“Shit,” Talon said, rounding the corner to the kitchen. He rambled off instructions to his mother to keep an eye on his mate and then ran out the door. “I’m on my way.”
“Boss?” Winter paused.
“Yeah?” Talon replied, starting up his truck.
“The kid is weak,” Winter whispered. Talon heard a door close before Winter continued. “His sister is dying and she needs an alpha. Malaki says he will be picked up by the wolves in just over an hour to be taken back to where they’re keeping them locked up and collared. If he doesn’t show, they will kill her.”
“Fuck,” Talon spat, pressing the accelerator as he turned onto the highway leading up to the bar.
“Talon…she’s only sixteen,” Winter announced. Talon’s heart thundered in his chest. He couldn’t let the young girl die. He had the sudden urge to bring her and this boy, the one he’d never met and had been on his mate’s land, into his pride and make them his.
“I’m almost there,” Talon replied. “Call Booth and have him bring a tracking device from the security office. We will get them out tonight.”
“Okay,” Winter answered, sounding relieved.
Talon parked his truck and made his way inside. Nova was standing by the bar, her arms were crossed and she looked like she was ready to take someone’s head.
“He’s in the office,” she snapped, hooking a thumb over her shoulder. “Not that anyone around here will tell me what the hell is going on!”
“Come here,” Talon ordered, gaining a raised eyebrow from his mate’s sister. Damn, those two were hellcats, but she was family, and Liberty would have his ass if he didn’t explain things to Nova.
“Tell me why Winter has that boy in my office,” she pleaded, stopping in the hallway next to the bathrooms.
“That boy is the rogue that was on your land,” Talon informed her. “He has been held by the wolves, along with his sister, for months. They need an alpha or they will die. If the wolves find out that he’s talked to us, they are going to kill her and make the boy watch.”
“Oh, God,” Nova gasped, covering her mouth. A tear welled up in the corner of her eye, but it didn’t fall.
“The girl is only sixteen, Nova,” Talon continued. “I need you to give me some time to connect with this boy. I need to save them.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “What can I do?”
“Food,” he replied, looking over his shoulder. “He’s going to need a lot of meat…proteins.”
“Got it,” she stated, turning for the kitchen.
Talon walked down to the office, knocking twice on the door. Winter opened it a crack before pulling the door wide to allow Talon to enter. As soon as he did, the young boy fell to his knees and dropped his head with nothing more than a whispered, “Alpha.”
“Malaki,” Talon said, pushing his alpha powers out to calm the boy and to see how much of a push he received in return. There was no strength for this one to challenge him, so Talon knew the boy wasn’t an alpha in his own right. “My name is Talon Shaw and I am the alpha of the Shaw Pride. Do you come willingly to me for help and aid in rescuing your sister?”
“Please,” Malaki choked out. “She’s dying. I can’t let her die. She…she needs an alpha, and I don’t know how much longer she can survive. Calla has already given up.”
“Jesus,” Winter cursed, running his hand through his dark blond hair.
Talon cast his eyes over at his Guardian, who nodded in agreement. This boy and his sister would be brought into the pride and protected. As his canines thickened in his mouth, Talon made a vow to the boy. “Take the blood of my pride and you will be one of us. Refuse and you will die. I will honor your place in my pride and protect you as you will be one of my blood.” Talon bit into his vein and held his wrist in front of the boy.
Malaki reached for Talon’s wrist and lapped at the blood that had welled up, watching as the child made his decision. It was done…Talon had just accepted a rogue into his pride and it was time to go find his new pride member’s family.
“Now…we hunt,” he growled, placing a hand on top of the boy’s head as a father would his own child.
“What about Nova?” Winter asked.
“I’ll send someone over to keep an eye on the bar while we are gone,” Talon replied, removing his phone from his pocket. Winter nodded when he realized who Talon was calling. At least having a different shifter watching over Nova would keep Winter from losing focus.
As the call connected, Talon prayed he’d be able to get rid of the threat that had been plaguing his pride for months. His future and the future of his pride depended on it.
Nova slid the platter onto her palm, turning toward the hallway leading down to the office. When she looked up, Winter was standing outside the office door, his back against the wall, but he quickly straightened as she approached.
Damn, he looked delicious standing there in his work shirt and denim jeans that were faded just enough to show they’d been through some serious wear. The black combat boots on his feet were polished but still held a few scuffs from whatever he’d done to put the marks there.
“Is this enough food?” she asked, looking toward the tray that was held high by her shoulder.
“That will be enough, thank you,” Winter said, reaching for the tray. Nova quickly released it as soon as he had a firm hold on it because she didn’t want to accidently touch him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…fine, Winter,” she sighed. “I’m fine.”
“Look,” he began, “I’m sorry I yelled.”
She cut him off by holding up her hand. “Talon explained it to me. I understand. Just do what you have to do because I’m ready to go home.”
“To my home?” he asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Yes, to your home,” she said, tucking her chin and walking away. Nova kicked herself all the way down the hall. It wasn’t her home, but damn if she didn’t feel at home there already. Her only wish was that she wanted to be in his bed while she stayed with him.
It wasn’t long before Guardians were coming through the door of the bar, each and every one of them larger than life as they marched toward the office. Nova kept out of the way and let them do whatever they had to do with that poor young man.
“You good?” Dane asked the moment he walked in the door.
“Yeah,” she said, crinkling her nose. “I’m good.”
“Is he still being an ass?” her friend asked, a little twitch to the corner of his mouth.
“When is he not?” she scoffed, kicking at a spot on the old hardwood floor.
“Come here,” Dane chuckled, pulling her into a hug. She stiffened until he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “My scent on you will drive him wild.”
“Are you tricking him into touching me?” she asked. “Dane, that’s not very nice.”
“He’s a stubborn asshat.” He laughed. “If I were in his shoes, and I found a women that took up my every thought, I wouldn’t wait to touch her. I’d want to know if she was my mate. I’m just giving him a little boost to get his panther to take over and make contact.”
“You are sneaky,” she said, pushing him away. The big ass Guardian almost swallowed her up with his arms around her shoulders, and she enjoyed the comforting touch from her friend. And that was all Dane was…a friend.
“Gotta run, doll,” Dane smirked, making quick work of heading toward the office.
When she turned around, Winter was standing in the shadows where the hallway turned toward the office. Dane didn’t say anything to the pissed off Guardian who was glaring at her with the glowing eyes of his panther.
Malaki’s hands shook as he sat on the couch in the office of the bar. The Guardians hovered around him, each one on edge with the information he’d given about his sister and his role in spying on the alpha’s mate.
“I didn’t want to cause harm to your mate, alpha,” he said, fighting back tears. He missed his own alpha and his mate. They’d been older, but
still very much loved by the pride.
“We know, son,” Talon said, squatting down to look at Malaki. “We will be rescuing your sister tonight, but I need your help.”
“Anything,” he replied without hesitation. “She’s all I have.”
“You have us,” Talon stated, turning his head as soon as the office door opened.
Another guardian entered, his icy blue eyes flashing amber sparks. In fact, all of the Guardians were standing there with the same angry scowls on their faces. Malaki felt his panther push forward, wanting to join them, but he didn’t let his beast free. He couldn’t risk it even if his panther was agitated from being held back for so long. It’d been weeks since his panther had been given the freedom to roam, to stretch its legs and run wild.
“When was the last time you shifted?” the new Guardian asked as he moved forward. He held something in his hand, but Malaki couldn’t see exactly what it was.
“It’s been a long time,” he answered, touching his throat. “I’m only allowed out of the spiked collar when I’m sent to spy on you.”
A chorus of harsh curses filled the room. Malaki stood, not wanting to look weak in front of his new pride. He was thankful that his legs were stable. The food they’d brought him had renewed his energy.
“What do I need to do to save my sister?”
“I’m going to put this tracker in the sole of your shoe,” the new Guardian with the short, dark hair said, nodding toward his worn out sneakers. The white leather had faded and cracked, the dirt and grime making the material gray in color.
“Do not remove your shoes once you are back with the wolves,” Talon continued as Malaki handed over his shoe.
The Guardian removed a knife from his pocket and stabbed the rubber sole of the shoe, making a little pocket to hold a metal disk that was no bigger than a coin. Once he pushed it inside, the material closed slightly, leaving no visible gap. Unless the wolves examined his shoe, there would be no way to tell anything was amiss.
“My name is Booth, by the way,” the Guardian with the tracker said as he pulled out his phone. Booth looked up with a smile after a moment of pushing buttons. “We’re all set.”
For the next half hour, the alpha and his men made a plan and reassured Malaki that he and his sister would be in the arms of his new pride before the sun came up the next day.
He only hoped he wasn’t too late to save his sister.
Chapter Nine
Winter fumed as he left the office, throwing his shoulder into Dane’s as he passed. He knew the Guardian was pushing him, and he also knew that Dane was always ready for a fight, but he wasn’t going to give in tonight.
He was just turning out of the hallway to enter the bar area when he heard Nova shout. The bar had erupted in chaos, a few men were coming to blows at the bar. Cole launched himself over the wooden bar top and pulled Nova out of the way. She tossed the empty tray in her hand to Della and marched right back into the melee. Jesus! She has no fear!
“Nova!” Winter cursed as he lunged forward just as one of the human males threw a punch, causing his opponent to stumble backwards. Nova was in the direct path of the large male’s fall, but Winter was faster, stepping between the two and taking the full impact, but it did nothing more than act as a brick wall to the human male. He rebounded quickly and started for the other man, but Cole had already started pulling the guy toward the door.
“Out!” Nova barked, seething as she pointed toward the door. “Both of you, get out!”
Cole and Winter escorted the two men toward the entrance as Nova’s waitress, Mary Grace, righted chairs and pushed the tables back to their proper places. Savage and Booth were standing by the bar, observing and waiting to see if they needed to step in to help. Both men mumbled apologies to Nova as they were pushed out into the parking lot, but she didn’t acknowledge them.
“Thank you,” she said, pushing a stray hair out of her eyes. Her face was flushed and the dusting of color on her cheeks had Winter wanting to reach out to touch the skin to see if it was warm.
“Do you always jump right into a bar brawl?” Winter cursed, gritting his teeth. He could scent Dane on her skin, and it took all he had to keep from demanding she go home and shower.
“Yeah,” she scoffed. “My bar…my rules. If you act like a fool, I’ll be the one to toss your ass out.”
“Damn it, Nova,” Winter scolded. “That guy could’ve seriously hurt you.”
“Please don’t come in here telling me how to run my bar, Winter.” She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I’ve done this for years.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s in our nature to protect women at all costs and here you are, jumping into the middle of a fight.” He wiped his hand down his face and shook his head.
“What’s going on with the kid?” she asked, taking a seat at the bar. She changed the subject, and since Winter was a smart man, he didn’t say anything else. She looked tired and a tad bit pissed at his interference.
“We have to leave,” he said, clearing his throat.
“You’re leaving?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Talon is bringing someone in to help us keep an eye on you,” he replied, but didn’t speak up when Nova gritted her teeth.
“It feels like I’m being assigned a babysitter,” she complained, standing up on the rungs of the barstool to lean over the bar top. Winter looked away when her ass raised in the air. The last thing he needed was to have a raging erection in the middle of dealing with rescuing the young panthers.
“You are being babysat,” he continued after she’d returned to her seat with a beer in hand.
“And that just pisses me off,” she snarled. “I have a bar to run, and I don’t need someone following me like a lost puppy.”
“Oh,” Winter smirked, raising a brow. “You will have a tail on you until this thing is over with the wolves and we find the son of a bitch who put his hands on you.”
Nova growled low in her throat, and even though Winter knew it was from her frustration, the sound was so animal-like that it drew him up short for a moment. Before he could continue, she slid off the stool and marched toward her office, stepping aside when Talon came out of the office with Malaki at his side.
“Drake will be here soon,” Talon announced. “Meet us at the pride house as soon as possible.”
“Will do,” Winter replied, nodding toward the other Guardians who were waiting for the alpha to direct them to their duties in finding the wolves and rescuing the young female. “I’ll be ready as soon as you give the go ahead.”
Everyone filed out of the bar, giving Winter a moment to grab a beer while he waited on his replacement. Nova was in and out of the office and helped the waitresses with tables, but she never stopped to talk to him as she worked. She glanced sideways at him with an angry glare a few times before disappearing back into the office.
He knew the moment when Drake entered the building. A hush fell across the bar as the sound of heavy boots made a steady rhythm across the hardwood floor. The unmistakable sound of spurs clinked with each step the male made toward where Winter was seated at the bar.
“You called,” Drake smirked. Winter’s nose crinkled at the scent of the bear shifter’s wildness. Even as a laid back human, these bears were lethal. He would have to trust him with protecting Nova, but he wouldn’t like it.
“Talon explained to you what we need?” Winter asked the wild looking man.
“Sure did,” Drake replied, a mischievous glint to his right eye.
“Come on,” Winter ordered, gritting his teeth. He wasn’t too happy about leaving someone to watch over Nova, but if it had to be anyone, Drake was their best line of defense for protecting her.
“Heard your little lady is a spitfire.” Drake chuckled as they walked toward the office. Winter didn’t even give him the satisfaction of a reply.
“Nova?” Winter called out, knocking on the office door. His companion stood against the adjacent wall, his foot crossed over his ankle
. The bear’s long, dark chocolate colored hair fell in tight, spiraling corkscrews just past his shoulders and his deep brown eyes darkened as Nova’s scent reached them.
“What?” she barked from deep in the office.
“Open the door,” he ordered. This little human was going to drive him into an early grave.
“Go away!” she yelled. Winter flinched when he heard something slam against the desk.
“Havin’ troubles with your little woman?” Drake inquired, an eyebrow raised in question. One booted foot tapped on the wooden floor; the spur attached at his ankle clanging with each movement.
“No,” Winter scoffed, reaching for the door handle, but quickly stepped back when the door opened wide. She was mad at him for having a babysitter stationed at the bar, but he wasn’t going to budge on the issue.
“What?” she snarled.
“I want you to meet someone,” he said, ignoring her scowl. “This is Drake Morgan.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry for being rude, but…well, have you met him?” Nova said, nodding for the two men to enter the office.
“I have,” Drake chuckled, giving Nova an appreciative nod.
“So, you understand my frustrations.” She sighed, sitting down heavily behind the desk. She didn’t look at Winter as she moved a stack of papers out of the way. “Is this my babysitter?”
Drake took his seat slowly, adjusting the denim vest he wore. Winter remained standing, just in case she decided to throw a stapler at his head.
“Drake will be here with you until one of the pride can take over or you are ready to go home,” Winter informed her, tightening his fists at his side. It grated on his nerves that he was going to have this bear be in charge of Nova’s well-being, because he wanted to stay with her.
“You’re not part of the pride?” she asked Drake.
“No ma’am,” he smirked. “I’m a bear.”
“A w…what?” she stuttered.
“He’s part of a small bear clan in the area,” Winter explained. “They live pretty solitary lives and mostly off the grid. He’s a friend of Talon’s and has agreed to help us out until the wolves are taken care of.”
Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2) Page 8
