Silverback Wolf (Return to Bear Creek Book 17)

by Harmony Raines

  Monica fitted the goggles on her head and pulled them down over her eyes. She’d worn Army regulation night vision goggles before, these worked much the same way but were not as powerful. However, when she switched them on, she was grateful that she was no longer blinded by the darkness.

  “Anything?” Fiona asked as they looked around.

  “No, there’s a group of buildings to our three o’clock. That’s where Wyatt is heading. It looks as if he may have found a scent.” They followed the wolf, who kept his nose to the ground like a tracker dog. He was intent on heading toward the furthest building, skirting around the others.

  “He’s onto something,” Liam said, and they picked up the pace as Wyatt’s wolf disappeared around a corner. They had to stay together; if they got split up, it would be easy for them to be picked off one at a time.

  As they rounded the corner, the wolf had disappeared, and Monica’s heart raced as she searched the area for him. Instead of a wolf, there was a man. She looked closer and recognized the outline of her mate. “He’s shifted back.”

  Keeping low and hugging the side of the building, they ran toward Wyatt. He lifted his hand up and told them to halt, and then pointed to the building. As Monica stepped closer, she could make out the faint outline of a door.

  “The scent leads to this building. I’ll do a perimeter check,” Wyatt said and was about to shift when Liam stopped him.

  “Let me. I can look from above. I might even be able to find a way to look inside the building. You can’t beat a bird’s eye view.” He took off his night vision goggles and handed them to Wyatt, who put them on and looked around, letting his eyes adjust to wearing them.

  They waited, listening for any sound of movement inside the building, and Monica checked the phone app again. “She’s in here.”

  “Like I said,” Wyatt said easily. “I picked the scent up from her phone.”

  “Of course, it’s the only thing we have of hers.” Monica nodded, watching the app. The watch didn’t move.

  “She could have lost the watch.” Fiona read Monica’s concern.

  “There was another scent, too,” Wyatt told them, an edge to his voice.

  “Jonas?” Monica asked gently.

  “I’m almost certain. It’s been a long time, but one of the other scents was familiar.” He turned around as the sound of ruffled feathers grew closer and Liam landed next to them. He shifted instantly and looked around, before leaning forward to speak.

  “I landed on the roof. There’s a half-open skylight. I couldn’t see very much inside; the gap was too small. However, I did hear voices. Someone is in there.” His voice was barely above a whisper and they all leaned in to listen.

  “It’s on the move,” Monica hissed, holding up the phone for them to see.

  “Time for action,” Wyatt told them, flexing his hands.

  A sound of metal scraping against metal rent the air.

  They all jumped and hugged the building, pressing their bodies back along the wall. Monica listened, trying to figure out where the sound came from. Liam caught their attention and pointed to the building, indicating the corner just in front of them. As one they moved, each walking quietly along the edge of the warehouse.

  Light spilled out for an instant and then the sound of metal against metal filled the air once more. They drew back, flattening themselves out as whispered voices spoke to each other. There was another sound, too, a woman moaning, and a sharp rebuke.

  “Stop struggling, there’s no one here. You can shout as loud as you want, but no one will hear you.” The words spoken were sharp, with no sympathy toward their captive.

  Monica risked a glance at Wyatt, who returned her look with a brief nod. She didn’t need further explanation, they had just heard the voice of a dead man talking.

  Chapter Eighteen – Wyatt

  He was here, Jonas was here. The man whose loss he had mourned so bitterly, whose suicide he had taken part of the blame for, was here. And not just here because he was being used. No, if Wyatt was not mistaken, Jonas was the man in charge. The boss of the operation.

  “Now, you all have your orders. We take Mrs. Willard down to the boat and get her below deck. Then we make our way to Reaminster. Kalic, you swim ahead. Any trouble and you will alert us. But I don’t expect there to be any trouble. Your husband knows the stakes.”

  Wyatt and the others hung back as footsteps crossed the asphalt, heading toward the river. They had to make their move. Wyatt jerked forward, about to run after them, but Fiona grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back.

  “We should stop them before they reach the boat,” he hissed.

  “What about Yolanda?” Fiona replied. “If they plan to put her inside the boat, we should attack when she’s safely out of the way.”

  “Fiona has a point.” Monica put a hand on his arm, letting him know she had the same urge to rush out there and tear the men to shreds.

  “You’re right.” Wyatt’s voice filled with bitterness. Once, he would have kept his cool under the heaviest of pressure, and gunfire, but this was personal.

  “Of course, I’m right,” Fiona said, and no doubt raised an eyebrow.

  “I’ll follow and keep an eagle eye on them.” Liam nodded, shifted and launched himself into the night sky, his wingbeats silent in the still night air.

  “We should follow, too. But keep our distance. Once they are on the boat, they’re cornered and that’s when we attack.” Monica looked at Fiona. “Do you want to hang back?”

  “Why would I do that?” Fiona asked gruffly.

  “I didn’t know if hand-to-hand combat was your thing,” Monica remembered the way Harlan had kissed his mate. There was no way Fiona was going back to him injured.

  “I don’t do hand-to-hand. I do talon-to-flesh.” She sounded like a sweet old lady. These men didn’t know what was about to rain down on them. Fire and brimstone.

  She shifted into her dragon and flew into the air with a rush of wind that nearly flattened Monica and Wyatt to the ground. Ahead of them, the voices of Jonas and his men called out, they had felt the rush of air, too. Monica and Wyatt headed for cover, diving behind a scrubby bush that had sprouted up on what was once a parade field.

  “Did they see us?” Monica asked, turning onto her front and peering through the bush.

  “I don’t think so.” He looked up, searching the sky for the dragon. “She sure knows how to make an exit.”

  “I bet she knows how to make an entrance, too. As long as she doesn’t put Yolanda’s safety at risk.”

  “We need to ensure that doesn’t happen.” He stood up, looking through his goggles. “They’re on the move. We need to hurry. The ground slopes away down to the river soon.” He took off his goggles and handed them to Monica. “I’m going wolf. There’s a chance they’ll leave a lookout behind if they suspect anyone is following them.”

  He shifted into his wolf and ran alongside Monica as they tried to catch up with Jonas and his men. Keeping his ears and eyes alert for anything, he took in the scent of his old friend and fought his inner rage. An eagle cry from above made them slow down. Monica pushed against his left flank and he veered off the main roadway and took cover behind a shed.

  Monica threaded her hands through his soft fur. He looked up at her as she used the goggles to see into the dark. Suddenly her hand tightened in his fur, there was someone close. Wyatt’s wolf slipped around the side of the shed, while Monica stayed put. He could scent the man on the air.

  A stranger, not Jonas, his wolf told him.

  Was he relieved, or would he rather get it over with, confront Jonas and finally get the answers he needed?

  The man held a radio in his hand as he stalked Monica. It buzzed, and a voice asked if he’d seen anything. “Not yet. But I swear there’s someone out here.”

  “Use whatever means necessary to flush them out.” The radio went silent.

  “Yes, sir.” The man shifted into a hyena and stood for a moment sniffing the air
before his body tensed. Could he smell Monica, or could he smell the wolf who was bearing down on him?

  With a yelp, the hyena fell to the ground, the wolf standing over him, daring him to move.

  Amateur, his wolf spat at the hyena. But the hyena wasn’t done. With a large gulp of air, he filled his lungs and then sprang to his feet. Wyatt’s wolf was no lightweight and he held the hyena pinned down, while Monica ran to join them.

  “What do we do with him?” she asked.

  As an answer, Wyatt momentarily shifted back to his human form and punched the hyena in the jaw, knocking him out instantly.

  “Subtle,” his mate said approvingly. “Let’s get him inside the shed and lock him up.”

  They worked quickly. Every minute they were delayed here gave Jonas time to get away. But they weren’t alone, he kept reminding himself, the other members of their team could handle themselves. He pulled the shed door open, it was empty except for some old combat nets. They wrapped the hyena in one and then shut him inside the shed and placed a large slab of concrete against it. It wasn’t strong enough to hold him captive forever, but it would slow him down, if he got himself out of the net.

  Running along the road down toward the river, they listened for any further warnings from Liam, but there were none. Monica still had her night vision goggles on and swung her head from side to side, sweeping the area.

  “The boat is about a hundred feet ahead,” she told him. “I can’t see anyone on board.”

  “Damn, have they doubled back?” Wyatt hissed as they closed the distance.

  “I’ll check my phone.” Monica slowed her pace, and he checked his own speed. They couldn’t risk running into an ambush.

  “Let’s take cover.” Leaving the road once more, they headed across the grass, which had been left to grow long. Leggy grass stalks pulled at their feet, swishing against their legs.

  Monica stopped and hunkered down, her hands shielding her phone screen. The light would give their position away. ”She’s up ahead.”

  But before they had a chance to act on her plan, a scream filled the night and the sound of rushing air told them Fiona had struck.

  “Move.” Monica ran forward, not caring that she could be seen. The time for covert action had passed.

  Wyatt followed her, and they reached the boat at the same time, jumping on board as a man jumped overboard. “Dammit.”

  “He shifted into some kind of fish. A shark perhaps.” Monica looked down at the dark water, and then up at the sky. “Fiona’s on it.”

  “Which just leaves Jonas.” Wyatt swung around and headed for the door leading inside the boat. There he paused, unsure of what he might find inside.

  “Come in, Wyatt. Long time no see.” Jonas’s voice spoke in the same friendly way he’d always spoken to Wyatt. As Wyatt opened the door and went down the stairs, it was difficult not to turn back the clock to a time when they had all been friends, all served together in the same squad and fought side by side.

  “Remember who he is,” Monica said softly as he ducked his head and went into the compartment.

  “Jonas. What the hell are you doing here?” Wyatt asked as he noted the relative positions of Jonas and Yolanda.

  “Kidnapping Trent’s wife. But then you knew that. And playing dumb was never your thing.” Jonas sneered as he waved a knife at Yolanda. “I could filet her right now.”

  “Why would you do that?” Wyatt asked.

  “Why not?” Jonas laughed and pressed the blade to Yolanda’s side. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she couldn’t speak, her mouth was covered in duct tape, the same tape that wrapped around her wrists, preventing her from lashing out or defending herself. “Unless you want to go on a boat trip down the river and help me make my trade.”

  “Yolanda for Tarak?”

  “Tut tut, you don’t really believe I’m going to admit to anything like that.” Jonas smiled. “Maybe we should stick to rank and number.”

  “Whatever. I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” Wyatt told him.

  “Really. I thought you might want to hear my side of the story.” Jonas adjusted his position, the knife aimed at Yolanda’s neck.

  “You mean why you faked your own death?” Wyatt asked, sensing Monica’s presence nearby. She wasn't behind him, she was in front of him, somewhere on the other side of the hull. Had she come up with a rescue plan? He needed to keep Jonas talking.

  “Yes, I heard you took it hard. I’m touched.” He put on a pouting smile, and Wyatt was all for launching himself across the space between them and wiping it right off his face. But could he make the move without causing injury to Yolanda?

  “Of course, I took it badly. We were friends, more than friends.”

  “All in the past. I decided I didn’t want to be the good guy anymore because the good guys never win.”

  “That isn’t true.” Wyatt edged closer. If he got the angle right, he might just be able to disarm Jonas before he had a chance to act.

  “Look at you. What did you get for all the time you spent doing the right thing? A trip to the mountains to get over me. In that time alone, did you ever question the things we did? The times we put our lives on the line for people who didn’t care?”

  “People do care. We did it because it was the right thing to do.”

  “Tell me, does that mean I deserved to have a mate who was loyal to me?” He put his mouth close to Yolanda’s cheek and asked, “Are you a good loyal mate?”

  Yolanda’s eyes widened, and she nodded.

  “Why did Trent deserve a loyal mate? Why not me? Then I realized what the problem was. Iris left me for a man with money. How was I ever going to compete with a real estate agent? All I could offer her was a life of stress and worry.”

  “So, you faked your own death.” Wyatt still couldn’t understand how Jonas ended up holding a knife to the throat of his friend’s wife.

  “Yes, it was symbolic. Jonas died, and Pire was born. I’ve done some weird shit since then, but I’ve made money. Enough money to buy back my mate. I could put more diamonds on her fingers than that real estate agent ever could.”

  “She’s happy, Jonas. It’s not all about money.” Wyatt shook his head. The man before him was insane if he thought that was the only reason Iris left him.

  “She won’t be happy when I kill the man who has been having an affair with her.”

  “An affair?” Something scraped the side of the boat. Jonas turned his head and Wyatt pounced. As he leaped into the air, he shifted into his wolf. His jaws bit down on Jonas’s wrist, shaking it until he dropped the knife.

  “I’ll kill you.” Jonas lunged for the knife, but Yolanda closed her hand around it and slashed the blade across her captor’s hand.

  Jonas let her go and she dashed forward, turning, ready to fight if she had to. But Wyatt had the situation under control. Jonas was going nowhere. Except to prison. For a long time. He needed help. Professional help until he was no longer a threat to anyone. Least of all himself.

  Chapter Nineteen – Monica

  The hyena leaped at her out of nowhere. As its teeth grazed her jacket, she shifted into her bear and pivoted in the air, her claws extending as she swiped at him with her paw. He dodged, and she scraped her sharp claws along the side of the boat, leaving jagged grooves in their wake.

  Digging her back claws into the wooden deck, she braced herself for the next attack. A cackling laugh filled the air and she swung around, sensing the presence of the other animal. As the hyena propelled himself forward, she lashed out with her forepaw, catching his shoulder and knocking him off balance. He crashed to the floor and she opened her jaws wide and clamped them around his throat.

  A sickening cry of pain rent the air, but she didn’t sink her teeth into his exposed flesh; instead, she cut off his air supply until he lay limp on the deck. With no time to hesitate, she shifted back into her human form and grabbed hold of a rope, tying it around his front legs before moving to do the same with his hind le
gs.

  “Trussed up like a turkey.” Monica placed her hands on her hips in satisfaction. Then she ran around to the back of the boat, about to go to her mate’s aid. But the door leading down to the cabin opened and Yolanda, white-faced and sobbing came out, climbing the steps on shaky legs. “Are you okay?”

  Yolanda sobbed harder as she nodded, and Monica rushed forward, grabbed hold of her and helped her onto the deck. “I thought I was going to die. I thought I’d never see Jack or Trent again.”

  “It’s all right. Jack is safe, he’s with friends and Trent will be fine, too, once he knows you are safe.” Monica held Yolanda tightly as she sobbed her relief. “Where’s Wyatt?”

  “He’s coming. He’s tying Jonas up.” Yolanda pulled back, looking into Monica’s eyes. “Trent thought he was dead. He mourned him. Every year, on the anniversary of his death he would visit a memorial to him.”

  “It’s behind them now.” Monica broke loose from Yolanda as Wyatt appeared, dragging a man behind him. “Jonas.” She wanted to tear at his flesh and claw at him until he bled, but she calmed her bear. Revenge never did anyone any good.

  A whoosh of air from above alerted them to the incoming dragon, who swooped down low and dropped a fish-like creature on the deck. It flopped around, trying to work its way back over the side and into the river, but Liam’s eagle landed next to it and stood over it with a sharp, menacing beak inches from the fish’s soft underbelly. In an instant, the fish shifted into a man, who lay curled up in a ball, his face pale and blood seeping from a wound on his belly.

  “I think they’re all accounted for,” Liam said as he shifted into his human form. Pulling a phone from his pocket, he dialed the police and explained the situation, although he left out the part about dragons.

  “Here.” Monica passed Yolanda’s phone to her. “Why don’t you call Trent and tell him you’re safe?”

  Wiping her face, Yolanda took the phone and despite her trembling hands, she dialed her husband’s number and lifted the phone to her ear. “Trent.”

  Monica moved across the deck to stand next to Wyatt. “Are you okay?”