by JJ Massa
“That’s how you handle stray mongrel dogs,” Auggie said.
With a snarling, snapping Kaden in one arm, he slid into the front seat of the van. A struggling Bethany had already been bundled into the refrigerated cargo area. The van accelerated away.
* * * *
Lakon had been sleeping and Riker and Tav had been on the other side of the bus when Mik had sounded the alarm.
Riker just had time to surge forward and snatch a snarling Kameron before he could get hurt or taken.
Lakon knelt over his father and tried to stop the bleeding. Having removed his shirt, he kneeled bare-chested on the pavement using the garment to help staunch the blood flow.
“Is Dad okay?” Riker asked his brother, still struggling to hold on to his growling, snapping and snarling son. “Lake, I’ve got to go after them.”
“You and Tav, go!” Lakon told him. “I’ll take care of Dad and Kameron. He’s bad but I don’t think…” Lakon reached out with his free arm and took his nephew. “Just go!”
Tav and Riker dissolved in front of him and two enormous wolves, one brown and one black, ran into the night.
“Billy, I need you here!” Lakon called the bus driver over. Thankfully, Billy was a pack member. “Hold this and don’t move,” Lakon ordered the stunned werewolf.
He tried to cuddle and hold the feral Kameron as he sprinted to the bus to find his cell phone. He pressed the speed dial button while he did his best to soothe his hysterical nephew.
Lakon had been avoiding the only other man he’d felt comfortable with his whole life. That man was his manager and cousin, Yancey Livingston. He was also Auggie’s younger brother.
He decided to go with his gut and hope for the best. His options were limited. It didn’t hurt that Yancey lived within ten minutes of the gas station.
“Yance, its Lake. Dad’s been shot and I’m at the BP at 40 and 67. He needs a doctor! HOLY SHIT, KAMERON!”
The last shout came as Kameron buried every tooth he had into the meat of his uncle’s forearm. Lakon threw his cell phone straight up into the air. It wasn’t shockproof.
Within minutes, Mik was being stabilized and Lakon and Winsome were in the back seat of Yancey’s car trying to calm Kameron. The doctor working on Mik was a Livingston family member who had an office in her home.
When they arrived at the doctor’s house, she had taken Mik into surgery and Yancey followed to call Elke. Lakon still hadn’t told the man what had happened. He’d instructed Yancey to call his mother and get her there with no more details than he already knew. Lakon ordered Winsome to go inside with him.
Alone with his nephew, Lakon wrapped both arms around him and buried his face in the little boy’s neck. After a minute, he threw back his head and howled. Kameron stared at his uncle for a few seconds and then he threw his head back and howled with him.
Exhausted, Kameron collapsed against Lakon’s still bare chest and began to lick his shoulder. Lakon carried his nephew into the house.
“Lake, you want to tell me what’s going on?” Yancey asked him when he entered the house. “You need a shirt?”
“No, I’ll get a shirt later. Is Mom coming? Did Billy stay with the bus?” he asked.
Lakon was trying to keep up with the details so he wouldn’t be so worried about his father, his brother, Tav, Bethany and Kaden. He felt buried in worry and was oddly grateful that Kameron needed him right now.
“Yes and yes,” Yancey said giving his cousin a narrow, considering look. “Lakon, is that your pup?” he asked him finally. Winsome came up and licked Kameron’s leg and lay back down.
Lakon released a heavy sigh. It was a long story. He guessed they weren’t going anywhere for a while. He pressed a kiss to his nephew’s cheek followed by a lick.
“This is Riker’s boy,” he began.
“Damned if he doesn’t look exactly like you, old son!” Yancey interrupted.
Lakon grinned, pulling back and looking at his nephew objectively. His gaze raked over Kameron’s dark blonde hair and his bright green eyes for a minute before the boy began to whimper. He gathered him close again.
“His twin brother looks just like Riker, right down to the eyes,” he told Yancey. “Bethany, their mother, has lighter blonde, wavy hair,” he explained. Yancey looked unconvinced.
“Why don’t you start from the top? Maybe beginning with why you didn’t feel like telling me for a year or more about your brother’s sons?” Yancey sounded hurt.
Lakon looked at his friend for a long minute.
“I think that question should go to your brother, if Riker lets him live long enough to speak.” Lakon growled. Kameron growled, too.
Yancey gave Lakon a hard look, but said nothing. He knew his friend was building up to something.
“Bethany Black is Riker’s mate. You remember Chicago, about seventeen months ago?” Yancey nodded. He’d gone with Lakon when Riker had called his brother in despair.
“Riker didn’t know she was pregnant. She tried to reach him before she even knew.” Lakon tried unsuccessfully to lay Kameron down across his lap. He leaned back with the boy on his chest.
A knock sounded at the door. They’d been at the doctor’s house for twenty minutes. Yancey answered it. It was so late, he was sure it had to be someone he knew.
“Hello?” he said to the woman standing in the open doorway. She was a werewolf but Yancey didn’t know her.
“Cousin Lakon?” she called out.
“Come in here so I can see you!” Lakon called. Kameron began to snarl and growl fitfully. Lakon yipped quietly and licked his little neck until the boy calmed.
“I’m Maisie Montgomery, Cousin Lakon,” she said. She didn’t look at his eyes. Wolves seldom made eye contact with the alpha or beta of the pack.
“I remember you, Maisie,” Lakon told her. “What brings you here?” he asked.
“I’m a fourth year med student at Duke,” she told him. “I’ll be a resident next year. I’m here to help with Uncle Mik. I’ve been interning with Abel Livingston at Duke.”
With an arm around Kameron, Lakon stood and gave Maisie a hug.
“Take her in there and see if the doc needs help, Yance,” he told his friend. “I owe you, Maisie. Riker and I both do,” he said.
Maisie reached forward and squeezed his hand. She kissed Kameron’s hair.
“You and your brother are both our Alpha,” she told him, careful not to meet his eyes. “Your dad has been the larger extended-pack Alpha with his own twin. We love you all.”
She turned and followed Yancey to help with Mik.
When Yancey returned, he told Lakon that the doctor didn’t have much to say. Dr. Livingston had informed him that she’d stop working on Mik the minute she believed she was wasting her time. Lakon decided that had to be good enough for now.
After calming Kameron down again, Lakon resumed his story for Yancey.
“Auggie intercepted all of Bethany’s letters to Riker. He knew she was pregnant and that she’d had pups. Riker didn’t know. Auggie knew she was human. He didn’t tell my brother anything. Riker was looking for her.” Lakon told Yancey, finally. Yancey was stunned.
“Yance, she sent pictures and everything. Auggie knew where she was and even went to see her. He tried to hurt her and the pups. He’s the one who shot Dad.” Kameron started to whimper again.
Yancey was in shock. “Lake? My brother did this?” and then his eyes widened. “Did you think…” Yancey couldn’t finish.
“No, man, I knew you didn’t have anything to do with it.” Lakon told his friend honestly. “We only found out about the pups about six weeks ago by accident. I didn’t say anything because we didn’t know what was really going on.”
Yancey looked at Lakon unblinking for a full minute. Kameron had finally dozed off but was growling low in his sleep. Lakon whispered to him soothingly and licked his cheek. He called Winsome to come and sit beside him. Hopefully, Kameron would find comfort in her familiar presence.
&nb
sp; “Yancey, Auggie’s lost it. He’s got people working for him who are kidnapping women and pups. They took Bethany and Kaden right in front of us. He called my Dad a mongrel and he shot him.”
At his words, Kameron began to growl again. Winsome nuzzled closer and Lakon shifted so the little boy could turn to her if he wanted. Finally, Kameron slid down next to her and buried his face in her fur. She rested her head atop his.
Lakon edged away feeling empty without the little boy’s sturdy weight. “I’ll take that shirt now, I guess,” he told his cousin. The men stood together. Speaking low, Lakon told his friend, “I didn’t know what Auggie was capable of. I didn’t know who he’d hurt.”
Yancey grabbed Lakon in a tight hug. “Thanks, man,” he said, obviously choked up. Lakon awkwardly hugged him back and stepped away. He kept a hand on his shoulder.
“A shirt?” he reminded his friend.
Yancey found a shirt for Lakon and the two continued to talk quietly while they waited for word on Mik.
Lakon tried to tell his friend everything that he hadn’t been able to over the last month or so.
“Riker took off with Tav—he’s the Were that first saw Auggie threaten Bet and the pups.”
As they talked, Lakon tried to keep in mind that this was Yancey’s brother they were talking about.
* * * *
Blue Ridge Parkway
Heading NW
Almost immediately upon leaving the gas station, Bethany had been bound and gagged. She had to fight to control her fear and hysteria.
She’d seen Mik’s body crumple to the ground in a heap. Kaden had been roughly shoved into a large dog crate. He’d only just begun to sleep fitfully after breaking out in a mournful howl an hour ago.
Bethany wracked her brain trying to figure a way out of this mess. She knew that Riker would be looking for her. All she had to do was find a way to let him know where she was. Keeping him informed would be so much easier if she had some idea herself.
A germ of a plan began to form in her mind. So many times, one of her boys would be hurt or get a treat in another room and his twin would know about it. There had to be a way to use that ability.
Bethany had to believe that her sons felt some kind of a connection to her as well. Maybe if she concentrated, she could make Kaden understand what she wanted. She didn’t know how much time she’d have so she began to edge toward the crate Kaden was being held in.
This was a refrigerated van and Auggie had kept the cool air coming. Bethany fought to keep from shivering or sneezing as she scooted a little closer to her son. She had to get his attention without scaring him.
She had moved only a foot closer to Kaden when a door opened from the front of the truck. It wasn’t that large a truck but the cooler area was self-contained.
“Good evening, Miss Black.” August Livingston had come to call. “I trust the accommodations are adequate for you?” he laughed, flicking on a dim overhead light.
Before the light had come on, Bethany knew she’d seen two glowing yellow orbs. Closing her eyes, she remembered seeing Mik’s and Riker’s eyes look like that.
Mik had told her that the boys wouldn’t change or have werewolf characteristics until puberty. She suspected that one or both of her boys were early bloomers. Later, she would figure out how that could help Kaden and herself out of the trouble they were in.
Auggie walked over to Bethany and squatted down beside her. He ran a hand over her hair. She heard Kaden’s low growl. Auggie laughed.
“I’ve got to give that mutt credit,” he said, tilting her chin so he could see her face. “For a human, you are very attractive.” He inhaled deeply. “And your scent, mmm, mm. I don’t know if it’s you or the thought of taking the pretty boy mongrel’s mate but you do smell good. The ring rather—heightens the experience, really.”
He lifted her bound hands and kissed her ring finger.
Kaden’s growl was menacing now. Without releasing Bethany, August turned so his actions could be seen from the crate.
“Does this bother you, whelp?” he taunted, dragging his tongue up the side of Bethany’s face.
Kaden began snapping and snarling and threw himself against the door of his cage. Bethany was completely powerless to reassure her son, bound and gagged as she was.
“You are so easy, pup,” he laughed at Kaden again. Bethany tried to calm Kaden with her eyes. He was still growling.
“A tennis ball” Auggie was chortling now. “It was too simple. There isn’t a pup alive that can resist a bouncing tennis ball. I guess you’ve never had a dog, Miss Black?” Auggie snickered at her.
He turned to leave when the truck headed up a steep incline and the crate slid forward. The movement caught Auggie’s attention and he looked speculatively at Kaden. The boy’s feral behavior seemed to amuse him.
He leaned over Bethany again, making sure that Kaden could see what he was doing. He hooked a finger under the buttons on her blouse and flicked the top two away.
“How does mommy taste, whelp?” he made sure Kaden was watching him.
He lowered his head between Bethany’s breasts and licked up to the top of her breastbone. Kaden exploded in his crate, roaring and snarling, barking and snapping. He was no longer her sweet little toddler. He was an enraged wolf pup whose mother had been attacked.
“I think I could develop a craving for that taste delicious mommy. Maybe I’ll keep you around a while,” Auggie’s mocking laughter seemed to linger after he left.
* * * *
February 8
Home of Dr. Anita Livingston
Winston-Salem, NC
Elke had just arrived and was talking to the doctor when Kameron’s eyes snapped open. Lakon had eliminated some of the lights and he and Yancey were talking quietly in the dim room.
“Lake!” Yancey grabbed his friend’s arm and pointed.
Kameron’s eyes were glowing green and he was on all fours growling low and menacing. Winsome had backed away from him.
Lakon moved closer to the boy and looked into his eyes. He could tell that Kameron wasn’t growling at anything they could see.
“What is it, buddy?” Lakon kneeled in front of him.
Suddenly, Kameron began barking and snapping. He calmed for a minute and spread his little arms wide on the couch to stop from falling forward.
Suddenly all hell broke loose. Whatever Kameron was seeing had sent him over the edge.
Lakon transformed in front of him.
*
Soon yips, snarls, barks and growls filled the air. Elke came running in and was frozen in shock.
“I don’t believe it,” she breathed.
“What, Aunt Elke? What’s going on?” begged Yancey.
“Riker’s pup has transformed—mentally. He’s become a wolf.”
Elke didn’t know what to think. Dr. Livingston had come in behind her.
“Amazing,” the doctor breathed. “I wonder if the trauma caused it or if it’s just natural ability?”
Chapter 10
Home of Dr. Anita Livingston
Winston-Salem, NC
When Kameron had braced his hands on the couch and seemed to fight the sensation of falling forward, Lakon knew what was going on. The pup was connected to his twin.
He remembered when he and Riker were much younger. They’d learned to communicate with each other, calling it “the twin connection”.
Kaden had been sliding forward. That suggested that he and Bethany were traveling up an incline or down a slope. Given the way Kameron had been facing and what he had said to his uncle, Lakon guessed they were going uphill with the boy facing the rear.
The second Lakon realized what was going on, he’d concentrated on letting his brother know what he knew. He was leery of letting Riker know about Auggie’s treatment of Bethany but he had no choice.
The twin connection didn’t have a minimum or maximum control. If Lakon let Riker see or know part of an event, his brother would see the whole thing.
If Lakon stayed transformed or half Were, he’d be able to talk to Kameron. The boy communicated much better as a wolf than he did as a human toddler.
Since Riker was in wolf form, Lakon should be able to connect with him this way. Now, if only someone could connect to Bethany.
Lakon told Kameron to tell him everything his brother thought or let him know about. He transformed into half Were form and called his mother.
“Mom, come in here a minute?” he called.
The others had gone into a different room so that he could talk to Kameron. Maybe they thought he was trying to calm the pup down. That’s the last thing Lakon wanted right now.
“MOM, C’mere!” he shouted with a rumble.
His mother came in. She was unsurprised about her son’s half transformed state. When she would have reached for Kameron and cuddled him, Lakon stopped her.
“Mom, later, not now. I need him angry and aware. Remember how Riker and I used to let each other know things?” she stared unblinking at her son. “Kaden and Kameron are doing that twin thing that used to drive you nuts.”
His mother smiled proudly. “They are so young and look at them. They’re just perfect,” she cooed.
Kameron stared at her and blinked. He lay down on his stomach and began licking his hand. His half-closed eyes were fixed unblinking on his grandmother now.
“Mom! Focus here, please,” Lakon growled. Sometimes the woman was such a flake.
“Watch your tone young man,” she warned. “What’s going on? By the way, Anita—Dr. Livingston, says your dad’s going to be okay,” she informed him. “Not all Livingstons agree with August, I guess.”
“Thank God!” Lakon breathed. He’d been so worried about Mik. “I know they aren’t all that way, Mom. The problem is we don’t know which are and which aren’t obsessed with bloodlines. The thing is, those that don’t agree with him could be in serious danger.”
“We’ll try to figure out who’s who, I guess. We know Yancey and Anita aren’t, anyway,” she turned to leave.
“Wait, Mom,” he stopped her. “I need to know how close a mother is to her pups.”
