by Lisa Kessler
But both Brock and Naomi had dark eyes and dark hair. Little Bart’s eyes were bright, almost silver. Familiar.
I frowned and glanced over at Naomi. “Is Brock their father?”
She shrugged. “I hope so.”
I ground my teeth together. “Caldwell chose more than one mate.”
“Yeah.” Her gaze met mine. “Brock was one of them.”
“And the other?”
She walked ahead, but her words were easy enough to catch. “Allen Caldwell.”
Gage stopped me at the door. “Everyone is waiting in the rec area.”
I half expected a “sir” at the end of Gage’s report. “Were you in the military?”
He nodded. “Air force.”
I clasped his forearm. “I know this wasn’t the life you would have chosen, but once we finish Caldwell, this Pack is going to need you.”
He gripped my arm tight, his expression resolute. “I’ve got nowhere else to go.”
I shook my head. “Not good enough.”
“I’ve been trapped in a storage unit, survived my body contorting into a wolf, and been at the mercy of a guy who gets off on pairing people up to see if they can pop out some babies.” His jaw clenched. “I won’t run away, but right now, that’s all I have to give.”
I released his arm and nodded slowly. “This ends today.”
We headed for the rec area. What the hell was I doing? I wasn’t an Alpha, but if we hoped to beat Caldwell, they needed one.
Raven came to my side and took my hand. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
I met her eyes. “We’re running out of time and options. This is the best I’ve got.”
She searched my eyes and tightened her grip. “I’m with you.”
I pressed my lips to her temple and stepped into the center of the rec area. “Caldwell has a gun pointed at Raven’s sister right now. We have to show up or he’ll kill her, but you know him. When we get there, he’ll kill all three of us. Then he’ll take the men and lead you up to Reno to attack my Pack.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I scanned the group of bitten wolves. “My Pack is expecting Caldwell. They’re armed and trained, and most likely, even though this Pack outnumbers them, they’ll win. Caldwell is bringing you as shields to protect the born wolves.”
Brock lifted the little one from his shoulders and handed him to Naomi. “Why should we believe you?”
My gaze locked on his. “Because I’m the one who broke the locks off the doors.” Looking at the others, I went on. “I have my loaded rifle here, but it’s not aimed at any of you. None of you will be forced to do anything. In fact, if you didn’t at least consider telling me to fuck off, I’d be worried about your sanity, because what I’m about to ask of you borders on insane.”
No one walked out. Good sign. I dropped my hands to my sides. “None of you should have been bitten. None of you should have been locked up. But the end result is the same. You’re a Wolf Pack now, and unlike what that sadistic asshole might’ve told you, your strength doesn’t come from fear.” My eyes found Raven’s. “It comes from love.”
I turned toward Gage. “You all have survived in this hellhole. You’ve helped each other keep your wits. You’re strong. It’s time to pull together and take out the tyrant. Caldwell is not your Alpha. An Alpha loves his Pack above all else. An Alpha doesn’t order his wolves to bite humans; he doesn’t keep them as prisoners or threaten their lives in trade for their loyalty.”
Gage interrupted. “What do you want from us?”
I lifted the strap holding my rifle over my head and handed the loaded weapon to Gage. There were a couple audible gasps. It was a risk, but none of them knew I still had my Glock holstered at the small of my back. I wanted to trust Gage and the others, but the truth was, I could get a shot off before he could even aim that rifle.
He took it, staring at the weapon, then me. “I could kill you and run.”
I nodded. “You could, but as long as Caldwell is alive, he can find you. He’s a powerful Alpha. But he won’t be expecting all of us. I’m asking you to have my back. Raven and I will go inside the bar, but you’ll surround it. If Caldwell makes it outside, end him.”
Gage put the rifle over his shoulder. “What about Bo and Blake?”
“Asher took care of Bo. He won’t be a problem. And if Blake gets in our way, he goes down, too.”
Gage glanced at his cell mates and they nodded. He met my eyes. “We’re in.”
Naomi stood, holding the pudgy hands of her twin boys. “What about the rest of us?”
I turned toward Raven. “We need to stay together.”
Kaya came forward, standing beside my mate. “I’ll protect them.”
Before our eyes, her form shivered, like a mirage coming up from the hot highway. Her features morphed, and in less than a minute, a large bobcat snarled. I’d never seen anything like it.
One of Naomi’s little twins squealed and broke free. “Kitty!”
He hugged her leg, and the deadly cat licked his hair, grooming him. Again the air went electric, her shape wavering until she was Kaya again. “I shift sometimes in the unit to entertain the little ones.” She smiled over at me. “You’ve never met a skin-walker.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t know they were real.”
“We are. And if things go south at the bar, I’ll keep them safe.”
“Thank you.” I took Raven’s hand. “We need a way to transport everyone.”
She peered around me toward Brock. “You used to work on cars, right?”
He nodded.
“Caldwell has a cargo van up by the office. Think you can hot-wire it?”
He almost smiled. “I know I can.”
Oh, shit. This might actually work.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Raven
The unmarked white van followed us to the bar. We were praying Caldwell wouldn’t already sense the others were free from the storage units, but we had no way of knowing the limits of his Alpha senses.
Brock parked at the strip mall across the street. They would all come to the Wolf Pack Bar on foot, but Kaya would keep the women and children in the parking lot behind my van. I gave her the key in case they needed a quick getaway, but for now, we were safer in numbers. None of them had ID or money, and they couldn’t go to a hospital or the police, so our options were limited.
As Luke and I headed to the door, I stopped. He turned my way. “What’s wrong?”
I almost laughed, but it strangled in my throat. “Besides everything?”
He ran a finger down my cheek. “Whatever happens, I have no regrets. Finding you has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “You owe me at least twenty years to love you, so no getting killed today.”
“Deal.” He bent to kiss me, and my breath hitched as I drank in his taste. He pulled back slowly, gaze locked on mine. “Let’s finish this so we can go home.”
Home. I hadn’t had one in so long. “I like that plan.”
He opened the door and I stepped inside. Against the back wall, Asher and Ryker stood together, tense. By the bar, the born wolves, Dex and Deacon and Chase and Cole, were beside Bo.
Isabelle tugged at her bonds, shouting behind her gag. Where was…
I turned just as Blake buried his fist in my stomach. I fell to my knees with no breath to scream. He grabbed my arm and dragged me to a chair.
What happened to Luke?
I tried to twist to see, stars igniting on the edge of my vision. Furniture crashed, and a gun fired. The silence magnified the lifeless thump. My voice strangled in my breathless chest. Suddenly Blake dropped me on the ground, leaving me heaving for air.
Bo lay in a crumpled heap, a puddle of blood expanding around him as his brother knelt at his side. Luke had his Glock pointed at Caldwell.
Sadly, the Alpha was now behind my sister, the barrel of his gun buried und
er her chin.
Power thrummed in Caldwell’s voice. “Seems you have three choices, Reynolds. Either you shoot through your mate’s sister to get me, or you wait for me to kill her first, or you do the right thing and put your fucking gun down.”
Luke didn’t move.
Caldwell chuckled. “Good. Your mate can see what a heartless bastard you really are. Either way I win.”
I crawled around the back of the chair toward my sister and pulled out my phone. I fired off a single text.
Now!
The front and back doors both exploded open at the same time, Gage and Brock in the front and Ryan at the back.
Caldwell shouted, “Dex and Deacon, take the back. The rest of you, grab those useless bastards.”
Time slowed to a crawl, like an action movie sequence, only this was real. Gunpowder stung my nostrils as the rapid fire deafened my ears. Bodies flew through the air, furniture tumbled over, but my focus stayed on Isabelle. It was my fault she was here.
Since our father walked out, I’d wasted so much of my life looking for someone to save me.
Time to save myself and make things right with my sister.
Caldwell kept the pistol under Isabelle’s chin, but with his free hand he cut her bonds. “One wrong move, bitch, and I’ll make your sister clean your brains off the ceiling.”
He yanked her out of the chair, clutching her close like a shield as he made his way behind the bar. The bastard was trying to get out the back door.
I followed, but I needed a weapon. Scanning behind the bar, my heart sank. Napkins, straws, plastic stirrers—but then I noticed the ice pick next to the ice drawer. It would have to do. I snatched it by the handle and kept moving. He was almost to the door. Time was running out.
“Let her go!”
He turned, his lips curving into a twisted smile. He moved his pistol from my sister’s chin to point it at me. Isabelle didn’t hesitate. She slammed an elbow into his ribs. One shot hit the floor before he dropped the pistol. Isabelle bolted, but he grabbed a fistful of her hair, slamming her head into the steel door. Isabelle crumbled to the ground; then he took a step toward me.
“Did you and your new boyfriend think killing your Alpha would be easy? Think again.” His eyes narrowed, and power flooded his deep baritone. “Open the door for me, Raven.”
I blinked, shaking my head.
“Now.”
Pain shot through my head. The wolf inside me whimpered. I walked toward the door and the agony eased.
“That’s it.”
The sunlight assaulted my eyes as I held the door wide-open for Caldwell to pass through. He took the ice pick from my other hand. “Turn around and put your hands on the building.”
My heart pounded in my ears, my fingers trembling as I struggled to break his spell.
“Now, Raven.”
I ground my teeth, fighting to resist, but it was useless. I pressed my palms to the painted wood.
“Good girl.” He gripped my ass, his hot breath on my cheek. “Stay right here. I’ll be back for you.”
He slammed the ice pick right through my hand, burying it into the back wall of the Wolf Pack Bar. I screamed, pinned in place.
His teeth grazed my ear. “Say my name.”
His erection pressed against me, and something snapped. I reached up with my other hand and jerked the ice pick free. In one swift movement, I swung it behind me, burying the tip into the side of Caldwell’s neck.
When I turned around, he dropped to his knees. “Bitch.”
But his voice choked, blood bubbling up on his lips. He fumbled to grab the handle of the ice pick. I backed away, stunned by the gore. My sister groaned, snapping me out of the horror. I spun away from the visceral scene, rushing to her side.
She sat up, her hand pressed to her head.
“I’m so sorry, Isabelle.” Hot tears ran down my cheeks.
She frowned. “You’re bleeding.”
I lifted my left hand and glanced back. Caldwell didn’t move. As the adrenaline ebbed, the pain blossomed.
So did my worry for Luke.
“Wait here,” I whispered.
Blood dripped from my fingertips as I crept back into the bar. The rich odor of blood mingled with the gunpowder now. Dread coiled inside me. I peered over the bar. Broken glass, pieces of furniture, and battered men littered the room. Asher and Cole were both bleeding as they tended to Ryker. He wasn’t moving.
I scanned the room, unable to breathe. Where was he?
Something moved in the corner. Luke. Relief swamped me as I rushed to his side. He clung to one of the tables, pulling himself to his feet. He clutched me to him, his hands shaking, chest heaving. “Thank god. I thought he took you. You’re all right.” He kissed my hair and froze. “You’re bleeding.”
I held my hand up. “Flesh wound.”
He turned it over and winced. “Fuck. I’ll kill that bastard. Slow.”
I shook my head, tremors moving into my hands. “Already did.”
His eyes softened. Did he know I’d never watched someone die before, let alone delivered the killing blow? Nausea swelled. I stumbled away, losing everything I’d eaten. Luke hobbled behind me, his arm around my waist steadying me. When I straightened up, he almost lost his balance.
I glanced at his leg. “What happened?”
“I’m pretty sure my knee is broken. Chase took me out with a stool.”
I turned around, looking for Chase. But something caught my eye. Bo was missing. His blood still covered the floor, but no body. A trail of blood led to the front door. It had to be Blake. There was no way Bo could’ve walked on his own.
No sign of Blake, either.
Then I noticed Chase on the floor in the other corner. Motionless.
Cole stopped compressions on his brother. He met my eyes. He didn’t have to say anything. The pain on his face told me all I needed to know. Chase was gone.
The front door opened, and we all froze.
“Ah, fuck.” Vance closed the door behind him and locked it. “What the hell happened?”
Isabelle leaned on the bar, the side of her head swollen, one eye already discolored. “Caldwell’s dead. Tell your boss this is over. We’re not going to Reno. He can take care of his vendetta on his own.”
Vance blew out a breath, taking in the carnage. He shook his head, crossing his arms. “First things first, we need to clean this up. Fast. If the police show up right now, we’re all screwed.”
The police. Reality pierced through the shock. I took in the aftermath, but I couldn’t formulate a solution.
Asher came forward, pressing one of the bar rags to the cut on his forehead. “Where are the others?”
It took me a second to realize who he meant. Then it clicked. “The women and children are out back in the van. Kaya was guarding them.”
He nodded slowly, his dark eyes scanning the room. When no one else spoke, Asher pushed on. “Someone needs to take them to Caldwell’s place while we clean this up. We’ll meet them there.”
I wasn’t leaving Luke. Plus, I was bleeding. Did we have anyone who wasn’t bleeding? I glanced around, and Isabelle straightened up. “I’ll fish the keys out of Caldwell’s pocket and take them over.”
Luke stood tall, but his weight was heavy on my shoulder. His voice was strong, though. No sign of weakness. “Caldwell is dead. If any of you are loyal to him, get the hell out. We won’t follow you. Just go.”
I held my breath, but no one moved. Finally, Cole turned around, his eyes rimmed in red. “My brother and I hated the path he was leading us down, but…” He shook his head. “Blind loyalty.” He cursed under his breath, breaking eye contact. “Chase is…I’m not losing anyone else.”
Dex crossed to Cole and turned toward us. “I’m staying, too.”
“Me, too.” Deacon cradled his wounded arm.
Asher placed his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Can you tend to the wounded while we clean up?”
Cole cleared his throat and nodde
d. He’d have to mourn later.
I helped Luke to a chair while he waited for Cole to brace his leg. He caught my uninjured hand as I turned away. “Wait.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I need to clean this up.”
“In a second.” He searched my face. “It’s over. You did what you had to do.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I know.”
He was right. But I couldn’t stop hearing Caldwell’s last word in my head. Bitch. The blood liquefying his voice. I didn’t want to think or talk about it—I just wanted it to end.
My fingers slid free of his, and this time he didn’t stop me. I went to the bar and wrapped my hand. Cole could take a look at it later. There were others who needed medical attention more than I did. I tried not to notice Vance and Asher carrying the bodies out back. We’d lost Ryan and Chase, and Cole was still working on Brock.
Behind the bar, I pulled out my cell phone, surprised to see it was not only still on but unscathed, the time and date blazing like I hadn’t just killed a man. I watched Luke, the muscle in his cheek tight, his fists clenched.
He wouldn’t like what I was about to do, but it didn’t change that it needed to be done. I sent a text to Logan, since he was the only member of the Reno Pack in my phone.
Caldwell is dead. Luke might have a broken leg. He told me you have a doctor in your Pack. We could use him.
I hit send and pocketed my phone. The ache in my hand pulsed as I mopped up the blood where Bo had been shot. Maybe he’d been alive when Blake pulled him out of the bar, but this was a lot of blood. Without a hospital…Bo was probably dead, too. He and Caldwell could both rot in hell.
Vance grabbed a broom from the back and cleaned up all the glass, while Asher carried the broken furniture out back. Soon, you’d never know there had been a bloodbath in the Wolf Pack Bar.
Sadly, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Luke
I could move my toes, but my knee was so swollen now that my jeans were tight around it. Not a good sign. But I’d live.
It didn’t look so good for Brock. He was still breathing, but he hadn’t regained consciousness.
Blood was soaking through the towel Raven had tied around her hand. For a second, I forgot my own wound and started to get up and go to her. Damn it! I sank back into the chair. My hands shaking with the pain.
