Bearly Rescued: A Howls Romance (The Mates of Bear Paw River Book 3)

by Everleigh Clark

  “Bossman said to expect you, wolf.” The scrawny man in the guard uniform took one more drag from his cigarette and gazed at her in revulsion.

  She could reach in the window and snap his neck before he yelled for his mama. She let the glow of her eyes show her wolf was at the front, waiting for her command.

  Scrawny gulped, his eyes widening as he grabbed the phone and pressed back away from the window. Good. Scrawny had half a brain. “Sir, she’s here. Yes, sir.” He hung up the phone, his hand shaking as he set it down on the counter. “Boss says to head down to the white room immediately.”

  She growled.

  “Please?” Nervous energy radiated from him as he picked up the pack of cigarettes and his lighter and tried three times before successfully getting the end to spark. Poor guy was barely old enough to vote and shave, and here he was doing the most dangerous thing in his life. Probably why he was out here doing the easy job instead of guarding the prisoners.

  “You know those things are going to kill you?” She leaned onto the small counter in front of the barred window.

  “Whatever. Go on in. He and Doc are waiting for you in the white room.” He backed up into the safety of his little cage. “Bitch.” He sneered and took another long drag. “That’s what you call a female wolf, right?”

  “You’re correct. Excuse me.” She stepped away from the punk who was stupid enough to think he was safe from harm behind the flimsy excuse of a guard shack. He’s not worth it, she reminded her wolf. It was still itching for a fight, and they’d get one soon enough.

  “I got to watch them beat the shit out of your boyfriend last night. It was awesome. I’ve never seen so much blood.”

  Isabella started walking. Don’t engage. Not worth it. She’d save Caleb soon enough. She patted her shoulder, confirming her quiver, bow, and Sam’s sword were all snugly attached, and continued past the guard shack.

  “Yeah, and later I get to fuck the bear chick you brought in. After they carve her up and get her ready for me. I don’t normally like fat bitches, but the guys said after they were done with her, I wouldn’t even be able to tell what I was screwing.” His high-pitched laugh grated down her spine. “Besides, she’s just an animal.”

  Isabella’s fist clenched and unclenched. She was under their influence, right? As much as her wolf wanted to give the smart-ass punk a good smackdown, it wouldn’t help. And they needed to continue thinking she was still their bitch. She would stall Bossman and his henchmen long enough to find Caleb and give Stone’s team time to gain access to the facility. Thank the Goddess for Caleb’s inside work. Now they had to hope nothing had changed after she’d escaped. “Yeah, just an animal,” she replied and marched past the gate and through the front doors. She shuddered as the chill crept down her spine. The doors closed with a loud thunk behind her. State-of-the-art metals and doors, shiny, pale linoleum floors—easier to clean blood from—led to the head dick-in-charge’s office.

  Easy girl. She took a few slow, measured breaths, her boots clomping along the floor as she made her way past the small cafeteria. She wasn’t trying to be silent—she wanted them to know she was coming. Two burly-looking meatheads with pistols at their hips glared at her as she strode past the HDIC’s office. “Hey, Bossman said to meet him in the white room.”

  The one on the left made a fist but stopped from raising it toward her when the voice called from inside the room.

  “I’m in here now. Come in.”

  Yeah, she knew that voice. The sick, sadistic bastard who had taken so much pleasure in watching them beat her. The coward didn’t do any of the dirty work himself. No, he got his band of thugs to do it for him. But in his wild eyes—the gleam of a madman enjoying sadistic voyeurism. When they’d broken her nose and blackened both her eyes, the first day, Frankie had giggled in delight. Like a kid opening a birthday present. Isabella had finally had to shift so she could heal.

  Frankie’s thin eyebrows had risen to his hairline and he’d licked his lips and giggled manically, liked he’d been about to jump up and down and ask the cool new pet to do the trick again. But Bossman, with his steepled fingers, unblinking focused eye contact, watched everything completely in control. Yeah, he’d loved it, but it had been more scientific than Frankie with his crazed obsession. She’d forced herself not to shift back to human until they had her back in her cell. It was bad enough when Frankie had touched and prodded every fucking inch of her body while fur-covered. Once the injections started, she hadn’t been able to control her own shifting anymore. Thankfully, they hadn’t wanted to rape her or play with her when naked, human, and shivering from the necessary shifts. That might have killed her right there.

  The way Bossman was contemplating her now—not so much as a test subject he wanted to experiment on, but rather something new and shiny he wanted to play with—it caused her stomach to churn with disgust. She didn’t retch on his shiny shoes. Only because she hadn’t eaten before she came. She’d wanted her wolf hungry.

  And it was hungry, all right. Hungry for vengeance.

  Bossman grinned at her and played the recording loud enough to blast her ears, and she winced and took a step back. He easily caught up to her and injected her. Those chemicals and awful words which would make her a slave to his every desire. He’d say jump, she’d say how high. He’d tell her to kill someone, and she’d rip the throat out of the nearest person and then ask who he wanted her to kill. Such was the intensity of the aggression the hypnotism produced in her wolf side. Holy hell, he really was creating a perfect war machine. And she was at ground zero.

  Bossman played it once more and cocked his head. “How are you feeling?”

  She didn’t recoil from his touch. “How do you think I’m feeling, sir?”

  “I think you’re feeling a bit hungry, ready to dole out some pain. What do you say?”

  She flung a hand out and gripped the guard nearest to her, around his throat. His eyes went wide with terror as she scraped a claw against his neck, drawing blood.

  “Sir?” The poor guy didn’t know if his boss wanted him to fight back or let her kill him. Awesome.

  She squeezed harder and used her thumbnail to draw some blood on the other side of his neck. It should have scared her how much more easily this came to her. Violence. She knew the effects were out of her system, so this new kick-ass-and-hurt-people side was all her. Her wolf and Izzy. She hoped her peaceful, vegetarian side wasn’t forever gone. But, for now, she needed to play the part.

  “Hold that thought,” Bossman said with a cool smile.

  She released the big guy, who bent over and took ragged breaths. Cocking her head at Bossman, she awaited her next instruction.

  “Get the new female prisoner and bring her to the white room. Feel free to knock her around a bit. I want her ready for testing.”

  She followed the other guard out the door, knowing she needed to make this look good. She still needed to give her reinforcements time to get in place.

  “Yo, bitch,” Isabella snarled as she opened the heavy, metal door and glared at Sam. “Get up.”

  Dirty, messed-up hair and dark bags under her eyes seemed to be about the extent of her injuries.

  Isabella released a sigh of relief that her new friend wasn’t hurt too badly—yet. Unfortunately, Isabella still had a role to play.

  She strode over to the furious, goth-looking chick and punched her in the cheek.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Sam hurtled a fist toward her, ready to retaliate, but the two guards grabbed her, yanking her arms behind her back. Sam was reining her bear in. Even after all the drugs thrown through her system, they hoped Ida’s countermeasures had worked. Izzy wouldn’t know for sure until Sam shifted. But not yet. They had to get close enough to save Caleb and take down Bossman. And Izzy couldn’t do it without the help.

  The violence in Sam’s eyes assured her Sam wished she could have shifted by now. Instead, she growled and spewed obscenities at Isabella as the guards carried her to
the door.

  “The boss said to bring you to the white room for reconditioning.” Isabella smiled at her, fangs lengthening. “He also said I could play with you a bit along the way. So, let’s play.” Isabella backhanded her, allowing the tip of her claws to graze her cheek.

  Three angry lines of red showed on Sam’s face, and the bear in her rumbled in rage.

  Still not enough, though. Isabella prayed she could get Sam’s bear to the front before they made their escape. They’d need it.

  The guards carried the cursing, pissed-off woman down the hall, her legs flailing, screeching with rage and frustration. Isabella led the way. Hurry up, guys. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.

  When they got to the room that had haunted her for three weeks, Isabella’s heart slammed in her throat. The scent of violence and death coated the room. In the corner, strapped to the chair, was Caleb. Oh my God. He’d been through hell and back—at least twice. Blood matted his forehead, ears, and neck. One eye was practically swollen shut, his lips thick and bleeding. But that wasn’t what scared her the most.

  It was the haunted defeat in his eyes when he saw her. He truly believed her to be a monster who had turned him over to the vilest of the vile. He might never forgive her after this was over, but it didn’t matter now. What mattered was saving him and the other shifters. Caleb could hate her for the rest of their lives, but at least he would be alive.

  She shuttered her thoughts and emotions, plastering a look of indifference on her face as she strode in.

  “Why?” His voice was scratchy and dry. They probably hadn’t given him food or water, wanting to break him down before trying any testing. Caleb was too strong—much stronger than the others she had seen.

  She gazed past him to the wall of instruments and vials of blood and drugs, not wanting him to see the shame in her eyes.

  “Because I told her to.” Bossman walked in and flicked on the fluorescent lights, causing Caleb to wince. “Yeah, see, I didn’t get a chance to explain this part yet, but you animals are part of a new project I’ve been asked to head up. Furry trained soldiers at my command. All it takes is a little conditioning.” He snapped his fingers and pointed at the spot in front of him.

  Isabella strode over and stood between the two men. On one side, her enemy, on the other, her heart. “What are my orders, sir?”

  Chapter Ten

  Caleb couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His sweet pacifist, Izzy, standing in a soldier’s position of attention, ready to obey this man’s command. She’d betrayed him, right? The words replayed in his head. Conditioning. The music, the tests, the drugs. Understanding dawned.

  “So, you’re starting to get it, grizzly?” Bossman laughed. “It’s a highly specialized form of hypnosis using drugs, implanted thoughts, and triggers. We found her triggers easily. Yours, on the other hand, we’re still working on. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to do this nice and neat and slow. So, we’re going to have to get a bit messier.”

  Isabella furrowed her brow and tilted her head toward her master.

  “Why don’t you give lover boy one last kiss for old time’s sake.”

  He shouldn’t have told Bossman about his love for her, or that he would die to protect his mate, but it had come tumbling out in a fit of rage in the middle of Doc’s sessions last night. He’d even fessed up to helping Isabella escape and blaming it on the new guard. Holy shit, he had to get control of himself before he hurt someone. But right now, even with the pain of seeing the woman who had singlehandedly thrown him to the wolves—the human kind—he was seriously losing it.

  Isabella’s demeanor changed. Gone was the warrior, and in her place a seductress with swiveling hips and full breasts. She flounced over to Caleb and worked her mouth up his body. Caleb groaned as Isabella started with his naked ankles, running her tongue up his calf and over his knee. Her soft fingers mirrored the action on his other leg. Lips and fingers, with a tiny bit of playfully clawing up his thighs. She didn’t pull up the hospital gown covering his groin, instead running her mouth quickly over his steel-hard cock then up, and up. When she reached his neck, she grazed him with her sharp claw, and he groaned again as his traitorous body surged even more to life. Fuck. Even in a life-or-death situation, he was hard for this woman. She enclosed his lips with her warm mouth, licking along the seam, plunging into his mouth. She sucked on his tongue then bit his lower lip. Damn. It hurt so good, and he wanted more. Yeah, he was screwed. When she released him, he thought he saw something blazing in her eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came, and her cold gaze shuttered back into place. She cupped his balls once, giving them a good squeeze before getting off him. “Anything else, sir?”

  Bossman had turned up the low music with the special words, so it was now blaring.

  Caleb’s head was already killing him. He tried to tune out the noise and the high-pitched sounds that made him feel like puking. A sharp jab radiated pain in his right arm. The doctor had given him another set of the animal juice. Shit. Whatever it was, it made his head spin.

  Now there were two Izzys crawling on the floor, kissing the tops of his feet. His bear released an angry roar. It wasn’t much more than a puff of air and a fucking whine. His limbs were heavy, and his head felt like it could float right off his shoulders. Dammit, he had to keep his wits. If Izzy was under this asshole’s control, she was in danger. He forgave her right then. None of this was her fault. His mate hadn’t betrayed him. She’d been brainwashed by this sick bastard who giggled as she ran her hands up the sides of his legs. The fog cleared from his brain, and he watched both females merge back into one. His mate. Only. He growled, and this time, it came out like it should. Low and rumbly, vibrating through the entire room.

  “I think we need more incentive, Roger,” Frankie whispered quietly.

  “Damn. I was hoping to not have to push to this extreme, but…” Bossman—Roger?—snapped his fingers, and Isabella jumped to attention. “Open the blinds.”

  Izzy strode to the other wall and pulled back the curtain. It was one of those one-way windows into the next room.

  Shit.

  He knew that furious glare, those snapping jaws, and that vicious mouth. The jet-black hair with streaks of pink and purple. Sam was thrashing with all her might against the two guards who were pinning her down to shackle her to the bed. No! They ripped her shirt open and laughed when she screamed in terror and rage. Blood streaked her cheek.

  Of all the things his tough, younger cousin could take, she would never withstand this. Not a second time. As the world slowed around him, the loud, echoing sounds of the music heightened and his gaze tunnel-visioned. He hadn’t been able to protect her that day. And the moment was repeating itself.

  “No!” he roared.

  ~.~

  Isabella knew the exact moment the switch flipped. Caleb’s eyes darkened, and his pupils enlarged, taking up the whole eye. Black as death. The inhuman roar of helpless rage swept over him. He shuddered. Before her stood a beast of a grizzly. And he wanted to kill everything he saw. And she, lucky girl she was, was first in his sight since the two guards had shuffled behind her. Frankie and Bossman had quickly left the room. They wanted to see their new soldiers in action. Crapola on a stick. She inched back ever so slowly, never taking her eyes from his vicious claws and strength. “Come on, big guy. You don’t want to do this.”

  A low growl was his reply. He took a long, slow breath, his huge body charging up for its attack. Isabella did the math in her head quickly. One hundred twenty-pound female vs. Goliath. Her wolf snorted at her. We could hold him off in wolf form better than the weaker one.

  No, she told her wolf. If Caleb sees us as an animal, the threat in his mind grows. We do this the old-fashioned way.

  Scream like a little girl and run?

  Yep.

  Okay, but stop lying about your weight.

  Fine. One thirty. Ish. Duck!

  Isabella ducked. She couldn’t stop the high-pitched shri
ek that left her mouth as the large arm swept down right where her head at been.

  I can’t believe our boyfriend is trying to decapitate us!

  Isabella ignored her wolf’s frantic howl to get into the action. She squirmed behind the metal counter. The whole thing lifted off the cement hinges and crashed into the other wall. If she could make it to her bow, which she’d dropped by the med cabinet in her moment of panic, she could hit him with a dose of Ida’s new formula.

  Crazy Boyfriend Griz followed her glance and rumbled in rage, beating her to the cabinet. No!

  Vials, papers, and syringes spilled onto the floor, glass shattering under his large paws. Forgetting all about the many ways he could crush her, tear her limb from limb, and pretty much kill her with one paw, she scrambled forward. Glass embedded in her palms. She winced but slid forward on her tummy. Catching the last syringe, she rolled out of the way as jacked-up Grizzly went all rampage on the cabinet.

  Okay, she had to get out of his line of sight, keep him distracted, and somehow get the needle through his thick fur. Was this the special syringe made specifically for them when they were shifted? It was hard to tell with all the lights flickering on and off. And hello, she wasn’t uncapping it to test on her little pinky.

  Step one – Don’t get mauled by your grizzly-bear boyfriend who wants you for breakfast. And not the sexy way.

  Step two – Distract the big guy before he takes off your head, or the hand holding the syringe.

  Step three – Pray you got the right antidote and pierce his thick fur without losing your arm or head.

  Step four – Run away as fast as you can, with or without girly screams of terror, and pray the antidote works before he kills you.