His plan had already been set into motion. All he had to do was sit back and wait for it to unfold. “Soon,” he vowed softly, his gaze never leaving the brightly lit flames, “soon you will be mine.”
3
“Entering the diner now, Alpha.” Even though she spoke softly, Sable’s voice came over the ear coms loud and clear, full of confidence and purpose.
“Go slow,” Chase ordered quietly, taking a sip of coffee before setting the cup back down on the table in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he glanced around the almost empty room. Something was off. He wasn’t sure what just yet, but he could feel the tension boiling in the air, almost suffocating him. “She’s very skittish.”
“Who can blame her?” River grunted. “That bastard of a brother of hers should be subjected to everything that pretty little thing has gone through since her parents died last year.”
“I agree,” Sable ground out as she opened the door, then walked casually in and sauntered down the aisle in his direction. “Just say the word, Alpha, and I will take care of the piece of shit myself.”
Chase shook his head slightly, an uneasy feeling washing over him. “Care Bear is our mission today. We get her out of here, someplace safe, and then figure out our next move.”
A short laugh was heard before Aiden snickered. “Care Bear. Who in the hell came up with that code name?”
“I did,” River muttered, “because she’s as cute as one of those snuggly little things, and...well…she’s a bear. So shut the fuck up.”
Chuckling could be heard throughout the coms, and then, “What’s wrong, grumpy bear? Someone steal your honey?”
“Enough,” Chase growled in warning as River snarled obscenities in his ear. “We have a job to do. I suggest you concentrate on that woman’s safety instead of her cuteness. I have a feeling this isn’t going to go as smoothly as we hoped.”
“What’s up, Alpha?” Xavier cut in, all business now. “I don’t see anything out of place.”
“I’m not sure,” Chase admitted, hunching his shoulders and bowing his head when a young man walked by, looking at him curiously. “Just be on your guard.”
His wolves became quiet, concentrating on the task at hand. He had no doubt they were now surveying the building, and everything surrounding it. The handoff was supposed to be quick and easy, but Chase had learned long ago that nothing in life was ever easy. The past year had been kind enough to shove that fact down his throat over and over again.
Gritting his teeth, Chase looked up and nodded to Sable when she slid into the booth across from him. She returned his nod, and then grinned at a tall, slender waitress with short, spikey black hair tipped with pink who set a glass of water down in front of her. “Thank you.”
The woman smiled briefly, a smile that didn’t quite reach her dark grey eyes. “What can I get you to eat?”
Chase let his gaze wander slowly around the diner again before replying, “I’ll take a piece of apple pie, please. Warmed up, with some vanilla ice-cream on top.”
“Make that two,” Sable said, winking at the woman. “It has been a long time since I had something sweet.”
The waitress laughed, a light, fake laugh, before leaving to fill their order. “That one’s nervous too. You could cut the tension in this room with a knife.” Sable raised an eyebrow, “Do we abort the mission?”
“Not an option,” Chase said shortly, barely suppressing the deep growl in his throat. “Care Bear is covered in bruises under all of that makeup. The scent of her fear is palpable. We aren’t leaving here today without her.”
Sable’s gaze darkened, her jaw tightening in anger. “Why can’t we kill him?” she asked softly, hatred gleaming in her eyes. “Anyone who would treat her the way that bastard has, doesn’t deserve to live.”
Chase gritted his teeth as he replied gruffly, “Because it isn’t what we do, Sable. It’s not who we are.” But sometimes he wished it was. As alpha of the White River Wolves, he had no problem dispensing justice to protect the members of his pack when needed, but the bear they were here to rescue wasn’t a part of his pack. Once this mission was over, he may never see her again. It all depended on where she was placed.
“Too bad,” Sable responded, fury radiating off of her in waves. Her eyes darkened even more, and he could tell she was having trouble controlling her wolf.
Reaching across the table, Chase covered her hand with his, squeezing it gently. “I feel the same way you do, Sable, but we are not killers.”
“Then what are we?” she demanded.
A slow smile curved his lips at the fierceness in her voice. “Saviors,” he told her quietly, “and if we have to take a life to protect her, we will. But we do not seek out death, Sable.”
Lowering her head in deference to him, she whispered, “I know, Alpha, but sometimes I wish we could.”
Chase didn’t reply. He honestly did not know how to. He agreed with everything she said, and felt the same way she did, but he was not a murderer. Even though he wanted to hunt down and tear the throat out of every son of a bitch who had hurt all of the victims he and his wolves had saved in the past, he couldn’t.
Shaking his head, he sat back with a small, wry grin. He couldn’t, but his mate on the other hand, she could and would, without thinking twice. He wondered what she would think if she knew where he was and what he was doing right now. As far as he knew, Angel had no idea what kind of business he ran, with the help of a handful of his wolves, and he was going to keep it that way for now. Although, the way she slipped in and out of his mind whenever she damn well felt like it, maybe she did know.
Angel…his mate. The woman who had bitten him months ago, starting the mating process, but still refused to finish it. The woman who rejected his claim on her, even though she had marked him as hers twice now. Granted, he’d practically begged her to do it the last time, but he had to admit, it was worth it.
“Two men just showed up. One is huge. Looks like a mean mother. The other is definitely his lackey.” Trigger’s voice was clipped, short and brisk. “They’re coming your way.”
Chase raised his head slowly when the door to the diner was shoved open, and a large, dark-haired man entered. He was followed closely by a skinny, very dirty one. He knew who they were, especially the first male. He’d seen his face in the file that appeared on his desk two weeks ago, and then in person days later when he did his recon. That file was the reason he and his wolves were in North Carolina now. It was the reason they were not leaving without the small, female bear on the other side of the diner. “It’s the brother and one of his followers.” He said follower, because Doug Miller did not have friends. He ran his bears with a tight fist, making sure they all not only swore their allegiance to him, but pledged their lives as well. If they didn’t, they died, simple as that. Doug had taken over after his parents died in a car accident fourteen months ago, one that looked suspiciously like more than just an accident. His sister refused to bow down to him at first, fighting him at every turn. She’d even gone so far as to stand between him and a woman he sentenced to death for defying him, which ended badly for both of them. The other woman suffered a long, painful death, and Alanna, code name Care Bear, spent several weeks in bed with numerous broken bones, until she was finally able to shift to help speed up the healing process. After that, the rest of the bears stayed far away from her, afraid of what would happen if they didn’t.
“I thought so,” Trigger growled, his voice low and deadly.
Chase had gone over the case file several times, and then made a trip to North Carolina to see how things were for himself, before making the decision to step in. At that time, he had filled his most trusted enforcers in on Alanna and his plans. He shared everything he knew with them, along with pictures he’d obtained while assessing the situation. He always gave them the option of sitting a mission out if they wanted to. They may work for him, but he understood that they also had lives of their own. Not one wolf turned him down this time. He’
d left his beta and head enforcer home, along with the other enforcers who were not privy to the missions they did on the side, to watch out for the pack. All of the rest were with him.
“If that bastard makes a move, I’m coming in, Chase.”
Chase didn’t bother to respond to River’s declaration. His eyes were on Doug as he waited to see what the bear was going to do. Gripping his coffee cup tightly, he fought the urge to rise and go step between the brother and sister when Doug stopped in front of Care Bear.
“I’ve got a shot if I need it,” Charlotte said quietly.
“Hold off,” Chase bit out, his lips barely moving, his gaze never leaving the woman they had come almost two thousand miles to save.
“Get me something good to eat, little sister,” Doug sneered at Alanna, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “And it better be good, or you will get more of what I gave you last night when you get home from work today.”
Chase watched as Doug walked past Alanna, slamming his shoulder into hers and almost knocking her off her feet. He took a seat all of the way on the other side of the diner, the other man quickly following. Chase waited for Doug to scent him and Sable, but he didn’t pay attention to them.
“Fucking pig,” Sable growled. “I can smell his stench all of the way over here.”
Which was probably why the bear didn’t seem to notice there were wolves in the diner with him, Chase thought. He had to duck his head to hide a small smile when he saw the undisguised hatred in Alanna’s gaze as she walked toward their table. There was still a spark of defiance, not to mention courage, in her deep chocolate brown eyes. Chase’s admiration for her grew when he saw the slight trembling of her shoulders, and the thin layer of perspiration on her brow. She was terrified, but also mad as hell. Her long, dark hair swished around her waist when she turned abruptly and stomped up to the front counter.
“Here you go,” a voice said softly, placing a plate with a large piece of pie on it down in front of him. Sable reached out and took the other one from their waitress before she accidentally dropped it. The woman was shaking in fear, and Chase knew why. Her name was Fallon, and she was the one who had sent word to his bosses requesting help for her friend. The only friend Alanna had in the world. Chances were high that Doug would go after her first when Alanna went missing. Chase had done his research on the frightened woman as well. She was alone, abandoned on the steps of a church at the age of three. She’d grown up in an orphanage far from North Carolina. She wasn’t a shifter, but he suspected there was way more to the woman’s story than he had been able to find out. One thing he knew for certain though was that when they left that day, they weren’t taking just Alanna with them.
“Oh, crap,” the waitress whispered, “I forgot the ice-cream.”
“No problem,” Chase said gently. “I like it this way, too.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely.” He wasn’t there for the apple pie, or the ice-cream.
She smiled gratefully, “I’ll be back in a few minutes to refill your coffee.”
Chase saw her stiffen and swallow hard when Doug yelled loud enough for everyone in the diner to hear him, “Hey, pretty in pink, why don’t you come over here and sit on my lap? We can talk about whatever pops up.”
“Well, I would like ice-cream on mine, please,” Sable interjected smoothly, handing her plate back to Fallon. “And make sure to warm that pie up so that it melts.”
Nodding, the waitress turned quickly and hurried across the room, disappearing into the kitchen. “I want to tear his fucking balls off and stuff them down his throat,” Sable murmured, taking a sip of her water.
“What a disgusting, vile creature,” Charlotte said softly. “My finger is itching to pull this trigger.”
Chase picked up his fork and speared the pie in front of him, taking a bite before letting his gaze wander back to dickhead Doug. He skipped right over him when he realized the bear’s eyes were now taking in everyone in the room. There was a darkness in them, one that Chase had seen before several times in other assholes who thought it was okay to mistreat the people who put their trust in you, and depended on you.
Alanna emerged from the kitchen carrying several plates of food on a large tray. Stalking across the floor, she stopped in front of Doug’s table and dropped the tray on it, before turning to leave. Doug reached out quickly and snagged her tiny wrist, squeezing it tightly. “We will discuss your disobedience at home tonight, little sister.”
Not a word came out of Alanna’s mouth, but Chase saw her bite her bottom lip hard to hold back the scream that threatened to break free. He could almost feel her pain himself, and had to force himself to stay in his seat. He had no doubt that if the bastard hadn’t broken Alanna’s wrist, he’d come damn close.
When one of the customers moved to step in, Alanna shook her head frantically, waving them back. “Thank you, but everything is okay,” she told them, with a small smile. “I’ll be fine.”
Doug glared at the young man, daring him to interfere, but he just backed away and sat back down at his table. Not letting go of her, Doug took a bite of a piece of bacon in front of him, then a long drink of his milk, emptying it and licking his lips. Smirking, he grabbed the side of the tray and upended the entire thing on the floor. The dishes clattered loudly on the tile, and then all that could be heard was the sound of a glass rolling across the floor before it was stopped by a chair. Doug stood, glowering down at his sister. “That tasted like shit, Alanna. You know what to expect later not only for disappointing me, but also pissing me off.”
“Fuck this,” River growled. “I’m coming in.”
“Stop,” Chase commanded, even though he wanted nothing more than to rip out Doug’s throat himself. “He’s leaving. We need to do this cleanly so he doesn’t suspect where she’s been taken.”
“I hate that we can’t just walk up to the asshole and tell him she’s coming with us and to stay the hell away from her,” Sable growled, her eyes snapping with fury.
“You know he won’t back down, Sable,” Chase said calmly, watching Doug and his sleazy lackey leave the diner. “He will follow her, and he would know exactly where to look once he figured out who we are.”
“Remind me again why I can’t put a bullet in him,” Charlotte whispered. Chase knew her rifle was trained on the two bears as they made their way across the parking lot to their truck. All he would have to do was give the word, and she would take them both out. He was her alpha. He held all of the control. No one disobeyed his orders. Unfortunately, he had his own orders. Even though he ran his portion of the business, he still answered to someone higher up. “I don’t see where one little bullet would hurt,” she went on. “Maybe just bust a kneecap. Let him see what it feels like.”
Chase shook his head, even though Charlotte couldn’t see him. “No, let them go.” But he could not resist adding, “For now.”
“Here you go,” Fallon said, hurriedly placing Sable’s plate down on the table. Gesturing toward where Alanna was now kneeling on the floor, stacking dishes on a tray while holding her other arm close to her waist, she whispered, “I need to help her.”
“Go,” Chase ordered quietly, “help her, and then take her out the back door. We will meet you there.”
Her brow furrowing in confusion, Fallon questioned, “Why?”
“You asked for help,” Sable said softly. “We are that help.”
Her eyes widened in shock, then misted over with tears as Fallon whispered, “You came.”
“Yes, we did,” Chase replied, spearing another piece of the pie that he didn’t want to eat. “Make sure and act normal, Fallon. We don’t want any attention drawn to us.”
“As normal as I can,” she promised, leaving to go help her friend pick up the mess Doug had left.
Chase and Sable took their time finishing their dessert. When they were done, they left some money on the table to cover the bill, along with a tip Fallon would never see, and left the diner.
>
“All clear,” Xavier said quietly. “Doug and dumbass are already outside of town on their way back home.”
“The two couples and older gentlemen that were inside aren’t paying any attention to you,” Charlotte murmured. “Neither is the guy at the cash register. I wouldn’t be surprised if people dine and dash at this place all the time. I don’t think he even bothered to take his head out of the paper when dipshit threw the tray on the floor.”
“Nope,” Xavier replied, “he didn’t even look up.”
Chase listened to his team talk as he slipped around the corner of the building and to the back of the diner. Fallon and Alanna were already there, arguing in hushed tones. Alanna turned swiftly when she heard them approach, her eyes narrowing as she placed her hands on her hips. “Look, Fallon just told me that she contacted the Council for help, and they sent you.” Chase nodded, knowing instinctively what was coming next. “I can’t come with you,” she continued. “I’m sorry. I refuse to leave Fallon here alone. If Doug can’t find me, he will look for her. You don’t know what my brother will do to her, before he kills her.”
“Miss Miller,” Chase said, mimicking her stance, and cocking his head to the side, “with all due respect, you don’t have a choice. The Council sent us to do a job. That job is to get you out of here. I have never not finished a job put forth by the Council, and I don’t intend to do so now.” When she tried to interrupt, he held up a hand, “Let me finish. You have nothing to worry about where your friend is concerned. There is no way in hell we are leaving Fallon to fend for herself. She loves you enough to send word to the Council, a council she should not even know anything about, and is willing to accept any repercussions she may have to just to make sure you are safe. You don’t just leave loyal friends like that behind. You are both coming with us. We will keep you safe.”
Angel's Destiny Page 2
