Wolf's Promise

by Elyce de Reefe

  It was humbling. If not for Aaron, she would have been captured by those ax-wielding maniacs. Probably. Although— Aaron hadn’t been able to cross her threshold. She shook her head. No, they would have just grabbed her the moment she left the house.

  And she had been ready to throw him away. She needed her head examined. She just wished she could be certain it hadn’t been the lure that had brought him to her.

  Chapter 14

  Aaron leaned against the containment wall behind Lyla’s shop the following afternoon trying not to dwell on what Lyla had found in her books last night— and what she hadn’t. There was a lot of disturbing information about creating lures, but nothing so far about the prophecy. If they could get their hands on a copy of that, maybe they could figure out what they were dealing with. It was getting close to closing time, and Aaron wanted to get back to the house and continue the search.

  Something tickled his senses. He shifted position, scenting the air. For a second he thought he’d caught a whiff of something, but then the wind shifted, and it was gone. The hardware store was next to the Salmon River, and there were plenty of smells mingling in the air. The building was built on a hill, with the front on street level, and the parking lot in the back down a flight of stairs. The city planners had created a tiny park up at street level by building a wraparound containment wall from the small bridge down to Lyla’s back parking lot.

  It was an ideal place to hide, with the containment wall shielding him on one side, and the river and thick riparian brush guarding his back and right side. Someone would have to be really good to sneak up behind him through all that.

  The back door of the shop opened, and Aaron growled as he watched Eli emerge carrying a bag of garbage. Yes, it was near closing time, but that was no reason to leave Lyla alone, even for a few minutes. He was just about to break cover and hit his brother with a little w-t-f when a sound from behind him grabbed his attention. Someone had tossed a pebble into the wall at his back. He knew, because it was still rolling when he spun around.

  Ambush. That was his first thought.

  Then a slight figure slipped out from behind the scrub trees, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. Aaron narrowed his eyes, a growl low in his thought. He recognized that figure.

  “I came to warn you. There’s not much time. The others are planning an attack.”

  Aaron took two steps and grabbed the little runt Jeffrey by the throat. He wasn’t taking any chances. The skinny youth was dirty and disheveled; his stringy dark hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in a week. His scent confirmed it—strong male sweat mixed with anxiety and uncertainty. Which told him exactly nothing.

  “When?” Aaron barked, careful to apply enough pressure to control the kid, but not enough to cut off his air.

  “Soon. I heard them talking. I’m a good tracker, that’s why they brought me.” That Aaron could believe—the kid had to be damn good to get this close without alerting him.

  “After the fight, I managed to distract them for a few days, staying just far enough ahead to keep them following. But something changed this morning, and they headed back here. They’re planning to grab her tonight when she leaves the shop.”

  “You’d better not be messing with me—”

  “I’m not. I came to warn you. As soon as I found out what they were planning—”

  Aaron’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out to check the display. Zeke. Not good. Zeke was watching the front of the shop. Aaron connected the call.

  “Two men just entered the shop,” Zeke said, his voice rushed and breathy. Aaron could tell he was already running. “I’m going in.”

  “Wait—” Aaron said, but the line was dead.

  A sudden commotion by the dumpster made Aaron’s heart skip a beat. He pushed through the brush, dragging the kid with him. Eli came into view, two men circling him, one with a tire iron and the other swinging a chain. Dog’s breath!

  He hesitated. That was his baby brother facing those two men. He couldn’t just leave him. But his need to protect Lyla ripped at him, pulling him toward the shop. She was in there alone with possibly two of Marten’s goons, and only Zeke to help her.

  Aaron cursed. It wasn’t really much of a choice. At least Eli was a good fighter. Lyla— not so much. He grimaced down at Jeffrey, who he still held by the scruff. If he was wrong about the little twerp, he’d never forgive himself.

  “Help him,” he said, shoving the kid toward the three of them as he ran past.

  Jeffrey stumbled, righted himself without falling. “Who?”

  “The blond,” Aaron called as he reached the back door.

  Every instinct in him wanted to burst through that door, but he made himself stop. He turned the handle slow and quiet, and slipped inside. At least this door didn’t have bells on it. Usually it was kept locked, but Eli had left it open. After a moment’s reflection, he flipped the deadbolt closed and headed for the stairs. He hated to lock his brother out, but Eli had a key, and Aaron had to control the avenues of attack.

  Eli is a good fighter. The thought didn’t really make him feel any better. He crept quietly up the stairs. Three against one weren’t great odds. If Jeffrey pitches in—

  The runt was decent in a fight, smart and fast. Jeffrey better not be playing me. His stomach twisted as he continued up the stairs. Nothing he could do now. Aaron reached the top of the stairs and tried to put it out of his head.

  Silently, he moved down the hallway, past the locked door to the upstairs apartment, past the bathroom, and finally past the open door to Lyla’s workshop. He could hear Zeke talking as he moved closer.

  “Easy, now. Just point that thing away from her. We can work this out,” Zeke was saying. “You guys know me. What’s this all about?”

  Aaron reached the end of the hall and peeked out into the shop. His gut clenched at what he saw. Lyla stood frozen behind the counter, the register open. It looked like she’d been in the process of counting her drawer, something Aaron knew she did every night at closing.

  Bill stood in front of her, pointing a gun at her chest. It was a big gun, a Magnum forty-five. It would blow a very large hole in her if he pulled the trigger. Larry was hovering by the front door holding a small handgun, as if he thought Zeke might try to run. But something was wrong with this picture. They wanted Lyla alive. Didn’t they? Maybe they knew about the prophecy and didn’t want to risk another pack gaining her power? But anyone could smell that Lyla was still unmated.

  Bill seemed to realize this too. He had his thumb on the hammer but hadn’t cocked it yet. He turned his head to face Zeke. “This is about your Alpha requiring obedience. What is it you’re doing here, Zeke? Does your Alpha know where you are?”

  Bill shifted his body so he had a better angle on Zeke, but he left the gun pointed at Lyla. “I think you’re out here without permission. I think you’re helping your brother, who I can smell all over this place. Your brother, who left the pack—with no explanation—and hasn’t been heard from in months. Maybe it’s time we made an example of what happens when you disobey your Alpha.” He swung the gun toward Zeke, cocking the hammer—and then everything happened at once.

  Aaron launched himself from the back of the shop in a diving tackle. “Get down, Lyla!” He collided with Bill, hitting him low in the back. The gun went off with a boom, the sound reverberating through the shop, and Zeke dove for the floor, sliding along the polished wood surface. Aaron had the bizarre thought that it was exactly the way he’d seen him dive for home plate at least a hundred times.

  They landed in a tangled heap on top of Zeke. There was a moment of confusion, a struggling mass of limbs and elbows. Aaron managed to get an arm under Bill’s shoulder and tried to drag him off Zeke. Where the hell is that gun?

  There was another bang, not as loud, and Aaron swore he felt something whiz past his ear. Lyla screamed. His heart froze.

  Dear Maiden, don’t let her be hurt!

  “Lyla?”

  It was
hard to get the sound out past the constriction in his throat. He looked wildly around, trying to spot her. What he saw was Larry targeting him with a clear shot. He jerked to the side, yanking Bill over him with an arm around his neck. There was another sharp bang. Bill let out a scream, convulsing on top of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron saw Zeke disappear behind a shelving unit, scrambling on all fours.

  “Lyla?” he tried again. His heart was hammering in his chest.

  “Okay,” she squeaked, sounding panicked. “Okay,” she said again, “I’m okay.” But she didn’t sound it.

  “Larry, I’m gonna fucking kill you,” Bill grated through clenched teeth. Aaron ignored him. He could feel warm blood soak his right side. Bill’s blood.

  “Are you sure, Lyla?” His voice was so strangled he didn’t even recognize it.

  He needed to see her. Needed to get to her. He tried to get to his feet, but it was impossible without letting go of Bill. Not happening. He used his feet to scoot them along the floor instead.

  “Y-yes.” Her voice wavered. Aaron’s stomach clenched like a vise.

  He dragged Bill back toward the register as Larry stalked closer, gun out. Bill twisted violently to the left, pulling Aaron off balance. He didn’t quite break free, but his left hand whipped around, holding that forty-five. Right in his face.

  Shit! Aaron released his hold to try to knock the gun away.

  BOOM!

  The sound was deafening. Debris from the shelves behind them rained down like confetti. He’d missed Aaron’s head by about an inch. If it hadn’t been such an awkward angle–

  Aaron‘s ears were still ringing when he grabbed Bill by the hair with one hand and the wrist with the other. He slammed his head into the floor at the same time as his wrist. Bill’s hand opened and the gun went skittering across the floor. He was about to slam his head down again when Larry spoke from behind him.

  “Let him go.”

  Aaron turned his head. There was a tense moment of silence while Aaron stared down the barrel of Larry’s twenty-two. From this angle, it didn’t look all that small. Slowly, Aaron released his hold on Bill.

  Zeke popped up from behind the shelves and pelted Larry with a rain of wooden birdhouses. Larry raised his arms, trying to protect his head. Zeke dove from behind the shelf, body-slamming Larry.

  The gun went off again and Zeke grunted. Bill made a dive for the forty-five, but Aaron caught him by his waistband and dragged him back along the floor. He planted his knee in Bill’s back and looked up to see Zeke, blood streaming down one arm, struggling for control of Larry’s twenty-two. Shit!

  Zeke twisted his hold on Larry’s wrist. There was the sharp snap of breaking bone and the gun went flying.

  And just like that, it was over.

  Aaron became aware of his harsh breathing and Zeke’s shallow pants. Bill was cursing under his breath, still struggling to get out from under Aaron’s knee. Larry was whining and holding his wrist. Aaron ignored all that. In the distance, the sound of sirens grew steadily closer.

  “Lyla?” He shifted his weight on Bill’s lower back and wrestled his arms behind him. “You okay, Lyla?”

  “Um… yes. I think so.” Her voice quavered. “I think it’s just a splinter.”

  The sirens were blaring now. Any minute, police were going to burst through that door. Aaron felt his mouth pull in a feral grin. Let these two boneheads explain getting arrested to their Alpha. Shooting in a public place— not particularly low profile. What the hell were they thinking?

  But Aaron wanted to be standing with his hands up when those cops came through the door.

  “Lyla, honey, I could really use some rope or something over here.”

  “Right. Right.”

  There was a scuffling sound and Lyla emerged from behind the counter, one hand braced against it, the other clutched to her jaw. Blood covered her hand and dripped down her neck. For a second, everything seemed to go still. Aaron’s vision narrowed down to that one hand and the blood seeping between her fingers.

  The back door banged open with a crash.

  “Aaron?” Eli’s shout echoed up the stairs.

  “Eli!” Aaron shouted. “Help Lyla.”

  “I’m gonna fucking kill you,” Aaron growled, echoing Bill’s words, and thunked his head back against the floor.

  A second later, his brother burst into the shop. His eyes swept the room and landed on Lyla. And then Eli was there, pulling her against his chest. Aaron had to grit his teeth.

  “Lyla. Let me see. Are you okay?” Eli sounded worried, which wasn’t helping.

  “It’s fine. I’m… fine.” She sagged against his brother. “They need rope. It’s right there.” Her free hand fluttered slightly, indicating a shelf.

  Jeffrey appeared in the doorway. “I got it.” He limped into the shop and grabbed two packages of parachute cord. He made his way down the main aisle and tossed a package to Aaron, then helped Zeke with Larry. Aaron could see now that Zeke had been shot in the fleshy part of the shoulder. Blood ran down his arm and seemed to make his hands slippery.

  Aaron glanced back down at Bill, mouth tight. He’d been hit in the side. Aaron flipped up Bill’s shirt to check the damage. Not too bad. The bullet had scored a path along his ribcage. He’d need a few stitches if he couldn’t shift, but he’d live. Aaron’s mouth stretched in a grim smile. Probably hurt like a bitch.

  He needed to get to Lyla. He made quick work of tying Bill’s hands, making sure he was secure. The People might not be immune to bullets—not like in the legends—but they were strong. He didn’t want Bill breaking those ropes.

  “Eli, come over here and watch this scum.” He pushed to his feet, resisting the urge to kick Bill in the ribs. It took four long strides down the aisle to reach them. Eli released Lyla to go stand over Bill, and Aaron pulled her into his arms. She was crying. “Let me see, sweetheart. How bad is it?”

  “It’s a s-s-splinter.” Slowly, she pulled her hand away. His gut clenched.

  It was a splinter. Sort of. A slim, jagged piece of wood about two inches long protruded from her neck, just below her jaw. He swallowed. It had missed her jugular by less than an inch. A bullet must have smashed through the counter she was hiding behind, shattering the wood and showering her with flying debris.

  He swallowed again, trying not to imagine how bad it could have been. Trying not to think about how close the bullet must have come. If that had struck her—

  He pushed the thought away, pulling her tighter. “It’s okay, honey. We’ll get that taken care of.” His voice only shook a little. “You’ll be fine.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing deeply. They needed an ambulance. He wasn’t touching that piece of wood. But it wasn’t as bad as it looked. He hoped.

  Two cop cars screeched to a halt outside. Aaron looked up to see Eli pushing to his feet after tying Bill’s ankles. Zeke and Jeffrey had Larry trussed up too, and were hovering over him. This could get tricky.

  “Everybody stand still, and keep your hands out and open. I’ll do the talking.”

  The front door banged open with an incongruous jingle of bells. Two uniformed officers entered the shop, guns drawn.

  “Police! Hands ups!”

  Two more officers hung back in the doorframe, covering them. Aaron raised his hands without moving away from Lyla.

  “Officers, we’ve had an attempted robbery. We need an ambulance.” Aaron glanced over at Zeke, and then Bill and Larry lying on the floor. “Maybe two.”

  Chapter 15

  It had taken a while to get everything sorted with the police. It had taken a lot more time before Lyla was seen by a doctor and released from the hospital. She’d needed two stitches. But eventually Aaron got everyone back to the house.

  There had been a moment of confusion at the hardware store when Aaron suddenly realized he had no idea where that forty-five had ended up. That sent the cops into a flurry of activity. But eventually it was found under one of the shelving units. Be
cause Lyla was the shop owner and confirmed their story, it hadn’t taken too long to separate the perpetrators from the victims.

  The two flunkies out by the dumpster had run when the sirens got close, but Larry and Bill were taken into custody. Presumably, they’d been taken to jail by way of the hospital, since they were both injured, but Aaron didn’t really care. His concern was for Lyla. He went in the ambulance with her to the hospital, trying to believe the EMTs when they assured him she would be fine. His brothers followed. With Jeffrey. Which was a bit of a problem.

  When they reached the hospital, Lyla was wheeled straight into an operating room. Aaron stood there staring after the retreating gurney, clenching and opening his fists, impotent rage and anxiety surging through him in waves. He paced the waiting room like some kind of caged beast, unable to force himself to relax. It seemed to take forever, even though the clock on the wall showed only a few minutes had passed.

  He hated being separated from her. What if something went wrong? Aaron could feel himself beginning to lose control when his brothers surrounded him, forcing him to focus on something else. Eli insisted on giving his report, and he got the whole story.

  Standing there in the small private waiting room, he made himself listen as Eli related the details of the fight. After about a minute, he realized it was a good thing. He needed to deal with this now, rather than wait until after the surgery. Because as soon as Lyla was released, he was taking her home.

  As it turned out, Zeke’s bullet wound was a through and through, so Eli had just wrapped it for him until they could get to pack territory and Zeke could shift. The People tried to avoid human medical attention as much as possible. There was one tense moment when the nurse in the E.R. tried to admit him, but Zeke insisted the blood wasn’t his. Eventually, she had to let it go.

  Jeffrey, on the other hand, was a little harder to deal with. The kid had a serious contusion on his shin after getting cracked by the chain, but that would heal fine on its own. Eli had a couple of cracked ribs, courtesy of the tire iron, which also wasn’t a problem.