Surrender (The Tribe MC: Chase of Prey Book 2)

by West, Heather

  Cara would have no way of knowing what could happen but he would tell her later, when they were alone. He’d never seen much reason to trust any Wolf and he didn’t see one right now.

  There was a loud commotion from downstairs. “What the hell is it now?” Nico muttered. He went to the window and looked down at his frown deepened. “Shit, there’s cops out there.”

  “Maybe one of the neighbors saw the rogue and Ion going out the window and called them,” Sebastian said.

  “It doesn’t matter how they got here or who told,” Nico replied grimly. “We’ve got to get the hell out of here.”

  “But why?” Cara asked. “We can explain this, Dad.”

  “We’ve got dead bodies in the garden, a dead woman in a bed, ashes that smell like a dead dog on the floor, Wolves jumping through windows and an armed biker gang on the lawn. How are we going to explain that, Cara?”

  Cara had to admit that he had a point. “Well, we at least need to try,” she said weakly.

  Sebastian had been looking out the window at the two cops down below, who were arguing with the hardcase Tribe members. His eyes narrowed and he backed away from the window quickly. “Shit, it only gets worse from here. That cop, the one on the right — he’s a Hunter.”

  “How do you know?” Cara asked.

  Nico peeked out the window and swore as well. “You can just tell. He’s got the marks on him.”

  “I hope you don’t take it the wrong way if I decide to bow out now,” Sebastian said.

  “No, I don’t mind at all,” Nico said. “In fact I want you to take Cara with you. She’s got a good future as a lawyer, but if they catch her in this mess, she could lose everything.”

  Cara knew that her father wasn’t as worried about her future as a lawyer as he was worried about making sure that the Tribe had a new Queen. Her heart ached. This was not what she wanted out of her life! “I’m not leaving you!” she protested.

  “Look, we can make bail,” Nico said. “It’s what we pay our lawyers for. As far as they know, all they have right now is a motorcycle club involved in a slightly sketchy death. As long as they don’t get a reason to tear up the garden and the coroner doesn’t look too closely, this will look like the natural death of an old woman. It will all be fine, but I need you to get out of here.”

  “But — ”

  Sebastian gave her no more room to argue. He grabbed her by the arm and hustled her out the door to the bathroom at the far end of the hallway. There was a small window there on a slight overhang.

  He’d noticed a tree close by to the house on his way in; if they did it just right, they could make it out the window, onto the tree and then down to the ground. They could jump the next-door neighbor’s fence and hide in the empty house.

  He dragged Cara along so quickly she barely had time to protest. Not that she wanted to — the truth of the matter was that from the moment his hand clamped down on hers, she lost her will to protest. Sebastian’s touch could inflame her, could thrill her with even the most innocent touches.

  They made it into the bathroom and closed the door tightly, but Sebastian knew that was only a temporary solution. If the cops decided to come in and check the place, a locked door would really pique their interest. If there was a locked door with nobody behind it, they might tear the place apart and it wouldn’t take them long to figure out that somebody had gone out the window. He quickly whispered his plan to Cara who gave him a filthy look and snapped, “What are we, twelve?”

  “Don’t aggravate me right now. Just get the hell out the window and down the tree.”

  “You go first.”

  “Ladies first.” His smile held a challenge. “My mother taught me manners.”

  “Didn’t your father ever teach you that if it was dangerous, a man would to try it first?”

  Gritting his teeth, Sebastian went out the narrow window. For a minute he was almost afraid he would get stuck in it, but he wriggled out and onto a long branch. He wasn’t heavy, but the branch swayed as soon as his weight landed on it and he held his breath, wondering if this was going to be a really big mistake. He jumped nimbly down to the next branch.

  Cara’s face was framed by the window and her dark hair waved in the slight breeze. He could hear the police and the bikers quite clearly now, and he knew that at any minute, there would be more cop cars pulling up. The Tribe were deliberately screwing with the cops that had arrived, not allowing them anywhere near the house and riling them up too.

  It was typical biker behavior, and he knew that was what the Tribe was banking on. The cops would wait to call backup, and only go in the house when it had arrived. The hardcases were hoping that whatever their main men were doing in that house, they could have that locked down before the cops came storming through.

  Sebastian doubted that was going to happen, but he could not leave Cara there, no matter what. He gestured at her and she made a sour face before climbing out the window and jumping onto the tree branch. She clambered down at the branch that he stood on and it trembled beneath their weight.“I think we’re a little too heavy for it,” he whispered.

  “Speak for yourself,” Cara replied. She hightailed it down the tree, clinging to the trunk like a little squirrel as she went. Sebastian was torn between amusement and awe. How the hell had she managed that? Deciding to give it a try himself, he lowered himself onto the trunk, but his boots slipped and he took a long tumble to the earth. He landed flat on his back with bits of bark flying all around him, his palms and fingers bleeding and all the air knocked out of his lungs.

  Worse than that pain was the sight of her face as she leaned over him, grinned nastily and asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Do I look okay?”

  “Not really, but I hear Wolves heal fast.”

  She headed for the fence and he knew she had the same idea he did: to hide in the abandoned house. He managed to dust himself off before going after her.

  Watching her climb the fence was revelatory. Her jeans cupped her tight ass, the seam sinking neatly into the deep cleft between those firm cheeks. When she got to the top, she swung one leg over and then the other before dropping neatly to the ground.

  Sebastian followed suit and they streaked across the overgrown lawn and into the house next door. They heard a slight noise behind them and looked up in time to see Darva also coming out of the tree. He was heavier than both of them and the branch gave an ominous crack as his weight settled on it. Cara wanted to cast a spell that would help them, but she was too afraid that it would leave a visible sound or smell in the air, one that would make the police come over toward the other house.

  She wasn’t afraid of police, but she was afraid of the one who was a Hunter. A Hunter would kill Sebastian without a qualm. Or worse, Sebastian would kill him.

  They crept into the house through an unlocked door. Sebastian locked it firmly and they tiptoed through the silent rooms until they came to a small, partially-furnished room at the end of a long hallway.

  The windows were tightly shuttered. They slumped down onto the stained carpet. Cara leaned her head back against the wall and yawned. She wasn’t sure how it was possible that she was tired, but she was. She looked over at Sebastian and asked, “Do you think that Hunter would’ve known you?”

  “Yes, I’m sure of it. We’ve run into each other before.”

  “Really? Where?”

  “Up in Atlanta.”

  “So you think you would recognize you?”

  “Since he was hunting me quite seriously at one point, I’m sure he would.” Sebastian’s words were grim.

  “Why was he hunting you?”

  “Because I’m a prince. My father is the king of our pack.”

  Cara stared at him in horror. Her father had said that a Wolf and his son were the two rogues responsible for the death of two of the hardcase bikers that rode with the Tribe. “Your father is a rogue.”

  She expected him to protest; she even thought she might have to fight for her lif
e against him if he went rogue, but instead he gave her a weary smile. “I know. So’s my little brother.”

  “You have a little brother?”

  “Well, he’s not so little. He’s my younger brother, anyway. Gregory — he’s like your Ion. Maybe they’re working together. It makes sense, really. The Wolf that I killed over there was one of Gregory’s best friends. If anybody would’ve sent those two it would’ve been Gregory.”

  “It doesn’t seem possible that your dad and brother are rogues, especially since you’re so… not a rogue.”

  He cocked one golden eyebrow at her and his grin lit up his entire face. “Not a rogue? That almost sounds like an insult. I think I should be insulted, actually. Aren’t the best guys rogues?”

  “Some girls do like bad boys, yes.” She couldn’t help but be amused despite the seriousness of the situation. “I’m not one of them, though. I want to be a prosecutor, remember? If you ever come up against me in court I’ll have to toss you in jail.”

  Sebastian gave her a leer. “I would wear a pair of handcuffs for you — just not furry pink ones. I have faith in my masculinity at all times, but that would be pushing it.”

  “Oh, stop! You are awful!”

  “Hey, it’s worth a try. The handcuffs, I mean, not being awful”

  Cara shook her head. What she going to do with this sexy and absolutely incredible guy?

  Correction — Wolf?

  They couldn’t be together. Even if it was possible, even if the Tribe would accept one of the Fallen in their midst — and there was no way they ever would — she would probably be Queen before the night was over. Even now the Elders were gathering! That made her even more afraid. If the police arrested her father and the rest of the true Tribe members, they would not be present at the circle and that would be a major problem.

  To her relief, she heard motorcycles crank and Sebastian tilted his head, listening intently.

  “I wonder where my father is.”

  “He’s coming down the hall now.” Cara looked over at Sebastian, surprised. How did he know that? Did he have a sixth sense too?

  Sebastian read the question on her face. “I have extremely good hearing and a keen sense of smell. People can change their face, their name, just about everything else — but they can’t change their smell. They can try to cover it up with soap or perfume, but underneath all that, people always have their own scent.”

  She had to know. “What do I smell like?”

  Sebastian leaned very close to her. His lips almost brushed hers for a second; her eyelashes fluttered toward her cheek. Her heartbeat accelerated and she could feel her breath sliding out of her mouth and she knew she was forgetting to inhale but she couldn’t help it. She wanted him to kiss her; she wanted it desperately.

  Before he could kiss her or answer her question, the doorknob rattled and the door opened. Sebastian and Cara quickly put some distance between themselves as Nico and several other Tribe members, including hardcases, stormed into the room. Sebastian was up on his feet in a flash and Cara could tell by his posture that he expected to have to defend himself.

  She stood, raised a hand and said, “He saved my life. What’s more, he did his best to save the life of our Queen.”

  “We know all that, Cara.” It was her Nico who was spoke. His face was stern and there were lines of fatigue drawn on it. “We still can’t let him go; you know that. There’s too much at stake now.”

  Cara took a step in front of Sebastian. What was she doing? Her heart was pounding and she was certain that she was going to pass out. Was she really going to say what she was thinking? Could her father hear her thoughts? “I love him.”

  There, she’d said it. It was crazy, it was completely wrong, and it would never work, but it was true anyway. She was in love with him and she would protect him, even if it meant protecting him from her own family.

  Darva spoke. “You can’t choose a Wolf over your family Cara.”

  “I’m not choosing a Wolf. I’m choosing him, and yes, he’s a Wolf, but he’s more than that.”

  Cara couldn’t bear to look over at Sebastian. Here she was, pouring her heart out in his defense, and she didn’t even know how she felt about her! For all she knew, she just been some fling for him. Or worse, maybe he really was a spy, sent to worm his way into her heart and into the Tribe’s good graces.

  She pinned her eyes on her father’s face, searching for a clue as to what he felt, but his expression was inscrutable. It was Sammy who finally broke the silence. “What do you mean he’s a Wolf?”

  Sebastian stepped forward. “Why don’t you tell them, Nico? Tell them what they’re up against. They need to know, because if they go in there unprepared, they are going to get killed in a hurry.

  “Also, you have my word that there are many who are not involved in this. I’m aware of who the rogues are, just as you are, and I swear to you that I will kill them myself if I have to. I don’t want the truce to be broken any more than you do, or the pack. The covenant has been a blessing for the many who don’t want to go rogue.

  “Surely you see that in the Fallen, there is about to be anarchy, a Civil War. We don’t need any more enemies; we sure as hell don’t need the Tribe coming after us. What’s more, I don’t need the Hunters. If there’s one here, there’s more — you know as well as I do that Hunters never travel alone.”

  Cara’s breath felt like it was being squeezed through the head of a pin. She could barely draw air into her lungs. She felt like she was about to jump right out of her skin, which had somehow grown far too tight. Her gut was quivering and her pulse was racing so strongly, she could feel it beating against the small silver chain she wore around her neck.

  “You’re right, Wolf,” Nico said.

  “I’m Sebastian,” Sebastian said.

  Nico turned to the men gathered behind him, true Tribe and hardcase bikers and he said, “Most of us know already that the Fallen are wolves. Werewolves, to be exact. In case you’re wondering, the ones who attacked your brothers are rogues. Once you’ve eaten human flesh, you break the Covenant that was created many centuries ago, and you cannot shift back to your human shape…”

  “That’s not true anymore.” Sebastian spoke softly but seriously.

  Nico nodded. “Yes, I know. Somehow, some way, it seems that some of the rogue wolves have discovered the way to shift back and forth.”

  Dog stepped forward, his ebony skin gleaming with perspiration. “This ain’t no surprise to none of us. Most of us grew up here in New Orleans. We know that crazy shit happens all the time. Hell, my grandma was a voodoo priestess. What I want to know is, how come you never told us before what we was up against?”

  There was a murmur from the rest of the men. Cara stepped just a little closer to Sebastian. She didn’t like the way that many of them were looking at him. She had never really been comfortable with her power, and she’d used it more in the short time since she’d met Sebastian than she’d ever used it before in her life. She wasn’t sure how to be comfortable with it, or even how to direct it. Nevertheless, she would do whatever she must to protect him.

  “I didn’t think you need to know,” Nico said. “It would be a little difficult to explain.”

  “So what are you?” Dog asked. “Are you a werewolf too, dude? Or are you a zombie or some shit?”

  “No, I’m a plain mortal, just like you,” Nico said.

  It wasn’t exactly true, but Cara and Sebastian and the rest of the true Tribe members didn’t bother correcting that statement. “I thought all werewolves could turn back and forth whenever the moon was up,” Sammy said suspiciously.

  “Only the Lycans,” Sebastian said. “And most of them were killed during the wars with the vampires.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, man, but what the hell’s the difference?”

  “Lycans only turn at the moon. Werewolves are shape-shifters who can turn at any time. It’s why we wear the silver — it inhibits our turning and keeps us in
our human shape. Without it, we would turn constantly. We don’t eat human flesh — to do so would be to break the most sacred of laws. Rogues, on the other hand, never come back to their human shape. Or at least they shouldn’t.

  “The Lycans were our Elders. They were subject to the tides of the moon, but as they mated and had children, we mutated — we became immune to the moon, in a manner of speaking and began to shift without it.

  “Hoping for a solution, the wolves struck a bargain with a magic queen, and we were placed under a Covenant. We agreed to not hunting humans. The punishment for breaking the Covenant was to be a rogue wolf forever, to be always outside the laws of nature and man, never again in human form. This is different. I have no idea how this happened, or who could have been able to do this, but I think there’s an answer to it somewhere.”