by Rayna Tyler
Excited to find out what other scents I might discover, I headed into the woods. Fifteen minutes and several wildflower patches later, I caught the scent of a female wolf. The odor was fresh and belonged to Avery.
With a snarl, I perked my ears, the fur along my spine standing on end. My cat and I were ready to shred the wolf for daring to trespass near our mate’s home. Once the animal side of my nature went into protective mode and started tracking the wolf, any control my human side had over her was lost.
The trail I followed wound through the trees and deeper into the forest. When the scent faded and I was about to give up, a wolf covered in dark brown fur the same shade as the hair of Avery’s human half appeared in my path approximately ten yards away.
She raised her muzzle and released a challenging howl. I was determined to teach the female once and for all not to mess with my mate and accepted her challenge with a loud roar. As soon as I took after her, she disappeared into a nearby copse of trees.
She was fast and had a slight advantage when it came to dodging bushes. In areas where there were long stretches of ground, I was faster and able to close the distance. It didn’t take me long to catch up with her.
When I was inches away from biting her flank, she jumped to the right. She bounded off a boulder and leaped over a brambly hedge and out of my reach. By the time I realized she was avoiding the opening to a long, round cylinder, it was too late.
No amount of backtracking could keep my paws from skidding inside and slamming against the hard surface at the other end.
The area was tight, and turning around was difficult. Before I could escape, a metal door swung shut, and I heard the sound of a lock clicking into place. I used all the strength I could muster and shoved the door with my shoulder, but couldn’t get the metal panel to budge. I didn’t handle small places well, and if the panel hadn’t contained quarter-sized holes that let in air and enabled me to see outside, I would have panicked.
Avery had changed into her human form and was naked and standing a few feet away. I couldn’t see or smell anyone else and figured she must have been the one who locked me inside. She stepped out of my view for a few seconds, and when she returned, she was carrying some clothes.
She set the pile on the nearby boulder, then sifted through the layers until she pulled out a cell phone.
“Evan had been right when he said this bear trap would work great for catching a tiger.”
I didn’t know who Evan was, but if she’d been discussing bear traps with him, there was a good chance he was a ranger.
“Cell service isn’t great in this area, and I’m glad I decided to test it first before luring you out here.”
With a sneer, she leaned closer, centered the lens on the back of the phone in one of the openings, then snapped a couple of pictures.
I blinked from the flash and snarled, then took a swipe, my paw making a loud thump.
Even though I couldn’t reach her, Avery jumped back with a chuckle. She rapidly tapped on the lower half of her screen. “In case you were wondering, Evan’s that new human ranger who recently started working at the station. I sent him a text telling him I was out hiking and found a tiger in his trap. I even included your picture for confirmation.”
Forget leaving claw marks on her backside. If I ever got out of the trap, the maniacal wolf was going to endure some serious mauling.
After setting her phone on the boulder, she grabbed a pair of jeans off the stack and pulled them on. She’d gotten the zipper up and the button secured when a musical tune played on her phone, announcing an incoming text.
A quick glance at the screen had her grinning. “Perfect, he said he’ll be here shortly to collect you.” She picked up a shirt next, then tugged it over her head. “Since Evan doesn’t know anything about our kind and is expecting to find a tiger when he arrives, I wouldn’t advise shifting.” She tucked her phone into her back pocket.
“Mitch is the only male who’s ever turned me down, and with you out of the way, I’m certain I can change his mind.”
Mitch was a great-looking male, and I could see why Avery was attracted to him. He was also intelligent, thoughtful, and caring. I didn’t understand how she could only see him as a conquest and was convinced there was something seriously wrong with her.
If I thought it would do any good, I’d shift and tell her he was my mate. Since she’d gone to a lot of trouble to get me out of the way, I was pretty sure anything I had to say wasn’t going to make any difference.
***
Avery’s plan had been flawless, and I hated how easily I’d fallen for it. Shortly after she left, a human male wearing a tan uniform with a park service patch sewn to the sleeve, had arrived. When he’d removed his brimmed hat to lean forward and peer at me through the holes in the metal panel, I’d gotten a glimpse of the name badge pinned to his shirt pocket confirming that he was Evan Cleary, the ranger Avery had contacted.
After removing the brush he’d used to hide the wheels mounted beneath the platform, it didn’t take him long to hook the trap up to the hitch on his truck and tow me to the nearest station.
I was already frustrated with myself, and being bounced around every time Evan drove over a rut in the road only made it worse. I’d spent the entire trip contemplating what I’d do if I ever saw Avery again—thoughts of shredding more than just her backside—and wishing I could see Mitch one more time. I didn’t believe for one second Mitch would fall for Avery’s ploy. It was the thought of never seeing my mate again that had more than one tear trickling along the fur on my face.
Evan finally stopped the vehicle near a building, the front entrance constructed with an A-frame design. The wooden planks on the exterior of the structure had been stained a dark gray, the supporting posts near the front glass door covered with flat rocks in varying shades of white and light gray.
On the opposite side of where we’d parked, there was a sign for the Seneca Falls Ranger Station. Beyond that, all I could see was a panoramic view of a forest set against a mountain backdrop. Even if I could escape, which was highly unlikely, I had no idea where I was or how to get back to Mitch’s place.
Evan appeared in my view with a cell phone pressed to his ear. “I’m waiting to hear back from my boss,” he said to whoever was on the other end of the line as he paced back and forth a few feet away from me. “But more than likely, someone will have to put the animal down.”
I cringed, wondering if the person he was sharing my fate with was Avery. I wouldn’t put it past the evil she-wolf to call and verify her efforts to get rid of me had been successful. I could almost imagine her cooing that it was too bad, then snickering about my impending demise after she disconnected the call.
I heard the engine of another vehicle and watched a white truck with a long green stripe painted on the side, the word RANGER in capital letters centered in the portion running along the panel above the front tire.
“I’ve got to go,” Evan said, then tucked his phone in his back pocket and waved at the male getting out of the truck. “Hey, Nash, how’s it going?”
“It’s going good.” The male wore a similar uniform complete with a utility belt wrapped around his waist. “I heard you caught that tiger we’ve been getting reports about.”
“Sure did.” Evan stuck his chest out proudly as if he’d ensnared me without any help.
He stepped past Evan and stopped a couple of feet away from me. If I hadn’t been able to tell Nash was a bear from his smell, his tall, broad frame and the way he lumbered toward me would have given it away.
“Good job,” Nash said after he got a look at me. He was close enough to scent that I was a shifter, and his comment sounded more like a curse than a compliment for a job well done.
He scratched the light brown stubble on his chin while he stared speculatively at me. After a few seconds, his blue eyes widened, and he grinned.
“Before I forget.” He faced Evan. “We got a report that some teenagers are skinny-dipping do
wn at the public area near the falls. The chief wants you to go over there and check it out.”
Evan frowned at me. “But what about the tiger?”
“I’ll look after her until you get back.” Nash gave Evan his back again so he could conceal the wink he gave me as he spoke.
“Here, you can take my truck.” Nash reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a set of keys, then tossed them to Evan.
Evan caught them easily. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you later then.” He didn’t sound happy about having to go, but reluctantly headed for Nash’s truck.
“I’ll be here.” Nash crossed his arms, patiently waiting for Evan to leave.
Once the vehicle cleared the drive and disappeared from view, Nash gave the top of the cylinder a hard thwack. “Let’s get you out of here.”
I assumed getting me out of here meant freeing me, not driving me to another location, so I was disappointed when Nash started up the truck and began towing the trap onto the road. I had no idea where he was taking me, but from what I could see through the holes in the door, he was taking some back roads heading away from any sign of civilization and going farther into the wilderness area. And even farther away from Mitch.
It was hard to determine how long we traveled. Judging by the location of the sun, I guessed it was late afternoon, maybe an hour or so before sunset. After driving along a narrow dirt road that wound closely between walls of ash and the occasional spruce tree, Nash parked the truck alongside a long porch that wrapped around a beautiful two-story home. The rustic design and wooden exterior of the house reminded me a lot of the lodge at the resort.
I heard a truck door open and close, followed by quick steps crunching on gravel before Nash appeared in front of me again. “You wait right here.” He bent over so I could see his face. “I need to go in and talk to my brother real quick, and then I’ll be right back to let you out.”
Now that I had a mate, changing into my human form in front of another male wasn’t going to happen. Otherwise, I’d have shifted and asked him where the heck he thought I was going to go, then yelled at him to open the door already. Instead, I chuffed out an exasperated groan, dropped onto my belly, and watched him take the porch steps two at a time before opening a screen door and disappearing inside.
I’d never had a problem with claustrophobia, but after being cooped up inside the trap for hours, and in desperate need of a bathroom, I was pretty sure it would be a long time before I entered another confined space. I might even start avoiding my walk-in closet back home.
A few seconds later, I heard doors slamming, loud grumbling, and roaring coming from inside the house. My irritation at Nash for leaving me caged quickly dissolved into a fearful panic. After imagining the worst possible scenarios, all of which ended badly for me, Nash finally reappeared on the porch, carrying a bundle of clothes in his arms.
He had to know I’d heard the noises and must have sensed my trepidation. He said, “Sorry about that. My brother Cooper gets real cantankerous if you wake him before he’s ready to get up.” He flashed me a charming grin, which I was certain he’d practiced on plenty of females. “You don’t need to worry, though, because I fixed him some coffee, and he’ll be good to go in no time.”
Another male with light blond hair and facial features similar to Nash’s stepped out onto the porch, appearing slightly annoyed. “I will, huh?” His deep voice rasped as if the growling I’d overheard had left his throat raw. He sat on the top step, his hands wrapped around a large ceramic mug.
“Keep drinking,” Nash snapped as he set the pile of clothes on top of the trap. He released the latch securing the door and pulled it open so I could get out.
Excited to finally be free, I sprang out of the trap, putting some distance between the metal cage and me. I turned and stared at the brothers, waiting to see what they’d do next.
“I brought you something to wear.” Nash patted the pile of clothes. “They belong to our sister so they won’t smell like Cooper and me.”
He must have picked up Mitch’s scent, possibly knew he was my mate. Shifter males were extremely territorial when it came to their females. Mitch might be human, but it hadn’t stopped Nash from being considerate and doing his best not to offend him. An act that earned him a few more favorable points.
“We’ll wait for you inside.” Nash headed for the porch, smacking Cooper in the shoulder with the back of his hand along the way.
“Right, we’ll just…” Cooper tipped his head toward the house and got to his feet.
Being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with two bear shifters, one who’d initially been annoyed by my presence, didn’t exactly relieve my fear or ease the pressure in my chest. It was less frightening than taking off on my own to find Mitch’s house.
There was always the possibility of the pill wearing off and my allergies returning and leaving me in an even worse predicament. If Nash and Cooper had been chivalrous enough to consider providing me a female’s clothes instead of a male’s, I wanted to believe their intentions were honorable.
After waiting for them to go inside, I shifted back into my human form. I ignored the soreness in my muscles from being in a cramped position for so long and reached for the clothes. It appeared their sister had a similar build to her brothers. The T-shirt and pair of sweats I slipped into were several sizes too big. Not that I was going to complain.
Maybe after I explained what happened, they’d be willing to help me get back to Mitch. Reluctantly, and hoping I wasn’t about to make my situation worse, I climbed the porch and knocked on the door before letting myself inside.
Chapter Ten
Mitch
Even though I was five minutes away from my house when I’d disconnected the call from Berkley and Leah, I tried to reach Hannah via her cell, and when that didn’t work, I called the landline and still got nothing but voice mail.
There was always the possibility she was working and listening to music. If every nerve in my system wasn’t screaming that something had happened to her, I might have believed it. Hannah was the type of person who faced life’s difficulties head-on. No matter how upset she might be with me, I refused to believe she wouldn’t answer my calls.
Once I reached the turnoff for my gravel driveway, it didn’t take long to reach the house and bring the truck to a skidding stop next to Hannah’s rental car. Knowing she hadn’t left didn’t ease the tension rippling through my system.
I hurried to the clinic door, freezing when I found it partially open. All my clients knew I worked in town during the week, and I was in the habit of locking the door whenever I was gone.
The possibility of Hannah using the exit, then forgetting to close the door was slim. There were no signs the lock had been forced, yet it didn’t stop me from worrying that someone had gotten inside.
I heard growling coming from somewhere inside the house. If the threat to Hannah was another shifter as I’d expected, fighting with my bare hands wasn’t going to do any good. Not when claws and fangs were involved.
I hurried back to the truck to retrieve my dart gun, then quietly eased the door the rest of the way open. The farther I moved along the hallway, the louder the growling got, and the more my heart raced.
I made it as far as the living room when the low, guttural sounds turned into an unfamiliar female’s voice. “Where is Hannah?”
If it was Hannah who was in trouble, then why would someone be asking where she was? Keeping the gun leveled in front of me, I turned the corner into the living room and found a female I’d never seen before straddling Avery’s chest and pinning her to the hardwood floor. The hood of her navy blue jacket had slipped to the back of her head, exposing obsidian hair sprinkled with silvery-blue streaks.
The color looked too natural to be something created in a salon, and I suspected she might be a shifter, though what kind, I had no idea.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” I said, taking a few steps closer. After the way both females had jerk
ed their heads and were glaring at me, I was afraid I might get torn to shreds, and decided to keep my distance and the gun aimed in their direction.
The female with unusual hair tightened the grip she had on the front of Avery’s shirt and said, “Whoa, don’t shoot. I’m one of the good guys.”
“Mitch, thank goodness you’re here.” Avery squirmed but couldn’t dislodge the other female. “Please make her get off me.”
“Not until I get some answers.” Trusting Avery or believing anything she had to say wasn’t going to happen. I had no reason to trust the stranger either, but as long as she continued to keep Avery constrained, I was willing to hear what she had to say.
“Mitch, I…”
“Be quiet, Avery,” I interrupted. “I want to hear what she has to say.” I wiggled the gun in the stranger’s direction. “Let’s start with who you are, what happened to Hannah, and what you’re doing in my house.”
She pushed her hood the rest of the way off her head. “My name is Sydney Jamison, and I’m Hannah’s best friend.”
Footsteps from the hallway preceded my sister shouting my name in a distressed voice.
“Leah, I’m in here,” I called without taking my eyes off the females.
“What’s going on?” Berkley reached me first, took one look at the scene in front of me, and snarled, “Avery. I should have known.”
“Berkley, it’s not what you think,” Avery said.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure it is.” Berkley fisted her hands against her thighs.
“What’s Avery doing here?” Leah glared at the two females as she waddled into the room. “Wait a minute.” She pointed at Sydney. “You’re the person who was following us, the one who ran into the light pole.”
Sydney blushed. “Not one of my better moments, but yes.”
“You’re not a stalker, are you?” Leah asked.
“No, I’m a mountain guide.” Sydney huffed at the insult.
