The Wolf Within

by Sondrae Bennett

  He’d been secure knowing she was protected by Ethan, Laurie and Judith.

  He got out of the car with the others and stalked inside the church. When he realized the women hadn’t arrived yet, he walked toward the doors to wait. His wolf insisted on seeing Julie, and his human side wasn’t arguing. He needed visual assurance she was okay.

  He tried reaching out through the bond but felt nothing.

  That was scarier than the panic. There was no joy or fear.

  Just a void of nothingness. Even when she slept he felt something through the bond. Some sense of her dreaming conscious.

  The limo pulled up to the curb, and he dragged his mind away from his dark musings, needing to see her. He watched Ethan exit the car and hold the door open as the women followed. Horror filled him as Ethan shut the door behind them—before Julie had gotten out.

  They made their way up the short flight of stairs into the church, and Brendan pounced on Ethan, demanding to know where she was.

  “She’s not here?” he asked.

  “I called and told you she was on her way over.” Brendan’s anger and fear hit the ceiling, and his voice rose as he took out his anger on Ethan.

  “Whoa, calm down. She called, said she forgot something at home and would be late. When we got the call to leave early, I left her a message to come straight here. She’s probably on her way now.”

  Brendan turned away, running his hands through his hair.

  He felt the scrape of claws and knew he was about to lose it.

  Julie was in trouble. She’d tried to reach out to him, but he’d brushed it off, thinking she was safe with her family. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

  “Something’s wrong.” His voice was guttural, but the way her family crowded around assured him they understood.

  “What do you mean?” Danny demanded.

  “I felt something in the car. Blind panic and then nothing. I can’t sense her anymore. I ignored it, because I thought she was with you.” He spit the last out at Ethan.

  He looked at her family, saw the worry on their faces, and was grateful they took him seriously. They had to find her. It was the only thought rushing through him.

  “Okay, let’s not panic yet. We’ll backtrack to your place, see if we can find her along the way,” Ethan said, putting his hand on Brendan’s shoulder and squeezing. “We’ll find her.

  Don’t worry.”

  Brendan saw Laurie move between her brothers’ mates.

  She’d protect them while the rest of the family found Julie.

  The other members of the pack, gathered in the church to watch their Premier wed his mate, now stood. Some took position next to Laurie, others stared at Jason and Brendan for instructions. The message was clear. Julie was one of them, part of the pack, and they would help however they could.

  * * * *

  Julie woke up disoriented. Where the hell was she? She tried to stay awake, remain focused, but the darkness pulled her back into its embrace and the world disappeared once more.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed before she came to again. Pain pounded a furious rhythm behind her eyes. She placed her palm on her temple as she leaned up and gazed around. It looked like some kind of cabin in the woods somewhere.

  The room spun, and she swallowed the bile rising to the back of her throat as she struggled to remember.

  A flash of her car door—the hand covering her mouth while the other gripped her waist, preventing her from struggling—

  had her sitting up in panic. The world swam, making her regret the action. Whatever they’d done to her had given her a major hangover.

  “So you’re awake.” Julie spun toward the male voice. The man in the doorway wasn’t someone she recognized. “Who are you, and what do you want with me?” She hated the way her voice shook. If only the room would stop spinning, she could figure a way out of this mess. She had to get home to Brendan. Thoughts of her mate steadied her. He would come for her, and when he did this man would regret ever touching her.

  “No need to concern your pretty head with that. As long as your brother does what he’s supposed to, you’ll be fine.” Jay strode into the room, passing the stranger. Julie’s eyes widened in alarm. Jay?

  “What … What are you doing here?” She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  “Oh, Julie, you stupid bitch. Did you really think you were so gorgeous I couldn’t help myself? I’d hoped to do things the easy way. Get to you through your libido. But you had to mate with a dog.” He spit the word out in distaste.

  Her mind whirled as she listened to him. He’d meant to kidnap her from the beginning? She’d assumed he was interested in her, but she’d only been a means to an end.

  “Why me? I’m not even one of them.”

  “Exactly. Why would I go after one of the shifters when there you are? Easy pickings.” The cruelty in his laugh grated on her nerves as she shrunk into herself for comfort. “Don’t you get it? You’re the weak link. And to think how easy it was to lure them away from protecting you. One little note, pointing the trigger at someone else, and they flocked to the little fox. Stupid mutts. But no matter, they just need to care about you enough to support the bill in the council. If all goes as planned, we’ll let you go.”

  She pulled at the top of her dress self-consciously. They hadn’t hurt her yet, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t. His gaze drifted toward her cleavage, and she felt a flash of fear before he sneered.

  “Don’t worry. None of my pride would be interested in you.

  You were born of wolves, and that’s almost as bad as being one.” He stalked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  Julie glanced at the stranger remaining. His stare was frightening. A smile crossed his face, but the leer was far from comforting, and the words that followed were even less so.

  “Not everyone has such discriminating tastes in our whores. Just wait until the next guard shift. Maybe I’ll even stay and watch.”

  Panic flooded her. She had to find a way out of here.

  Brendan would come, she had no doubt. But there was no guarantee he would find her in time. Even now the scent of the drug they’d used flowed from her pores. Brendan would never be able to track her scent.

  There was no telling how long she’d been out, or how far they’d traveled. Or how long she had before they attacked.

  She wouldn’t sit by and let herself be violated, waiting for a rescue.

  “Can I have some water?” she asked the man, hoping they didn’t plan to starve or dehydrate her. She needed to get her wits back if she wanted to pull off an escape.

  * * * *

  Brendan stared at Julie’s car in their driveway. The door stood wide open, the car keys abandoned on the ground next to a cloth with a chemical smell. He wasn’t an expert, but he could deduce what had happened here.

  He closed his eyes, trying to calm the fear as he took a deep breath. Whatever drug they’d used masked her scent, but another, strange scent was present. He recognized it from whatever had been outside her apartment a few weeks ago.

  The growl rumbled up from his throat as the shift overcame him. He’d hunt this fucker as wolf and tear him limb from limb. Nothing would stand in his way.

  All around him he heard the cracks and pops that accompanied the shift into animal as others took to their fur.

  The warm comfort of the shift, so contrary to the noise, overtook him. He let his wolf take charge, feeling the determination through his worry. They’d find his mate, and when they did, if she’d been harmed in any way, he’d hunt down the kidnappers and their families until he wiped out their whole pathetic line.

  He didn’t bother looking around as his wolf tracked the scent. He knew his pack would follow. His only concern right now was Julie. He had to get to her. Had to make sure she was okay. Afterward, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.

  Chapter 11

  “I need to use the bathroom.” Julie was still a bit diz
zy, but the water and food she’d managed to acquire had done their part. Once her mind had cleared, she’d realized a couple things. One, Jay and this man must be part of the cheetah pride Jason thought had sent the threatening note. Two, they assumed she wasn’t a threat as a human. The man had mentioned another guard, but when he’d opened the door to get her water all she’d seen was an empty room. Since waking, she’d neither seen nor heard anyone besides the two men.

  Regardless, she couldn’t risk waiting any longer. The other guard could show up at any time, and then it would be too late.

  She needed to figure out how to get away. The room was devoid of anything she could use as a weapon. Even the lamps were bolted to the wall. Not that a lamp would have done the trick anyway. From childhood she knew it took a lot to knock out and keep down a shifter. She only hoped there was something in the bathroom she could use.

  The man nodded, grabbing her arm in a fierce grip, and dragged her to the door next to the bedroom. He thrust her inside the room and stood in the entrance.

  “I can’t pee with you in here.”

  “I’m not allowed to let you out of my sight.”

  Rolling her shoulders forward and wringing her hands together, Julie tried to look feeble. The wobble she forced into her voice reinforced the intimidated image she strove for.

  “Please. I’m just human. What can I do in here to cause trouble?” She pleaded with her eyes. The man snorted but left the room, shutting the door behind him.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Julie turned on the faucet for cover and assessed the contents of the room. Nothing! Not one damn thing would work as a weapon.

  Her gaze passed over the toilet but quickly returned. She lifted the lid, grateful to find it wasn’t attached and was heavy enough to do the trick. She needed to be fast. Once she knocked out the guard, she still had to find the keys to the truck she’d spotted in the driveway. With any luck, they’d be out in the open, waiting for her to steal them. But she wasn’t relying on it being that easy. The day hadn’t been lucky for her so far. She needed to get away before anyone discovered she was gone.

  Julie opened the door, praying he waited on the other side so the door would provide a moment of cover. Her luck seemed to be turning. She heaved the toilet lid over her shoulder like a bat. A large rectangular bat, but a bat nonetheless.

  As soon as the door cleared, she swung out, registering the surprise on his face before she connected with his head.

  He went down in a pile, and Julie took another swing at his head, making sure he stayed out. The lid shattered under the force.

  “Weak link my ass.” She spit on him and searched his pockets, thanking God when she felt keys inside. She looked around and didn’t see Jay anywhere.

  Knowing she had a few minutes tops before the guard woke, Julie scrambled up and made her way to the door. She stumbled on the rug, still shaking off the effects of the drugs, but knowing this was her one chance to escape. They wouldn’t mistake her as weak twice.

  She fumbled with the door and peeked around the edge.

  Still no sign of anyone. She looked toward the truck. It sat maybe ten yards away. She could make it.

  Instinct took over and she ran. She threw her body inside the cab and shoved the key into the ignition. As it roared to life, she glanced in her rearview mirror.

  Jay stood against a shed behind her, staring at her reflection with raw fury. The change overtook him, and he turned into a huge cat before her eyes.

  Jason had been wrong. He wasn’t a cheetah, although he had the same spots as one. He wasn’t like any animal. He was as large as a lion, and his paws looked capable of tearing through the metal of the truck. She’d never seen anything so frightening in her life.

  Her foot slammed down on the gas pedal, still watching the cat in the mirror. The car shot forward, flying down the dirt path. Now that she was outside, she recognized the area.

  They were a few miles from Alpine Woods. If she could just get past the barriers of the town, she knew she’d be safe.

  Now that she was in a truck, speeding away from the cabin, she could breathe a sigh of relief. No matter what animal he was, it was unlikely he could outrun her, right?

  Sparing a glance in the rearview mirror, she realized how wrong she was. Jay had completed his shift and taken pursuit, gaining on her.

  She swung the wheel to the right at the end of the dirt road, heading toward the more populated areas. The tires spun out, but she managed to keep control. Dismay filled her as she realized they were alone. She’d hoped another driver would see she was being chased. Preferably one with a gun to shoot the bastard.

  The truck jerked as he slammed into the side of the cab.

  Julie screamed as the wheels left the ground before crashing back to the pavement. The steering wheel jerked in her grip.

  Jay turned and ran away from the truck. Julie didn’t know whether to be relieved or fearful. Could it possibly be over?

  As she relaxed, thinking she’d made her escape, he flew out of the woods on the side of the road, faster than before.

  He slammed his bulky form against the side of the vehicle, and the weightlessness caused her stomach to lurch as the car rolled. Screaming, she hung on for dear life as it continued to tumble end over end off the road.

  This wasn’t how she wanted to die. She thought of Brendan, of the love they’d made that morning, and wanted to rail at the world. She still had so much left to give, so much left to do.

  Her head slammed into the window as the car finally stopped. Thank God she’d fastened her seatbelt out of habit.

  Water dripped down her face, and she lifted her hand to it in confusion. Where was it coming from?

  Raising her fingers to eye level, she saw red smears on her fingertips. Not water. Blood. The world spun, and she sank into welcoming darkness. At least she wouldn’t be conscious as Jay tore into her.

  * * * *

  They heard the screams and the crunch of metal as they neared. Brendan had never been more terrified in his life.

  He’d sensed her bravery and knew she planned an escape.

  Pride had filled him at the thought, even as he worried and wished she’d wait.

  He could save her. But Julie wasn’t the type to sit and wait for rescue. She was braver and smarter than anyone realized.

  Even him.

  They’d thought she needed protection, but Julie was born of wolves. She had a warrior inside her. He hoped she got out without being harmed.

  His paws pounded the ground between them, never stopping in his pursuit. Even if she got away, he’d still have to deal with her captors. They would live only as long as it took to track them down.

  He sensed the moment her heart sped up in fear and knew her kidnappers followed her. He picked up speed, needing to reach her before they did. But even as he sensed they were closing in, he heard the crash. They were too late.

  His wolf howled in pain and fury as the truck came into sight. It stood a few yards from the road, right side up, but the dents in the roof and sides showed evidence of a roll. The beast stood on its hind legs, its paws stripping the metal from the driver’s side door. Inside he saw Julie, her face covered in blood, her eyes closed and lifeless.

  The cat, some lion-cheetah hybrid by the look of it, raised its head as they neared. It roared once before taking off. The bastard was fast—faster than any of them—but Brendan was determined. No way was it going to escape. Not after taking his mate away from him.

  The howls of his surrounding pack assured him they felt the same. The cat and whoever had helped him wouldn’t live past the day. Brendan put on a burst of speed, but was brought up short as Jason dashed past him, blocking his way.

  He snapped his jaws threateningly. Premier or not, nothing would stand in Brendan’s way.

  “Brendan, stop. Julie needs you right now.” He looked toward Danny, back in his human form and standing naked next to the car. Brendan looked past him, his stillness allowing him to hear the moa
n within. Alive! His heart leapt.

  He hadn’t lost her yet.

  “We’ll take care of the bastard. We promise. But you’re needed here. And none of us can be the mate she needs with her now. Only you.”

  It grated his nerves to admit they were right. He wanted to chase after their foe, the one who’d dared to hurt his love.

  But his mate needed him. Not her brothers. Him. He shifted to human and pointed in the direction the pack had disappeared.

  “Find him and make him pay.” He didn’t care that he just issued an order to his Premier. Evidently the wolf didn’t either, as it jerked its head in a nod and took off. He had to trust them to deal with the threat. Right now, he had more important things to take care of.

  He crossed to the mangled truck as her father pulled off the side of the road. Unable to shift and join the rest of the pack, he’d offered to follow them in his car, desperate to help find his baby girl any way he could.

  “I’ll call an ambulance,” Charles said, pulling out his cellphone. Thank God he’d come along. Brendan didn’t want to move her and risk worse injury, but didn’t have any pockets in his fur for a cellphone. He brushed his hand down her cheek, wiping away the blood trail. She moaned as she tried to nuzzle his hand.

  “No, no beautiful. You need to remain still until the paramedics arrive.” He held his breath as her eyes opened and moved where she could see him without turning her head.

  “Brendan? What are you…? Am I dead?” His heart missed a beat. The very thought was enough to bring him to his knees.

  “No, honey, you’re not dead. But you have to stay still, okay?” He gazed into her eyes as she agreed. “We’re gonna get you out of here and get you patched up. I promise nothing will ever happen to you again.”

  “I got away,” she whispered, then groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. “Kind of.”

  “You did good. I’m so proud of you, my mate.” He whispered words of endearments, holding her hand as they waited for help to arrive until her father shoved jeans and a shirt at him.