Ranger (Rise of the Pride, Book 5)

by Theresa Hissong

  As soon as the panther came into sight, Ranger dropped his pants and let his beast free. The change was instant, and his human side relaxed when the ache in his damaged leg eased. His animal swung its head to the side to look for the female, and his eyes narrowed when she came into view. Ranger started to move toward her, but what stopped him in his tracks was the massive white scar on the panther’s right side. It started at the top of her shoulder and ran all the way down to her hind leg. His panther screamed from the anger at her being hurt, sending Hope’s beast fleeing for the cover of the forest.

  Chapter Two

  Hope’s panther ran into the woods, uncaring as to the branches that slapped at her face. Burning pain in her muscles reminded the panther that she had been near death only moments before. Fear was a terrible thing, and the anxiety that came with it would sometimes be debilitating. This time, it made her run. As many times as she’d trained to fight with her brother, the side effects of her scarring changed all of that with her beast. The panther was skittish, and rightly so.

  Her beast was in control, but she pushed her human mind to stay alert. She knew that male wouldn’t hurt her. He was a trusted Guardian. At least, that was what Kraven had promised her. The Shaw pride was one of the good ones…just like her pride had been before the Community came in and killed her old alpha.

  The difference between the strength of her human mind and her scarred panther mind was dizzying. They were supposed to be one in the same on most things. Thinking about how she could still be strong-willed as a human, but scared to death in her panther form, was tiring.

  Her panther found a secure place to stop and dropped to its belly, covering it’s face with a paw. She stiffened when she heard the sound of padded feet approaching. A snuffling sound came close but did not touch her. She removed her paw and saw the Guardian that had shifted to run with her for safety. He stretched lazily and turned to the side, revealing a long scar on his back leg. Her panther tilted its head to the side in wonder.

  “You’re just like me,” she breathed as her panther slunk back into her human skin. Hope remained on her side, her scars facing the ground. Even though the Guardian was damaged like her, she still wasn’t ready to play let’s-see-who-has-the-worst-injury.

  The Guardian didn’t shift, but he did huff, closing his eyes as if he had heard her but didn’t want to speak on the subject.

  “So, your panther can voice his opinion on my scar, but I can’t say anything about yours?” she complained, raising an eyebrow when the black panther opened only one eye to glare at her.

  Hope closed her eyes, not caring about the Guardian and his lack of communication. She had more things to worry about, and the exhaustion of her travel was weighing heavily on her. Her panther pushed forward and the shift back was complete. Stumbling slightly, she ignored the Guardian as he jumped to his feet as if to help. Her beast raised its nose to the sky and inhaled, finding her own scent and the path back to the alpha’s home. Ranger stuck close behind her, but not close enough to touch. She appreciated his protectiveness, but for once since she’d left her home, Hope actually felt as if she was, in fact, safe.

  Safe.

  There’d been a time when things were normal for her and her old pride. She remembered times when safe was the norm, not something they searched for daily. They’d thrived and lived in peace. When her brother was taken and their old alpha killed, things had changed.

  Liberty was waiting on the back porch, sitting in an old rocking chair as Hope approached the home. She held an infant against her chest as the cub slept soundly. When Hope’s panther jumped onto the porch, the alpha’s mate stood up and opened the door, allowing the animal to enter the home.

  “I’ll take you to your room,” Liberty said, walking toward the stairs. The panther followed, already relaxing in Hope’s mind. As she reached the top of the stairs, Hope shifted to her human form, not caring about her nudity. Liberty showed her to the room at the end of the hallway. “I put your bags in here. If you do not like this room, you can pick something else or have a home built on the land. We want you to be comfortable here.”

  “Thank you, Liberty.” Hope smiled, walking over to her bag. She retrieved a pair of denim shorts and a tank top without grabbing any underwear or bra. As she pulled the top over her head, she noticed Liberty staring at her scar. “I’m okay.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Liberty asked, her voice full of concern. The baby squirmed a little in her arms, but settled down when the alpha’s mate cooed her back to sleep.

  “I don’t think I want to.”

  “You know, your new alpha will need to know what happened to you,” Liberty said as she nodded toward her side.

  “I’ll talk to him when he asks, because I cannot go against a direct order.” Hope frowned, taking a heavy seat onto the edge of the bed. “That’s the only time I will speak of what happened to me.”

  “I would hope that you’d tell Talon willingly.”

  “It’s over.” Hope cursed softly. “That time in my life is in my past, and I want to look forward to my new future.”

  “We will not let anything happen to you here,” Liberty promised.

  “I know.”

  A knock on the door had both women turning. Ranger was standing there in nothing but a pair of jeans that were slung low on his hips. His tanned skin was painted with colorful tattoos on his arms and a pair of wings over his chest. There were two eyes just underneath them. As his body flexed, those eyes moved as if they were watching her. Hope shivered even though there was nothing cold about the air.

  “Ranger?” Liberty asked when she turned on her heel.

  “I came to see if Hope would like something to eat,” he informed them, never taking his eyes off of her. Damn, it felt like he could see straight to her soul. “Since I’m here, I can get you both something from the kitchen.”

  “I am hungry,” Hope said softly, feeling an ache in her stomach.

  “I need to put Ember down.” Liberty smiled, stroking her infant’s head. “You two go eat, and I’ll come down when Talon emerges from his office.”

  Hope stood up from the bed as soon as Liberty walked past Ranger. The Guardian moved off to the side of the door, his feet spread apart and his hands clasped in front of him as if he were assigned as a guard to the hallway. He nodded for her to go ahead of him and didn’t say anything else as she took the stairs to the lower level of the home. Her bare feet padded softly on the hardwood floor and was the only sound as the alpha’s home seemed to be empty. The Guardian behind her moved so silently, she had to look over her shoulder to make sure he was still there.

  As she stepped down into the sunken living room, she sucked in a harsh breath when she felt a hitch in her side. The scent of the forest reached her as Ranger closed the distance, but stopped just short of touching her. She inhaled softly, trying not to make a sound.

  “What’s wrong?” he worried. “Hope?”

  “I’m fine,” she replied, touching her side. “Just some residual pain. It’s nothing I cannot handle, Guardian.”

  “Want to tell me how you got that scar?” Ranger asked as he circled her, his eyes sparking amber as he looked over her body. A little part of her liked the way his eyes heated.

  “Want to tell me how you got yours?” Hope retorted, hoping to keep the spotlight off of her injury.

  “Come on,” he growled, his eyes returning to an icy blue. “Let’s eat. The food is getting cold.”

  “How are you doing?” Evie whispered, touching the side of Kye’s face. “With your mom being gone?”

  “I’m dealing with it,” he replied, looking off into the woods. “I think Noah is taking it the hardest.”

  “I’m so sorry, Kye,” she sighed.

  Kye nodded and pulled her closer to his body. Evie felt warm and right in his arms. There had never been anyone else, and he was eager for their maturity to hit so they could finally be officially mated. He didn’t even want to think about the future with
out her in it.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” he reassured her.

  “Your mating scent is getting stronger,” Evie hummed, inhaling deep.

  “One more year.” Kye smiled, kissing the side of Evie’s neck.

  They were currently bundled up in the back of his pickup truck in a meadow far away from the pride. There were two hundred acres for the panthers to roam, and since everyone was gathering at the alpha’s home to welcome a new member, they had some time alone.

  “You know that we will have to wait for my twentieth birthday, don’t you?” She frowned.

  “It’s only two months after mine,” Kye said as he rolled his eyes. “Come here.” He scooted back to rest on a mound of pillows at the back of his truck bed.

  “Don’t you have to work?” she asked, her voice lazy as he stroked her arm.

  “Yeah,” he breathed. “I have to take some camera equipment over to The Deuce. Savage is installing a security system that will be monitored here at the pride. Ranger is going to set all of that up tomorrow.”

  “Can I go with you?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. At that moment, he’d take Evie anywhere.

  Instead of an answer, he cupped her face and turned her lips toward his. She hummed low in her throat as his tongue demanded entrance. Her sweetness always sent his mind reeling. When Evie started to protest, he let his panther growl for him to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  “Kye,” Evie warned after several minutes. “If you don’t go, Savage will hang you by your panther’s tail.”

  “He is a scary son of a bitch,” Kye chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess you’re right. We better get to the house so I can load up the equipment.”

  It was Sunday morning and the bar would be closed. Liberty wouldn’t even allow them inside during business hours if they were underage. It wasn’t like they hung out there anyway. Most of the time, Kye and Evie would be at the alpha’s home, watching movies or running through the woods.

  Kye jumped out of the truck and raised both of his hands to help Evie to the ground. When her feet made contact, he surprised her with a hard press to her lips. He could scent her arousal and locked down his need for her. They’d waited this long. Another year would be nothing…right?

  “Let’s get out of here,” she blushed.

  Kye slid into the driver’s seat after making sure Evie was situated next to him. Only after she was buckled did he start the truck and pull out of the field. He passed his mother’s home, not even glancing in that direction.

  Noah had moved out of his small cabin and into his mother’s old home. None of them wanted the home to go to anyone else just yet. Although he lived with Talon at the alpha’s home, his mother’s cabin was still a part of his youth. It was the place he went when he needed to be with her. No one knew how many days and nights his mother counseled him on helping Evie with her kidnapping.

  “You okay?” Evie asked, touching his arm. Kye blinked twice, realizing they were parked at The Deuce. He didn’t even remember the drive over.

  “Yeah,” he nodded, wiping a hand over his face. “Let’s get inside.”

  They unloaded the truck and entered the bar, Savage meeting them to take a box from Evie. She took a seat at the bar and grabbed the remote, turning on the television to some girly show.

  As they got down to work, Savage had to knock him upside the head a few times when he was caught staring at Evie as she crossed her legs. The denim shorts she wore exposed her soft, milky white skin, and he just couldn’t look away.

  “Boy,” Savage growled.

  “Sorry.” He cleared his throat and adjusted his raging hard on. When he turned away from the grumpy Guardian, Kye had a stupid boyish grin on his face.

  Chapter Three

  Hope had been at the Shaw pride for a week, and she was going stir crazy, needing to find a job so she could get out of the alpha’s home. It wasn’t that she was uncomfortable there. No, quite the opposite. She felt like she was at home, but she needed to do something with her time.

  There weren’t many pride members milling about for a Monday morning. Most of them were out patrolling the land or working in their homes. She’d learned that the alpha had two businesses and some of the pride worked for him. Others worked outside of the safety of the land. Just like she’d overheard that the alpha’s mate owned a bar not far from there.

  She walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the alpha’s office door. It was closed, and she almost walked away. The short time at her old pride with their new alpha was still fresh in her mind. What was she doing? This was the pride who took her in to keep her safe. Steeling her spine, she raised her fist to the wooden door.

  “Come in,” the alpha called out as soon as Hope knocked. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed the door open. “How can I help you?”

  “I need to find a job,” Hope announced as she entered the alpha’s office. His mate was standing by the window, holding their infant cub. The beautiful baby was fast asleep in her mother’s arms.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Talon asked, his brow crinkling. “You were in pretty bad shape when you showed up at my pride.”

  “I am.” Hope smiled, praying she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. “I feel fine. I don’t care much for sitting around. I have job skills, and I hear that Mrs. Shaw owns a bar.”

  “That I do.” Liberty smiled, walking forward. “Have you worked in a bar before?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she said with a nod, taking a second to smile at the alpha’s daughter. She was a beautiful cub and was obviously the apple of the alpha’s eye, judging by the way he looked at her with so much love. “I waitressed at a bar back home for the past four years. It was a dive and the patrons were rowdy. I doubt there’s anything you could throw at me that I haven’t dealt with before.”

  “You’re hired.” Liberty laughed when her mate, the alpha, started to protest. She silenced him with a hard glare. “I need help, Talon. I’m down two waitresses, and Luke has been grumpy since he’s had to come out from behind the bar to wait tables.”

  “I need to talk to you about something first, Hope.” Talon frowned. The air in the room changed. A thickness she couldn’t name had her beast pacing in her mind.

  “What is it, alpha?”

  “I talked to your brother,” Talon announced, standing to his full height.

  “And what did he say?” she asked. Her heart sped up in anticipation of what the alpha had to say about her brother. Whatever her brother told the alpha would determine the next few minutes of conversation. She was sure that whatever it was…it wasn’t good, from the hard set to his jaw.

  “He said you are in danger,” Talon growled, his eyes sparking amber. He glanced at his mate’s shocked expression, holding up a hand when she started to question him. “He also said your old alpha is looking for you because he believes you are his mate.”

  “I’m not his mate!” Hope exploded, her canines pushing through her gums. She felt her panther push for release, but she tightened her hold over her human skin. “I would kill myself before I ever let that man claim me.”

  Hope had already resigned herself to death if the alpha came for her. She’d rather spend eternity in the afterlife than be subjected to the punishments she knew he would deal out once she was caught.

  “Hope!” Liberty gasped when Hope swayed from the push of her beast. It took everything she had to keep the panther at bay.

  “I need to know what happened,” Talon ordered, pushing his powers out so forcefully, she had to grab the back of the chair to steady herself. “Tell me the truth. Now, Hope.”

  The alpha’s demands were law, and since she was now a part of the Shaw pride, Hope had to tell him. There was no way she could lie. It wasn’t even a possibility.

  “Boris Small is not a good male, Talon,” she heard herself say, touching her side as if to prove a point.

  “Your scar?” Liberty questioned, her voice soft.
/>   “It’s not just a scar.” She shivered.

  “Then what is it?” Talon moved around the front of his desk so he could come and stand in front of her. The sense of peace the alpha was directing toward her helped with her anxiety. She felt the soothing invisible touch of a father, of an alpha…a true alpha; one who genuinely cared for his people, just as her old alpha had before the Community came in and killed him and abducted her brother. “Hope?”

  “It…It is his mark,” she said, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the tears at bay and her panther from cowering in fear. “He was claiming females. Even if he touched us and we were not his, he would cut us and make us wait several days before we could shift. We couldn’t heal properly. He wanted to leave his mark.”

  “Fuck,” Talon swore, turning around to slam his fist against the top of his desk. The wood creaked but didn’t splinter. “He needs to be put down.”

  “I don’t care what happens to that son of a bitch as long as he’s dead,” Hope replied, her own fists clenched at her sides. “As far as I’m concerned, you can let that fucking bastard rot in hell where he belongs.”

  “What happened to the other females?” Liberty asked, worrying her bottom lip.

  “There were three of us,” she answered, gritting her teeth from the memories. “The other two families fled, taking their daughters northwest to join other prides. Kraven hid me in a cabin and only sent me to you once he felt the way was clear.”

  “How long were you away from an alpha?” Talon pressed.

  “Almost three weeks by the time I reached your home,” she replied, squaring her shoulders. She’d been trained to protect herself. Most prides didn’t train their females, and she wasn’t sure how the Shaw pride looked at that. The ancient ways were still widely used, and she respected that, but she wouldn’t be a victim again. “I’m not afraid of him, but I am afraid for my brother. I don’t know what the alpha will do to him.”