by Fel Fern
Santino stalked closer to the road, then heard it, the squeal of tires on gravel. He didn’t call his team yet, wanting to get a closer look at the situation. Usually, he’d let Hunter do the scouting. While he trusted the other senior warrior, this mission was too important to him. Between two trees, he finally spotted the open road.
Few vehicles seldom came this way, because any sensible person, human, paranormal, or Esper, knew not to enter the Devil Hills territory if they weren’t expecting a welcome. He finally spotted the white Toyota in the distance, a blue Road Ranger right behind it. Closing in on the two vehicles were two familiar unmarked white vans.
For some reason, the Discipline Squad always favored those. According to Deacon, Zack didn’t have any warriors with him. The two vans lowered their windows and two shooters, both aiming rifles, poked out. Fury swept over him. Zack had submissive shifters and children with him. How dare these fuckers open fire on them?
Santino didn’t hesitate. He threw back his head and let out a loud howl, warning his other team members to follow his lead. Knowing they got his back, Santino studied the scene again. Growing up, he’d been temperamental and reckless, but not anymore.
Seeing those shooters about to open fire on Zack and his party, he used his telekinesis to divert the bullets. Then he ran up ahead.
* * * *
“Shit, Zack. They have snipers,” Adam said, knuckles turning white on the wheel.
“Keep on driving. Damn it, where’s Santino and his team?” Zack demanded furiously, looking through the side mirror, heart in his throat seeing the shooters readying to fire. “Head down!”
He expected glass to shatter as both Adam and he ducked their heads. The car momentarily swerved to the left side of the road. The bullets made a thudding noise, but the glass didn’t shatter. What just happened?
Zack grabbed the wheel and dared raise his head, heart hammering. Were Milo and the others hit? Through the windows, he noticed the Road Ranger remained intact. What the hell just happened?
The snipers raised their guns against them. A monstrous piercing howl emerged from somewhere nearby. One of the human shooters yelled as the gun flew out of his hand, then the second. A bird of prey shrieked from somewhere nearby, echoed by a second.
“They have a telekinetic Esper with them,” he whispered, hands trembling. His cat hovered to the surface of his skin. Strange. Why did his inner animal seem so restless when it should be scared by now?
“Aren’t telekinetics supposed to be nearly extinct?” Adam asked. “Then again, I’m not surprised the most dangerous paranormal community in the country has one.”
One bullet managed to find its way to the Range Rover. His heart nearly stopped.
“Adam, stop the car.”
Adam looked ready to protest at his command but did as he asked. Zack began to open the door, but Adam gripped his arm.
“You’re too valuable, Zack,” Adam whispered, haunted look in his eyes.
“Milo and the others are in danger,” he said, flinging his hand away.
“Didn’t you hear that howl? They’re here. The wolves are here.”
Several other howls joined the one he heard earlier. Zack yanked the door open, images of the massacre replaying in his head. So many dead bodies on the ground, his packmates in either human or bobcat form. He’d wondered why the wolves, the dominant animal group in Silver Thunder, didn’t come to their aid. Zack hadn’t known back then that the humans took care of the Alphas first, then the wolves.
Mercifully, once his sneakers touched the asphalt, he didn’t falter. Zack ran for the Road Ranger. A bullet skid dangerously close to his feet. He jerked his head, breathing ragged. The shooter must have reached for another weapon, the gun pointed directly at him.
The shooter fired but something big and furry shoved his legs from under him. Zack fell face-first into the road, only to find the largest muscled werewolf he’d even laid eyes on using his body to shield him.
“Zack!” Adam yelled at him in alarm, about to approach him, but the werewolf’s snarl made him stay put.
Blinding aggressive energy rolled off this werewolf in waves, making him grow still. Zack never felt anything like it, not even from Henry, the Silver Thunder wolf Alpha.
Shapes poured out of the forests left of them. More werewolves. A screech sounded from near the trees, and he turned his head, seeing large red-tailed hawks, about three of them, closely watching them.
Zack knew the Devil Hills wolves had allied themselves closely with a group of hawk shifters and other paranormals, but it was still strange seeing them there. Silver Thunder had numerous groups living in the same land, but they always kept out of each other’s way. These hawk shifters seemed to be working with the werewolves.
Zack took gaze away from the large avian shifters and back to the wolves.
He watched, open-mouthed, as the six werewolves worked like a well-oiled unit. One slender female with tawny gold fur matched the speed of the first white van, sinking one claw into the van’s back tire. Another big male, not as huge as the one with the dark chocolate brown fur protecting him, went for the other van.
His werewolf protector then turned, and every muscle in Zack’s body froze up, seeing those eerie and outwardly silver-eyes. There was no mistaking who this was. Santino. Zack swallowed, but he knew how to deal with big, bad dominant shifters—-although he never quite encountered one who both scared and intrigued him this much.
“Adam, it’s okay, run up to the others,” he told Adam. The raven shifter was careful to walk around Santino, before darting to the Road Ranger. When he tried to follow, Santino used his body to block his path.
“I need to follow Adam and check the others. There are kids in there. I’ll also be at your disposal if any of your wolves need any healing,” he told Santino, whose response was to growl at his face.
Another werewolf with mottled gray fur instantly approached Santino, then looked to him. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the situation. This gray wolf was his escort. Why so much precaution? Of course, he thought, because Deacon and Santino needed him.
It was impossible, but Santino seemed capable of giving him an arrogant, lazy look, even in wolf form. Santino then turned away from him and the gray werewolf and surged into the fight.
The gray wolf gave him a push toward the Road Ranger. Zack recovered from his shock and hurried over to Adam, Milo, and the others. He opened the back door just as Milo and Gavin emerged from the front seats. Inside, Natasha looked spooked but unharmed. It seemed during the chaos, Tyler and Sammy shifted to werewolf pups.
“Everyone okay? Any injuries?” he blurted, helping Natasha out of the car. Both the werewolf pups seemed to feel safest with her, so he let her take them.
“We’re good,” Milo told him, still looking shaky.
Then the raven shifter turned sheet white as he stared behind them. He followed Milo’s gaze and sucked in a breath, seeing Santino and his wolves making short work of the Discipline Squad members.
The enforcer and his wolves had managed to drag all the humans out, but their guns and weapons seemed no match for them. Usually, the Discipline Squad members had ‘rehabilitated’ Espers who were part of their team. Those Espers were able to land a mental assault on a paranormal.
That momentary distraction gave the Squad members the opportunity to kill their enemies, who were able to use claws and fangs. However, even if the Squad members after them had any Espers on their team, it proved useless.
One lucky Squad member managed to fire at Santino, but the dominant werewolf moved amazingly fast for his size, and the bullet merely scored his side. Santino had the man’s throat in his jaws. Zack grimaced as Santino ripped out the man’s throat. The fight was over in seconds.
The other adults in his party shot him nervous and scared looks. Zack, too, had been rattled by the military efficiency of how Santino and his team ended the Squad members. Henry and Glenn’s management of their pack suddenly seemed so disorgan
ized to what they just witnessed.
Santino returned to them, silver-eyed gaze solely focused on him. Both Milo and Adam automatically shielded him. The damn gray werewolf who was their escort let out a whine that suspiciously sounded like a laugh.
“Zack,” Adam whispered as he gently pushed his way past the two men.
Both raven shifters weren’t warriors, wouldn’t probably stand a second against Santino or any of his wolves in a real fight, but their protectiveness touched his heart. Zack knew he’d confront Santino sooner or later, though. Sweat dripped down his back. He’d lied to Deacon Becker to allow him and the others in their territory.
They might have survived the Squad members, but Zack had another battle. He couldn’t tell the blood-splattered enforcer who looked more like a hell-hound than a werewolf that he didn’t know the first thing about helping his sister.
Chapter Four
Santino didn’t know what it was about the little healer that set him off. Zack’s scent hit him like a wrecking ball, making him forget about caution. The wolf in him had turned wild, savage, and out-of-control almost, something that hadn’t happened to him since his childhood. Seeing the slender, golden-haired and green-eyed bobcat shifter run out of his car and right into danger pissed him off more than anything.
He hadn’t been aware of time passing. Once in the heat of battle, he let his wolf’s instincts take over. He’d trained and worked with his team for so long, they practically knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Santino had no doubt in his mind that they’d worked without needing to communicate. He’d already briefed them about the mission objectives earlier.
Knowing the lives of the men and women under him depended on his choices, Santino considered a situation from every angle. He’d always prized his control, except today he went off-script after scenting Zack in the air.
Werewolves might mate with other species they consider mate-material the way Deacon had been attracted to Daryl. However, even among the shifter world, being attracted to a man belonging to another animal group was rare.
Mate?
Why his thoughts started sliding down that direction, he didn’t know. Santino never imagined taking a mate and always considered himself a free spirit. After spending half his childhood in captivity, he decided the only orders he’d take were from Deacon.
Leaving his other wolves to finish off the humans, he padded toward the frightened group of refugees huddled near the Range Rover with the flat tire. He gauged each one, silently assessing if any of them might be a threat to his pack and community.
His wolf confirmed none of them were dominant shifters. That done, he focused his gaze on Zack. Instantly, two of the shifters, avians of some kind his wolf informed him, blocked Zack from his sight. He snarled softly, would have chuckled if he were in human form.
Did they seriously think they could keep Zack away from him?
Still, the warrior in him approved of their actions. These two avian shifters understood that, as a healer, Zack was valuable. Zack, the brave little bobcat, gently pushed his way forward to confront him.
Santino recalled how this little healer had told him, no, demanded, he wanted to see the others in the truck. Only a truly foolish or gutsy individual could try and stare down a dominant shifter of his power.
The click of paws on asphalt told him some of his wolves padded behind him. The others, led by Ariel, would spread out to make sure there weren’t any other Squad members in the vicinity, just like they discussed before discarding human forms and shifting to wolves.
The refugees shivered. They all smelled of fear, which Santino didn’t take to well. He still didn’t like being around packmates who were scared of him or his sister, simply because they saw them as different. Dominant pack members were the protectors of the pack, so it made no sense why they feared him. All except Zack refused to meet him in the eye. Interesting.
“Are you going to keep glowering at me, or will you talk to me face-to-face?” Zack had the balls to ask.
Just to make sure none of them harbored malicious intentions, he gently brushed against their minds using his Esper abilities, something Sabine had taught him. His powers were more on the offensive side, but he considered this little trick useful. That was the reason why Deacon would either bring him or his sister during a meeting with other paranormals, to make sure there was no foul play involved.
Santino shed his wolf skin, ignoring the snarls of his other wolves. They were just being protective, as usual. These fugitives wouldn’t think about hurting him or his wolves, not when they needed something badly from them.
They stared. Someone let out a gasp. He wasn’t surprised. This was the usual reaction from strangers who met him for the first time. He was used to being gawked at. Even Zack gulped, gave him one quick look.
“And what are you looking at, little cat?” Santino couldn’t help but ask, amused Zack focused his attention entirely on his face now. “See something interesting?”
Zack bit on his bottom lip and his hand flew through the air. His poor face was probably a target. Santino wasn’t worried. He had thick skin. Still, his wolf liked this bold and feisty cat shifter. Santino easily caught the healer’s wrist. Zack’s pulse jumped under the skin, and he could smell Zack’s faint arousal in the air.
“There are children with us,” Zack said with a hiss.
He laughed. “I’m not worried. They’re asleep.”
Shit. Did he come off as a dick? Santino didn’t mean to. This little healer just intrigued him on so many levels he didn’t quite understand yet.
Zack narrowed his eyes and whipped his attention to the woman holding the two werewolf pups. Seeing the pups made Santino bite back a snarl. The pups looked about Sabine’s age when his seven-year-old self made that decision to cross the Devil Hills territory. He hated it when children were caught in the cross-fire of war. It was inevitable but it still pissed him off, made him wish he killed those humans more slowly.
When he returned his attention to Zack, he noticed the healer watching him closely. Zack seemed to have decided something about him, because the healer nodded.
“I’m sorry,” Zack began, the apology surprising him. The healer blew out a breath. “We got off the wrong foot. I didn’t mean to be rude. We’ve all just been on edge lately. Do any of your wolves need healing?”
“Just minor injuries. That wasn’t much of a fight,” he answered.
Zack bit his lower lip, as if he wanted to say more but stopped himself at the last second. Fuck, but all Santino wanted to do was jerk the little bobcat shifter close and claim those tempting lips. He imagined Zack would be all fire at first, kissing him back fervently before yielding to him, his submission all the sweeter.
Shit. Any more fantasies of the healer and everyone would see he rocked a boner for Zack.
“Santino, no signs of any more Discipline Squad members,” Ariel said, changing to human form to report to him.
One of the hawks flew toward their direction, revealing Miguel, a hawk enforcer he’d worked with often.
“Santino, my hawks have already relayed the message to the other wolves. Lance will be arriving to escort our visitors back to town,” Miguel reported.
He thanked the other shifter, who changed back to hawk form.
Santino silently thanked both Ariel and Miguel for the distraction. Addressing Ariel, he said, “Remain on guard just in case they decided to wait.” She nodded, turned back to wolf, and rejoined Jared and Noah.
“Lance, our Beta, will be arriving soon to escort you and the others back to town. Since your truck’s no longer running, some of you can hitch a ride with him,” Santino said.
“Are you coming with us?” Zack blurted.
“You can trust Lance,” Santino told him, amused. Most folks, paranormal or other, would avoid hanging around him any longer. Even packmates feared him or wanted to find out what it was like tangling with the Devil in the bedroom.
“My cat associates you with safety,�
�� Zack admitted, color rising to his cheeks and neck.
Fuck, the healer looked adorable.
“Safety? Most people think the exact opposite,” he said, flashing the healer a dangerous smile. This little cat better learn fast that involving himself with Santino would only bring bad news. Santino would hate to disappoint Zack, and he needed the healer’s abilities. Screw lust.
Lance’s familiar red Ford truck appeared in his line of sight, sparing Santino from more conversation. The more time he spent around Zack, the more fascinated his wolf got. That wasn’t good. Santino didn’t do romance. All the members in the pack and the other unmated paranormals in town knew that rule.
Lance stopped the truck a few meters from Zack’s car and got out. He had Jerry, a senior warrior, with him. The Beta took stock of the situation.
The Beta had frequent arguments with Sabine and him, especially when they disagreed with Lance’s decisions. Deacon needed the Beta for his logical and calm thinking, though, and in front of outsiders, Lance and he would always put the pack as their number one priority.
“Any problems?” Lance asked him.
“Nope. We encountered a couple of dicks in white. My team will stay for cleanup. I’ll supervise. At the same time, we’ll make sure we have no other uninvited visitors,” he said.
Lance raised one golden brow. The Beta probably knew he never stuck around for a soldier’s job, because as an enforcer he had other duties to attend to. They also both knew it was unlikely the Discipline Squad would send out more men, because the Squad knew it would only end one way—with more of their members dead.
“Fine. I’m sorry, which of you is Zack?” Lance asked with a smile.
Despite being a dominant werewolf, Lance somehow always possessed the ability to put other submissive and weaker shifters at ease.
“I’m Zack,” Zack said, then introduced the others.
