Shifter's Magic (The Wolvers Book 8)

by Jacqueline Rhoades

  "Didn't I tell you, sister? It's like riding a bicycle. Once you know how, you never forget."

  "I never learned to ride a bicycle," Edith snapped in rare rebuke. "And neither did you. Papa tried to ride one once in his youth. He considered them dangerous contraptions and forbid us their use," she explained to the great golden brown wolf standing at the base of her porch.

  The Alpha snarled in response.

  Jazz sailed past him and up onto the porch where she sniffed the pair up and down. She needed the assurance that both were healthy and unharmed.

  "Oh no, dear, it's not us," Edna told her.

  "It's Brad," Edith said with a meaningful glance at her sister. "I answered the phone."

  Griz snarled again.

  "He said Livvy and Hannah were in trouble and needed your help. He and Matt were headed for the camp across the road to find them, though I can't imagine why they would go there. No one lives there anymore, do they? I tried to ask, but he hung up."

  "It's all very upsetting," Edna chimed in, "though his concern for Livvy should give us all hope. Love will conquer all," she sighed. "Don't you think?" she asked Jazz.

  The Mate positioned her body between the twins and their Alpha, afraid he might, in his frustration, attack. She needn't have worried.

  Griz raised his snout and howled to the darkened sky. He sent out a call to the males of his pack to return to the village and follow his lead. Then he signaled Jazz to remain with the twins and direct the others to the camp. He raised his snout again in a wolfish version of a call to arms and took off again.

  He ran as a wolf and as the crow flies. To retrieve his truck and drive the crooked roads to the rogue camp would take too much time. At the speed an average wolf could run – and he, as a wolver was far from average – he would arrive much faster and with greater stealth. If Brad called for help, it could only mean that the situation was more than he and Matt could handle alone.

  ~*~

  The two wolves crouched low to the ground, their coats blending imperceptibly with the dull colors of the winter landscape. It was well past moonrise and yet the wolvers they were watching had yet to shift. They were too busy toasting the gruesome result of one of their number beating another to death. The reconnoitering wolves had missed the initial battle, but the remnants of it were clear enough. Blood was everywhere.

  Matt whined softly and buried his snout between his paws. Brad, for whom the brutal behavior was nothing new, nipped the younger wolver's ear, telling him to hush. They were outnumbered and any rescue attempt would depend on stealth.

  They were currently upwind of the group and the smell of recent death permeated the cold night air. The sweet scent of the females lingered beneath it, though it was tinged with the acrid aroma of fear. Brad felt his hackles rise at the thought of Livvy's fear, and his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl. He knew the source of that fear.

  It was the wolver he scented back at the mall. He'd recognized the scent as soon as he went over to wolf, but told himself he was mistaken. He wasn't. Scent memory was the strongest of all the senses and the scarred wolver's wasn't one Brad was likely to forget. He'd given Bails those scars and more. That battle with Bails had sealed Brad's reputation among the rogues. No one challenged him after that. Even Cho, who on the surface treated him no differently, was more careful with what buttons he pushed.

  Bails lived only because Boss pulled Brad off in a rare act of fatherly interference, though Brad always wondered if that was true or simply wishful thinking. They'd thrown the bleeding wolver in the back of a pickup truck, driven away, and returned three hours later with an empty and freshly washed truck. He never knew and never asked what happened to Bails, though he always thought Boss Seaward finished the job.

  Now he knew. Bails was alive, vicious as ever, and holding Livvy and Hannah. If he'd hurt her, if he'd touched her in any way, if he...

  A soft growl escaped the wolf. "Kill," it whispered.

  The other scent, the one that smelled of things better left untouched, was forgotten as Bails' loud and ugly laugh that redirected Brad's attention. "What the hell are you talking about, Morgan?" he shouted toward the listing trailer.

  "It's Christmas, Bails. In the spirit of the season, I think we should play a game."

  "Boss. How many fucking times do I have to say it? The name is Boss." Bails leaned forward as if he might rise at the offence.

  Boss? The bastard had taken his father's name and title. Brad's heart dropped to his stomach and nausea rose to his chest. Was this some sick game created from the past? Was Livvy paying the price for his sins? His whole body shook with his wolf's fury.

  "Kill." Ears flattened, the skin of its snout wrinkled to pull the lips back from razor sharp fangs, the animal was ready to break Primal Law and attack a wolver still in human form.

  "Not yet," Brad shouted, though no one but the wolf could hear.

  He fought to keep his animal under control. They were outnumbered, and while he didn't doubt Matt's strength or courage, the younger wolver had never participated in real combat before. Edith and Edna would pass the word along to the Alpha. He was sure of it, and as long as Livvy and Hannah weren't in immediate danger, it would be better to wait for reinforcements.

  The wolver called Morgan didn't look the least bit intimidated by Bails' implied threat, though others in the group tensed.

  "Look, Boss," he said in a reasonable voice. "You've staked your claim. You're ready to shift, have yourself a good run, and come back ready to fuck her brains out."

  "You got that right." Bails nodded, satisfied with the use of the name. He raised the bottle he was drinking from in a toast. "Fuck the little bitch and fuck that little Sec, too. Sec, second in line to Old Man Seaward's throne." He threw the bottle into the fire where it shattered on the rocks surrounding the blaze. Blue flames danced over the trail of spilled alcohol. "Second in line my ass. Second rate is more like it. Fuck her and fuck Sec Seaward, too. Who's got the throne now?"

  He laughed as if he'd made a joke, but Brad was the only one who understood, and he wasn't laughing. Bails knew who Livvy was and that Brad was still around.

  "Yeah, but what about the other one, Boss?" Morgan went on. "Who gets her first? I say we make a contest out of it. Let's hunt. Whoever brings back the meatiest kill gets first shot at the female."

  "I saw a small herd of deer yesterday," one of the wolvers volunteered excitedly. The guy sitting next to him knocked him off the crate he was sitting on.

  "Shut up, stupid," he snarled.

  "I wasn't going to say where," the fallen wolver whined.

  Several of the others began to pace. With the moon already risen, their wolves were close to the surface and excited by the idea of a hunt. Their agitation was contagious.

  Bails watched the prowling wolvers and seemed to take pleasure in their lack of control. The half of his mouth that still worked rose in a smile. "What about me?" he asked. "What do I get out of it?"

  "You'd get them both," Morgan said and shrugged as if the answer was obvious. "That is, if you think you can win, Boss."

  He was smiling when he said it, but in the way he said it Brad understood Morgan was baiting Bails. There was a subtle sneer in his voice. Brad didn't know what Morgan's motives were. He didn't care as long as Bails took the bait.

  Bails nodded and stood. "Let's hunt."

  This was the chance Brad had been waiting for. He curled his lip and placed his snout over Matt's. To the wolf beside him, the message was clear. He was the dominant wolf and Matt would follow his lead.

  In the minutes following Bails' announcement, lights flared as men shifted to wolf. Cheers and shouts turned to yips and howls. Tails low, the rogues left the camp singly and in pairs. The hunt was on.

  Chapter 24

  Every time the troll-like Karl turned his eyes away, Livvy worked to loosen the bindings at her wrists.

  "If you get the chance, run. Don't stop. Don't look back."

  At first, with Morgan'
s body leaning over her back, she was so terrified that the words didn't register. His hands dug at her lower back right above the waistband of her jeans. In her fear, she thought the worst. She never questioned why his hands stayed at her back ignoring the button and zipper at the front. Then Karl came in and she was more terrified of him when she remembered Bails' threat and the rogues' reaction to it.

  As soon as Morgan's weight lifted, Livvy rolled to her side and pushed with her bound feet against the rotting carpet on the floor. There was nowhere to go, but blind instinct demanded she put as much distance between herself and the ogre as she could. Morgan left, but the giant wolver continued to stare, eyes undressing first Hannah and then her. The growing bulge in his pants gave evidence to his thoughts.

  It was only after she managed to drag herself upright to a sitting position that she realized the rope binding her was looser than before. Morgan had done that while he whispered in her ear. Was he trying to help or was he setting them up as part of the game he was proposing?

  With the monster watching them, there wasn't much Livvy could do. Hannah, who'd had a clear view of Morgan loosening the knots, used her best TV imitation of a flirty come on, complete with giggles and thrusting breasts, to distract Karl. It worked, but it was dangerous. Karl was more animal than human.

  "Bet a big boy like you could show a girl a really good time."

  Every time Karl's eyes locked on Hannah, Livvy gained time to work the bonds that held her and time was running short.

  There was something going on outside. She could hear the steady cadence of Morgan's voice followed by growls and laughter. She could hear Bails' gravely snarl, but couldn't focus on the words. Her mind was busy watching Karl, attempting to free her wrists, and calling out to the Alpha for help.

  There was no mistaking the flashes of light that shone through the filthy windows. There was no ignoring the snarling and snapping that followed. They were finally going over the moon and by the sound of it, leaving the camp. If there was ever a time for rescue or escape, it was now.

  Karl made no move to join the others. Maybe he couldn't. Livvy still wasn't sure what the strange creature was. He frowned in what she thought might be disappointment, and settled into a squat with arms folded over his chest to watch the two females he'd been ordered to guard.

  "Alpha!" Livvy called out in her mind for the hundredth time. "Help!"

  ~*~

  "Mate." Brad's wolf watched with eager awareness as the camp emptied. It had no concept of numbers, but it marked each wolf's scent. Once its female was safe, it would find them and drive them out. All except one.

  Beside him, Matt's wolf body relaxed in relief, though the animal remained on the alert. As the younger and more submissive of the pair, he looked to Brad for guidance.

  Brad's haunches rose up from the ground, coiled springs of muscle ready to take off. He motioned to Matt to act as rear guard. Their upwind advantage could be compromised now that the rogues had scattered. They needed to be prepared for an attack from behind.

  Matt immediately obeyed as Brad knew he would. Born of instinct and trained from puppyhood through years of play and hunting, the wolf's obedience to pack hierarchy was rarely questioned.

  The wolf snarled when Bails left with the others. The animal strained to follow and put an end to the plague of its younger years. Brad held his animal in check with two words.

  "Livvy. Mate." Livvy came first. All other concerns were secondary to her safety.

  When the camp was empty, the two wolves came home to human and moved to the trailer. The men kept the same positions as their wolves; Brad on point, Matt keeping watch at the rear.

  ~*~

  "Alpha needs to send us over, too," Hannah muttered.

  "No!" Livvy hissed more stridently than she should have.

  Hannah looked confused and asked aloud, "Why not?"

  Karl, who wasn't pack and apparently didn't understand an Alpha's power, was confused by the question. "Not what?" he grunted.

  "Our feet are tied," Livvy answered Hannah. If the Alpha took them over the moon now, their paws would remain bound. When it came to untying knots, fingers worked way better than teeth.

  Understanding dawned. "Oh!" Hannah cried and then turned her attention to Karl. "We can't dance if our feet are tied. Whoever heard of a party where you couldn't dance? Can you dance?" She started to wiggle and squirm in an awkward dance without music, and bat her eyelashes in what Livvy thought was a ridiculous and obviously false display.

  Just as obviously, Karl didn't agree. He stared at Hannah. His fat tongue protruded and licked his lips. His fingers curled and uncurled. The bulge between his legs grew. Finally giving into temptation, he ran one yellowed nail over Hannah's breast. Hannah kept her smile in place and never flinched.

  The attention bought Livvy the seconds she needed to free her hands.

  She was wondering what to do next when a wolf's scream sounded from the woods beyond. A few minutes passed before it was followed by another and then a howl of triumph. In the ensuing silence, the click of the door latch drew everyone's attention. Karl's head snapped to the side, his big body turned and lunged as Brad's voice whispered her name and the door opened.

  The trailer rocked with the force of Karl's leap. Cases of liquor skid, tumbled, and spilled. The corner of one struck Livvy painfully between her shoulder blades. Several others fell from the table and knocked Hannah to the side. Bottles rolled across the tilting floor.

  Ignoring the pain, Livvy started on the rope that bound her feet. Once free, she turned to Hannah who was struggling to sit up. She had a cut on her cheek but otherwise looked unharmed. Hurling boxes and bottles out of the way, Livvy attacked the knots at Hannah's wrists which were much tighter than her own. Hannah winced in pain as she rubbed the circulation back into her hands.

  "Go! Go! I got it," she shouted when Livvy began to work on the rope at her feet. "Grab a bottle and go!"

  A bottle. A weapon. Livvy grasped one by the neck in each of her hands as she scrambled out the door.

  A hand grabbed her arm as she emerged and she raised the bottle to strike. Fortunately, her brother was faster, and grabbed the bottle she held over his head, preventing it from denting his skull.

  "Run. Run!" he shouted and gave her a shove in the direction he wanted her to go and then he was ripped away and flying backward as Karl's great arms lifted him off the ground and threw him toward the fire.

  The massive wolver then turned as Brad leapt. Livvy's bottle struck the side of his head. The blow only altered the direction of his fist which landed on Brad's shoulder instead of his face. Brad staggered back and Karl leapt after him. They tumbled to the ground, Karl's huge hands at Brad's throat.

  Livvy struck again with her bottle and kept pounding against the giant's broad back though her blows had little effect. Hannah pushed her to the side and with a feral sounding scream, drove the broken end of her liquor bottle into the giant's shoulder. With a roar, Karl released Brad's throat and flung out his arm. His clenched fist connected with Hannah's cheek with enough backhanded force to throw her against the trailer, a rag doll thrown by a pup.

  The air left her lungs with a groaning whoosh, and her eyes went wide with pained surprise. Slowly and with great effort, she pulled her body away from the rusted metal sidewall. She grunted with the effort to stand, wavered, and then fell back again, this time using the trailer for support as she slid to the ground.

  "Hannah!"

  "Run," Hannah told her breathlessly, "Run."

  "Not without you."

  Livvy grabbed Hannah's hand and hauled the dazed woman to her feet. Hannah swayed, staggered, and fell to one knee. The coppery scent of blood surrounded her.

  "Run," she said again.

  Brad was back on his feet. Matt hurled himself onto Karl's enormous back. Both were shouting for the women to run.

  Arranging her friend's arm around her neck, Livvy tucked her shoulder into Hannah's armpit and lifted. With her arm around
Hannah's waist, they began to move unsteadily away from the fighting men, but their way was blocked by three snarling wolves, not pack, but rogue.

  Livvy backed away, turned to cry out for help, and screamed out Brad's name as a ghostly grey wolf leapt out of the darkness of the trees to attack Brad from behind. Whether it was her scream or Brad's own awareness of the movement behind him, he turned with arm raised instinctively to protect his vulnerable throat. The wolf caught his forearm and took him to the ground and the two were engulfed in shifting light.

  Karl must have taken the arrival of the attacking wolf and the breaking of Primal Law as permission to do the same. Engulfed in his own light, the enormous man shifted into an incomplete wolf as misshapen and ugly as the human. He rose up on hind legs, but didn't leap as a wolf. He moved awkwardly on wolf shaped legs, but walked as a man.

  Matt barely had time to scrabble away before shifting himself. It was all he could do to keep the giant's attention on himself without being crushed by the monstrous jaws that were not wolf, but an exaggerated version of his human self.

  Now that the battle was wolf on wolf, the three who'd prevented the women's escape began to circle and snarl, looking for an opening to enter the fray. Their plan was thwarted by the arrival of yet another rogue wolf, muzzle already covered in blood, who leapt at them with such unexpected viciousness that one went down before the others realized what was happening.

  Hannah staggered again and it became clear that running away would not be possible. The sticky patch at the woman's side was now bright red with oozing blood. Livvy backtracked to the trailer, this time moving behind it where they might find some shelter and stay out of the way. She lowered Hannah to the ground using the side of the trailer and a slender sapling that grew beside it to prop the young woman up.

  Hannah had somehow retained her broken bottle and waved it weakly in front of them as a weapon of self-defense. She had no strength to use it, but when Livvy tried to take it from her, Hannah only tightened her grip on the bottle's neck and repeated, "Run."