by Dianna Love
“I can’t help unless I shift again and I’d still need time to recover.” He paused then said, “You’re the only one who could make a difference in all of this.”
She flinched when the bear snapped at Gray Wolf’s hind leg, but the big wolf leapt away before those jaws ripped into him. “What do you mean, Rory? Tell me, because Cole’s wolf is bleeding everywhere.”
“You can’t do anything until Cole shifts back into human form.”
She had to lean close to Rory because his back was to her. She urged him, “Tell me so I can be ready.”
“If you were his mate, Cole would be stronger. He’s going to kill me for telling you, but neither of us may live long enough for the argument at this rate.”
“He doesn’t want me as his mate.” She wanted to scream at Cole that he should pick a mate even if he didn’t want it to be her. She wanted him to live even if it meant without her. “I don’t want to watch Cole die.”
Rory chuffed out a noise. “Then save him if you get the chance.”
“What do you mean?”
The wolf ripped the grizzly’s ankles, probably tearing at his Achilles. Did bears have those?
“Look out!” Rory shouted as Sammy brought a claw down over the wolf’s back.
Gray Wolf yelped and rolled away but then he was back on all fours with blood streaking his fur. His muzzle had been gashed and he limped.
Sammy’s grizzly seemed to lose his direction, wandering around in a circle.
She looked at Rory. “Tell me how to save Cole.”
“I shouldn’t, but ... Cole is deep into the mating curse.”
“No. He said he didn’t want a mate and he had three years to go.”
“Were those his exact words or did you just think he didn’t want to mate?”
Tess realized Cole had talked around the topic without actually lying.
Sammy the bear chuffed one breath after another, each coming out in a pitiful rattle. A gaping hole had been slashed under his front legs. He’d backed into a corner, leaning against a wall. Gray Wolf stood in the middle of the room, still ready to fight.
Rory spoke softly. “Cole told you he didn’t want a mate, because your dad would never accept it and Cole won’t be the reason you lose another parent.”
She stared at the wolf, sick that Cole would accept death over disrupting her world.
Didn’t Cole know she had no world without him?
“I told him I love him,” she said, more pissed than arguing. “Isn’t that enough to become a mate?”
The bear started rocking back and forth as if he was getting revved up. He lifted up on his hind legs, showing more jagged rips in his massive chest, and walked out of the corner slowly.
Rory replied, “Admitting love is good, but only one step. In a mating ritual, both parties have to accept the mating bond. It’s forever and Cole doesn’t want to put that burden on you or risk that you won’t survive his power, which is possible.”
“What if I’m willing to accept the bond? Can I just yell it out to him?”
“You could reach him if he was in control, but it won’t do any good with him in animal form right now. Gray Wolf is in power with Cole fighting to maintain control. Don’t interfere and distract Gray Wolf. If that happens, Sammy will kill him. Then us.”
Chapter 38
Cole felt every cut and gash that Gray Wolf suffered.
He was losing blood faster than Gray Wolf could regenerate.
The only reason his wolf still remained upright was because as vicious a fighter as Sammy’s bear was, Cole’s friend was no longer in his right mind.
His Sammy was gone.
Just admitting that punched his heart.
The grizzly fought out of pure rage and instinct. He was bleeding from three lethal wounds, too. Every cut on that bear stabbed Cole.
He’d failed to save Katelyn.
He’d failed to save Sammy. If not for trying to survive long enough to save Tess and Rory, Cole would quit fighting and wait for the end with Sammy. They could go together. Cole’s soul screamed at losing all that mattered to him in this world.
The grizzly roared and came at Gray Wolf with jaws open.
Gray Wolf was ready to leap up and meet the grizzly in midair.
Cole told his wolf, Don’t jump. We’ll lose. Go low.
Would Gray Wolf listen?
Cole had no idea. At this point, he was riding shotgun in this fight and hoping if they managed to survive Sammy, that Cole could keep Gray Wolf from turning on Rory and Tess.
The wolf might not hurt Tess, but Rory would just be another threat to their mate.
As Sammy’s giant bear pounded forward, weaving with each step, Gray Wolf jumped to the right and ran around.
That was not what Cole said to do.
Gray Wolf dove at Sammy, grabbing the ankle he hadn’t ravaged yet and yanking back.
Sammy’s bear howled in pain and struggled, turning around.
Then tilted back.
Oh, shit.
Move, Cole shouted to the wolf, which sidestepped just in time before Sammy fell on his back so hard the room shook. Bone in the bear’s head cracked against the hard floor.
Before Cole could stop him, Gray Wolf had his jaws locked on the grizzly’s exposed throat.
No, Gray Wolf.
Kill him, the wolf argued.
Don’t do it. The bear is my friend.
Bad friend.
Sick friend, Cole argued. Let me talk to him.
The wolf kept his jaws in place but eased up, not making a move to rip through.
Sammy, can you hear me? Cole asked.
The voice that came into Cole’s head sounded like it was from very far away, but more like the Sammy he knew. Cole. They used magic on me. Made the curse worse. Can’t control my bear. He wants to kill you.
I know, Sammy.
Don’t give in. He won’t let me come back. Tell the Guardian I’m sorry. They gave me Jugo Loco and set my bear to kill that couple. I tried to stop it, but ... my bear had been starved for two days and wanted blood.
Pain bled through Sammy’s words.
Cole hurt more than he thought possible. The only other time he’d hurt this much had been when he lost Tess at nineteen.
Cole said, I’m sorry I didn’t get Katelyn here in time, but I swear I didn’t kill her.
I know. Wolf didn’t smell like you.
So a wolf had killed her. Cole told Gray Wolf, Let Sammy live.
The wolf snarled a dark sound, his jaws still locked in place.
If Cole didn’t get control of his wolf, he wouldn’t make it back to human form again. One last time, Cole drew on what magic he had available and powered his words.
Let the bear live, Gray Wolf. Do it now.
Gray Wolf’s chest rumbled with each breath, but he finally unlocked his jaws and backed up three steps.
I’ll miss ... you ... Cole. Good man. The best.
Cole could hardly send his words in reply. You deserve peace, Sammy. I’ll be here with you to the end.
No, Sammy argued. Shift back. Do it ... don’t let ... the wolf win. Don’t give in.
Then Gray Wolf snarled, turning his head to the tunnel.
That fucking Brantley walked in.
Cole had been wondering if their kidnappers were nearby watching. They’d unleashed Sammy, expecting Sammy to kill Cole probably.
It would be like a Cadell to enjoy seeing one Gallize kill another one, then come in just in time to keep one of them alive.
That bastard Brantley was Cole’s the minute he pointed Gray Wolf to attack, but a new scent had caught Gray Wolf’s attention.
Cole had smelled that shifter scent before ... the night of the explosion. Glowing yellow eyes shined through from the tunnel, then a black wolf that stood eye level with Gray Wolf stepped up beside Brantley.
A fucking Black River pack wolf.
This had to be the shifter who had left Sonic sitting with a bomb between his legs.
>
As fresh as the blood had been on Sonic, this shifter had probably been the one to cut the snitch’s throat.
Gray Wolf sniffed.
The black wolf stank of magic.
Cole started talking to Gray Wolf. We have to be careful. This one is not like us.
Gray Wolf howled and snarled his challenge.
That did not encourage Cole.
His wolf continued to pull away from him. Cole barely had a grasp on Gray Wolf, but he had to hold on so he could protect Rory and Tess.
Cole directed his wolf to walk around the feet of the grizzly still sprawled on the floor and wheezing.
Time to prepare for another battle.
Moving so quickly it surprised even Cole, the black wolf dropped back on his haunches and leaped on Sammy, ripping his throat viciously.
Sammy’s head fell to the side.
Gray Wolf howled a mournful sound. Rory released a cry from the heart of his jaguar.
The black wolf looked past Cole and took a step toward Tess and Rory.
Cole roared to protect their mate.
Gray Wolf took over.
Chapter 39
Tess froze with her hand pressed on Rory’s wound. He tensed.
Brantley. She would kill him if she could just get her hands on his neck.
Right now, she was more concerned with Gray Wolf and the black wolf that had just killed Sammy.
She couldn’t imagine the pain Cole suffered. He’d been clearly trying to save his friend.
That miserable black wolf had stolen Sammy’s last minutes.
The smell of blood bathed the air.
Yellow eyes didn’t seem normal to Tess to begin with, but the black wolf’s eyes glowed. He looked deranged.
And Brantley was behind this bloodbath.
Rory whispered, “If I have to shift, stay back as far as you can from all of us.”
The building suddenly shook, as if a giant had wrenched it back and forth. What was that?
When the black wolf started toward her and Rory, trembling in her body spread throughout to her arms and legs, but she was not going to back away. Cole was exhausted and Rory would still be injured even in cat form.
She was so damn useless as a human.
She hated this.
Gray Wolf lunged at the black wolf and they turned into a blistering rush of snarling, clawing, biting beasts ripping into each other.
How much more damage could Gray Wolf take?
Within seconds, so much blood covered the fur on both wolves, she couldn’t tell who was winning. She hoped her heart was stronger than her mother’s, because it was in overdrive. She could see how this had been too much for her sweet mother.
Again, the building shuddered.
Rory cursed, “Don’t know what’s going on, but we need to get out of here soon.”
“Are you shifting?”
“Not yet. Not unless Cole says he needs me to or if that black wolf heads this way again.”
Cole’s wolf yelped and flipped in the air, landing hard on his side. He shoved to his feet and weaved where he stood.
Tess said, “No.” She couldn’t watch Cole die. Tears poured down her face. The energy in her chest was spinning wildly, but it was of no use. At its worst, the energy had only killed a computer. Not any help here.
She begged, “Please, Rory, tell me how to reach Cole and connect this mating thing.”
Rory’s biceps pulsed when he fisted his hands. “I can’t help unless I can talk to Cole, but he trusts me not to change unless he loses this fight or if I have to shift to protect you.”
That would only happen if the black wolf killed Gray Wolf.
The next moment happened in a blur, but Tess knew she’d see it in slow motion over and over forever.
Going on attack, the black wolf went for Gray Wolf who kept his head down. The black wolf in turn clamped down on Gray Wolf’s front leg.
Bone cracked loud enough to be heard.
The battle should have been done, but Gray Wolf came alive and twisted his neck under the head of the other wolf. Gray Wolf’s huge jaws clamped down on the black wolf’s throat.
They wrangled back and forth, but the black wolf gave up his hold on the crushed leg to put everything into getting his throat free.
Gray Wolf’s eyes had an unholy look in them as he held on, shaking his head back and forth until he tore away muscle and veins, exposing the black wolf’s throat, which was now bleeding profusely.
A thundering sound approached from the same dark hall that had vomited the black wolf.
Brantley ran to a wall on the left where he put his back to it and held his hands up in front of him.
Rory sat up and made an inhuman roar.
Gray Wolf took a step and fell on his side.
Even Brantley looked afraid.
Chapter 40
Tess jumped up as six beefed-up men flooded the room. With one look at Sammy’s body, the men released a series of howls, growls and moans, sounding like a mix of animals.
Rory said to her, “These are our people. Stay down behind me or you put Cole in danger.”
Those were the only words that could have stopped her from going to Gray Wolf, who was still on his side, panting. He could heal in wolf form, right?
Right behind the men, an unnaturally huge eagle came gliding through the tunnel. Gold eyes flashed with wrath.
Energy sparked where Brantley still held his hands up as if warding off an invisible threat.
Rory said, “What kind of power is that miserable piece of shit wielding?”
“Are you talking about Brantley? What’s he doing?” Tess asked, now squatting behind Rory.
“He’s producing a telekinetic field of power. Magic.”
When the eagle landed and its powerful claws touched the ground, the majestic bird was as tall as Tess in her stocking feet.
Energy swirled around the giant bird.
In the next moment, the eagle had changed to a man dressed in a suit, and so smoothly it was as if there had been no actual shift from bird to human body.
Tess could feel the weight of this man’s presence.
Okay, she’d seen it all now. “Cole needs me.”
Rory lifted a bloody hand. “No. That’s the Guardian. Our boss. Don’t move yet.”
“Cole could be dying.”
“You risk killing him for sure if you get in the way when magic is involved.”
Then their guardian needed to get busy doing whatever he planned to do. She could see the stuttering rise and fall of Gray Wolf’s chest getting slower and slower. Blood oozed from too many cuts to count.
Why wasn’t Cole’s animal healing faster?
The Guardian took a look at the dead bear and his badly bleeding wolf, then at Brantley. He said, “I’m sorry we were too late for you, Sammy.”
With that, the Guardian swung a vicious look at Brantley. “Your name is not Brantley. It’s ... ah, Bastien. I knew of you as a child. You have made a grave error by touching one of mine.”
Brantley had never looked frightened the entire time he worked with Tess, ordering people around like her ruled the earth, but he was scared now. “Your wolf killed our wolf. It was a justifiable fight.”
“A Black River abomination is not worthy of a life,” the Guardian said. “You made a careless mistake by setting a bomb for Cole.”
“No, I made a mistake by allowing him ten seconds to suffer before he died. His fault. He walked right into my hands by coming after the wolf pack.”
“So now you’re a minion for the Black River pack?”
“Like hell.” Brantley talked bold, but his fear was showing through. “Here’s the deal. I was only told to take down Cavanaugh.”
“You lie. You may have originally wanted only Cole, but you were also told to take his mate.”
Tess stared at Brantley, sick about all the time she’d spent around him.
Brantley said, “If Cavanaugh lives, then keep him and your other animals out of
our business. You don’t want to cross my leader.”
“Oh, but I do,” the Guardian said in an accommodating tone. “Why don’t you call Mother Cadellus here now?”
When Cole’s boss smiled, hair stood on Tess’s arms because of the threat in those eagle eyes in a human face.
The Guardian said in a taunting tone, “Ah, that’s right. She’s stuck in a cave in another country, but she didn’t give you this level of power to hold a kinetic wall. Who have you been associating with? A Power Baron? What’s his name?”
When Brantley didn’t answer, the Guardian gave a soft nod. “He put a spell on you in case you were caught so you couldn’t expose him. That’s too bad. Your usefulness is dwindling by the second.”
Brantley was clearly running out of options. As he kept his hands up to maintain his invisible shield, he started negotiating. “Look, let’s be reasonable. We have her father. Let me go and I’ll free him.”
“That’s a generous offer on your part.”
Brantley smiled, the slimy bastard.
Tess ground her back teeth, needing to unload all her frustration on him. This worthless excuse for a human, or whatever he was, had terrified her father and bloodied Cole.
Gray Wolf was still bleeding heavily. Tess hoped that meant the Guardian had super powers or believed in Cole’s.
The Guardian told Brantley, “Yes, quite an offer, but my people have killed the jackals you left in charge. Her father is safe. I have a message for you to deliver.”
Tess thanked whoever had created the Guardian for saving her dad.
But was he going to just release that pig? She had a nice prison cell waiting for Brantley.
A subterranean cell.
“What’s your message?” Brantley asked, but the color had flushed from his face.
The Guardian walked forward and shoved a hand right through Brantley’s invisible shield. It cracked and exploded out in clear pieces, which floated in the air.
Brantley stared, open-mouthed.
The Guardian grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the floor. Speaking calmly, the Guardian said, “Your Cadell kin will find this as my message.”
When the Guardian squeezed, Brantley’s eyes bulged, his tongue enlarged and protruded as he strangled to death.
