Heart of a Wolf

by K. D. Friedrich

  They stood at the ready.

  Lex stepped through the veil of gold and into the room. He straightened his jacket with all the grace and pose of an old-world aristocrat. Behind him followed another male. She recognized him as one of the more unfriendly brutes she met at Lex's compound.

  Winter didn't want to appear impressed by Lex's portal, but she was. Not many witches…in fact, no witches she had ever met, had the power and skill to create accurate portals. His skill put a better perspective on who they were dealing with, which was one hell of a powerful adversary.

  "I didn't expect you to call me so soon." He glared at Kian for a moment. His jaw tensed, then relaxed. "I see you brought the half-breed as instructed." He then threw a quick smirk at Tristan. "However, I don't remember offering you an invite, wolf."

  "We didn't come here to shoot the breeze. What do you have for us?" Kian stepped up. Waves of power rolled through the room.

  Lex raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he strolled over and sat on the corner of his enormous desk. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Did you square things away with the Peyton pack?"

  "For now, but they aren't entirely convinced of your innocence." Winter frowned at the understatement.

  "Even with a witch's promise to make me honest? I'm insulted. Or maybe, I should be flattered that they think my skills as a witch are so powerful as to trick a binding spell."

  Kian stalked up to Lex, his annoyance clear. "I don't fucking like you and I don't like games. So, let's cut the shit. What the hell is my father up to? What does he want?"

  Lex lost his amused expression in an instant. "World domination. The absolute control of witches, shifters, and humans alike. He wants it all, including you, your children, and your mate, if he can share her with you."

  Kian grabbed Lex's throat. "He won't fucking touch them."

  "Let him go. At this rate, you'll kill him before we get our information," Tristan snapped.

  Kian released him with a shove. "Enough games."

  "I agree," said Lex.

  Lex waved his hand and a portal appeared. A few moments later, a figure flew into the room crashing against the farthest wall, followed by another. Seconds later, an enormous male marched through the golden mist of the portal. He grimaced at Tristan before stomping up to the two groaning vampires lying on the floor.

  "Kahn, I'm sure they were no trouble."

  "No boss. In fact, they helped me blow off some steam." Kahn cracked his beefy knuckles. He kicked one of the vampires in the ribs with a deep cackle. Kahn glanced up and stared at Winter. "You." He rolled his eyes. "Shit, hoped I'd never see again."

  "Yeah, where's your friend. I owe him a hit."

  "That asshole hit you." Tristan growled.

  Kahn took a step back. He held up his hands. "Don't fucking do it, wolf. That vamp was no friend of mine."

  "The witch that put his hands on you, won't have that problem again." Lex sounded pissed. He glared at his guy. "Isn't that right, Khan?"

  "I'd say not since the boss took his hands."

  Winter glanced at Lex. She lifted a brow.

  Lex shrugged. "He no longer has a problem following orders." He pointed at the men on the floor. "The vamps behind you are the two responsible for Celine's kidnapping and the other woman's murder. The fools like to brag but aren't careful about who they boast their exploits t."

  All eyes narrowed on the bloody vamps cowering in the corner. Their eyes stained bright red with their need for blood. Long fangs hung below their lips.

  Kian glared at the battered men. "We'll be able to confirm their part from the surveillance tape the police have. Once done, they go to the female's mate for justice."

  Tristan scrunched his nose. "They stink like new vamps."

  "They are…most of Maxwell's men are newly turned."

  Lex nodded. "They're all yours. I'm sure they'll verify that none of my witches or I knew anything about the murder of the female or the bombing."

  "What about Celine? Where is she?"

  "We questioned them thoroughly. They had the female up until the night of the other female's murder. Maxwell took her after that and they haven't seen her since. I fear what he might have done with her."

  "You don't mind if we spell them with a truth incantation? Do you?" Kian asked.

  "Not at all. I told you all I know."

  Lex leaned over, opened his top draw of his desk, and grabbed a manila folder. He tossed it to Tristan.

  "What's this?"

  "Call it a goodwill offering. The intel about the labs is from as early as this morning. Maxwell has been quite busy. From the information my men discovered, there's a lot of big names in the vampire and human communities involved in this. I suggest you gather your strength before taking them out."

  Winter approached Lex. She plucked the envelope out of Tristan's hand. "Thank you."

  "I know what you think of me, but know I would never willing hurt a female of any race. What Maxwell did to that woman was deplorable. I…"

  "Yeah, whatever." Tristan reached for Winter. He pulled her away. "You're a real prince."

  "Winter…" Lex grabbed her wrist. Tristan lunged, but Winter stopped him. Lex lowered his head. "Your kidnapping was a regrettable necessity. I only wish there had been another way to satisfy the promise I had made."

  Winter waved the envelope. "This is a good start. What you're doing now is what counts."

  "Some would say I was merely saving my own ass."

  "You could have left town to do that. No, what you're doing is the right thing."

  "You are a female of worth." He inclined his head.

  "Well, it hasn't earned my forgiveness." Lex lifted his head at Tristan's words. Tristan reared back his fist and hit Lex in the jaw. Lex's head whipped to the side and he fell into the wall. His goons went after Tristan, but Lex held up his hand to stop them. Tristan stood over Lex, pointing. "You ever endanger my mate again and I'll kill you." He grabbed one of the vamps off the floor and escorted him out.

  Rubbing his jaw, Lex said, "Duly noted. Take these vermin out the rear exit at the other end of the hall. I don't need them stinking up the rest of my club."

  Kian shook his head. He grabbed the other vampire by the scruff of his neck and followed Tristan. A huge grin plastered on his face.

  Following behind them, Winter snapped, "Was that really necessary?"

  Kian shrugged with a grin while Tristan smirked. She exited shaking her head.

  Chapter 29

  The next morning, back at the Brooklyn base…

  "How the hell are we gonna bring down the goddamned empire my father built? Jesus, he has his hands in everything, including those fucking labs." Kian tossed the papers he held onto the coffee table. The thick pile hit the wood with an ominous thud. Outside, the wind picked up suddenly, emitting an eerie whistle.

  "Easy, my love," Summer said as she took her mate's hand and offered a gentle squeeze.

  Tristan scanned the group with a discerning eye. The thick tension in the town house made the already small space seem even tinier.

  Magnus sat at the head of the table. The vampire had not lost his scowl since he opened the envelope and examined the contents. Tristan understood the anger flowing around the room. Maxwell was one sick son of a bitch and they had pages and pages of surveillance to prove it.

  "He has certainly been active." Magnus studied a photo he held of a line of children being herded into a building like cattle. His pupils vanished within his silver-white irises. The sight meant the vampire was close to losing control and put Tristan's wolf on instant alert.

  A sudden spike of magic from the witches present made the air heavy. It also made Tristan's wolf edgier, drawing him closer to Winter, while at the same time, shifting his attention back to Kian and his mate, Summer.

  Winter's sister eyed Kian with concern. Tristan had to admit, he worried about his friend too. Thanks to their link, he sensed the emotional storm within Kian. Reliving the bad blood with his father
was ripping him apart.

  Kian knew better than anyone how dangerous Maxwell could be. Kian's deep distress meant one thing. They were in for one hell of a fight.

  He hated to acknowledge the man's strength. To do so gave Maxwell even more power in Tristan's eyes. He'd be damned to give the bastard anything, but a one-way ticket to hell. "He may be busy, but the asshole is arrogant and that arrogance will be his downfall."

  Grayson nodded in agreement.

  "Where are we at with the vampires we took into custody last night?" Winter asked.

  The mere sound of her voice made his pulse race. He turned to her. For a moment, everything vanished except for the smooth lines of her perfect lips and the beauty of her eyes. They were sea green with specks of amber lit with stark determination. She didn't glance his way, but he knew she felt his stare by the way her scent called to him.

  Seconds after they walked into the room, she had slipped back into her top guard role. One minute, they were teasing each other with kisses and then the next, they stood on opposite ends of the room, way too far for his wolf's liking.

  Did she know how her escape called to the predator within, driving his instinct to hunt, exciting his need to conquer, to dominate? His damn cock hardened again at the mere thought of taming his stubborn mate, he had to shift his hips to ease the painful pressure.

  Would he survive this amazing woman? Maybe not, but losing himself in her arms was one hell of a way to go.

  She chose that second, when his cock threatened to burst out of his jeans, to cast him a fleeting glance. Heat flashed in their depths. His dick throbbed, developing a pulse of its own, beating to the rhythm she conducted.

  Yes, my clever mate knows exactly what she's doing.

  He restrained himself for now. However, the second this meeting ended, all bets were off. He planned to take her to bed and keep her there.

  Magnus sat back in his chair. "They are indeed the vampires from the surveillance video. I turned them over to the mate of the murdered female."

  Tristan's lips lifted. Their punishment would be brutal. Facing an entire coven of vengeful vampires would be torturous. "Nothing less than they deserve," said Tristan. "And the Peyton pack? Have they—"

  "Niles wants Celine returned now," Magnus interjected.

  "Do you blame him? It's his true mate they have. I'm surprised they're still breathing." Grayson scowled at Magnus.

  No one blamed Niles for his need for blood. Tristan wouldn't wait if Winter was the one missing. Regardless, they had to keep Maxwell and Lex alive if they were ever going to find Celine or the labs.

  Tristan's gaze fell on the dozens of papers and photos now littered across the table. What they learned in the envelope provided by Lex made him sick. Drugs, illegal arms, supernatural slave trade, you name it. Maxwell Lancaster has had his filthy hands in it.

  Not only had Maxwell's wealth doubled since before his incarceration, he'd also gathered allies high in power and social class. Not to mention, he had amassed a small army, turning low-class thugs into soulless dogs that did his bidding no matter how despicable.

  They weren't dealing with an amateur here. Maxwell had quickly become a self-proclaimed king in the vampire world. His takedown would not be an easy feat.

  A cell phone ping had Grayson reaching into his pocket. He glanced at his phone's display before addressing Tristan. "The copies of the vampire's testimonies about the bombing, as well as the proof on Maxwell's involvement, have disappeared from the human police precinct." Grayson smirked.

  Magnus lifted a brow.

  "This will be done by our laws…not theirs." Tristan slid his gaze around the room, daring anyone to question his decision to remove the human involvement.

  As he expected, all present nodded.

  If the human police took Maxwell into custody, with his connections, he'd be out of jail in less than an hour and on a plane out of the country thirty minutes later. They wouldn't be able to touch him then.

  "The vamp must be served our form of justice." Grayson cracked his knuckles. "And what of your new best friend, Lex?"

  Tristan growled.

  Best friend?

  He wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out the witch for what he did to Winter, but he also knew Lex wasn't lying when it came to Celine's disappearance and the bombing. He played no part in either. "A man shouldn't die for a crime he didn't commit." The admission tasted bitter.

  Winter passed him a sideways glance. Her gentle smile made his stomach tighten. Damn, she had beautiful lips. A mouth he wanted nothing more than to kiss senseless. Her attention returned to the paper locked in her hand.

  Magnus leaned forward, stealing back Tristan's attention. "We're going to need something concrete or Lex will face the same fate as Maxwell."

  "The witch gave a promise bound by magic. You don't get more concrete than that."

  Magnus toyed with the ring on his finger. "I'm afraid nothing short of Celine herself will save the witch."

  Winter suddenly cursed. She fisted the paper in her hand. "I can't believe these people are involved. I know some of them. I grew up playing with their kids at the annual festivals."

  Tristan caught the anger and helplessness in her tone. He didn't like her distress at all. He needed to pull her onto his lap and take away her worries, but he resisted. Showing weakness in front of Magnus or any of the men present would undermine her. Top guards weren't coddled.

  They were respected. Feared.

  "I recognized a few of the names as well." Magnus sighed. "I'm ashamed to even call them associates. What are they thinking?"

  "We need to gather our forces and take those damn labs down carefully. It goes too deep to rush in, too widespread. The destruction of these hellholes won't be overnight."

  Grayson stood with his hands crossed behind his back. "A lot of shifters have gone missing." He shook his head. "Too many."

  Tristan agreed. The files Lex collected had shown a disheartening pattern of shifters and witches all across the United States disappearing. Among those unaccounted, both Goddesses and their brother God.

  The trio hadn't been heard from for months. Seems the supernatural head council members had no idea where the deities were even though they claimed the trio were on holiday. They kept their disappearance a secret, hoping to prevent fears among the supernatural communities.

  The head council members of all supernatural sectors had some serious questions to answer in the days ahead.

  Magnus pointed at the satellite photos of one of the alleged lab locations. "I have Samuel and Isaac running recon on this location as we speak. They are expected to report back when they have finished their scan."

  Kian broke his silence. "What are we going to do about my father?" He rested his hand on Summer's knee. "We can't have him running around free. He's a threat to my mate, my kids. To the whole damn world."

  "What do you suggest?" Tristan asked. "He's your father…your blood. How far are you willing to go?"

  Kian glanced at Summer, a silent vow passed between them. He turned back to Tristan and then Magnus. "I'll do whatever I have to, to protect what's mine. The bastard lost whatever loyalty he had when he ordered his dog to burn my mate and her family to the ground ten years ago."

  "Good, because something tells me the only way to bring him down is to play at his weakness and that's you."

  "I don't see how I'm the man's weakness. He never gave a shit about me when he was human. Don't know why he would now that he's a vamp."

  "I think I know why he's suddenly so interested." Winter held the statement from one of the vampires they had in custody. "The vampire said in his interrogation that the labs were doing experiments on stealing the powers and strengths of one supernatural and transferring it to another. They were only successful when the subjects were of different species but related by blood. Like if a human was turned or a half-breed decedent was born. Then the exchange worked. If Maxwell could get his hands on you or the kids, he'd be able to ste
al your powers for himself." She glanced up at Summer and Kian. Both tensed. "He not only wants your magic, Kian, he wants the kids too. I'm sure of it."

  "That isn't going to happen." Kian's eyes swirled with his magic. Wind beat against the outside walls and thunder shook the town house. "He's not touching my kids."

  Summer cupped her mate's cheek. "No, he isn't, my love. We won't allow it."

  "I have an idea," Winter announced. "But it's going to take a performance of the year to pull it off."

  "What do you have in mind?" Tristan placed his hands on Winter's shoulders, kneading the muscle beneath his fingers.

  Kian, Summer, Magnus, and Grayson gave her their undivided attention.

  "Here's my plan."

  ***

  A quick call and Lex set up a meeting between Maxwell and Kian. Winter's idea was simple. Trick Maxwell into thinking Kian wanted to reconnect. She doubted the vampire would fall for the ruse, but maybe his need for power would cause him to lower his guard enough to let some information slip about Celine or the labs.

  They had to try something. Celine was running out of time.

  Winter sat in the passenger seat of the van they borrowed from the base. Her gaze remained locked on Kian as he strolled up the street toward the meeting place. Beside her, gripping the steering wheel tight, Tristan eyed the small coffee shop that sat a half a block up.

  Winter tossed Tristan a sideways glance. He worried for Kian. That much was clear. The proof was etched in the tense lines of his face. The two had become as close as brothers over the years.

  "Are you okay?" she asked.

  "I don't like this shit at all."

  "Me either, but Kian's smart. He knows what he's doing."

  Maxwell had picked the location and she knew why. Plenty of human shields packed the café in the event the vampire needed to make a quick escape.

  At their last meeting on the dance floor of the charity event, she got the impression Maxwell was used to getting his way and being in charge. The illusion of his ultimate power was important if they wanted to pull off this sham.

  Winter glared out the van’s window at Maxwell. The vampire sat in the farthest booth to the left, a smug grin lifting his chiseled features. Even through the thick glass panes and across the yards that separated them, she sensed the vampire's arrogance. He thought himself untouchable. Never had she wanted to hit a man more to prove him wrong.