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

by Bryce Evans

  “Kingston, is he dead?” Jonas asked.

  “Yes.” She could hear the sadness in her father’s voice as he spoke.

  “That’s Franklin Devour,” Jansen said over his shoulder.

  “Your best friend?” Jonas added.

  Kingston rubbed his hand over his face. “He was. I had—”

  “My father had no clue what Franklin was up to until now. We both found out, and he had to kill Franklin before he killed us,” Emerson said with calm and power behind her voice.

  “Sounds good to me,” Jonas said, shrugging. “Let’s check out the rest of the building to make sure there isn’t anyone left. Then we can go to the other one.”

  Soft lips brushed her forehead, bringing her back to her mate. Nash’s eyes were closed as he rubbed his scent all over her. He leaned over inhaling as he pushed his nose into her hair. “I’m okay, my mate,” she reassured him.

  That comment apparently got his attention. He picked her up and sat her in his lap, holding her tight. She leaned against him needing his strength as Jansen put pressure on her wound. He was trying to stop the bleeding so he could stitch her leg back together. It hurt like hell. She winced as he pushed down harder, making her cry out.

  Jansen leaned back in time before Nash’s powerful jaws snapped out at him. “Enough Nash. He’s only trying to help. It’s going to hurt me some, but you have to let him do this.”

  “I see it now.” Emerson and Nash both turned and looked at her father, who was watching them.

  “See what?” she asked.

  “I see how much he loves you and will protect you, even with his friends. I just didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want you to leave me too.” Emerson could hear the fear and pain in his voice. Kingston leaned against the wall, hugging his chest. “I’ve made so many mistakes. I was desperate to keep you home, so nobody could hurt you, or take you from me.”

  “Dad, look at me.” Emerson waited until her father looked down at her. “You still have me as a daughter, but you have to let me go. I’ve got to live my own life now. I love Nash, and he will protect me and take care of me, but I still want you to be part of my life. This doesn’t change that.”

  “I doubt your mate would want me in your life after all I’ve said and done,” Kingston sighed, defeated.

  “We’ll make it work,” Nash’s gravelly voice said, drawing her father’s eyes to him. “You’re my mate’s father, and she loves you. I respect that and would never stop her from seeing you or wanting to talk to you.”

  “I’ve said so many horrible things. How can you stand to do that?”

  “Because you’re my mate’s father. And if you can change how you feel about us, I can forgive you for your ignorance and show you that we aren’t ‘filthy animals.’ We’re different, for sure, but we are human too. I love your daughter, and I’ll protect her with my life and do what it takes to make her happy. So if she wants you in her life, then she’ll have that.”

  “I’m sorry Nash. I have to apologize to you for trying to break you two up. I was so afraid that you would take her away from me, and I…”

  “You won’t have to worry about that. Nobody will ever take Emerson away from me.” Nash growled the last part more as a warning to anyone who would try and break them up. She smiled as Nash nuzzled the side of her face.

  Jansen looked up and smiled. The only people she’d ever seen pull a smile out of the wizard were his mates. She turned and watched as his mates, River and Banks, ran down the hallway. They were followed by River’s siblings, also known as the Powerful Three. Star and Sky along with their mates were also with the Unit on this trip. They’d needed as many healers they could get. She was thankful when River bent down and smiled.

  “It’s good to see you again, Emerson.”

  “It’s very good to see you too, River.”

  “This looks bad. I’ll start with this first.” River pointed at the cut in her leg. Blood was seeping between Jansen’s fingers as he held it together. “I got it now, baby. Thanks for keeping it together for me.”

  Jansen kissed his mate on the side of her head and stood up. He knew the routine, apparently, because Star and Sky also bent down behind her and just put their hands on her shoulders. She’d never met them, but Nash had told her all about them.

  “You must be Emerson?” Star asked.

  “I am, and you two are Star and Sky. My mate has told me about you.” Her mate’s head snapped up when he heard her call him that. He lay his head against her shoulder and smiled. By the way he was nuzzling her shoulder she felt he was pleased with her remarks.

  “It’s nice to meet you. Congrats on meeting your mate. I’m prejudiced, but I think you couldn’t have met a better one then Nash,” Star said. The growling of her mates only made her smile more. Sky just laughed. Before she knew it, power like she’d never felt before slid up her leg and through her body.

  “Wow. That feels…” Nash looked up to see if she was in pain, but she was far from any pain now. When she looked down the wound had completely closed. She watched as River stood up and dropped something into a garbage can.

  “Wonderful.” Emerson whispered the last part as River came back and pushed her hair off her face.

  “Magical injuries are always the worst kind. They can go straight to the bone if they get it right.”

  “Let me do this sister,” Star said.

  “No, let me. There may be others, and I want you two to save your strength for the ones we find later.” Her brother and sister didn’t argue, but kept their hands on her shoulder.

  “Emerson, lay against your mate and lean your head back so I can get this healed.” River smoothed her hair down as Nash growled. He wasn’t mad at River, but at the damage done to Emerson’s face.

  “If he wasn’t dead already, I would tear him apart,” he snarled. She could feel his pain that he hadn’t gotten to her in time.

  “But you did, Nash. You saved my heart.” Emerson allowed him to squeeze her tighter, even though it hurt. She didn’t care. She wanted him any way she could get him, and right now he needed to know she was safe.

  All the girls watching went, “Ahh, how sweet.” The men only rolled their eyes, but they were all the same when it came to their mates. She wanted to laugh but the cut across her face hurt.

  River placed her hand on the cut. “Close your eyes, sweetie.”

  She could feel the power as it flowed out of River’s hands into her. It didn’t actually hurt but she could feel the magic repairing the wound. It tingled.

  “All done, Emerson. Not a mark on you now.” When she opened her eyes, she could see her father watching River and her siblings. He knew the stories, just like she did. River wasn’t just a healer; she was special, along with her brother and sister. They were magical. Nash had said that they still didn’t know what all they could do, but only time would tell.

  She made eye contact with her father and shook her head. He knew what she was saying without saying anything at all. If he valued his life, he could never say a word about them. As long as they were still a secret, they wouldn’t have problems from others who would only want them for what they could do. The Unit would always protect them, and now she would too.

  Her father leaned over and touched River’s arm. “Thank you for healing my daughter.”

  “You’re welcome. She’s one of us now,” River answered, then stood up. Her mates both took her in their arms kissing her. She could tell this was all so new to her father, and he couldn’t stop staring. Maybe he wanted that too. She only hoped that one day he would find someone who made him whole again.

  “The only thing left in the building is this box,” Jonas said, holding a box in his hands.

  “There’s another one in his car. I saw him put it in there,” Emerson said, standing up. She felt great, actually. The healing of the Powerful Three had given her a much-needed boost of energy.

  “We’ll get that on the way out. Who’s ready to end this?” Jonas asked the others,
looking around.

  “Me!” they all screamed out.

  “Then let’s go make it happen,” Jonas said with a smile. “Banks, let’s blow this one and leave the body in it. He doesn’t deserve to be buried in his way; he betrayed his kind as well. As far as I’m concerned, Mr. Prescott, Franklin Devour was blown up in this fire and nothing else.”

  She watched as her dad only nodded. Nobody would ever tell that he had killed his best friend. That would go to all of their graves.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Emerson carried a small shifter girl out to the van. She’d snuggled up to her as the cold air hit her feet. “It’s going to be okay, baby. Nobody will ever hurt you again. You’re safe.” She hugged the little girl closer, trying to give her some of her body heat until they got inside the warmth of the van.

  She’d felt sick as they took in the sight inside the facility. There were only kids in this building, and some were already dead. Every doctor and worker in the building was questioned, then killed for what they’d been doing to these kids. Even her own father was disgusted with what he saw. So much so that he used a spell that she didn’t know, which made the workers tell Jonas and the others everything they knew.

  Some of the kids had been in this facility for six months or more. They would only give them enough food and water to keep them alive, drain them of as much blood as possible, then feed them again. This process was repeated like they were not living, breathing people. Not just humans, but shifters too. It was genocide all over again, and she was still queasy from the sight.

  After every piece of information was removed and all the kids were taken out, Nash and Banks blew the place up. The only bad news today was that the doctor that was her nightmare wasn’t in any of the buildings. The staff had all said that they didn’t know the doctor she was referring to. It seemed that he’d only operated at the first site. She hoped that he was dead, and that thought suited her just fine. He deserved to die.

  “What’s your name?” the little girl asked. Emerson continued to hold her as the van drove away.

  “I’m Emerson, and that’s my mate, Nash. What’s your name?”

  “My name is Anouk. My mommy was killed when they took me. I told mommy that they were coming, but she didn’t believe me.”

  Nash glanced over at Emerson, then looked down at the little girl and asked, “How did you know they were coming to get you, Anouk?”

  “I saw it the day before. Mommy told me to never tell anyone that I could see things, but I told her and she didn’t believe me.” A tear fell down Anouk’s face. “What will happen to me now?”

  Holding her closer, Emerson whispered to her, “Don’t worry about that now. We’ll take care of you.”

  “I knew that already,” Anouk said closing her eyes to sleep. The poor girl was exhausted and needed some food.

  “I can see the look in my daughter’s eyes—she doesn’t plan to give the girl up. I hope you know that she’ll want to keep that little girl.” Kingston Prescott muttered to Nash.

  “I know, but that’s fine with me. I love kids,” Nash answered.

  “Good. I want lots of grandkids,” Kingston Prescott said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

  Nash was in his office doing some paperwork when Anouk, Lilly, Sindrid, and Gabriel came walking in.

  “Can I go? Please?” Anouk was excited, so much that she was jumping up and down.

  “Slow down, sweetie,” Nash said. He watched as his soon-to-be daughter sat down in the seat across from him. Nash glanced up at Lilly and smiled, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you even stopped by here to ask me if she could, knowing good and well that you were going to do it anyway.”

  “I told you he would see it my way,” Lilly said to her mate, who was smiling.

  “But it’s proper to ask the father if she can go, my love,” Sindrid said.

  Before he could ask where they were going Anouk stood up and gasped. Her eyes rolled back in her head, then she came out of it. Nash was already around the table holding her in his arms. “Anouk, what is it sweetheart?”

  “The man in the mask has Mommy,” Anouk mumbled.

  Nash looked up at his cousin. “Emerson walked up the trail to Jessie’s house. Watch Anouk, Lilly.”

  Sindrid and Nash rushed out of his office. He couldn’t think clearly, knowing it was had been his suggestion for her to go to Jessie’s house. He shifted, knowing that he would be able to run faster if he did. His wolf pushed harder; now that he knew she was in danger, he could feel his mate’s pain.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Emerson was stressed as she walked up the trail to Jessie’s house. Nash had suggested that it might help her relax as they waited for the paperwork to go through on adopting Anouk. Immediately, they had fallen in love with the little girl, and they were just waiting for the paperwork to go through to make sure she was legally theirs. They’d done everything right, like a human would. They’d even gotten married, even though they were mates already and didn’t need to prove that she belonged to Nash and he belonged to her. It didn’t matter. All that did matter was that they loved Anouk and they would jump through hoops to make her part of their family.

  The judge was a member of Larken’s pack, so they knew they would get her, they just had to go through the process. It still didn’t help her nerves, so Jessie had called, and Emerson was walking to her place to do some pottery and jewelry-making. Hoping that would take her mind off things.

  Spring had come to the mountain, and she loved walking up the trail to see all the flowers blooming and the trees sprouting their new leaves. It was beautiful here in Colorado. She’d regained all her strength and even learned how to protect herself from other members of the Unit. She’d even thrown Banks over her shoulder once, slamming him to the ground. He said she was too good a student and would soon be so efficient in martial arts she would be considered a lethal weapon. She always got a laugh out of that.

  A cracking sound from the woods drew her attention to the bushes. She was always seeing members of the pack out running, but nobody stepped out, so she continued to walk. Then she heard it again. This time it was on the other side, and when she went to investigate the noise, she felt something sharp hit her in the leg. Looking down, she saw a small dart.

  She wasn’t panicking as she dropped to her knees. They had practiced this same scenario with her to make sure she would never be taken again. She jerked the backpack around and pulled out a syringe, and stabbed herself with it before she fell to her stomach. She made sure to position herself so the person standing in front of her couldn’t see what she was doing.

  Emerson pushed herself up and tried to focus on the man looming over her. She squinted, trying to focus while the antidote worked its way through her body. “Don’t you recognize me, Emerson?” That voice, where had she heard that voice before? “I missed you.”

  She swallowed hard when recognition dawned on her face. It was him. The man in the mask. “No, no.” Emerson shook her head, trying to back up. This couldn’t be happening to her. He was dead.

  “It’s me. I’ve waited so patiently, but I can’t wait any longer for you. We are meant to be together.” Emerson watched as the man bent down in front of her. “There are those eyes I’ve dreamed of. I can tell you want this. You’ve missed me too.”

  Reaching out, he touched the side of her face. This man was delusional. Emerson’s wolf rushed forward. This wasn’t her mate, and she sure as hell didn’t want someone else touching her. Her teeth almost got ahold of his hand before he jerked it back.

  “You bitch.” The man backhanded her, hitting her across the face and drawing blood. The pain snapped Emerson out of the last of drug haze that she was in. The antidote was doing its job, and she was coming back to her senses. “I can work that out of you. This isn’t you, Emerson. I want to see the fear in those eyes. Don’t you worry, when you come back with me you’ll have that fear I’ve dreamed about for so long. Now be a good little girl
and come with me without any fuss.”

  Emerson nodded as he helped her to her feet. “I don’t know if I can wait until we get to the cabin. I’ve got to have you now.” The man tried to drag her into the trees. Her feet scraped against the ground as he grabbed her under her arms, giving her the best opportunity.

  Her wolf was jumping inside of her to get out. This time Emerson wasn’t going with the man. No—this time, the man was going to be hanging off the cliff. She began to chant a spell, catching him off guard. He fell to the ground beside her, gasping for breath.

  She waited until he was looking her in the eyes to speak. “I love to see the fear in your eyes. Now, don’t say a word, I’ll make this feel so good. You won’t have to move a muscle. I wish I could say that this isn’t going to hurt, but I cannot tell a lie.” Emerson watched as the man’s eyes widened. He realized that the jig was up, especially when she got up and kicked him in the nuts.

  She watched as the man fell over on his side, holding his crotch and sucking in air as he rolled around on the ground. “This is poetic justice, you see. Now, I know what’s going to happen to you. I’ve thought about this moment for a long, long time. Hope you’re ready, because I can hear my mate and the pack coming.” Emerson loved to hear the howling the wolves made. She could pick her mates out and knew what Nash was going to do when he got to her. She might as well go ahead and give him that tad bit of information too. “They’ll be ready to tear you apart, and let me go ahead and give you the spoiler alert: that’s going to happen.”

  Grabbing a handful of his hair, Emerson dragged him over to a tree and kicked him again, this time upside the head. “Don’t move a muscle now.”

  She took her backpack off, which always had rope in it. ‘Just in case,’ was what Nash told her. She was so happy that he’d made her pack it. Pulling the rope out, she tied it around one of the man’s feet, then chanted another spell. She watched as the rope ran over the limb of the tree and came back down. With all her strength, she pulled until the man was hanging upside down. He tried to grab the ground, but only got fistfuls of dirt and snow before she lifted him up and tied the rope off. He hung there, screaming at her.