“Yes, sir. It won’t happen again.” Randy had learned his lesson. He had gone off halfcocked and almost gotten himself and possibly the kid killed. It was critical that he bided his time and got more help. His brother’s life might depend on it.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Kendra could see nothing but the ground bouncing below her head when she woke. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she said to the man whose shoulder dug so far into her stomach it was making her ill. She was positive she would soon lose the wonderful dinner Marietta had prepared earlier.
Closing her eyes, she tried to remember her Law of Attraction lessons. What was she grateful for today? She tried to think of all the things she was grateful for to take her mind off the fact that she was bouncing up and down at an incredible rate of speed, considering the man who carried her was on foot.
Thank you, universe for... Well, hell... Right now, she couldn’t think of a damned thing she was thankful for. Well, she was thankful for Galen, but he wasn’t here, damn it all. She chewed on her lip and winced when the man jumped over a log and she bit herself, drawing blood.
Spit out the blood so I can scent it.
Galen? Her heart surged with joy. It didn’t matter how angry she was at him for the moment. She loved him more than she had ever thought possible. Where are you?
I think I’m close, but they’re doing something to cover your scent.
One of them is carrying me. Could that be it? Somehow she doubted it. After all, if they could tell the differences between identical siblings and whether or not a couple had just mated only by their scent, she didn’t think carrying her would make that much of a difference.
I assumed that. They have used something that’s masking your scent. Did you spit out the blood? They can’t cover that scent so easily.
Not yet. She sucked on her lip, trying to draw more blood into her mouth. I’m trying to get a mouthful.
A drop or two is enough. Spit it out.
When Kendra spat out the blood, she almost groaned with frustration. Damn it! It had landed on the back of the man’s trouser leg. She sighed. At least he was wearing black. It wouldn’t show.
“Hey! Are you spitting on me? Sonofabitch!” The man practically snarled at her. “I’ll knock your ass out if you do that again.”
“I told you I felt sick. Use your brain, genius. I just ate a huge Easter dinner and now you’re holding me upside down, bouncing my stomach on your shoulder, while you’re dragging me through rough terrain. Gee... I would imagine those conditions would make just about anyone sick to their stomach and ready to toss their cookies.”
“I’m not putting you down.”
“Then get used to getting barfed on, because I’m about to lose my lunch down your back.” About that time, the man hopped another log and Kendra groaned loudly. Her stomach was protesting the movement, but she hammed it up a bit, knowing that if he didn’t want her spitting on him, he surely wouldn’t want her to throw up down his back.
“Holy shit, lady! Okay. I’ll put you down for a second, but you’d better get a grip on what’s in your stomach, or stick a finger down your throat, because I’m not setting you down again.”
He’s stopped. I don’t know how long I can get him to stay that way. Hurry, Galen. Something told her that if they got her away from her mate this time, she would never see him again and she decided she would very much like to see him again. I’ve gotten accustomed to seeing your ugly face on a daily basis. I don’t think I want to go another minute without seeing you again.
Ugly face, huh? He was laughing, she could feel it.
Yeah. So ugly, I just might kiss every inch of it the next time I see you. She paused. I don’t really think you’re ugly, you know.
I know. He left it at that. There was no gloating, no I-told-you-so. He was just matter of fact. He was just Galen and she loved him for it.
What do you mean, you know?
Mates love each other. They mate for life. They have to be able to stomach the way the other looks.
Oh. She frowned. You just stomach the way I look? A bit of uncertainty crept in.
Not in the slightest.
Oh. A lump formed in her throat. What was he saying then? Did he think her hips were too wide, her ass too big, what?
I love the way you look, silly. I love how your gorgeous red hair tumbles around your shoulders like blazing fire and silk. I love your eyes, the exact color of the purest emeralds, but mostly I love the way you frown at me and act like you’re mad when you’re really hurt because you think I’ve said something insensitive. And I really love your long legs and lush ass. I just discovered, with you anyway, I’m a leg and ass man.
Kendra turned at those words. She could feel Galen staring through the bushes at her. She smiled, glad he had caught up to them before her captor had been able to steal her away from her new mate. Not only that, he had managed to keep her mind occupied instead of dwelling on her fear while he did it.
I love you. She had to say it. She wasn’t sure he really knew.
I know, Kendra. I love you, too, he replied before he leapt from the bushes and attacked her abductor.
Galen plowed into the man, nearly knocking him off his feet as his wolf snarled and snapped at her abductor’s throat.
Kendra screamed when the man shifted and snarled at Galen. The mangy-looking dull brown wolf shook off the torn clothes hanging from his body and snarled.
It probably shouldn’t have surprised her to discover that her abductor was a shifter, too. How many newly made shapeshifters were there? How in the world could they exist in such numbers without the whole world knowing about them?
Where do you think the legends come from, love? Galen asked as he and the other wolf circled each other, teeth bared.
I never thought they came from the likes of you. I can tell you that. She rubbed her stomach, still feeling sick. Her belly ached, and she groaned. I’m going to shift. God, Galen. I don’t want to do that here, in front of him. And I don’t want to distract you.
Then reach for it. Shift quickly and distract him. He won’t expect it of you.
The familiar burning started low in her stomach, and Kendra did as Galen asked. She reached for it. She imagined what it would be like to have thick fur covering her body, long teeth and four strongly muscled legs, built for running down prey. She quickly bent forward, unbuttoned her top, pulled her arms out of the sleeves and pushed down her trousers and panties so she could easily step out of them once she’d shifted.
Before she knew it, her bones had shifted, changed shape and her face elongated into a snout filled with long, sharp teeth.
Inwardly, Kendra smiled as she lowered her head and watched the two males do battle. She stepped out of her clothes.
Don’t, Kendra. You can’t fight him. He’s too strong for a female.
He might be too strong for me, but he’s not too strong for you and me together. She shook her head. I’m not going with him. I’m never going back to a lab where they wish to impregnate me for their own gain. If I have children, I will do it on my own terms. She looked at Galen, realizing that he should have a say in the matter, too. On our terms, but not on theirs. Besides, I’ve got some sort of weird power now. I can see where I can hurt him the most. He’s got an ache just above his right shoulder blade. If I bite him there, he shouldn’t put up much of a fight.
Kendra wasn’t sure how she knew that. She only knew it was accurate. Areas that looked painful pulsed red, while the rest of him pulsed a charcoal gray. Perhaps that was the color of evil. She didn’t know. She only knew Galen was a beautiful gold and had a bright green spot in the center of his chest which grew larger when he looked at her. Seeing that made her heart swell.
Wasting no more time, Kendra leaped on the other wolf’s back with a low growl. He hadn’t even looked her way, which meant she had done little to distract him, until she bit down on his neck near his injured shoulder. That got his attention.
I don’t think he e
xpected that of me, she said with a giggle. Please take care of him for me.
I can’t kill him. We need information he can provide.
Then incapacitate him. I want to get my mouth off the back of his neck. He smells funny, and he definitely doesn’t taste like chicken. She curled her upper lip at his flavor. All I can say is, yech!
Shifting into his human form, Galen balled up his fist and struck the wolf on the side of the head, knocking him out.
Kendra did her best to keep from staring at her mate’s perfect body as he turned to her with a broad grin curving his sensual mouth.
“You expected him to taste like chicken?” Galen cocked an inquiring brow.
Baring her teeth in a wolfish grin of her own, Kendra replied, Why not? Everything else seems to.
Chapter Twenty-nine
“Thank you so much for stopping here,” Marietta said as they stood on the front porch of the lodge. “It’s good to have a woman closer to my age to talk to.” She held up a hand. “Not that I think you’re anywhere near my age, but you’re closer than my daughters.
“No, Marietta. Thank you for having us.” Kendra took the other woman’s hand. “I’m so sorry I misunderstood you the other day.”
“It’s not a problem. I understand how it must have sounded to you.” Marietta smiled. “I’m just glad everything worked out for the best.” She gave Kendra a quick hug. “Come back and see us after you get settled. I’d like to see you once you fully come into your powers.”
“I will,” Kendra replied as she turned to watch the bustle of activity in the parking area.
About two-dozen burly shifter men milled about as they prepared to leave. They passed guns and ammunition from one to the other. Some of them were going to accompany them back to Michigan and others were going on a rescue mission.
Apparently, one of her rescuers had been captured by Dr. Thornton and his men.
Kendra watched as Galen’s pack mates loaded their newest prisoner into one of the SUVs. She didn’t give a damn who that goon rode with, as long as it wasn’t with her and Galen. Every time she got a whiff of the jerk, it reminded her of his gamey flavor. She shuddered at the thought.
“Do you know which one got captured now?”
“Yes.” Galen’s brow furrowed as he watched the others readying to go. A helicopter had just landed in the far parking lot and a tall blond man got out and ran toward the others already assembled there. It looked like one of the twins who had rescued her, and then Kendra realized he was alone.
“Oh, no!” She turned her attention to Galen. “Tell me it wasn’t one of the twins.”
“I wish I could.” Galen wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side. “Randy and Cameron couldn’t be any closer. Hell, they’re so much alike they’re practically the same man.”
“You should go with them and help get him back.”
“I can’t.” He shook his head and glanced down at her with a sad smile. “Our Alpha has decreed the mated aren’t going until all the unmated are either too tired, wounded or killed. Now that the Alpha is back, he doesn’t want to separate a mated pair on the off chance that one of us could be captured or killed. Mated pairs are too valuable to the pack.” He continued at her inquiring look. “Our children are our hope for the future.”
He glanced at Marietta. “Will you excuse us?”
“Of course!”
Galen led her down to the parking area to where the men were gathered for the rescue operation.
“I’m sorry to hear about what happened, Randy. If I had known...”
“If Cam and I had known this would happen, we both would still have insisted you get Ms. Mortensen out of there.” His expression grew fierce. “My brother is okay. I can feel it.” He rested his hand over his heart. “Here.” Randy turned to her and inclined his head. “I’m glad to see you looking so radiant, ma’am.” He smiled, though he still looked preoccupied and a little melancholy. “And I hear congratulations are in order.” He shook Galen’s hand. “I’m happy to hear you’ve found your mate.” He turned to Kendra. “Congratulations to you, too, ma’am,” he said with a slight bow.
“You’ve found yours, too, if I’m not mistaken.” Was Galen trying to keep Randy from joining the rescue mission?
“Perhaps.” All emotion seemed to fall away from Randy’s expression before he glanced over his shoulder. “Maybe one day she’ll be able to overcome her demons. Until then, my brother needs me.”
“Not any more than she does.”
“Don’t kid yourself. Cassie can’t stand to have me around. She’s terrified of me now that the shock has worn off. My size terrifies her. It was Carly’s ex that assaulted her. You know how big he was and I’m even bigger, meaner and better trained.”
“You’d never hurt so much as a hair on her head, so stop talking like that. I’ve never seen you so tender with anyone but her, not even your sister.” Galen scowled at the other man’s self-deprecation.
If Kendra had to guess, and she did because Randy wasn’t being forthcoming, she’d say that he was heartbroken that his mate couldn’t overcome her fears.
A spark lit in her mind and a picture of Randy and a tiny but curvy blonde with blue eyes suddenly appeared like a photo in her mind’s eye. They were laughing and happy and his twin was there, too.
“She’ll come around, Randy.”
“How do you know that? You don’t even know her.” He almost scoffed at her words but stopped short of doing so. The dying hope in his eyes was almost too much to bear.
She knew she could never tell him she’d seen him with his mate and his twin brother. He would never believe that. No matter how convincing she tried to be.
“I know because I can see inside you to things that you hide even from yourself. Your heart glows when you think of Cassie. I would guess that you love her because I see that same glow in Galen’s heart when he looks at me.”
Smiling up at her mate, Kendra took Galen’s hand in hers and laced their fingers together.
“She’ll come around if you love her, Randy. Just give her a little more time and love her. She doesn’t need anything else.”
“Thank you for that.” He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “I think that was just what I needed to hear.”
“Maybe. There’s also another little light inside you that isn’t you.” She frowned and stepped closer, looking inside him. “I think it’s that part of your brother that you hold inside you, the same as he has a small part of you inside him.” She smiled. “It’s pulsing. I think he’s awake and trying to contact you. Maybe once you get closer to where they’re keeping him, you’ll hear his call.”
A wave of exhaustion washed over her, and she slumped against Galen.
“Wow, that was something, wasn’t it? If this wasn’t such a serious issue, I’d be seriously geeked that I’m slightly psychic now.” Her tone was a bit rueful.
“Thank you again.” Randy bowed slightly and turned to go.
“Be careful, Randy. Don’t put your life on the line just because you think something has happened to Cam. If you do and he’s fine, you’re sentencing him to a life without his twin.”
“That didn’t stop him from doing something stupid and getting himself captured. He didn’t give one thought to leaving me alone.”
“That’s because he’s so used to you having his back. You were too far away to help him this time. That’s no one’s fault.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Randy left to join the others as they decided on the seating arrangements. The last thing Kendra heard from Randy as he joined the others was his booming voice declaring, “Hell, I’m over six-foot-six, if you think I’m sitting in the back seat you’re out of your fucking minds.”
Galen gathered her close and kissed her temple. “I think we’re loading up now. Are you ready to go, mate?”
Kendra smiled up at the man who would be her husband as soon as they got to Michigan and were safe on his pack’s lands.
&nb
sp; “I was born ready.” She waggled her brows.
“That sounds like an invitation.” Galen grinned and winked. “Was it one?”
“That’s for me to know and you to figure out, you gorgeous werewolf, you.”
Epilogue
“This is so beautiful.” Kendra sighed as they watched the sunset over Lake Michigan.
Many of the shifters shared a large estate on the lake for both companionship and safety.
“I wish I would have known how beautiful Michigan is a long time ago. I might have considered taking the job offer I received from here instead of the one in Arkansas.” She frowned at that thought. “Though, if I had, we might not have met.”
“You most likely would have met sooner,” Jake commented as he and Eden walked up behind them. “I was the one who offered you the job.”
“I thought you were the Sheriff, not the head of the school board.” She wanted to laugh, but thought better of it. The way Galen had explained it, Jake was some sort of leader, like the equivalent of the werewolf king or something just as bizarre.
“Honey, he’s the pack Alpha. Remember how I explained that to you?” Galen pulled her closer.
Yeah, she remembered. “So, you make all of the decisions—even those that involve families?” She tilted her head, trying to figure out how the shifter adults could give up their right to choose so easily.
“They aren’t giving up anything.” Jake must have read her mind.
After staying with them for nearly two weeks, she’d noticed that Jake did that a lot with everyone and no one ever told him to mind his own damned business. Well, she wasn’t going to be the first.
“Every one of you benefits for your allegiance to me.”
“I don’t understand.” Maybe if she did, she wouldn’t resent his hold over everyone so much. She was grateful to him for seeing to her rescue, but gratitude would only carry her so far.
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