by Beverly Rae
Lauren stared after him as though doing so would somehow make him come back. The din continued around her, echoing through the building. She clamped her hands over her ears, wanting nothing more than silence for a few precious minutes. Suddenly, the noise grew quieter until she couldn’t hear anything at all. The eerie quiet unnerved her.
Who had won the battle? The werewolves or the hunters? Was Daniel all right? Had the wounds he’d already suffered weakened him? She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to keep him safe.
Lauren waited, holding back any sound that might cover up another, and listened. Had the others left her behind? Was Bobbie all right? Had Daniel found John? Should she go down the right hallway, the one that would lead to where she’d heard the noises? Or should she follow Daniel and hope she’d catch up to him? Summoning her courage, she chose a path.
Chapter Twelve
Lauren stumbled out of the mirrored room and into the left corridor, the same way Daniel had gone, but it wasn’t long before she found herself in another small mirrored room with corridors leading in several directions. If she chose the wrong one, she’d never find Daniel. But how to choose? He could have gone in any direction.
A scream echoed to her right and, with nothing else to lead her, Lauren darted toward the sound. Maybe, just maybe, she’d find Daniel along with Bobbie. She feared for her friend’s well-being, even for her life. Who knew what the hunters had done to Bobbie before the werewolves had arrived? Not that her friend was safe from the shifters, either. She didn’t want to think about what the werewolves might do. A refrain of hurry, hurry, hurry pounded in her head.
The hallway slanted to one side, then the other. Bumps in the floor sent her falling, reaching out at the last second to stay upright. But she had to keep going, not slowing her pace any more than necessary. She turned several times, guessing at which way to go and praying she’d made the correct choice.
“What do you want us to do with them?”
At the sound of the voice, Lauren glanced up and saw a light. Someone was in a room a few feet ahead. But who was it? A hunter or a shifter? Deciding she was too far to go back, she hurried forward and tripped over another bump. “Arrgh!” Arms flailing, she fell forward into the light and landed face down.
“Well, what do we have here? Is this another playmate for us?”
Low chuckles sent shivers along her spine. Fearing the worst, Lauren pushed away from the floor and was greeted by the amber eyes of a large, gray werewolf. His demeanor was anything but friendly, but she plastered on a smile and greeted him anyway. “Uh, hi.”
The wicked smile widened, but the eyes remained coldly golden. “Well, hi to you, too, sweet thang.”
Lauren scrambled to her feet in the lobby next to the exit. Three hunters, bloody and beaten, sat against one wall, their arms and knees hugged to their chests, their heads barely lifted to gaze at her. Werewolves, a few in human form and the others in their wolf state, studied her. Taking a chance, she stuck out her hand. “I’m Lauren Kade. And you would be…”
“Name’s McCain. McCain of the Cannon Pack.” The gray wolf chuckled, then shifted to stand front and center, and very naked, close to her. Too close.
Lauren couldn’t resist checking out his impressive manhood. Were all werewolves as well endowed as Daniel and McCain? She forced her attention up to this face. “So, how’s it hangin’, McCain?”
The shifters broke into laughter, clapping their neighbor on the shoulder and snickering comments under their breath. Naked McCain continued to grin. “Why don’t you tell me?”
She feigned an “oh, I’d rather not” face and dropped her hand. “Um, do you know where Daniel is?”
McCain grew somber. “Actually, we’d like to know the same thing.” He cocked his head at her. “Seems like I recall Daniel taking a female prisoner. A friendly sort of prisoner from what I heard. So tell me. Are you still his prisoner…or something else?”
“I’m his—” Lauren went blank. What was she to Daniel? A girlfriend? A friend with benefits? Or even worse, a fling on the human side of life? Now, however, wasn’t the time to find out. Until she did, she’d fake it until she made it true. “I’m his girlfriend.”
At least she’d managed to surprise McCain and his friends.
“Is that so?” He chuckled, pacing around her like she was a piece of meat, cooked and served up just for him. “I don’t remember anyone ever referring to you as his girlfriend.”
Lauren faked it some more. “Well, things changed. I’m his girlfriend now. Ask Tucker if you don’t believe me. Where is Tucker anyway? I assumed he’d be with you.”
McCain swept his arm around the room. “He was, and I would ask him, but he and the other human female went to find Daniel.” His jaunty attitude changed, turning suspicious. “We sure do have a lot of human females hanging around. Way too many if you ask me.”
How would an alpha’s girlfriend react? Lauren was all in and ready to play poker—even if that meant taking more risks. “Oh, really? Too bad for you since I don’t see anyone asking for your opinion.”
“Uh-oh, McCain, she done whipped you good.”
“Better watch out. This one’s got a mouth on her.”
The other werewolves added their two cents, but the consensus was the same. She’d back-talked McCain and now she had to take whatever came her way. Had she made him angry enough to hurt her? Or would he respect her courage? Lauren stayed quiet, ready to see which way he’d go.
McCain stepped closer, placing his nose—and a lower body part—mere centimeters from her. “Yep. You do have balls, girl. But let me give you a word of warning. I happen to like sassy women. Others don’t, so watch what you say.” His smirk was a mix of humor and warning. “Not that you asked.”
She had to hold back a huge sigh of relief. “Duly noted and understood.” Since she was already in deep water, she took another plunge. “Which way did Tucker and Bobbie go?”
McCain paused and she worried that he’d changed his mind about her.
“That way.” McCain pointed to a hallway behind him. “And if you find them, tell them—” he glanced at the hunters, “—that we’re getting real hungry and might need a snack.”
Lauren nodded, all too aware of the terrified pleas from the hunters. Pointing toward the hallway, she slipped past McCain and excused her way past the werewolves. Once inside the dimly lit passageway, she paused to let her frazzled nerves calm.
She stumbled along, cursing under her breath with each misstep.
“Ooh, ooh, oh, yes, ooh!”
Lauren heard Bobbie’s voice and turned in that direction, taking a smaller hallway off to the left. Was Bobbie in pain? Or in danger? Who knew what Tucker might do to her friend. She picked up her pace, running through different plans to help Bobbie. Not that she had much of a chance against Tucker, but she’d give it her best shot.
“Ahhhh, oooh, no, no, no!”
“Yes. Now do as I say, woman.”
What was Tucker forcing her friend to do? Anger stole her breath. Bobbie had said no, then Tucker needed to respect her wishes. No meant no. No ifs, ands or buts. Their voices grew stronger, louder. Lauren hurried forward, ready to come to her friend’s defense. She whirled around a corner, curses on the tip of her tongue and sputtered in surprise. Tucker lifted a half-dressed Bobbie and pressed her to the wall. Bobbie, her face glowing with ecstasy, wrapped her legs around his naked torso and her arms around his neck.
“I can’t believe—oh, my God—how big you are.”
“I told you I could go deeper with you like this.”
“I know, but, oh, God, I didn’t believe—oh, hell yes!”
Lauren watched, mesmerized by the clenching and unclenching of Tucker’s buttocks as he rammed into Bobbie. Hard muscles worked in his back, giving Bobbie ample leverage to cling to. She opened her mouth to tell them she was there, but decided against it. After all, who knew how Tucker would react?
Bobbie clung to him, her eyes closed, her mout
h opened, letting soft squeaks of pleasure seep out with each of his pushes. Locking her ankles, she used her back against the wall to thrust her pelvis forward. Tucker lowered his head to take a nipple in his mouth and took her other breast in his hand. The couple fell into a steady rhythm, shaking the wall.
Hating to break them up but knowing Daniel might need her help, Lauren cleared her throat. The sex continued, Tucker and Bobbie both too engrossed to notice her. She cleared it again. Again, nothing. A third time was no charm so she did the only thing she could do. She tapped Tucker on the shoulder. “Excuse me.”
Bobbie’s scream sent Tucker into shift mode, his face contorting as he dropped Bobbie roughly to the floor and twisted toward Lauren. She scuttled backward, palms up in a futile attempt to ward off his emerging wolf. “It’s me, Tucker. Lauren.”
“Damn, Lauren.” Bobbie tugged her jeans on and pulled her shirt down to cover her breasts. “You scared the total freak out of me.”
Tucker growled, his wolf eyes hungry, and slowly changed back. “Are you trying to get killed, little hunter?”
Lauren leveled her frustration directly at those amber eyes. Standing up to werewolves was getting easier. “Trust me. I’ve already had plenty of chances to die.” Who was this guy to get mad at her anyway? “McCain said you went to look for Daniel.” At least he had the decency to look sheepish. “Somehow I don’t think you’re going to find him under Bobbie’s shirt.”
“Nope, I don’t guess I will.”
Bobbie slid her hand along his arm, exchanging a telling glance. “We used that as an excuse to get some, uh, alone time together.”
“Aren’t you afraid for Daniel’s safety? Who knows? Maybe John or another hunter shot him?” Didn’t Tucker care about his friend?
“Naw, he’s fine.” Tucker draped his arm over Bobbie’s shoulder.
“How can you know? Have you seen him since you first got here?” Tucker’s nonchalant attitude didn’t score any points with her. “No? Then let me clue you in.”
Tucker’s acid tone belied the irritation on his face. “Oh, please do.”
“John ran off and Daniel went after him.” If he didn’t grasp her worry for Daniel through her words, she hoped he’d get it through her anxious tone.
“Was John armed?”
She hadn’t expected the question. Hell, she hadn’t even thought about it. John had carried a rifle into the mirrored room when he took her there, but she couldn’t recall if he’d taken it with him when he’d fled. Her concern for Daniel shot up another thousand degrees. “I don’t remember. Shit, Tucker. What if John ambushes Daniel? Oh, hell, this is all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Bobbie and Tucker spoke at once, then grinned at each other.
“Yes, it is. He never would’ve gotten involved with John if it weren’t for me.” Despair, cold and harsh left her weak. If anything happened to Daniel, she’d never get past the loss.
“Don’t talk like a silly human, Lauren. Daniel and John would’ve run into each at some point after Mysta and Tyler. You just happened to facilitate matters.” Tucker took Lauren under his other arm and led the two women back toward the pack. “Don’t worry about Daniel. He can take care of himself.”
“Okay. If you say so.” But she remained unconvinced. Only seeing Daniel would ease her mind.
The ruckus of the pack startled them and even Tucker jumped at the howls and roars. He shifted, dropping to the floor on all fours, then dashed down the hallway.
“Get down and stay down.” Daniel threw John to the floor. The pack howled their pleasure, adding snarls and comments as they formed a circle around their latest prey. The fresh shirt and bandages John had gotten at the clinic were stained with patches of blood and dirt.
“Good deal, Daniel. You brought the leader rat back to his nest of vermin.” Devlin slapped his brother on the back.
“Did you bring us dinner, Daniel? Tucker said not to eat the others, but we can have this one, right?” A young shifter poked John with his gun. “He doesn’t look very tasty, but he’ll do for an appetizer.”
Daniel let the others have their fun with the hunter. Their verbal jabs and the frightening growls from those in wolf form couldn’t physically hurt the hunter, but it released some of their animosity.
The other hunters hadn’t said a word to John, but that didn’t keep him from pleading for their help. “Men, come on. Help me.” He reached out, imploring the hunters. They continued to ignore him, averting their eyes and tucking their heads. He didn’t give up, however, and attempted to crawl toward them, but the werewolves blocked his way.
“I don’t think you’re going to get any help from your friends.”
Daniel almost felt sorry for the pitiful man. John’s flight from the mirrored room hadn’t gotten him very far, only making it to the outside of the fun house through a trap door. Daniel had loved the surprised expression on the hunter’s face when he’d grabbed his rifle and cracked it in half. Hauling him back inside had proven the hardest part with John fighting and screaming the entire time. Hell, he’d have had less trouble if he’d just broken the man’s neck and been done with him.
In fact, Daniel wasn’t sure why he’d kept the man alive. If anyone deserved to die, it was John. He’d killed Torrie, killed other shifters and had tried to rape Lauren. The man was scum inside and out. But Daniel couldn’t bring himself to do it. Every time he started to, he saw Torrie’s and Lauren’s faces, heard them asking him to spare the jackass. He’d leave John with his friends and get back to Lauren.
“Listen to me. I’m your leader. We can do this. We can take them.” John’s tone was timid against the bravado of his words. But his men ignored him. Crumbling to the floor, he let out a moan of despair.
“Shut up, hunter. Can’t you see that your men—and I use the term loosely—don’t have the stomach for a real fight?” Daniel squatted beside John, then snatched him by the collar, forcing the hunter to look at him. “Hunters are such babies without their guns.”
Tucker slid to a stop and morphed, changing into human form. “Don’t I know it.”
“Where have you been?” Daniel cocked his head in question at his friend. “Did you miss the fun?”
“Of course not. But I figured someone needed to track you down.”
“Seriously?” Lauren strode past Tucker to take her place next to Daniel. His heart swelled, relieved to have her safely by his side. “Is that what you call what you and Bobbie were doing? Tracking?”
Although Lauren had seen him in the buff several times already, Daniel suddenly grew very shy. “A couple of you men run and get our clothes before I catch my death.” From their expressions, Tucker and Lauren didn’t buy his excuse, but they didn’t say anything either. “So you and Bobbie, huh?” Better to change the subject than to bring more attention to his nakedness.
“Is that a bad thing?” An exhausted Bobbie finally emerged from the passageway and positioned herself next to Tucker. She wrapped her arm around him and squeezed. “Sheesh, you’re fast.”
Tucker’s sappy smile told the whole story and Daniel was glad to see his friend happy. “He could do worse.”
“That means he thinks you could do a whole lot better, Bobbie.” Tucker took the clothes the men had retrieved and tugged on his jeans.
“I don’t doubt that but, for now, you’ll do.” Bobbie kissed her finger and pressed it to his lips.
Dressed and ready, Daniel looked to Lauren and quipped, “You both could.”
She leaned into him, running one hand over his stomach. “Hey, man, don’t go getting any ideas. You’re mine and, fortunately for you, I’m yours. The only question now is what are you going to do with them?” Her request for leniency was unmistakable.
Was he hers? The idea of Lauren claiming him was exhilarating. Almost as exhilarating as the idea of marking her and turning her into a shifter. They’d never talked about staying together, yet they’d fallen into an easy relationship. But could she ac
cept his life? Would she want to run with the pack?
Devlin prodded John, making the hunter squeal. “Okay, Daniel, tell us your idea for this little piggie.”
“Here’s what I want to do.” He made sure he had the full attention of the pack. “I want the pack to take the hunters’ guns and cell phones, and destroy them.” He got ready for the reaction he knew he’d get from his next proposal. “Then we turn them loose.”
Tucker came to full attention. “What? That’s it? I thought we were on the offensive now. Taking their toys away from them isn’t going to make things right. We need retribution for what they’ve done.”
“I feel the same way.” Daniel glanced at Lauren, resolved to following her path. “But when does the fighting end? We get payback today, they get their revenge tomorrow and on it goes.” The squeeze Lauren gave his arm spurred him on. “Besides, judging from what’s happened today, I don’t think many of them will keep hunting. Not now that they know how easily we can kill them.”
Tucker scowled at him while Devlin quietly watched. “And what about their leader? Are you going to let him get away scot-free after what he did to Torrie?”
“No, I can’t do that.” He couldn’t look at Lauren. If she didn’t understand… “I’m talking about his followers. As for the ringleader, he deserves a different outcome.”
“Well, do tell, boss dog.” A relieved Tucker pecked Bobbie on the cheek. “We’re dying to know.”
His friend obviously had it bad for the diminutive receptionist. Almost as bad as he had it for her boss. The thought stalled him, putting the reality of his feelings into the light. He glanced at Lauren, her face glowing with love and knew, without a doubt, he’d fallen in love for a second time.
“Yo, bro. Earth to Daniel.”
From Devlin’s expression, Daniel knew his secret was out. Had Lauren figured it out, too? Did she know how much he cared for her? “If it’s agreeable to my brother, I propose we take John back to the mountains with us.”
