“You looked good with that baby in your arms.” Jeb’s voice was tight and he looked straight ahead instead of at Ronni. “I wish...” His voice trailed off.
“If you’re entertaining ideas about me and you and a baby to boot, stop. My baby is almost grown. I’m not having another one.”
“You’re still of childbearing age.”
“Not the point. But then, when have you ever cared about anything other than what you want?”
“Why is it wrong for me to want what Zeke had? To want what I saw at your house the night I came to supper?”
“What did you see, Jeb?”
“A family. People who cared.”
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting a family or people who care for you. It’s wrong to force your way in and take what isn’t offered.”
“Gryffon took what was mine,” Jeb growled. “Do you know how hard it was for me to sit at your table and be civil to the man who stole you from me?”
“Bodie didn’t steal anything from you. Alex and I aren’t yours. We never were.” Ronni stopped walking. “We never will be.”
“You’re wrong, Veronika.” Jeb faced her. “I will claim what is mine.”
“I’m not available to be claimed.”
“Have you done something foolish?” Jeb’s fingers clutched her upper arms.
“What I do is not your business.”
“The Woelfesenat might not agree. My arbitrator files complaints with them daily, expressing the dangers you and Alex face in Walker’s Run.”
“You are the only danger to us.”
“Are you forgetting what happened with the poachers?”
“Bodie caught them.”
“Yeah, an unfortunate ending to a well-laid plan. I really wanted them to put a bullet in him.”
“They tried.” Ronni struggled to break Jeb’s hold. “What did you mean by ‘well-laid plan’? Did you have something to do with those poachers?”
“Feisty and smart.” Jeb actually smiled, broad and wide, flashing a mouth full of straight white teeth. “You’ll make me a fine Alphena.”
“You’re wolfan. Why would you have anything to do with poachers?”
“I had to do something to shake up the Woelfesenat’s perception of Gavin’s perfect little pack. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t get me what I wanted. But the second one will.”
“What are you planning, Jeb?”
“To rescue my family and bring them home.” He checked his watch. “We need to go.” Jeb jerked Ronni alongside as he began walking at a fast pace.
“No!” She dug her heels in the soft ground, but Jeb continued to pull her with him as his speed increased to a near run.
“Let. Me. Go!”
“You might want to cover your ears, sugar.”
“Don’t call me—” The rest of Ronni’s words were drowned out by a loud explosion.
Smoke and debris engulfed the outdoor stadium where the band had been playing. Screams and frantic howls rose among the chaos of people scrambling away from the disaster.
Ronni’s heart froze. “Alex!” She started to run but Jeb grabbed her by the waist and spun her around.
“You’re still fast.” Jeb laughed.
Ronni rammed her elbow into his ribs. He let out a string of curses but didn’t let her go. “What is wrong with you?” She struggled to get free. “Alex is in that stadium!”
“Calm down. Alex is fine,” Jeb snapped. “I had him taken to the SUV before the explosion.”
“Why?” Ronni shrieked. “What’s going on, Jeb?”
“You forced me to take drastic measures, Veronika. If you would’ve come back to Pine Ridge when I asked nicely, none of this would’ve happened.” He grabbed her face and jerked her head toward the commotion. “This is all your fault.”
“Are you insane? Children were at that concert! Alex’s friends were with him! Where are Willow and Lucas?”
“Don’t know, don’t care. You and Alex are my only concern.”
Ronni’s stomach rolled. “Oh, God.” Her hands shook as she took her phone from her back pocket. She dialed Bodie’s number, but Jeb jerked the phone from her hands and smashed it on the ground.
“Listen carefully, Veronika. I’m not going to repeat myself. You and Alex are leaving with me. When we get to Pine Ridge, I will claim you as my mate. You aren’t going to fight me or resist in any way. If you do, I will hunt down and kill Gryffon and his family, and I won’t stop until I’ve put down Wyatt, his mate and those little wolflings of his. Do you understand?”
Oh, she understood all right. Numb, Ronni nodded.
“Then let’s go home, sugar.”
* * *
“Willow!” Bodie fought his way through masses of crying kids and hysterical parents. “Alex! Lucas!”
He would’ve shifted into his bird form to search for them, but the billows of thick black smoke obscured the sky.
The panicked howls added to Bodie’s own inner chaos. Finally, he saw Rafe’s red head bobbing through the exodus of people exiting the outdoor stadium. The stoic look he normally wore was twisted with anguish. “I didn’t find them!”
“Neither did I.” Bodie’s throat tightened around his words.
His phone rang with an unknown number. “Hello?”
“Dad!” Willow’s anxious voice sliced right through his heart.
“Where are you? Are you safe?”
His daughter’s sobs filled his ears, shredding everything inside him.
“Sweetheart, calm down and tell me where you are.”
The only words Bodie made out were concession stand. He repeated them to Rafe, who took off. Bodie trailed slightly behind him, grateful Rafe knew where to head. Once they broke free of the stampeding crowd, they ran toward the concession stand, which appeared to be undamaged.
“Dad!” Willow darted from behind the counter with Lucas running after her.
Bodie scooped his daughter into his arms, holding her tight. “You’re okay,” he kept repeating to soothe her as well as himself.
“Where’s Alex?” Rafe’s usually clear, steady voice cracked.
“We don’t know,” Lucas said, putting on a brave front though his eyes reflected his panic. “He went to get us something to drink but was taking a really long time. When he didn’t answer his phone, we decided to look for him. But he wasn’t here. I even checked the bathroom. Then the outdoor stage blew up.”
“It’s all right, Lucas.” Rafe gently squeezed the teenager’s shoulder. “We’ll find him.”
Bodie called Ronni again. He shook his head at Rafe. “She’s still not answering.”
“Take them to the tents. I’ll keep looking.” Without waiting for discussion, Rafe took off.
“Come on.” Even though Willow was nearly sixteen, Bodie clutched her hand. “You need to steer us in the right direction,” he said, draping his other arm around Lucas’s shoulders. “I don’t know the layout of the park.”
“That way.” Lucas pointed and they began walking away from the heart of the commotion.
“What caused the explosion?” Lucas asked.
“I don’t know,” Bodie answered. “I’m sure Tristan will find out.”
“Do you think Alex is okay?” Willow blinked back more tears.
“I’m sure he is, sweetheart. Maybe he made it back to the tents.”
Lucas didn’t look at Bodie but his jaw clenched as he stared straight ahead.
The walk across the grounds took only a few minutes but each step dragged as if Bodie had concrete blocks for feet. Grateful that Willow and Lucas were safe, Bodie wouldn’t feel relief until Alex was back with them.
Nearing the tents, Bodie focused his vision and scanned the occupants. He saw Cassie, hugging children as they filtered into the tent and then pointing them toward a designa
ted area where an adult would safeguard them until their parents were located.
Grace and Nel were at a table, caring for the babies.
Where the hell is Ronni? And where’s my mother?
Believing them to be safe, Bodie had focused his worry and attention on finding the kids. Finally stepping inside the tent and not seeing the rest of his family drove his anxiety beyond panic mode.
He tried reaching out to Ronni through the mate-bond, but he couldn’t sense anything but his own jumble of emotions. There was no way to contact his mother either. In their human form, Tlanuhwa could only receive visions of what another Tlanuhwa in raven form was seeing.
“Thank God you’re all right.” Cassie squeezed Lucas. His eyes watered and his pressed lips formed a grim line. “Your mom is over there with Abby and your dad is with the sentinels.”
“Thanks,” Lucas said quietly. He turned to Willow. “Tell Alex to call me.”
Willow nodded.
Lucas started to walk away, turned back and gave Willow a quick, tight hug before going to find his mother.
“Come here.” Cassie motioned to Willow.
She let go of Bodie’s hand and went to Cassie who wrapped her in a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re all right.” Cassie’s eyes lifted to Bodie and he knew she was asking about Alex.
Bodie shrugged and shook his head.
“Why don’t you help Nel and Grace take care of the babies.”
Willow looked to Bodie.
“Go ahead, sweetheart.”
Willow hugged him again before leaving.
“Where is Ronni?” Bodie scanned the faces of those inside the tent again. “And my mother?”
The calm, reassuring expression Cassie had shown the kids faltered. “Ronni left with Jeb before the explosion.”
“What?” All of Bodie’s jumbled emotions came out in the single word.
Cassie’s eyes widened for a split second, then her delicate brows arched in a quiet command for him to step back and take a breath. A true alpha female, despite her petite frame.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you,” he said, mindful of his tone.
“We’re all a bit stressed right now.” Cassie touched his arm.
“Alex is missing. Ronni is missing. And Jeb is here. Do you think that’s a coincidence? Because I don’t.” Bodie laced his hands behind his head and squeezed, hoping to stall the massive headache pounding inside his skull.
“Jeb is here under treaty and Gavin assigned extra sentinels to keep an eye on him.”
“Sentinels who are now helping with the aftermath of the explosion.” Bodie took out his phone and called Ronni again. “No answer,” he spat.
“That’s not the only way to communicate with her,” Cassie said. “Calm your mind and reach out to her.”
“I’ve tried. It’s not working.”
“Block out what’s going on around you. Focus on her,” Cassie said. “Only her.”
Closing his eyes, Bodie recalled their last kiss, how soft her lips were, the warmth of her skin. The way she tugged his leather vest to pull him closer. How happy he was coming home to her every night and talking about their day. And that he loved her, much more than he ever thought possible.
A feminine presence fluttered inside him.
“Ronni?”
He felt wrapped in a tight hug. Thank God!
“Alex and I are leaving with Jeb.”
“Like hell you are!”
“Don’t follow us. It’s for the best.”
“Dammit, Ronni! Where are you?”
Silence followed with a bone-chilling emptiness.
“Jeb has them,” he snarled.
“Where is he taking them?”
“She didn’t say. And now I can’t sense her. All I feel is the deathly cold in my bones.” At least until his frustration and fear turned into raging fury.
A volcanic heat erupted behind his eyes, temporarily blinding him. “Oh, God!” He grabbed his head, pressing his palms against his eyes.
“You need to sit down.” Cassie’s hands gripped his arm.
In his mind’s eye, he saw blue skies above him, felt the rushing of wind against his face and beneath his wings; only he wasn’t the one in the air.
There was a sudden dive and Bodie swayed with the drop. When the descent leveled, a road came into view below.
“Bodie? What’s happening?”
“I see a deserted four-lane highway. There’s a black SUV ahead. It’s Jeb’s vehicle, I’m sure of it.”
“Where is the highway, Bodie? Can you see any landmarks?”
“Just miles of road.” He needed to think. He’d scoured the entire area endless times when searching for the poachers. Something should look familiar. “Wait!”
To the left, he saw trees scorched by a late summer brush fire. “It’s the old Shewbird Highway.”
In his mind, he heard a familiar caw. “Mom?”
His vision returned to normal.
Cassie’s gaze locked on Bodie while she spoke to someone on the phone. “Yes, I’ll tell him,” she said, disconnecting the call. “Tristan is calling Sheriff Locke to set up a road block. He says they’ll have Ronni and Alex home soon, so sit tight.”
“Like hell I will.” Bodie stretched out his arms. “Keep an eye on Willow. I’m going to get the rest of my family and bring them home.”
Chapter 30
“You better not have hurt my friends.” Alex punched the seat in front of him. Jeb’s driver glanced into the rearview mirror at them, but didn’t slow down.
“Blame your mother,” Jeb said calmly, as if he hadn’t committed an act of war against the Walker’s Run pack as a diversion to kidnap Ronni and her son. “If she would’ve come home when I asked, I wouldn’t have had to use a bomb to get her attention.” Hand resting on Ronni’s leg, Jeb squeezed her thigh.
She swallowed the bile rising in her throat.
“Once we get to Pine Ridge, we’ll put this mess behind us and you can make new friends.”
“I don’t want new friends, you asshole!”
“Alex! Control yourself.” Even though he was nearly grown, Ronni reached for him and drew his head against her shoulder. She lowered her voice to an airy whisper. “When you get the chance, run! As fast as you can and don’t look back. I’ll be right behind you.” She bit her lip at the lie.
The only way to stop Jeb from coming after them again was to put him down or die trying.
Alex responded with a nearly imperceptible nod. She kissed his head, imbuing him with all the love her mother’s heart held, then released him.
“You coddle him too much,” Jeb scoffed. “I’ll have to teach him to toughen up.”
“You’ve already taught him plenty,” Ronni snapped.
“Aw, sugar. Don’t be cross. I’m doing what’s best for our family.”
“So am I.” Ronni launched from her seat between Alex and Jeb, dove between the two front seats and jerked the steering wheel hard.
The vehicle swerved sharply to the right. The driver battled to regain control but Ronni’s grip had cemented and she wouldn’t let go. Cursing, Jeb grabbed her waist in an attempt to pull her free.
“Mom! What are you doing?”
She jerked the wheel again and clamped her teeth into the driver’s arm.
“Crazy bitch!” He stomped the brakes.
Ronni would’ve smashed into the dashboard and likely gone through the windshield if Jeb hadn’t yanked her into the back seat.
The vehicle crashed into the embankment. Steam rolled from beneath the crumpled hood.
“Goddammit, Veronika! You could’ve killed us!” Jeb growled.
“I’m not finished yet.” She drew her arm back and slammed it into Jeb’s nose. “Alex, run!”
His door flew open and
he leaped from the car, shifting into his wolf. Paws touching the ground, Alex did exactly as Ronni instructed and bolted down the highway.
Rafe was the fastest runner in the pack, Alex a close second. Jeb and his henchman would never catch him.
Ronni scrambled to get out of the vehicle. Jeb snatched her back inside.
“Carl! Get Alex and bring him back,” Jeb snarled.
“I hope you handle the pack better than you’re handling them,” Carl growled. “If not, you won’t be Alpha for long.” He exited the SUV, shifted and darted after Alex.
Jeb grabbed Ronni’s jaw. “If you were any other woman, you would be dead now.”
She spit in his face and punched him hard in the crotch. Reflexively, he doubled over. Ronni launched out the open door and shifted as Alex had done.
Amped on adrenaline and fury, Ronni practically flew down the road. Gaining on Carl, she saw a dark shadow emerging from behind the hill Alex was cresting.
“Alex! Don’t stop! Keep running!”
He didn’t listen; he skidded to a stop and simply stood frozen, except for his nose lifting in the air as the shadow grew. Carl’s pace increased, closing the distance. Ronni’s mind screamed for her son to run, but he didn’t move.
A deafening screech sliced through the sky, followed by a thunderous swoosh of giant wings belonging to the horrific creature rising over the hill where Alex stood.
“Run! Dammit, run!”
The giant bird-like monster swooped over him, but its fiery gaze focused on a different target. Screeching again, the creature grabbed Carl with large, orange arms ending in three sharp talons rather than hands and soared upward into the bright blue sky with its whip-like tail snapping the air.
Before relief settled, Jeb’s wolf slammed into Ronni. The force knocked her several feet and she hit the ground, losing her breath.
“What the hell was that thing?” He stood over her.
“Bodie.” It had to be Bodie. Wahyas had their primitive Wahyarian, lurking inside them, so it would make sense that Bodie’s kind did, too.
Love and gratitude rushed her heart and she nearly choked on the emotion. He had come for her and Alex, even though she had blocked the mate-bond communication to keep him from following.
Captivated by the She-Wolf Page 24
