Caught: A Paranormal Romance (The Swamp Book 3)

by Rebecca Royce

  He shook his head. “You misunderstand me. I didn’t finish. I got through. I found him.”

  A car screeched to a stop, and annoyance flooded me. What now? I was about to get incredible information, and of course, someone was here to fuck that up. Anton ran from the car. I looked down at my phone. Wow. He must have driven at a breakneck speed. I’d give him shit about it later.

  That should have taken six hours, but it took five. Crazy man. Not that I could blame him for wanting to do this fast.

  I turned back around to Jarret. “Go on then. What happened?”

  “He’s not close. Like a long-distance pull. Hard to explain. I followed and followed it, and then landed right in front of him. I don’t think he knew it was me.”

  That was good, but I still didn’t know exactly where we needed to go. “Jarret? Focus.”

  “Sorry, my head isn’t clear. He’s in the Pacific Northwest.”

  Just then, Anton burst through the screen door. He held up his notebook. I was glad to see him. Things went better when we were all together. They just did, always. We’d always worked better as a team. “Pacific Northwest. Jarret was able to find him. Was there a lake?”

  Preston rushed past us and into the house. I wasn’t sure where he was going, but I didn’t care. Jarret was so close to giving us the answers we needed. He scrunched up his face. “I didn’t see a lake. Just Ross sitting in a chair. Log cabin walls, like that’s what they looked like. Hard to explain.”

  That didn’t give me a lot to work with. The Pacific Northwest was a fairly substantial space to deal with. It wasn’t like we could just go running around the whole area until we stumbled upon a werewolf named Ross.

  Anton held up his notebook and placed it really close to my face. Too close, in fact, for me to be able to read, but that was fine. I backed it up. “I get it. You want me to look at this now.” What had he found?

  Right there in front of me, now that I could see it, were the words ‘Goose Lake.’ I blinked. “Where is this? Goose Lake? Where is it located?”

  Because if it was somewhere in Texas, that wasn’t going to be particularly helpful to me. Not now that Jarret had found the Pacific Northwest, and what was I going to do if they contradicted each other? Who was right?

  Anton held up his phone. It had the same app that had been on the tablet and let him speak with it. Even though he preferred not to most of the time. I didn’t blame him. He could make himself understood perfectly well without the interference a good portion of the time. But now he was using the app. He must really want me to understand.

  “Oregon.”

  I smiled, satisfaction rushing through me for the first time in a long while. Now we were getting somewhere. “Bingo.”

  Preston ran back. He held his laptop. “Give me the details.”

  “Goose Lake. Oregon.” I looked at Jarret. “How did you know so specifically?”

  He lay back on the ground, sprawled out like he intended to stay there permanently. “There’s a sign. I’m going to sleep now.”

  I grinned. “No, not there, brother.” Preston went over and picked him up one-armed, swinging him over his shoulder. I shook my head. Sometimes, they were ridiculous. It was a good thing I loved them so much. “Put him on the couch.”

  I didn’t know exactly how old the couch we kept on the porch was, but it held Jarret up when Preston set him down on it. Anton grinned at both of them. Yes, we worked in this way. We always had, even when we had been so full of angst, we’d been taking it out on each other. This part of us worked.

  Still with one arm holding his laptop, Preston swung around and used his now free other hand to start typing. “Yep. It’s one of them. There are werewolf sightings there. Quite a few. Our boy is not that careful.”

  “Great.”

  Now we had somewhere to go, and I was one step closer to killing that son of a bitch.

  MacKenzie

  He was wet, and he had no idea what to do about it. I tilted my head. “You could end this farce and go dry off.”

  Ross growled as he pulled himself out of the water. “How did you do that?”

  “I’m talented and amazing. Like a unicorn. I’m the Omega that shouldn’t be. I can do all sorts of things that I shouldn’t be able to do.”

  Truth was that I had no idea whatsoever how I had done that. I’d wanted him to fall, so I’d shoved. It was that easy. Push. Boom. Wet. I sighed. This was going to be a long encounter with Ross. He’d been doing this forever, had so many powers I couldn’t fathom them, and he was sick in the head. I wasn’t a psychologist. Hell, I wasn’t even a college graduate.

  I wouldn’t even say that I was one of those people who really understood others’ motivations all the time. I knew there were some folks like that, but I wasn’t one of them. I’d been too far removed hiding the fact that I really wanted to live my truth as a werewolf to really get to know anyone outside of my family.

  But I was the Omega, and it was my job to take care of werewolves who needed me. Sometimes that was emotionally. Certainly, my loves carried wounds that I helped them with. But I would suffer in pain the rest of my life before I gave this man an ounce of my time making him feel better.

  No, some people had to die, and he was one of them. My mouth watered. I was a strong, tough werewolf, and I’d take him down. I didn’t always have to be gentle and kind. In fact, it went against my nature.

  “You want to kill me.”

  I wouldn’t deny it. “You’re a selfish, narcissistic person. I don’t know why the Omegas didn’t help you. I might even feel sorry for you, if you hadn’t turned around and done what you did. Killed everyone. Kept them from being born because your wolf is strong despite the madness. The Loups who come to me for help, I feel sorry for them. But they are actively trying to get better. You’re just pathetic and unkind.”

  He surged forward. “You don’t know my story.”

  “I don’t have to. The boo hoo woe is me routine you want to do right now will never and I mean ever make up for the genocide you’ve done to the Omegas. The way you have ruined every werewolf alive. Destroyed families. Wrecked lives. I don’t care why you did it. The only solution for someone like you is death.”

  He grabbed my arms. His breath stunk, which was saying a lot, since we were in some kind of confine he’d created. The wetness of his hand seeped into my arms through my clothes. “You will fix me if I tell you to.”

  I tipped up my chin. “Not in a million fucking years.”

  Anton

  I’d never seen a group of so many people get ready so fast all at once. Cars were packed, and everyone was quickly where they needed to be to go save MacKenzie, which included bringing her with us. Everyone wanted her safe because she was the Omega. Not the four of us. I could say beyond a shadow of a doubt—not that I ever said anything—that my brothers wanted her back because they loved her as I did.

  Screw the Omega thing.

  I strode toward the motorhome we had gotten at some point—I wasn’t sure when or how, because I’d been out of it—and rushed on board before I was left behind. It wasn’t that anyone would mean to forget me, but I’d realized very early on as a child that since I couldn’t holler out hey wait when people got moving, that I’d better make sure I was one of the first people to get in a vehicle at any time, lest they leave without me.

  I didn’t let myself think about those times very much. It was better not to dwell on things that I couldn’t control. Besides, things were getting better. Massively. And it was all thanks to the fact that MacKenzie lived in the world. How had I not known that? It seemed like the moment she breathed air, I should have somehow known.

  The whole universe should have slowed its spin so everyone on the planet knew the most wonderful person who’d ever existed had finally arrived.

  I sat down on a couch in the vehicle and waited. Her brother Isaac was going to drive, and it looked like Preston was going to sit shotgun next to him. They must have some sort of routine in this,
because they looked comfortable in the way that only came from experience.

  I’d spent my life watching my family. Analyzing them. Seeing what made them tick. I loved them and would kill for them in a second. It made me nuts when I lost time with them, which was why I couldn’t lose Preston for all of those years when he took himself off to the swamp, leaving the rest of us behind. He was having memories and experiences I knew nothing about.

  He’d changed, and I hadn’t been there to watch it, to understand how that worked and why.

  And then I’d come back, and we’d all gotten to fall in love with the same girl and have her love us back. Such a gift. Frankly, a miracle, and I didn’t believe in such things. And now they’d had a whole bunch more things happen while I’d been trapped in my mind and unable to help.

  Rainer sat down across from me. Although he looked calm, the acrid scent hitting my nose told me that my oldest brother was filled with stress and anxiety. I was as well, and I must scent the same to him. Better to not mention it.

  “You okay?” He lifted his gaze to meet mine, and I nodded. I wasn’t, but sometimes you just lied, because what was the other person going to do if you weren’t? It wasn’t as though Rainer could snap his fucking fingers and she’d magically appear fine and at home where we could all live happily ever after. That wasn’t going to be how our lives worked.

  Rainer shut his eyes and leaned against the couch. He wasn’t going to sleep. He was going to wait. I wished I could do that. Just sit with my eyes closed and stay silent until I had somewhere to go.

  “Rainer.” Miranda stormed into the motorhome followed by Jarret, who carried our love. He didn’t comment, just nodding at me as he carried her to the back of the vehicle. There was a small bedroom there, and when he didn’t return, I presumed he’d lain down with her.

  My oldest brother opened his eyes. If he could dish out death in that moment, he would. I knew the look well. Mostly Preston had been on the other end of that glare when we’d been kids, but there it was just the same.

  Isaac pulled the RV out, and our journey began, the other Alpha was with us whether Rainer liked it or not. Of course, he could demand we stop and put her out on the side of the road. But he was a Southern man, and our mother, for all her flaws, had taught us better than that. He wasn’t going to put a woman out on the road.

  Banging hit the side of the motorhome, and we all turned. She sighed. “Stop, please. It’s one of my mates.”

  I should have known. I’d never have let my mate go without one of us, too. Isaac sighed but stopped. He opened the door, and the tallest of Miranda’s men strode on. He was out of breath. Her guys tended to be silent, but unlike me, they actually could speak and didn’t. Maybe that was a quality she looked for in a mate. Silent and deadly.

  He shot his mate a look and strode to the back, where he could watch her but not overwhelm her. I’d do the same for MacKenzie if she were here and needed it, except I might sit right next to her, since I wasn’t sure I could be separated from her ever again. I might have to live glued to her side.

  She made my heart beat. She made my blood flow. She made it so I could breathe. MacKenzie Harper was my entire world, and I loved her completely. What was amazing was that she loved me like that, too. Understood me, somehow.

  MacKenzie was my heart.

  My hands itched. I wanted to write, but I didn’t have my laptop, So I ignored the inclination.

  “You have to listen to me.”

  Rainer stared at Miranda. I shifted in my seat. Were we going to fight her? Yes, she was an Alpha, but she was also a woman. I’d never fought a female. Still, I’d have Rainer’s back, now and always. Otherwise, I’d be going into the bedroom and lying down with Jarret and MacKenzie.

  My oldest brother tilted his head. “Okay. Talk. Since you’ve busted your way on here.”

  She ignored his jibe, which was impressive because he probably deserved to get called out on that. “You can’t be Alpha of everyone. Yes, this is your battle. I am the one who insisted on it. But, Rainer, I see how they’re all starting to fawn around you. They think you’re going to be their Alpha. You can’t be. The Omega’s mates just have to concentrate on her.”

  I leaned forward. What did she think we were doing?

  A spike of amusement hit me from Rainer. He thought this was funny?

  “You know what I’m sick of?” He ran a hand over his chin. This was the most unshaved I’d ever seen Rainer. I touched my own cheeks. Come to think of it, I also hadn’t shaved. We were all going to be going for the bearded look soon.

  I didn’t know what he was sick of, but I was excited to hear it. There were about a million things I was sick of.

  Miranda sighed. “What’s that?”

  “People telling us what we should and shouldn’t do. As far as I’m concerned, the way it was done before was wrong. Maybe if the Omegas hadn’t been so isolated, so completely consumed by just their own mates, then everyone could have noticed when things started to go badly for them. Maybe their mates could have gotten them help earlier and they wouldn’t have died.” All of his amusement was gone. My wolf prowled to the surface. This wasn’t an ideal place to have a fight, but I was up for it if that was what was going to happen.

  Miranda’s mate growled, and I shot him a look. I could take him. Funny how I knew that. It was like even though my wolf wasn’t currently shifted or dominant, he knew instinctively who we were capable of handling. I was a lot stronger than most people realized, and that suited me fine. Let them underestimate me to their own peril.

  Rainer held up his hand. “We’re just talking here.”

  Miranda breathed hard. “I assure you, we weren’t ignoring the Omegas. My sister was one of them.”

  “Yes, I know. And now my mate has to fight this battle for all of them. If everyone wants to follow me, they can. I won’t turn anyone away, but neither am I seeking this. If I’m Alpha, so be it.” He nodded toward me. “He’d be better at this than I am.”

  Oh fuck that, Rainer wasn’t dragging me into this mess. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s Alpha. Nope. My wolf agreed. We’d kick ass and take names, but we weren’t going to make decisions about pack lands and food supplies. No, absolutely not.

  “So you won’t step away.”

  Rainer tilted his head. “Don’t be afraid. I don’t want your pack, Miranda. When this is over, take your people and go back home. If they’ll still have you. But maybe it isn’t me they want so much as the swamp. It’s hard to be there and not know that you’re home.”

  And that was the complete truth.

  Chapter 5

  Mackenzie

  He came at me like he meant to kill me, and I believed that he would. Had he done this before? How many had he done this to? Had he taken over the brains of every Omega in the world and tortured them on this dock until they were dead? I wasn’t going out like that. But some things were different for me. Maybe because I knew who he was and what he was doing.

  One of my teachers had told me when I was young that knowledge was power. In my case, I would assume that remained true.

  Another thought dawned on me just as fast. Maybe it was just that my wolf was really powerful. I’d managed to become an Omega when there had been no chance of that happening. Didn’t that mean I had to be strong?

  I shook my head. It was weird to think nice things about myself. I’d been so beaten down for such a long time. And that was because of this man in front of me.

  “How am I here? How did I manage to squeeze in as an Omega when you had it so locked down? I guess I’m stronger than you are. Asshole.”

  It felt good to hurl that word at him. Sure, I should have been above such things, and maybe in a better time, when I could meditate three times a day, I’d manage to find my better self and feel awful about how low I’d gone here. But right now? It felt fucking good.

  “Asshole.” This time, I shouted it.

  He lunged at me, shifting as he did. I paused to stare at him. Ross was
a Loup, through and through. He might seem to make sense sometimes, but he was absolutely not okay in the head. Looking like a werewolf who was trying to walk on two feet, he was like something out of a bad monster movie. I tilted my head. I’d seen a ton of Loups in the brief time I’d been living like this. There was nothing special about him. Like this? He was just a run of the mill Loup that wasn’t that interesting to me.

  I steeled my spine. Fine. If he wanted to play, that was what we would do. I shifted into my wolf form. Most of the time, this drove Rainer crazy. He didn’t want me in the fray of fighting if I could get hurt. It was his job to protect me. I was too unique in this world to be risked. I had a hard time listening to him, because my natural instinct was to help, to fight back. Maybe it came from having all those older brothers.

  I didn’t know, and I didn’t suppose it mattered.

  I wasn’t fixing this Loup so he could be absolved of his sins by some excuse that he had been crazy. He was going to be eliminated, and maybe this was pointless since I was in his fake environment. I probably couldn’t hurt him. But boy, could I make it hurt.

  I growled and lunged at him. This would be so nice if I had Rainer, Preston, Jarret, and Anton with me. It must have been a wolf thing, but I loved being with them in a fight. They were my pack.

  MacKenzie…

  I jolted and moved out of the way of Ross’ attack. Loups were easy to get away from, at least for me. It might be an Omega thing, but I found them very easy to dart and maneuver against. But I’d heard Anton, and it almost threw me off my game.

  Funny. I’d only heard him once when we were connected in his mind during the time I’d freed him from Ross’ clutches. But I was hearing him now. Was he able to do the same for me?

  Anton…

  I heard him gasp. You can hear me?

  I always could. Our hearts were connected. I’d be able to understand all of them if they needed me to, but it had just been incredibly easy with Anton. I’d just known what he wanted to say, and he’d hardly had to use the tablet at all to communicate with me. We’d just connected.