thrown out the laws the humans had in place and delivered shifter justice as it should have been done all along.
The female in the bed was barely twenty-one, and according to the driver’s license in her pocket, her name was Nena Smith. She was a beautiful, young woman with long, brown hair. Her human eyes were green, but they would dull to the brown of a wolf once the animal took control of her body.
Evie felt a tightness in her chest. Nena had been saved. She would on
ly know of the bad of her change, and she prayed she would be forever happy with the alpha in Colorado. From the reports they’d seen, the Gadaí had been completely changed once they were forced Gabriel’s blood. The males and females were given a choice to stay or go to another pride or clan. They’d all chosen to stay there and work in the town or in the prison. Some of them even expressed interest in becoming Guardians.
There was hope in their fight, and Evie wiped away a tear when she thought of her own fight with the wolves so long ago. Times were changing, and thankfully, despite their current situation, they were thriving.
“Evie?” Calla knocked softly on the door. Her long, blonde hair was still in a sloppy bun from her sleep. They’d woken the entire pride when they arrived, needing help with the females.
“Yeah?” Evie whispered, turning from the female’s bed. Calla stopped at the threshold of the door and leaned against the frame. She wanted Calla to fight with them again, but she kept refusing. Evie knew it had something to do with Taze, but she wouldn’t pry.
“This is crazy,” Calla said softly. They kept their voices soft to avoid waking the women.
“It’s all chaos,” Evie agreed. “Calla, it’s bad. The alpha doing this needs to be stopped. The agents aren’t helping either. Their stupid laws and regulations on us are not getting the rogues off the streets.”
“What can I do?” Calla asked, her eyes softening when she looked toward Nena. “These females didn’t ask for this.”
Evie wanted to tell her she could start training again and help them out on the streets, but she refrained. “We need to get shifter laws passed in the human world.”
“Oh, that won’t go over well,” Calla huffed. “They’re only allowing us to help them round up these shifters because the humans know they aren’t strong enough to fight them.”
Noah (Rise of the Pride, Book 10) Page 13
