The Blackstone Wolf

by Alicia Montgomery

  “We can’t just stand around waiting for them,” Violet said, the urgency in her voice evident.

  “We can’t expose ourselves and what we know. We’d blow Christina’s operation and alert this group to our plans.”

  “I don’t care,” Violet said. “I’m going to that warehouse, and you two can sit here and twiddle your thumbs.”

  “And we need to go higher up the food chain,” Luke said, “so we can put these bastards away.” He put his hands on his hips and loomed over Violet.

  Her tiger hissed but shrank back when it felt Luke’s lion roar at her.

  “Stop,” Nathan said, his eyes glowing. “Luke, I swear to God, if you keep doing that to her I’m going to tear you a new asshole.”

  “I can do that by myself, thank you,” Violet said, scrunching up every piece of courage she had.

  “For fuck’s sake!” Nathan let out a frustrated growl. “Look, why don’t we drive over there, gather intel, and call Christina and Jason on the way?”

  It’s a good compromise, Violet thought begrudgingly. “Fine. Let’s go.” But she wasn’t going to make any promises about staying put until they got back up. If she found out Joanne or any other innocent shifter was in there being held against their will, she was going to save them—with or without Nathan and Luke’s help.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nathan was still fuming as they neared the old canning factory. Goddamn stubborn woman. He couldn’t believe she would pull that stunt. When she walked away from him and headed to the entrance of the biker compound, his heart stopped. He nearly tore Luke to pieces for trying to prevent him from going after her. Relief had swept over him when they came out of the compound, knowing she was safe. If anything had happened to her, he would never forgive himself.

  And so he was now back to being mad at her for this morning. After all they’d been through, she was still throwing his words right back in his face, rubbing it in about what he said about having other women. Didn’t she realize she wasn’t one of them? That the reason he didn’t want to just have sex with her was because it wasn’t going to be a one night thing? He wanted to clear the air so they could start fresh.

  How could she even think he didn’t want her? He made her come twice now, and she only had to look at him and he was as hard as a hammer. Is this what being mates was about? He felt sorry for his friends. Maybe he should just be happy being single the rest of his life. Glancing over at Luke, he thought it wouldn’t be so bad. He and Luke could be the confirmed bachelors of the group. The fun uncles. Well, he could be the fun uncle and Luke can be grumpy uncle. Of course, if Luke found his own mate first and left him alone, Nathan would probably hang himself at the injustice of it all.

  “We should stop here,” Luke said. They were still about a mile away. “We can hide the car and go the long way ‘round.”

  “Do you know the exact location of the factory?” Nathan asked.

  “I think I remember. Hank took me, Jason, and Matthew hiking in this area when we were kids. He stopped to show us the old factory. It was definitely abandoned then.”

  Highway 79 was the old country highway that ran between Verona Mills and Blackstone. It was one of those single-lane highways that had become abandoned over the years as the wider and newer roadways were built. They didn’t see any cars as they drove up the old road. Few people took it, and many of the businesses that catered to drivers on the old highway simply shut down or moved away.

  They found a small clearing off the main road and parked the car there. Because of the Mustang’s bright color, they had to gather some discarded branches to cover it. Nathan winced thinking about the scratches on the paint job, but he knew in the grand scheme of things it would be a minor inconvenience.

  Luke led them up the highway, then turned off onto a side road. He veered off on another path, and a few minutes later he raised his hand to signal them to stop. “It’s right up ahead. Get down.”

  The ground was a gentle upward slope, so it was easy to get on their bellies and see the old factory standing about twenty feet away from them. The structure was old and made of wood but still standing, if a little run down. From the outside, it looked just like any abandoned building. However, someone had built a barbed wire fence around it.

  “Good news is the fence isn’t as high as the one in the compound,” Luke said.

  “The bad news?”

  “It’s got about a thousand times more power,” Violet said as she cringed and put her hands over her ears. “It could probably burn anyone who touched it into a crisp.”

  “What’s wrong?” Nathan frowned.

  “The frequency of the electric fence is really annoying,” Luke said.

  Ah, right. Felines could hear higher frequencies than other shifters. “What do we do?”

  Luke slowly got up and began to unbutton his shirt. “I’ll jump over and turn it off. She’ll know when I've done it, and you two cut your way in.” He pointed to the rear of the building. “If I remember correctly, there’s a service door in the back. Let’s meet there.”

  “Good idea,” Nathan thought, glad Luke volunteered first. As much as he was curious about Violet’s animal, he wasn’t too crazy about anyone else seeing her naked. And of course, it would be better if Luke got caught than her. Who knew what he’d do if he saw anyone touching Violet.

  Luke walked into the group of trees behind them. The sound of paws thumping on the ground told him he had already shifted. All they had to do now was wait.

  He glanced over at Violet. She still had a pained expression on her face. “Baby, you okay?” he whispered. “Why don’t you think of something else to distract you?”

  “Can’t. Have to listen.”

  Seeing her uncomfortable like this made his insides turn, but he knew she was right. Not sure what else to do, he placed a hand on her back and gently stroked it. She relaxed a little bit, her mouth parting in a sigh.

  A few minutes later, Violet let out the breath she’d been holding. “It’s done,” she said.

  They moved quickly, crossing the distance to the fence within seconds. Nathan already had this claws out, and he slashed a hole, one large enough for them to get through. He helped Violet inside first, then followed her as they ran to the factory. They pressed themselves against the wall, waiting for Luke.

  “You made it.” Luke appeared next to them, wearing only his jeans, his hair in disarray around his shoulders. “I did a quick look around, no guards or anything outside. Not visible anyway.”

  “Their best security is keeping a low profile and not attracting any attention,” Nathan guessed. “What do we do now?” Maybe they should have thought this through a little more.

  Luke closed his eyes. “I can hear … people in there. Walking around. And sound bouncing off the walls. This place was basically a shell when I saw it. They’ve been busy doing construction inside.”

  “And lab equipment?” Violet’s delicate brows wrinkled. “Reminds me of when I walked past the biology lab at my university. Cages opening and closing. Glass tubes and beakers moving around. A centrifuge running.” She shivered visibly.

  “No guards outside, probably not a lot inside, either,” Nathan said. The place was well-hidden, so the fence should have been enough to keep anyone out.

  “I’ll go in and look around,” Luke said. “Nathan can be my backup. Violet, you should head back out and wait for Jason and Christina. They’re on their way.”

  “No,” Violet said. “I’m staying here.”

  Nathan was losing his patience. “For fuck—crying out loud, Violet, just listen to us this once!” He was going to tie her up and carry her out himself if he had to.

  “I’m not leaving,” she said. “And that’s—”

  A piercing scream in the air interrupted them. “He’s just a child!” The woman’s voice was loud and clear.

  Nathan felt his blood run cold. “You said there was lab equipment in there?”

  Violet nodded slowly, her nostrils fla
ring and her eyes glowing in anger.

  “Fuck.” It clicked into place. What this was. They were experimenting on shifters. And right under their very noses. The look on Luke’s and Violet’s faces told him they came to the same conclusion.

  “We need to get those people out,” Violet said. “It’s not just about Joanne anymore.”

  “And the bastards in charge will go down,” Luke said.

  “What’s the ETA on Christina and Jason?” Nathan asked. “We need to come up with a plan.”

  Another scream—this time a child’s—rang through the air. It sent chills down Nathan’s spine.

  Violet’s face turned into a mask of pure rage.

  “Violet.” He was about to place a hand on her, but she was too fast. The back door blew open and she was gone.

  “Fuck,” Luke cursed. “Let’s go before she gets herself killed.”

  He didn’t even wait for Luke. His wolf was screaming at him to protect Violet at all costs.

  The inside of the building was nothing like the outside. White walls and white fluorescent lamps covered the interior. The antiseptic smell reminded him of a hospital. He sniffed the air, searching for her scent, following it until he came to an open door. Violet was in the middle of the laboratory standing over a figure lying on a table.

  “Don’t you ever do that again,” he said, keeping his hands at his side to stop himself from pulling her into his arms.

  She looked up at him, eyes still blazing. “It’s her. Joanne.”

  The woman on the bed looked pale and her eyes were closed, but he recognized the scent. Her body lay still, but the rise and fall of her chest told him she was alive. She was wearing a white hospital gown and various wires were stuck under the paper-thin fabric. Violet made quick work of them, pulling them off her.

  A moan caught his attention. There was a second table behind Violet where another girl was lying down. He strode over to her and checked for a pulse.

  “Is she okay?” Violet asked.

  “Heartbeat’s faint, but she seems to be hanging in there.” He brushed aside a lock of hair and let out a curse under his breath. She smelled like fur, probably a deer, and she didn’t look older than sixteen. Luke was already carrying Joanne in his arms, so he gently lifted the young girl up.

  “Let’s get them out of here,” Luke said.

  As they walked out of the lab, a loud siren began to ring out and the lights flickered and flashed red.

  “Shit! They know we’re here.”

  “Had to happen eventually,” Luke said. “C’mon. We need to get out in case they have lockdown procedures.”

  They turned to the exit but Violet remained very still. “Someone’s down there.” She pointed in the opposite direction. “She needs our help!”

  “We’ll come back for her! Let’s go now and save these two,” Nathan urged.

  “No! I’m not leaving anyone behind!” Violet pivoted and began to walk away.

  “Goddamnit!” He handed the girl in his arms to Luke. “Get them out of here!”

  The shouts and the sound of boots pounding on the floor coming toward them were unmistakable. Two men dressed in all black and combat gear were storming down the hallway and raising their guns as Violet came closer.

  “No!” Nathan growled. His wolf ripped out of his body as he made a run for her.

  Violet was so quick, he would have missed it if it wasn’t for his shifter senses. Her body grew to twice its size and fur rippled across her skin as she leapt into the air. And her tiger—it was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. It had faint stripes over its back running down to its tail, but the rest of its fur faded from a dark strawberry blonde to white at its paws.

  The tiger landed right on one of the men, and Nathan could hear Violet’s growls and the sound of teeth ripping through fabric. Nathan quickly turned his wolf’s body to take down the other man. His paws swiped at the gun, sending it skidding to the ground as his massive body collided with the guard, taking him down. Opening his jaws he went right for the guys’ arm and shoulder, his mouth filling with blood as his teeth sank into flesh and bone. His screams joined that of the other man.

  He pulled the wolf back, knowing they had hurt the guard enough to incapacitate him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Violet was done too. The tiger brushed past him and Violet’s unusual blue eyes flickered at him before it broke into a run. She was headed for the room at the end of the hall.

  He followed her as she leapt at the door, knocking it down.

  The sirens had quieted, but an eerie feeling settled over Nathan. It made his wolf’s hackles raise. This room was larger than the previous one they had been in and circular in shape, with different types of medical equipment and operating tables. Several cages lined one side, empty from what Nathan could spy, but the mixed smells of fur, feathers, scales, and various scents told them they weren’t always so.

  The man in the middle was tall and pale. He was dressed in surgical attire, his mask lowered down to his chin. He also had his arm around a dark-haired woman and held a scalpel to her neck. Behind him, a man dressed in the same combat gear as the guards in the hallway stood, his gun cocked and pointing right at Violet.

  “You filthy animals! Change back or else …” He pressed the scalpel to the woman’s neck, breaking the skin so a drop of blood appeared on the tip of the blade. She let out a sharp breath.

  Violet’s tiger let out an angry roar, but her body began to shrink. Nathan did the same, tucking his wolf away for now.

  “Who are you?” Nathan said as the last of his fur receded into his skin and his snout pushed back into his head.

  “And what are you doing with these shifters?” Violet asked, her voice shaky with anger.

  “None of this concerns you, you abominations!” he shouted. “How dare you anyway? Walking into my lab? How did you get in here?” He let out a frustrated sound. “I told The Chief I needed more security here! It’s not like we didn’t have enough to spare. Damn him and his paranoia. We need to leave now.”

  The woman in his arms struggled, and he tightened his grip. “Don’t move Georgina, my dear. Besides, when you’re gone, who’s going to protect little Grayson from The Chief?”

  “You monster!” she hissed. “Don’t you dare!”

  “The only thing that’s keeping The Chief from killing him is because I deem him useful in our experiments. Otherwise, you know that boy would be gone in an instant!”

  Tears flowed down her cheeks. “Please, Dr. Mendle … don’t …”

  Dr. Mendle looked at Nathan and Violet. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be headed out.” He shook his head as Violet stepped forward. “Uh-huh. Don’t take another step.” He tsked, and his eyes roamed over her body. “A golden tiger. One of nature’s most beautiful mutations. I would have loved to study your DNA.”

  Nathan gritted his teeth. “You won't get away with this. Any of this!”

  “Oh really?” Dr. Mendle sneered. “Who’s going to stop me? The Agency? Oh, you seem surprised. Yes, we know all about Ari Stavros’ little group. He’s merely a thorn in our side, of course. It was such a coincidence that we had started running this lab the moment he decided to team up with Hank Lennox to expand his club here. Not that it matters. Our organization is larger and far-reaching, and we will stamp out every last one of you!”

  “Why are you in Blackstone?” Nathan asked.

  “Well, technically, we’re not, aren’t we?” Mendle pointed out. “This was the perfect location for our lab since it was easy enough to find lowlifes to kidnap shifters living in the area. Plus, with Verona Mills P.D. deep in our pockets, they would easily lose a file or two or turn their heads the other way if anyone reported anything.”

  “You are a monster!” Violet shrieked. “I’m going to—” Her claws came out.

  “Not if you want an innocent life on your hands,” Dr. Mendle warned as he pushed the scalpel deeper into Georgina’s neck. Rivulets of blood flowed out. “She’s a human, by the wa
y,” he spat. “So no healing for her.”

  “Violet,” Nathan said. “Don’t move.”

  “Yes, indeed. Stay where you are.” Dr. Mendle slowly moved sideways, his guard following him as they kept their backs to the wall, getting closer to the exit.

  “Stay here,” he said to the guard. “Keep close to the woman. Make sure they don’t move while we make our escape.” The guard nodded and crossed the room to where Violet was standing, the nose of his gun pointed at her chest.

  “No!” Georgina screamed. “Grayson! We can’t leave him.” She struggled against Mendle, then stamped her heel on his foot.

  “You stupid whore!” Dr. Mendle made a grab for Georgina as she broke free of his grasp, the scalpel swinging wildly in the air.

  “Bastard!” Nathan leapt in between them, intending to shield the human woman. A loud crash from behind made Mendle stop short. “What the—”

  Something large and hairy with big claws shot out from the doorway. Luke.

  The lion landed on Dr. Mendle and in a split second, Nathan grasped Georgina by the arm and shoved her out of the way just before the lion and Dr. Mendle landed on the floor. The man screamed as the lion’s maw came down on his head. Then silence.

  “Are you—”

  The sound of a gunshot made his blood run cold, and he whipped his head around.

  Violet, half-shifted, was struggling with the lone guard. Fur and teeth sprouted from her face, and her clawed hands fought with for control of the rifle. The guard gave a strong push and sent Violet tumbling back into a shelf of glass bottles.

  “Violet!” His blood pumped into his veins as he pushed his wolf down. No, he would kill this bastard with his bare hands for hurting her.

  The guard wasn’t expecting him, and Nathan seized him from behind and swung him around as his fist connected with his jaw. The man staggered back and Nathan leapt on top of him, pummeling his face with fury.

  “Nathan … Nathan, stop!”

  His hands were like raw hamburger, red and bloodied. But the man’s face was worse, and blood spurted from his mouth. The rage didn’t go away, especially when his eyes landed on Violet.