by Brenda Trim
He drove like a bat out of hell toward Safe Haven, running a red light and a few stop signs. Luckily, the traffic was next to nothing and he made it to the hotel in record time. He pulled off the main road and continued down the dirt path, only to come to a halt when an iron gate and security station came into view. That was new since the last time he had been there less than a month ago. He wondered if something else happened after the fire at Jeremiah’s house to prompt such swift action.
Ryan Scott, Lawson’s older brother, stepped from the security station. Zane pulled up and rolled down his window. Ryan smiled when he recognized him then reached inside the security booth and activated the gate release. The iron door swung wide, and Zane drove through. The door immediately shut behind him, and he heard the latch of the lock.
“Hey, Ryan. What’s all this?” Zane asked the shifter, and Ryan’s eyes bulged when they landed on Zane’s blood-soaked hoodie.
“What the hell happened to you?” he blurted.
“I stopped at the gas station up the road, and two men attacked me and a shifter,” Zane informed and nodded toward the back seat.
“Holy fuck! Is he…”
Zane nodded. “I’m afraid so. One of the men pulled a shotgun––” he trailed off, knowing Ryan would piece together how the story ended. “I didn’t know what to do with him, but I figured Lawson would. What’s going on anyway? Is that why you have a security station now?”
“Yeah, Lawson decided a gate wasn’t enough. He wants twenty-four-hour security of the place. Shit hit the fan after you left. This city has lost its fucking mind. Lawson’s just doing whatever it takes to keep us safe. Glad to see you, man. Are you staying for a while?”
“I’m thinking about it. Hoping I can help out, for whatever that’s worth,” Zane replied with a half-smile.
“Oh, it’ll help. Lawson and Bart will be relieved when they find out you’re back. Never hurts when a lawyer joins the team. They’ve been beyond frustrated, trying to get things moving in the right direction legally. Head on up to the hotel, and I’ll inform Lawson that you’re here,” Ryan instructed and reached inside the booth for a two-way radio.
“Thanks, man. See ya later,” Zane replied and drove toward the hotel.
As soon as his truck reached the clearing, his mouth dropped. There were dozens of tents scattered around the hotel. Countless shifters milled about, and Zane realized he didn’t recognize even one of them from the last time he had been there. Ryan wasn’t kidding when he said shit hit the fan.
Lawson and his mate Liv, exited the back door of the hotel. Liv was sporting a slightly rounded belly which made Zane smile. She almost lost the baby when she tumbled down the stairs of the courthouse during a riot. Seeing her pregnant was a small shred of hope during this tumultuous time.
Zane hopped out of his truck, and Liv immediately rushed to his side. “Oh my God, Ryan mentioned you were hurt, but didn’t say how severe it was,” she blurted as she lifted the hem of his sweatshirt.
“I think the bleeding has almost stopped. I really don’t want to visit the ER tonight,” he admitted then glanced to Lawson. “How are you doing?”
“We’re hanging in there. As you can see, we have a lot of guests at Safe Haven,” Lawson relayed as he looked toward the tent city on the property.
“Yeah, I see that. Where did they come from?” Zane inquired.
“You need stitches,” Liv interjected. “Let’s get someone to cover Ryan’s shift so he can take care of this for Zane,” she stated to Lawson.
Lawson pulled out a two-way radio and instructed Knox to cover for Ryan so he could return to the hotel. He ended his call and met Zane’s gaze. “They’ve been flocking here since the trial. The city has become violent and unsafe. We have three packs living here right now. We ran out of room inside the hotel, so this was the only quick solution. Hopefully, they won’t be here for too long. Packs don’t typically mix well when thrown together,” he explained with a grimace. Zane could only imagine the stress Lawson was under, trying to keep the peace between so many shifters.
Brenlee stepped from the hotel, and Zane couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her long, blonde hair was braided down one side and there was a childlike bounce to her step. Was she as happy to see Zane as he was to see her?
As soon as she saw the blood on his shirt, she rushed to his side. “What happened? Are you okay?” she exclaimed. The urge to pull her into an embrace was overwhelming, and Zane had to force his arms to remain by his side.
“I ran into some trouble at the gas station. Two men attacked me and a shifter. One of the men had a knife,” he informed them as he glanced down at his injury, “and the other guy had a shotgun. The shifter didn’t survive,” he added solemnly.
“Ryan said you brought him with you. Thank you for doing that,” Lawson voiced and placed his hand on Zane’s shoulder.
“I wish I could’ve saved him. The whole thing happened so fast. I did manage to get their license plate number. I’d call the police immediately and see if they can track down their vehicle,” Zane remarked and glanced toward Brenlee.
“Fuck calling the police. They won’t help us. In fact, they’ll probably say it was the shifter’s fault,” Lawson barked as he snatched the piece of paper from Zane’s hand. Lawson stood several inches taller than Zane and he was wide as a house. Intimidating was an understatement where the pack leader was concerned.
Still, this wasn’t what Zane had in mind when he wrote down the vehicle’s plate number. “Lawson, I understand why you feel that way, but you need to understand that fighting violence with violence isn’t the answer. I came back to Tennessee to help you, but we’ve got to do this legally. Otherwise, I can’t be involved,” he explained and pinned Lawson with a glare.
Lawson shoved the paper in his back pocket, his eyes never leaving Zane’s. He thought the shifter would tell him to go back home from his demeanor. Zane didn’t blame him for wanting revenge, but he believed in the justice system, and couldn’t start breaking laws for the shifter community, or anybody, for that matter.
Finally, Lawson spoke. “We’ll do this your way, for now. But I refuse to sit back while my people are mistreated,” he declared and crossed thick arms over his chest.
“Fair enough,” Zane replied and glanced to Brenlee to see her reaction to their conversation.
Her gaze was fixated on the back seat of Zane’s truck. “I hate what’s happening. When will the violence end?” she said to no one in particular as her light brown eyes misted over.
“I’m working on it, Bren,” Lawson replied. “Would you take Zane inside and clean his wound for Ryan?”
Her head jerked toward her brother. “Of course,” Brenlee answered and grabbed Zane’s hand. “Come with me.”
Her skin was warm against his, and even though she had large hands for a woman, it felt right in his palm. He didn’t want to let go of her hand when they entered the kitchen. Maybe he should get injured more often, Zane thought to himself. It was worth it to get the added attention from Brenlee.
Chapter 3
Brenlee watched as her brother Ryan, stitched Zane’s injury. She tried to focus on the area where he was stabbed but her gaze continuously drifted to his bare torso. She had no idea Zane was so muscular. She recalled riding with him on the four-wheeler when she had wrapped her arms around his solid frame. She’d known then that he was well-built but damn, the male was lip-licking goodness. Now, she wished she’d run her hands over his chiseled chest when she’d had the opportunity.
She mentally chastised herself. What was her problem, ogling the half-naked male? She was acting like her sister Haylee, for Pete’s sake. Brenlee quickly shook off her inappropriate thoughts and considered the reason behind Zane’s injury.
She couldn’t believe he was in a fight that ended with the death of a shifter and Zane suffering a stab wound. What was the world coming to?
Her whole life, humans and shif
ters cohabitated without violence. Granted, shifters got the short end of the stick and were basically segregated from humans, but at least there was a mutual understanding between them. She never imagined it would turn into a bloody war over shifters’ civil rights. Animals had more rights than they did it seemed.
“Alright, that should do it,” Ryan informed Zane as he tied the last surgical knot and snipped the suture thread. “You know, I’m very impressed with your body’s healing ability. Most humans would’ve bled out from such a deep laceration. You must have a little shifter blood still running through your veins,” he said with a chuckle.
“Maybe,” Zane replied as he slipped a clean shirt over his head.
Brenlee couldn’t deny she missed the sight of his bare chest. It was hard to ignore when his flat nipples hardened under her scrutiny. Her cheeks heated when their eyes locked, and she immediately diverted her gaze.
She sighed in relief when Lawson, Liv and Ryan’s life mate Cassie, walked into the room. It was just the kitchen, but they had turned it into a makeshift medical room. “We really need to turn one of the conference rooms into a medical facility, given the number of injuries this kitchen has seen,” Liv admitted with a shake of her head.
“I agree,” Ryan agreed and leaned down, placing a kiss on Cassie’s forehead when she approached him.
Cassie was a petite female, barely five feet tall which made her a midget among the tall shifters. Even Liv, the other human female at Safe Haven, was much taller than Cassie. Still, Brenlee thought Cassie and her brother made an adorable couple. Ryan was wild and reckless before meeting Cassie and, from what Liv told Brenlee, Cassie was, too. They balanced each other, and it just worked. The sexual chemistry between the couple was off the charts. It added to what Brenlee hoped to find with a male someday.
“So, are you staying a while this time?” Lawson asked Zane as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“That’s the plan. You mentioned before that I could stay here until I found a place, but it looks like your hands are full with the new additions. I’ll start looking for an apartment tomorrow morning. Any chance I can stay here one night?” Zane asked. Brenlee’s gaze darted to Lawson. She wasn’t aware he offered him a place to stay, but her heart raced at the thought of Zane being so near.
“Of course, you can. I had no idea so many shifters would seek refuge here, but we’ll find a spot for you,” Lawson responded and rubbed his chin. It was a familiar sight when her brother was deep in thought, and she recalled it was something their father did when he was alpha of the pack. Bittersweet memories had emotion clogging Brenlee’s throat.
“The room above the workshop is vacant,” Brenlee chimed in then cleared her throat. She hated that she wore her heart on her sleeve. Just thinking about her dad had her on the verge of tears. “He could stay there,” she quickly added, hoping no one noticed her watery eyes.
“That’s true. It’s not being used,” Lawson replied. “It’s nothing fancy but, on the positive side, you’ve got the best view on the property. And, it’s peaceful and quiet,” the alpha leader added.
“Yeah, thanks. That would be great. I won’t be in your hair too long, I promise,” Zane assured them then looked to Brenlee curiously. Did he want to see her reaction, or had he noticed she was a weepy female? She looked away, not knowing what to say.
“Stay as long as you want,” Lawson offered and clapped Zane on the shoulder. “We’re just happy you’re here to help. I know you and Bart will find a way to make things right.”
“Speaking of Bart, where is he? I’d like to get with him and discuss our game plan,” Zane changed the subject as he ran his hand through his long bangs, pushing them out of his face. Brenlee liked when they fell forward, covering one of his eyes. He oozed sexy, and she guessed females threw themselves at the handsome attorney.
“He and Erika are scoping out the new property beside Safe Haven. He made an offer on it, and we should hear something by the end of the week,” Lawson relayed and held up a hand, crossing two fingers.
“Why wouldn’t they accept the offer?” Zane asked with furrowed brows.
“It’s no secret he’s chosen the shifter side. Might hold it against him,” Ryan interjected with a huff. “Bastards.”
“So, buy it yourself,” Zane countered.
“Doesn’t work that way. Shifters don’t own land. We lease it. Been that way from the beginning,” Lawson explained with a shrug.
“Are you joking?” Zane blurted caustically. Brenlee suddenly had the urge to go to him. She wanted to soothe the anger she felt emanating from his body.
“Afraid not. But Bart is an extremely wealthy man with friends in high places. Hopefully, we will acquire the land. It would certainly secure our position in Hollow Rock,” Lawson said and wrapped an arm around Liv.
She smiled up at him, but Brenlee saw the concern in her gaze. Liv was worried about their baby, and Brenlee couldn’t blame the female. In fact, she couldn’t imagine bringing a child into the world right now.
She glanced at Zane and noticed he was deep in thought. Instinctively, she crossed to his side, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”
He looked over, his green eyes holding her in place. Brenlee’s wolf howled in her head so loudly she was certain Zane heard. That was odd. Her wolf must be agitated from the recent increase in violence toward her kind.
“I’m better now,” Zane admitted with a crooked grin. “Actually, Lawson sparked a thought just now.”
“How so?” she asked. Her hand was still on his shoulder. She needed to move it, but she couldn’t seem to get it to cooperate, dammit.
“Hearing your brother talk about property and the fact shifters don’t own their land made me think of the Native rights movement. Bart and I should create a bill that emulates that,” he suggested enthusiastically. For the first time since the chaos began, Brenlee felt a tiny kernel of hope bloom.
“That’s a great idea,” Lawson interjected. “Tell you what. Get settled in, and tomorrow you and Bart can begin researching. Bren, would you show Zane the loft? I need to check in with Ryan before the dinner crowd descends. You hungry Zane?”
Brenlee nodded to her brother then turned to Zane. “Ashley’s making her world-famous enchiladas. You don’t want to miss it.”
“I’m famished. Lead the way,” he said with a sweep of his hand.
Brenlee led the way outside and stopped by one of the four-wheelers. “Your truck won’t fit on the narrow path, but we can put your bags on the back,” she offered as she opened the storage box at the rear of the ATV.
“Okay. I packed light, so everything should fit,” he explained and walked to his truck. He grabbed a garment and duffle bag from the back seat then tossed his things inside the container and Brenlee closed the lid.
“Want me to drive? As I recall, you enjoyed our last ride,” he teased with the crooked smile she adored.
Brenlee swung her leg over the seat and scooted toward the rear. “It wasn’t too bad, for a rookie,” she countered playfully.
“Rookie? I’ll have you know I was raised on four-wheelers,” he admitted as he climbed on the ATV, positioning his body in front of hers.
He turned his head to where his face was scant inches from hers. His masculine scent washed over Brenlee and her wolf clawed at her insides, trying to get to the delicious smell. She noted that if she moved the slightest bit forward their lips would touch. Her eyes were glued to his full lips, and her mouth watered at the idea of kissing Zane.
He smiled, and the haze lifted from the lustful spell she was under. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Guess you’re going to have to prove it,” she challenged and prayed he didn’t notice she was momentarily mesmerized by him.
“Oh, you’re going to regret those words,” he muttered and cranked the vehicle.
She pointed toward a dirt path and, moments later, they were speeding through the trees. Actually, speeding was an understatement. The vehicle left the gro
und several times during their race through the woods. She almost fell off when he swerved hard, barely missing a large tree.
“Is that all you’ve got?” she muttered into his ear when he slowed his speed a fraction.
“Hang on, darlin’,” he yelled over his shoulder then floored the accelerator.
Brenlee’s face hurt from smiling and laughing. Zane was a ton of fun, which had been sorely lacking in her life. She loved her family, and her pack, but she hadn’t given enough attention to adventure since her parents died.
Her wolf howled, demanding she shift. She would need to release her animal soon. She hadn’t hunted in a while, and her inner beast needed the chase. Another howl told Brenlee her wolf was more interested in chasing Zane than a deer or rabbit. Not gonna happen, she mentally scolded her lecherous wolf.
“Faster!” she cried out to Zane and clung tighter to his waist.
She felt Zane shudder and wondered if he was cold. The temperature had dropped with the setting sun, and he was taking the brunt of the wind in the driver seat. Not to mention, he wasn’t wearing a jacket. Brenlee was always warm given her shifter nature, so she snuggled closer to provide him with some of her body heat.
“It’s not much further,” she informed him and pointed to the right when the path forked. “Guess I should’ve told you to put on a jacket.”
Zane let off on the gas and the vehicle slowed to a snail’s pace. He glanced back at her and grinned. “Are you crazy? I’m toasty warm with you behind me,” he confessed. Her breath left her as she was captivated by his gorgeous green eyes.
“Oh. I thought I felt you shiver,” she replied. Heat suffused her cheeks when she realized she’d blurted her thoughts out loud. There was no way to tear her eyes away from Zane.
“That wasn’t because I’m cold. That was feeling your body against mine,” he admitted, making electricity zip through Brenlee’s veins. There was no denying the attraction between them, and she didn’t know how to respond to his candor.
