by Lisa Kessler
Cole came toward me, his face all business. “Where are you injured?”
I pointed at my knee.
He glanced down and back up. “Be right back.” He returned with a box cutter. Exposing the razor blade, he cut along the seam for a couple of inches and then tore the fabric open just past my knee. Starting at the bottom, he put pressure on the swelling. “Pain?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
He moved his hand up closer to my kneecap. “Now?”
“Fuck!” I blinked away stars clouding my vision. “Yeah. That hurts.”
He rocked back on his heels. “It’s too swollen for me to get a good idea if it’s broken or a torn ligament. I can take an X-ray at my office later; for now I’m going to get some ice. You need to keep it on your knee, okay?”
I nodded, and Cole headed behind the bar. If I had just lost Logan, there’s no way I would’ve been able to tend to other people. Maybe it made it easier for Cole if he kept busy. Either way, I appreciated his help.
Vance came over while Cole was busy filling a bag with ice. “We’ve got the bodies in the back of Raven’s van.” He scanned the bar. “And this place is as put together as it’s going to get.”
I looked up at him. “What’s Nero’s next move?”
He chuckled. “That would be way above my pay grade.”
I almost smiled. “I am not used to hearing jaguar shifters laugh.”
“If you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”
I shook my head, sobering. “Thanks for your help here.”
“No one wants the humans to find out shifters exist. We can all agree on that much.”
I stared at Raven pulling the trash bags free of the cans.
Vance nudged my shoulder. “You taking the lady back to Reno?”
“As soon as we can.”
But even with the physical mess cleaned up, I wasn’t sure Raven and I could just walk away. The shifters left behind, and the babies…they needed to pull together. They needed a Pack.
And an Alpha.
I couldn’t drive with my bum knee—hell, I almost couldn’t get into the damn van. We opened all the windows, but we couldn’t escape the stench of death. Raven didn’t complain. In fact, she barely spoke.
We were taking the dead to Caldwell’s estate. Back home, we cremated our dead out on Adam’s ranch where humans wouldn’t disturb us. It also didn’t leave any evidence for a medical examiner.
These bodies, riddled with gunshot and puncture wounds, meant we had to be extra careful the authorities didn’t discover them.
Isabelle let us in the gates, and Raven drove along the back toward a second garage. Her phone buzzed as she turned off the engine.
She stared at the screen, then over at me. “Is your cell on?”
“I didn’t turn it off.” I pulled it out, but the screen was black, the glass cracked in many places. I held it up. “But I guess my knee wasn’t my only casualty.”
She didn’t smile. “You’re not going to like this, but it was for your own good.”
I raised a brow and waited for her to go on.
“I texted Logan that you need your Pack doctor.”
“Shit.” I glanced out the window. “I told you I don’t want them mixed up in this.”
She got out of the van and came around to my side. I was already out, keeping my weight on my good leg. She slid her arm around my waist, but I didn’t move.
“Cole can handle this. I just need a brace and a crutch.”
Raven tipped her head back, her eyes narrowing a little. “Caldwell is dead. The threat is over. Let your Pack help you. Why are you being so hardheaded about keeping them from coming here?”
Good question. I wasn’t sure I knew the answer. It had started out being the danger of Caldwell bringing his Pack to Reno. I knew Adam couldn’t spare anyone when they were so outnumbered.
But now?
Grudgingly, I let Raven help me inside the house. Although we were at the far end of the sprawling mansion, the squeals of the little ones, free for the first time in their lives, warmed my heart. “Wait.”
Raven looked up at me. “Do you need to sit?”
“Not yet. I have to tell you something.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m not mad. You made the right call. It’s just…” I shook my head and stared out the window. “Ever since I got to Sedona, with my new job, you, this Pack, I’ve been Luke Reynolds, head trainer, mate, leader of a rebellion…” I chuckled, shaking my head. “As soon as Jason and Logan get here, I’m Logan’s little brother. The moody one, youngest guy in the Pack.”
I met her eyes. “I like who I am here. And in spite of all our injuries, I hear those little guys laughing, and I helped make that happen. I did it on my own.”
She reached up to cup my cheek. “You are so much more than Logan’s little brother. You showed us the way a Wolf Pack should be. Because of you, we all pulled together and believed we could be free from Caldwell.”
Her dark eyes searched mine. “I’m not in love with the baby of a Pack.” Her full lips curved into a sexy smile. “I’m in love with this amazing man who made me believe I matter. I’ve never met a better man with a bigger heart and the courage to match. No one can ever take that from you.”
My vision blurred as I blinked hard and pulled her close, kissing her slowly. Resting our foreheads together, my gaze locked on hers, I whispered, “You were worth waiting for.”
“I love you.” She kissed me once more. “And that text said Logan and Jason just landed in Phoenix. They’ll be here in a couple hours.”
“We better get busy. There’s still a lot to get done.”
Raven got me settled on the couch, and Cole put more ice on my knee, elevating it while Asher gave me an update.
“Vance and Jett are at the bar assuring the police the noises people heard were illegal fireworks, not gunfire.”
I raised a brow. “I didn’t see Jett at the fight tonight.”
Asher nodded. “He works for a security company as a bodyguard. He was on a job.”
“Okay.” I met his eyes. “What about Brock?”
He sighed, keeping his voice low. “Still unconscious. Cole’s worried he has internal bleeding.”
Not good. “Any sign of Blake?”
He shook his head. “Blake and Bo are still unaccounted for, but they’ve probably left town. Without Caldwell, they have no power here.”
“Where’s Gage?”
Asher tipped his head toward the other room. “He’s with Samantha. Caldwell mated her to Chase and Gage, with Chase gone…”
“He’s a good man.” I crossed my arms. “Are the twins his?”
He shrugged. “We don’t know.”
“You’re going to have to rebuild this Pack the right way. Just because a woman is bitten and can carry a shifter’s baby doesn’t make her his mate. The wolf inside decides, not the Alpha.” He still seemed puzzled, so I added, “If she finds her true mate and touches him, it won’t matter how well Gage treats her, she’ll need her mate. Same goes for him.”
“And the one who hasn’t found their mate yet…”
“…will be hurt they leave.”
He nodded slowly. “I understand.”
“You’ve got a lot to fix here.”
“We have a lot to fix.”
I frowned. “This isn’t my Pack.”
His gaze met mine. “But it could be. I already talked to Dex and Deacon. We want you and Raven to stay. You can be our Alpha.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Raven
I left Luke on the couch with Asher and went to find my sister. Tracking her scent, I found her behind Caldwell’s desk in his office. She set a folder down and got to her feet. We met in the middle of the room, hugging each other tight.
When she stepped back, her gaze held mine. “How are you holding up?”
“I killed a man today.” My voice wobbled, but I got the words out.
She pointed to my bandaged hand. “In
self-defense.”
I nodded. “Yeah, but still…”
“If it didn’t freak you out, I’d be worried about you.”
I smiled and sat in a leather chair; she took the one next to me. Picking at my nails, I whispered, “I’m sorry I got you mixed up in all this.”
“None of this was your fault. Bo bit you.”
I lifted my head. “I realized today that ever since Dad left, I wanted someone to save me, Mom, men, you…” I shook my head. “I’m through with that.”
She smiled. “You’re like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. You had the power all along.”
I rolled my eyes. “I wish I had discovered that a few years ago.”
“Time travel isn’t possible yet, so ease up on yourself.” She gripped my knee. “Just make the future count, okay?”
I nodded. “I plan to.”
Her gaze wandered to the door. “Have you thought about what happens next?”
“We haven’t made any real plans. I’m excited to go to Reno and get a fresh start.” I was sure I already knew the answer, but I had to ask. “Will you come with us?”
She sighed and went over to the desk. “I can’t. Caldwell kept everything rolled into his corporation, so I need to get some paperwork filed and set up a power of attorney. I’ll also have to get the word out that he’s gone abroad, pondering retirement. Then I’ll carve out all the businesses he stole and get them back to their rightful owners.”
I shook my head. “You got roped into this mess—you shouldn’t get stuck cleaning it up.”
She looked up from the paperwork. “There’s something else keeping me here.”
I frowned. “What?”
“Dad.”
My jaw went slack. “Dad? How so?”
She rested back into the chair. “When I was digging into Lana Sloan and Luke mentioned Nero’s breeding program and the school for psychics…” She stared at the ceiling. “Mom graduated from Brightwood. You and I have a connection to Nero somehow. I can feel it in my gut. We’re missing a big piece of the puzzle. They wouldn’t just let her walk away.”
“Can’t you research in Reno? Luke’s Pack has more intel about Nero than anyone here.”
“Wrong.” She shook her head. “Vance is here for now, and when he tells Severino that his buddy Caldwell is dead, he’ll probably send Sebastian back to get even, or take over, or who the hell knows. But this Pack was in bed with Nero. I’ve got a better chance at finding the information I’m looking for if I stay here.”
“I’m going to miss you.” My chest burned.
A soft smile warmed her lips, and for just a moment, she reminded me of our mother before our dad left. “Reno isn’t that far. We’ll visit and Skype. And once I have everything I need, I’ll head in your direction.”
“Deal.” I got up. “Logan and Jason, the doctor from Luke’s Pack, should be here soon to help out. You should let him look at your head. You could have a concussion.”
“He can check it, but I’m sure I’m fine. I’ve got a hard head.”
“I love you.”
She came over and held me tight. “I love you, too.” She pulled away and went back to the desk. “And you’re not leaving tonight, right? We’ve got a few more days.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t think Luke is good to travel yet.”
“So I’ll keep working here, and if I can find answers, I’ll start looking for work in Reno.”
I opened the gate for Logan and Jason’s SUV to pull through. Logan parked and got out, staring at the snow-topped peaks of the red rock mountains. Finally, he shook his head and turned my way.
“My brother didn’t tell me it’s so damned beautiful here.” Logan wore his hair longer than Luke, but otherwise, it would be tough to tell them apart. He covered the distance between us in a few steps and opened his arms. I gave him a quick squeeze, trying not to be starstruck.
But holy crap, Logan from Logan and the Howlers just hugged me!
He grinned. “Great to finally meet you, Raven.” He turned to the man behind him. “This is Dr. Jason Ayers.”
Jason wasn’t like any doctor I’d ever met. He was rugged and probably got mistaken for Hugh Jackman in airports. He had a duffel bag in one hand and offered me the other. I passed his hand and clasped his forearm.
He smiled, gripping my arm. “I forgot you’re already a wolf.” His attention shifted to the house. “Where’s my patient?”
I took them inside, and Luke got up despite Cole’s instructions not to move. Logan rushed forward and clasped his forearms before tugging his brother into a tight embrace.
“Good to see you.” Logan helped Luke back onto the couch. “You didn’t tell me your mate was gorgeous.”
Luke chuckled. “Didn’t want to make you jealous.”
They elbowed each other, reverting to ten-year-old boys, while Jason opened his bag.
Cole came around the corner and froze. “You must be Dr. Ayers.”
Jason stood up and nodded. “Yeah. Are you the Pack doctor here?”
“Pack medic.” Cole cleared his throat. “I’m actually a veterinarian, but I’m all we’ve got.”
I was expecting judgment or an aloof dismissal; instead Jason smiled and clasped his forearm. “Good to meet you. My dad is a vet, too. He was the Pack doctor up in Reno until I finished med school.”
“I’m Dr. Cole Vega.” His shoulders relaxed. “When you finish with Luke, maybe you can help me with one of our other guys. And Raven’s sister might have a concussion.”
Luke added, “Be sure you check Raven’s hand, too.”
“Sure.” Jason knelt in front of Luke. “Let me have a look at your knee, and then I’ll make the rounds with Cole for the others.”
While Jason worked on Luke, I went into the kitchen. Exhaustion weighed me down, but we had a houseful of werewolves who were going to be starving once the shock of the day wore off. I pulled open the fridge, scanning the contents, when I realized suddenly that I was inside Caldwell’s house and I wasn’t tense. The noises all around me didn’t have me jumpy, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It was over. I was free.
Sniffling, I fought back the wave of emotions threatening to drown me. I was not going to lose my shit in the middle of making dinner. I took out two large packages of hamburger meat and two big skillets. Tacos would be easy.
As I lit the burners, Kaya came around the corner. “Can I help?”
I plopped the hamburger meat into the pans. “Sure.”
While I seasoned the meat, I waited for a pang of jealousy, but it didn’t come. That was Caldwell’s doing, too. Kaya was beautiful and seemed intelligent—powerful, being a skin-walker—but in my heart, there was no doubt of my mate’s loyalty and love.
Kaya grated the cheese and glanced my way. “I guess this place will be yours now.”
“What?” I almost dropped the wooden spoon. “Why would you think that?”
“I thought… Sorry, there’s already whispering that Luke is going to be the new Alpha. I just figured you guys would move in here. It’s big enough for all of us to meet up. Made sense…”
Luke was going to be Alpha? Was that why he didn’t want his Pack coming down to Sedona?
I started stirring to keep the spoon from shaking in my hand. “We haven’t really talked about it yet, but his Pack is up in Reno.”
She set the grated cheese aside and started chopping lettuce. “He already has a job and a place to live here, right? Now he wouldn’t have to give it all up. He could join this Pack. Lead it.”
I hadn’t thought about his job on the ranch. He was proud of being the head trainer, and one of the horses had a chance to be a champion once show season started. What if Luke wanted to stay? He could always visit his family in Reno.
I went to the fridge to grab the tortillas, my throat tightening up at the thought of living in this house. No amount of renovations would erase the memories here. I put the tortillas in the warmer and popped it into the microwave.
Kaya set out all the taco fixings and glanced my way. “You and Luke would be good leaders here.”
I struggled to change the subject. “What’s next for you?”
She rested a hand on her hip. “First, I call the manager of my restaurant and find out what kind of bullshit story Caldwell fed him.”
“You own a restaurant?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Coyote Café.”
One of my favorite restaurants in Sedona. My eyes widened. “I should’ve let you cook dinner.”
She chuckled. “Nah, I’m probably out of practice after all these months in that damned unit he locked me in.”
“Do you have family here?”
“No. My blood relatives are dead. Maybe that’s why he chose me in the first place. But Caldwell didn’t know I was a skin-walker. I’m sure the others have been searching for me, but they wouldn’t involve law enforcement, either. If he convinced the manager of the restaurant I was fine, there’d be no one to report me missing.”
“Will you stay with the Pack here?”
She shrugged. “Skin-walkers are usually loners. We know the others exist, but we don’t bother each other. We’re not territorial like werewolves.” She leaned back on the counter. “Now I’ve got a foot in both worlds, and I probably don’t belong in either.”
“Those kids love you. And until things settle down, they’re going to need you.” I started opening cupboards until I found paper plates. I set them on the counter and met her eyes. “I’m sorry that I didn’t do something to get you all out sooner.”
“We all knew it was Caldwell.” Her gaze met mine. “You didn’t have any more power than we did, just fewer walls.”
I almost smiled, nodding slowly. “True.”
One by one, the werewolves who could walk followed the scent of tacos into the kitchen. Samantha and Gage came in with the little ones, loading up plates of tacos. He looked over at me and winked. “Thanks for the food.”
“Thanks for helping us today.” I shook my head slowly. “We never would have ended Caldwell without your help.”
