Psyche Shield

by Chrissie Buhr

  Two packmates in wolf form postured on either side of the Alpha and Beta. They bared their teeth silently, hackles raised as they anticipated an attack. A fifth Wolf on two legs did the same but from a slightly more Human demeanor. In all, they made an impressive show of force, and they still didn’t hold a candle to ours.

  Jason and Billie stood side by side facing the intruders. Billie’s relaxed posture fooled no one this time. With her red curls flying loose and wearing only a thin silk robe, she looked like a mythological goddess of war. Fully clothed and in a good mood, Jason could look ferocious. His expression threatened the intruders mercilessly, and muscles rippled under the tattoos that covered most of his body. I’d seen it before, and I still thought he looked like a beast from hell. This time it reassured me. The entirety of Matthew’s team flanked them. The Montana Wolves faced the strongest fighting force in the Pacific Northwest, and they knew it.

  Kathryn, Richard, and Amy stood behind their fighters, largely ignored by the intruders. Richard would back the others up in the unlikely event they needed it. Kathryn and Amy stayed out of physical conflicts as a rule and added little advantage. Kathryn’s typical serenity faltered, her mouth set firmly in displeasure.

  I took everything in but couldn’t remove my gaze from Sierra’s limp body slung over a Wolf’s shoulder like a bad Tarzan movie. Outraged, I held my tongue with considerable effort and moved to stand near Kathryn. With the Sender on one side of me and a clear path to the door on the other, I covered my bases. Hopefully her gift would curb any unwise impulses. If a fight broke out, I could get out of the way.

  Graham stared bewildered at the Wolves in front of him. He stood no chance of winning, but that didn’t explain his confusion. “What trick is this? You were running.”

  By his expression, Jason didn’t understand the other Alpha’s question. With sudden clarity, I knew why they chose this moment to grab Sierra and why they looked like a three-headed hydra just landed in front of them. Their Human spy saw the fighters leave, but not their return. After all the grief she’d caused, I took pleasure in fooling her with my illusion.

  “You’re not taking her,” Jason informed the other Alpha coldly, ignoring what he didn’t understand. “Not like this and not until I know you won’t hurt her.”

  Graham hadn’t expected to fight at all, so he tried reason instead. His voice reached every pair of ears, echoing commandingly despite the low volume. He didn’t know about illusion, and we didn’t enlighten him. Like most of the other older Wolves, his accent reflected his age. Archaic and modern phrasing merged, and I couldn’t have placed his origins on my own. “She’s one of mine. You have no right to keep her.”

  Stephen didn’t twitch under Sierra’s weight or under Billie’s irate stare. He projected calculative intelligence without his father’s arrogant fury. Under different circumstances I’d probably like him. Only confidence in my packmates kept me from knocking him senseless to the ground. He held the other Beta’s stare, dismissing me as unimportant. Billie responded to the Montana Alpha without taking her eyes off of Stephen. “We’re not holding her against her will. She’s free to go anytime she chooses.”

  “If that were true, why would she stay?” The Montana Alpha challenged.

  Jason pointed a finger at Sierra’s limp body. “I offered her protection until you came to your senses. Obviously you haven’t.”

  As much as I could without entering her mind, I assessed Sierra. She still lived, but I couldn’t tell much. Amy assessed her as well and probably knew more. As softly as I could, I whispered, “Is Sierra okay?” Until I spoke, Graham hadn’t spare more than a passing glance at me. Apparently I didn’t smell like a Mage anymore, but he’d heard my voice before, and it gave me away. His face hardened viciously as he turned his full attention on me. Amy didn’t have a chance to answer.

  “You,” He snarled. “I won’t let you have her.”

  I knew he could smell my fear. My packmates stood between us, and I didn’t fear for myself even without magepower. Stephen could kill Sierra before any of us had time to react, and it terrified me. I opened my mouth to protest but stopped. Nothing I said would change his mind about me. I just looked at him, pleading silently.

  “I’m Alpha here, Graham,” Jason snarled, asserting his position. “You’re trespassing. Put Sierra down and leave before I order my Wolves to attack. You will not win.”

  “Why is she so important to you?” Graham demanded of me, clearly not hearing Jason’s ’I’m in charge’ statement.

  “I never meant to put her in danger. Please don’t hurt her.” I would willingly beg for her life if that’s what it took.

  “No Wolf should have to live like this,” Graham interrupted me and shook his fist stubbornly.

  “I didn’t collar her!” I yelled desperately, beginning to lose the battle of self-control. Outwardly Billie ignored me, but I sensed her concern. Another Alpha brought out my belligerent side and unwisely threatened someone I loved while I tried to control my impulses on less than three hours sleep.

  Jason raised a hand at me in firm warning, cutting the air in a sharp movement. “Sadie, shut up. Don’t do anything.” His growl deepened as he enunciated every word clearly. To everyone’s surprise, I followed his order. Locking my lips together, I clenched my fists instead.

  Graham’s eyes darted back and forth between me and Jason undecidedly, his attention finally returning to the Alpha. His packmates watched the exchange silently, hyperaware of everyone. They missed nothing. I sensed their unease, and Billie smelled their fear. That was smart, considering the group of Wolves they faced.

  Wolf versus Wolf. Mage versus Mage. I reminded myself. I had to let the Wolves handle this situation, no matter what. Deliberately turning my attention away from the offending Alpha and Beta, I studied the Wolves with them. The Ethiopian Wolf drew my attention first, her lanky red body reminding me of Kato. She tensed when I met her eyes, expecting the worst. The other, an average-sized grey wolf with unusual black markings lowered his ears menacingly at my scrutiny.

  The Wolf in human form postured like the others. He stood taller than his Alpha and Beta, and his sandy hair and pale complexion contrasted with Stephen. As soon as I noticed him, he drew all of my interest. The Alphas continued to argue, but I quit paying attention. I should have seen it immediately. Locking eyes with the Wolf, I sensed two minds behind his gaze. The Wolf challenged me, and someone else regarded me with frank curiosity.

  This changed everything, and I didn’t know what would happen when I announced my discovery. In the present situation, the Montana Wolves might perceive mindspeech as a Mage attack, so I didn’t dare contact Billie silently. Despite not wanting to inflame the conflict, his Alpha and Beta deserved to know. With that thought, I made a decision and interrupted Graham and Jason. Everyone could hear me, and I spoke slowly and carefully while watching the Wolf’s reaction. “Alpha. Someone is watching us through this Wolf’s eyes.”

  Everyone startled at the announcement, heads snapping in our direction. Billie’s thoughts reflected the mood of every Wolf in the yard. A burst of angst and outrage came at me from all directions. The presence of another Mage in the conflict complicated the situation unpredictably.

  The Wolf in question lowered his head, the other mind coming to the forefront. The Mage looked at me, his eyes piercing sharply into mine through the Wolf’s gaze. Through our bond, I sensed Billie’s concern intensify. Rudely, the Mage tried to read me, and I refused to let him see anything. The vein on Jason’s neck popped, and he looked closely at the Wolf. His eyes narrowed and his voice deepened. “Is he collared?”

  “If he’s not, he’s well on his way,” I replied and watched the Wolf’s muscles tense.

  “Read him.” I did not hesitate.

  As soon as I touched the Wolf’s mind, he spoke. The words emerged from his mouth and voice, but they came from someone else entirely. It sounded incongruous, like watching someone lip sync. “Your manners are appalling. Stay a
way from my pet.” Abruptly the Wolf turned and bolted, shifting into wolf form as he fled. His stunned packmates watched him disappear into the hills, everything else forgotten for a moment.

  “My manners are appalling?” I almost gathered magepower so I could bring the Wolf back. If I did that, the Mage would leave before I could find him.

  “Get him back.” Jason looked ready to explode as he shouted at me. His order recaptured the other Alpha’s attention.

  “We’ll lose the Mage if I do that.” I argued, ignoring Graham’s hateful stare. “I’ll free the Wolf. I swear. But I want to meet this Mage first.”

  “What did you sense?” Billie disliked the new complication even more than Jason, but she hid it better. The Montana Wolves blamed me for their packmate’s behavior and believed him worse than dead. My mate watched them closely. I took two steps towards Billie and Jason. This brought me closer to the Montana Wolves, and I used Owen and Nathan as a barrier. If anyone tried to attack me, they’d stop it before I had to.

  “The Wolf’s collared. The Mage came here for a reason. He wasn’t surprised to find another Mage here, but he was very surprised to find me here. We should meet him face-to-face and find out more.” I focused and found him easily and pointed. “He’s that way. I can find him.”

  “Go with Matthew. Find the Mage and deal with him,” he ordered. I wanted Billie watching out for Sierra and didn’t argue about leaving my mate behind this time. I’d have chosen a different companion.

  Graham’s expression graduated from icy to calculative. “I’m going with you.” His declaration startled all of us, and my heart nearly stopped.

  “No fucking way,” I responded with every bit of diplomacy I could muster. Both Alphas ignored me, facing each other. I had a bad feeling I wouldn’t like the outcome. Suddenly Matthew seemed cheery and safe compared to the alternative. I’d be grateful for his strong presence if the other Alpha tagged along.

  Jason met Graham’s gaze forcefully. “Give me your word you’ll keep your claws off of Sadie.”

  Graham didn’t blink. “One way or another I’m going after my Wolf. I’ll kill any Mage that stands in my way.” Graham threatened me, and the Alphas stared each other down.

  “He’s your Wolf. Go. Don’t forget you’re in my territory, and Sadie is Pack. If you turn on her, she has my permission to stop you any way she can. Then I won’t stop her mate from tearing into whatever is left. Got it?” Graham didn’t respond and I swallowed hard.

  Billie hated letting me go anywhere with a hostile Alpha, and it showed. She held Matthew’s gaze sternly for a moment of silent communication. He nodded slightly, promising to protect me.

  Matthew, eager to get the job done, demanded. “Let’s go.”

  “You should probably put some clothes on.” My raised eyebrows told both of them what I thought about running around the city with two naked Wolves. I ran inside to change while they scavenged from the closet where Billie kept spare clothing for her packmates.

  From our bedroom, I heard Amy’s loud voice demanding to see Sierra. Her familiar threats eased my mind about her welfare. I dressed quickly, running a brush through my hair and brushing my teeth in only a few minutes. Back downstairs, I found Matthew and Graham dressed in jeans and T-shirts.

  Glenn shoved a very large cup of instant coffee and an energy bar in my hands. “You’re a God! I could kiss you.”

  “Get me into trouble with Billie, and I’ll never bring you coffee again,” he threatened good-naturedly before turning a serious eye on me. “You look worse now than when you went to bed. You haven’t slept enough to go off fighting Mages.”

  I sipped the coffee and sighed appreciatively. “Not much choice. I’ll manage. Shit, I almost forgot. The illusion around the property will drop when I leave.”

  Glenn raised his voice a little and spoke to every Wolf on the premises. “You heard her. If you’re naked or furry make sure the neighbors can’t see you. Amy, lower your voice.”

  “You’re the best,” I told him appreciatively.

  Billie walked up to me and pressed her forehead against mine. I followed her thoughts without mindspeech. She loathed the situation. I hunted a Mage who could be Kratos with a Wolf who recently tried to kill me and another who would pay for the privilege. She wondered if I could handle the Mage in my exhausted state and if I trusted Matthew enough to drag an adversarial Wolf with us. If I said no, she’d argue against Jason’s orders. “Can you do this right now?”

  As far as I could tell, the Mage wasn’t Kratos. Since I couldn’t have that conversation, I reassured her as well as I could. “Yes. If I sleep first, he’ll get away. I may be exhausted, but I can handle one little Mage. Matthew has my back if Graham tries anything. Besides, I have caffeine to keep me going a little longer. I think Glenn’s trying to steal me away from you, and he’s off to a good start.”

  She appreciated my attempt to lighten the mood. “Never.”

  “I warned you. Get your own coffee next time,” he threatened and moved back outside.

  “Ready?” Matthew and Graham waited for me at the door. Billie threw her keys, and Matthew caught them easily. His truck would hold all three of us, but we’d have more room in her Jeep. Matthew took the wheel and ordered me into the back seat. I suspected he didn’t want the Alpha Wolf behind him or too close to me. Graham sat in the front passenger seat, and we sped off.

  “Head towards Caldwell. I know where the Mage is.” Gulping at the coffee, I started to forget how little I’d slept. Caffeine and adrenaline did wonders for my system.

  “What about my Wolf?” Graham demanded.

  “The Mage is the first priority.” His eyes flashed and I explained with more patience than I felt. “I need to find out why he’s here and if he’s the only one. As soon as I uncollar your Wolf, I’ll lose that chance. And anyway the Mage called your Wolf back. We’re all headed to the same place. I won’t leave him collared. I swear. But I need to deal with the Mage first.”

  “Can you really uncollar Wolves?” he asked skeptically.

  “Yes, I can.”

  “If it’s possible, how come no one has ever heard of it?” he questioned me.

  Isingoma’s words came back to me once again. Those who can won’t; those who will can’t. “I think most Mages who are capable of it are more interested in collaring Wolves than uncollaring them.” Graham watched me from the corner of his eye, the muscles in his jaw twitching. The belligerence that usually only came out with Jason rose to the surface. “What?”

  “What did you do to Linda?” he demanded.

  “Who?” I didn’t follow at first, my thoughts elsewhere. “Oh, you mean the Human that’s been sneaking around stealing purses and cars? The one who nearly got Amy and Nathan killed? Nothing.”

  “I don’t believe you.” The challenge caused Matthew’s fingers to twitch as if he held himself back from hitting Graham.

  “That’s not new,” I shot right back at him.

  “If you didn’t collar her, why did she lie to me?”

  “Let me guess. She told you Jason, Billie, and the others were out running, and it was safe to sneak in and caveman Sierra?” His expression confirmed it. I’d begun to recognize the subtleties in Matthew’s not-so-blank expressions, and he smirked slightly. I couldn’t help myself and smiled. “I raised an illusion so our neighbors wouldn’t see wolves coming and going from our backyard. I didn’t even know Linda was watching. It’s perfectly safe.”

  “Why didn’t you sense her?” Matthew wanted to know.

  I asked myself the same question and didn’t like the answer. “Apparently I wasn’t paying close enough attention if I didn’t sense someone watching my home.”

  “We didn’t smell her either,” he admitted. “She knows how to hide from Wolves. Maybe the same skills work with Mages.”

  “We’ll have to try it out sometime. That could be useful,” I pointed out.

  “Useful how?” Graham asked.

  Matthew answered for me. �
��Useful against Mages who intend us harm.”

  “Like the one we’re about to meet,” I added grimly.

  “How do you know where the Mage is?” Graham asked, his posture still highly defensive. The Alpha could attack in a heartbeat, but so could Matthew. I watched him cautiously, ready to defend myself if I had to.

  Holding back a snippy response, I answered him honestly. “When I read your Wolf, I connected with the Mage’s mind. I know where both of them are.”

  “Does the other Mage know we’re coming?” Matthew asked for more practical information.

  “Yes. He’s waiting for me.”

  “Why?” Graham’s suspicion never ended.

  “He probably thinks the same thing you did. Or do. Whatever. He wants to meet the Mage with an entire pack of pets.”

  He snarled with disgust. “Pets?”

  “Their word, not mine,” I snapped.

  “Why didn’t you sense this Mage in our territory?” Matthew’s question sounded like an accusation. After our conversation the previous night, I knew otherwise.

  As promised, I explained the way my powers worked. “The way I’ve been watching the territory has a limited range. Outside of that range I have to know the person to find them. He’s too far away. Until I met him through the Wolf, I didn’t know who to look for.”

  “You know Nathan and Phil,” he pointed out.

  “I could have known exactly where Nathan and Phil were and what was happening. But I would have had to connect with their minds to do it. I’m not stupid enough to disobey Jason twice in one week.” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror, clearly saying he had full confidence in my stupidity. A burst of laughter caused me to choke on the coffee. “You’re probably right, but not this week.”

  Matthew and I hadn’t yet discussed how we’d approach this kind of situation. He let me take point and asked how I wanted to handle it. “I’m going to knock on his door and talk to him. No games this time.”

  “And then?” I didn’t reply for several minutes and they waited.

  “It’s Graham’s Wolf, so it’s not my decision. I want some answers first. After that I think it should be his call.” Matthew approved, and I gathered he’d already made the decision but wanted to hear what I would do.