Destined to be His (Love of a Shifter Book 5)

by Bryce Evans

  Once the elevator opened up, they rushed out of the parking garage and got into a black SUV. “It may be a slow drive to the airport with all the snow,” Josh commented.

  “We have to get there in time,” Emerson muttered. She was mostly talking to herself but she could tell her father and Josh heard her. “Put your seatbelt on and hold on.”

  Josh looked in the rearview mirror and said, “I’ll get us there, Emerson.”

  Nodding was all she could manage right now. She sat in the back and continued to text and call Nash. She left him message after message, warning that the building they were going to was the wrong one and it was a trap. She prayed that one of them got the message before they went inside.

  Josh did what he said he would and got them safely to the airport. They didn’t break any speed laws, but they were there. She watched as her father walked onto the plane first. The pilot had been asleep, but woke quickly knowing that her father was on board.

  “Mr. Prescott, is something wrong?” the pilot asked, concerned.

  “It’s an emergency, Tom. We need to get to an airport in North Carolina.”

  “But the storm is pretty bad; we won’t get clearance to leave,” Tom answered.

  “What if we flew anyway? Do you think you could get above this weather and get us to the Preston Air field?” Josh asked, watching the man with a look almost daring him to say no.

  “Maybe if I had a co-pilot to help navigate this storm, but I don’t,” Tom told him.

  “You do now. I’m Josh Winston, and I’m a pilot. I have over a thousand hours of flight training. I’m equipped to fly a Gulfstream G650, Embracer Legacy 650, and many other planes. There’s not much that I can’t fly. I can help you.”

  “I can’t guarantee our safety, Mr. Prescott,” Tom said, worried.

  “I understand, and we are willing to take the risk.” Kingston Prescott answered, putting his hand on the pilot’s shoulder. The man was cool as a cucumber as he waited for the pilot’s answer.

  “Are you ready now?”

  “Yes, we are,” Kingston confirmed.

  Tom nodded, then glanced over to Josh. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, sir.” Emerson watched as Josh walked to the front with the pilot. She followed her father back to the seats and sat down. Securing her seatbelt, she glanced out the window as the snow continued to fall. A feeling of dread continued to plague her mind. She’d just met her mate, and now she might not get to him in time. What a fool she’d been.

  She felt the light touch on her hand. “Tom will get us there in time. We’ll make it.”

  Emerson nodded, then asked the question she had to know the answer to, “Why are you helping me?”

  Kingston glanced out the window for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts. “Because you’re my daughter, and I owe it to you.”

  “But you said that I would never be mated to an animal. Nash Wilder is so much better than that. He’s everything to me, and he loves me, Father. He loves me for who I am, not my last name. I’m sorry Mom did that to you, but she also did it to me. And I can’t pay for her mistakes anymore. I love you and I wish you would be happy for me.”

  “This is a lot for me to take in, Emerson, but I’m trying and this is the first step. It’s hard to go from one extreme to another. But…when I saw the look in your eyes, I just knew you would wither away and it would be because of me. I can’t let that happen.”

  “Then let’s take this one step at a time,” Emerson said as they lifted into the air. The plane was shaking because the weather was so bad. A storm had settled in, and the wind was pretty strong, but she prayed that it would allow them safe passage to save her mate and the others. She grasped the arms of the chair and held on. She hated flying, being enclosed in a plane made of nothing but metal.

  Her father was staring at her. “You should get some rest. We should be there in a couple of hours. As long as the wind is behind us we should get there in time.”

  Emerson nodded and took his advice, leaning the chair back and closing her eyes. If she stayed awake she’d go crazy worrying about Nash.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Nash and the others split up in different vehicles and drove by the facility. They could barely see out the window from all the snow, and the wind shook their car as they passed by.

  “Why does this feel wrong?” Nash asked the others in the vehicle.

  “You feel it too?” Sindrid commented.

  “I don’t know what it is, but something isn’t right.”

  “Has anyone got a text or phone call since we left?” Jonas asked, looking down at his phone.

  “No,” everyone answered.

  “Then we go with your gut feeling, and go get something to eat. See if we can wait out this storm,” Jonas instructed. “We can do some more surveillance before we move. I want to get in there as much as you guys do, but I’m a firm believer that we need to trust our gut feelings.”

  “Hey boss.” Larken’s voice came over the radio. His voice was breaking up, but they got the gist of what he was saying. “I didn’t see anyone…but…guard’s car and…one…more at the back…building.”

  “Roger. Meet back at point,” Jonas instructed.

  “You think the car at the back belongs to the doctor?” Sindrid asked, watching as Nash’s hands tightened into fists. The growling was normal for a wolf who was pissed off and Jonas and Sindrid knew that.

  “Maybe. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like us storming the building until we have more information. We don’t want to end up on that table along with the ones we came here to save,” Jonas explained, driving toward the rendezvous point to meet the others. Larken went in wolf form to check out the back of the facility and would be waiting for them once they arrived.

  Emerson and her father drove slowly by the address that was on the box. “Doesn’t look like anyone is there. I only see the guard’s car and nothing else, but they could be parked around the back. Try calling Nash’s phone again.”

  “I did, and went straight to voicemail.” Emerson leaned forward staring out the window and looking for any sign that Nash and the Unit might be nearby. “The only thing I know to do is find a spot and hide and wait and see if they come by. I can’t take the chance that they’ll get by me.”

  “How do you plan on doing that?” Kingston asked his daughter.

  “Hide around back. That’s the first place they’ll go in. It was the same in the other place too. I would think there would be bay doors in the back. I could hide behind those dumpsters until they show up. You can go to the other site in case you see them down there.”

  “I don’t like this. You’re not equipped to—” Emerson closed her eyes, hearing her dad say again that she wasn’t good enough to do this. “I did it again. I’m sorry. I’m so scared that something is going to happen to you that I say the stupidest stuff. Please tell me you’ll be careful. I can’t lose you too.”

  “I promise.” Emerson made a motion with her hand. “I cross my heart.” She was smiling because he needed to know she could do this.

  Kingston smiled grimly. His voice held a warning. “I’m holding you to that promise, but if something goes wrong you bring that magic out so fast and nail that sucker to a wall. You aim to kill, Emerson, not just hurt them. These people will stop at nothing to kill you. I was told about what they found in that place and it’s unspeakable. Promise me you’ll do that?”

  “I promise. Now pull around to the side of these trees and let me out. You keep going; I’ll see what I can see and just wait for Nash and the others.”

  Her father pulled over, and before she could slip out the door he grabbed her arm. “Kill them and come back to me.”

  Emerson could see the fear in her father’s eyes. Truth be told, she was scared to death. She loved Nash and the others; she wasn’t going to let her fear stop her. She couldn’t live in fear for the rest of her life.

  Slipping out the door, Emerson ran as fast as she could to the stretch
of trees. She had to stop and get down on her knees, not knowing if they had any cameras that would pick her up. The snow was high and gave her great cover so she didn’t have to crawl, just squat down. Finally, she made it. It was freezing as she zipped her jacket up and checked the area out. There was only one car in the back, and it was a Mercedes. A new one. The fancy car made her think about the man in the blue scrubs. He was a doctor and probably could afford that kind of car. What if he was the only one in the facility? What if she was wrong and he was in there doing things to the female captives?

  Closing her eyes, she could see the man getting up on the gurney and straddling her, pulling the sheet down knowing he was going to rape her. She couldn’t let him do that to someone else. If he was inside the facility, then the alarm was probably off and she could get in without him knowing. She knew a cloaking spell, but it would only work for a few minutes. Then it would fade and her body would be visible again. Hopefully once she got in there she could undo the witch’s spell that would allow her to use her magic. She had to do it before she went in or it wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t step all the way in the door until that spell was gone. She didn’t know if it would work or if her magic was powerful enough to even do this, but she had to try. She had to do this for all the others.

  Using the spell, Emerson cloaked herself and took off running. She would have to use the spell several times, then hide until she could use it again. It only lasted a few minutes, and the more she used it the quicker it went away, until she wouldn’t be able to use it again for a while.

  Crouching down behind the dumpsters, she held her hand out and watched it reappear. Her fingers were red from the cold. She breathed in a couple of deep breaths, not wanting the steam from her breathing to give her away if they had cameras on the building. Before she could recite the spell again, the back door opened. She fell backwards on her but as Franklin Devour came outside with a box in his hand. He was muttering to himself as he put the box in the back seat, then walked back inside the facility.

  She couldn’t believe it. Was this a set-up? Were her father and his best friend in this together? It made sense now. They were best friends, and they both hated shifters. No. She shook her head, trying to get that thought out of her mind. Surely her father wouldn’t do that to her. Would he? What if her father had warned Franklin and he was removing files before he blew the Unit up?

  No, she wasn’t going to allow that to happen. She was going to stop him. Now she didn’t care about the spell; her adrenaline was pumping so hard she just marched across the parking lot and tried the door. It opened. Of course it did. She muttered her counter-spell and watched as the lights dimmed before she felt the spell dissipate.

  By the time she’d gotten to the other facility she was already drugged and strapped to the table. The more she thought about it, the surer she was that she’d been the only witch at the facility. That’s the reason the spell worked, because shifters couldn’t use magic. She wasn’t supposed to have been there, but she pissed off her father and he did this to her. Well, not this time. He wasn’t going to win.

  Emerson made her way inside using every skill she’d been taught by one of the shifters she worked with at the council. She could hear someone slamming a door. The only way to do this was to face Franklin head-on and she only prayed that she could do what her father said and kill him. They were experimenting on shifters, and that was going to stop. She waited until she heard him coming down the hallway. Holding her hands out, Emerson readied herself for a spell she’d learned from Elizabeth. It was an old spell, and one she’d never heard anyone else using in her classes at the council. She only hoped that Franklin didn’t know it either.

  Franklin Devour slowed his stride before he came around the corner. He could feel another’s magic near by. This was a very strong magic, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Putting the box down, Franklin steadied himself as he put his hands up in a defensive posture. When he came around the corner he stopped dead in his tracks. He didn’t lower his hands, thankfully, because Emerson Prescott was standing in the hallway waiting for him. Her arms were up in a defensive pose as well. He was worried now. How was she here, and who was with her?

  “Emerson Prescott, this is a shock to say the least. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t. It took me a while to figure it out, but now it all makes perfect sense. You were behind this all the time. You and my father have hated shifters for so long, and now you’ve finally found a way to get rid of them. Oh and let’s not forget, you also found a way to make a profit off their pain and misery. But how could you do it? They’re people, just like us.”

  “They are nothing like us. They’re filthy animals!” Franklin yelled. She’s just like them, he thought. Not worthy of calling herself a Prescott.

  “Why me?”

  Franklin laughed. “Why not? You don’t deserve to be a witch. You’re a whore just like your mother was. You don’t deserve to be called a Prescott. Your father is the best person I know, and he would have given you everything, but you destroyed him by wanting to come work with all those animals. And now you want to mate with one! I detest you just like your mother.”

  He watched as Emerson’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of her mother. “Oh yes, your mother was a whore and it destroyed your father to watch her prance around with that animal, saying that he was her true mate. He couldn’t deal with it, so I did. He loved your mother, so I was the one who made sure nobody would ever find out about her and that animal she’d been sleeping with. It makes me sick just thinking about it. I took care of it, just like I’m going to take care of you. Your father deserves better,” Franklin hissed and started chanting the spell to finish this once and for all.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Reciting her own spell, Emerson threw her hands out as Franklin chanted his. Her spell struck first, knocking Franklin backwards. He recovered quickly, beginning to chant another spell and throwing it at her, slashing her leg. It was a nasty, magical wound that would worsen if not attended to soon.

  They both dueled back and forth. His furious yell as she slashed him across the face like a whip told her he wasn’t used to losing. She just continued chanting, gaining confidence. Franklin was thrown against the wall. She could hear the crack of his head, but he still came back at her, this time hitting her and bringing her to her knees.

  She could hear someone running up the hallway. Like the dummy she was, she turned to see who was coming, giving Franklin the shot he needed. Yelling out, the wizard popped her a good one, slashing across her face. Dropping to her knees, she heard her father’s voice say, “Emerson?”

  She looked up and chanted a protection spell to make sure her father and Franklin couldn’t double-team her. She needed to get up before they countered and hit her again. She wouldn’t have a shot against two powerful wizards.

  Her father reached out to touch her, but the protection spell zapped his hands. “I’m trying to help you.”

  “You’re with him. I should’ve known. I can’t believe you had me believing you loved me and only wanted the best for me.” Emerson watched as her father turned and stared at his best friend.

  “Franklin?” She watched as her father stepped forward. He looked shocked, but that couldn’t be. They were in this together.

  “Kingston, why, why did you come here? If she disappeared, you would have mourned, but I would’ve helped you through it and you would have gone on like before.”

  “Like before? Franklin, what have you done?” He looked around the facility, and his eyes on arrowed seeing a room with gurneys sitting in it. They all had IV fluid bags hanging from poles sitting beside each one.

  “Oh God, no, Franklin. You took my daughter. You took my daughter from me.”

  “She’s not worthy to be your daughter, Kingston. We had plans to rule the council, and she was going to make a spectacle of your good name. I couldn’t let her do that. She was going to mate with that filthy animal
, just like Libby. I wouldn’t let that happen to you again. She’s tainted now. She has to go.”

  “You’re not going to take my daughter from me, Franklin. I can’t believe you did all this. I can’t believe you are responsible for all the killings. You were my best friend! I trusted you. They were going to rape my daughter, and you didn’t stop them. You set all of this up. You kidnapped my baby girl.”

  Kingston threw his hands out toward Franklin, chanting, and a blue light raced across the hallway, hitting Franklin in the face. She could hear voices screaming at her, but she couldn’t turn away from watching her father’s best friend fall to the floor. As he hit the ground a small stream of blood seeped out onto the white marble flooring.

  “Emerson. Look at me, baby,” Nash was trying to get through to her, but her magic wasn’t letting anyone near her.

  Looking up, she released the spell allowing Nash to touch her. Immediately he was pulling her up into his arms.

  “You’re bleeding. She’s bleeding, get over here, Jansen.” She’d been holding her breath, and she finally sucked in deep gulps of air, oxygen filling her lungs. “She’s bleeding across her face and her leg.”

  Her vision went blurry as her father turned around. “I’m sorry, Emerson. I didn’t know,” he said in a guttural croak. Anguish was painted over his face. He hadn’t been involved, and he’d just killed his best friend protecting her.

  “I know that now, Dad.”

  “Give me some room to work, Nash. I’ve got to cut her pants off to stop the bleeding.” The words brought her back to her mate, who was holding onto her and growling and snapping his teeth at Jansen any time he tried to touch her.

  Reaching up, Emerson touched the side of her mate’s face. “Nash.” The growling stopped as he turned to stare at her. “I’m okay. Let Jansen do his job. He’s not going to hurt me.”

  She continued to caress the side of his face bringing his attention to her and away from Jansen as he started cutting her blue jeans. She shivered as the cold air touched her naked skin.