The Protector's Heart (Wilde Creek Three)

by R. E. Butler

  She looked at the males behind him. Dade, Acksel’s father; Ren, the beta; Sam the leader of the protectors; and several of the protectors who had been watching over her and Jack. They all wore identical looks of fury and resolve. Acksel was speaking for them, but it was clear they felt the same way that he did. She was part of their world now, and no one messed with a mate, even if she was human.

  The support was overwhelming, and she didn’t think she’d ever be able to thank them enough, even if all they were doing right now was standing with her.

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank us, Nila. Jack got taken because the protectors were deceived. It’s not going to happen again,” Sam said.

  “Take a couple minutes to calm down, but we need to get on the road,” Acksel said, making a gesture that seemed to snap the wolves into action. Within a few seconds, the room was empty except for her and Malachi.

  “What’s going to happen?”

  “The only thing I know for sure is that your son is going to be in your arms at the end of the night. Nothing else matters except for getting him home.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, and when he pulled her into his lap, she snuggled as close as she could. His strong arms surrounded her, and she tucked her head under his chin and let the tears she’d been holding back fall. She could afford to be weak right now, but only for a minute. Jack needed her to be strong, and with Malachi by her side, she could do that. Her son’s life depended on it.

  Chapter 14

  Malachi didn’t like anything about the situation they were walking into. Or, rather, the situation that Nila was walking into. They’d been very careful to conceal themselves before they entered Dorlan, so that it would appear as if Nila was truly alone, even though she was anything but. Malachi’s pack members were spread inconspicuously throughout the area around the abandoned movie theater.

  At one time, Malachi imagined it was a decent place to go, but now it showed signs of neglect. The marquee was empty, the windows and doors boarded up, and trash littered the brick entrance. Nila stood underneath the marquee, the wind whipping her hair around her face and blowing snow in every direction. From where he, Acksel, and Ren watched her from behind a dumpster in an alley across the street, he could see that she was shivering. It was cold as hell, but she was probably scared out of her mind, too.

  Acksel looked up and then rolled his neck. “It’s almost sunset.”

  “She’s where he said to meet her,” Ren said. “They couldn’t have seen any of us, we were very careful.”

  Malachi knew that Nila would never forgive herself if something happened to Jack. She had wanted to come alone and trade herself for Jack’s safety, but Malachi knew that nothing good would come from her running off to Dorlan by herself.

  Her head whipped to the side and her body tensed up. Malachi crept forward, worry streaking through him. His wolf wanted to be right there with her, not using her as bait.

  A male strode toward her, stopping a few feet away. He knew it wasn’t Damien, and alarm raced through him. He straightened from his crouch and sprinted toward her as a large, dark SUV squealed its tires down the street and paused only long enough for the male to grab Nila and toss her into the vehicle. Malachi just missed grabbing hold of the bumper as it sped away.

  He snarled in rage. Ren grabbed Malachi’s arm and jerked him back to the alley where their SUV was waiting. “Let’s go!”

  Acksel was behind the wheel; Malachi climbed into the backseat. The engine roared as Acksel raced from the alley, turning sharply and following the SUV. Malachi’s phone buzzed, and he looked at the screen. Nila’s name came across it.

  “Sweetheart?”

  A male snorted. “Sorry, lover boy, but I ain’t your sweetheart. Back off or we’ll throw the human out of the SUV.”

  “Don’t hurt her.” He ground the words out between clenched teeth.

  “If I have to tell you to back off again, she’s going to pay with her life.”

  The call ended and Malachi quickly pressed a button on his phone to trace the call. His heart pounded in his ears as he told Acksel to stop driving and watched the program as it loaded her location.

  The dot burned steady on a map for a few seconds and then blinked out, and he knew that they’d destroyed her phone.

  “She’s headed toward the park,” Malachi said.

  “Let’s go get your mate,” Acksel said, his voice a dark growl.

  * * * * *

  After Tanner, one of Damien’s cronies, had approached Nila, she knew something was up and she wasn’t going to see Jack or Damien in front of the old movie theater. Maybe Damien sent her there to humiliate her, forcing her to re-live one of her least favorite moments, when they’d had sex for the first time in the back row of one of the deserted screening rooms, and the manager had caught them. Damien had been furious at the manager for the interruption, and while Nila had tried hurriedly to right her clothes, Damien had given the human manager a few good punches and sent him scurrying away. She’d been impressed that Damien had defended her like that, but now she saw it for what it was — he’d just been pissed that he’d been interrupted by a human.

  Tanner had thrown her into the back seat of the SUV and pushed her face into the seat as his bulky body pressed against hers. Panic had clawed at her as she fought to breathe, and then he’d added to the fear that rode hard through her by tugging on her clothes. She’d kicked and struggled, her lungs burning and lights sparking before her eyes as he dug her cell phone from her pocket and then eased up from her. While she caught her breath, he tied her hands behind her back, then lifted her up and shoved her over the second row of seats into the storage area. Without use of her hands, she’d been unable to stop herself from landing hard, her head cracking against the floor.

  As her head spun and her ears rang, she heard Tanner talking to someone and telling them to back off. Malachi! Tanner’s warning to Malachi made her blood turn to ice. How could he find her if he couldn’t follow her?

  Something crunched loudly and a window was rolled down, letting in a blast of freezing air. She didn’t have to see it to know that Tanner had destroyed her phone. The SUV stopped suddenly, and Nila groaned as she rolled toward the back of the SUV, unable to stop herself. She kicked both legs out, barely preventing herself from being flattened against the back door.

  She thought the back door would open, but instead someone fisted her hair tightly and began to pull her over the seat. She screamed in pain as Tanner used her hair to drag her into the second seat. Tanner hooked an arm under her and jerked her out of the truck, throwing her to the ground. She rolled with a sob as her body impacted hard, the jolt making her bones rattle.

  Gasping for breath, she heard Jack cry, and everything inside her froze.

  “Get up, bitch,” Damien said. She looked up and found him standing in the center of the park just outside of Dorlan, the place where his pack gathered for meetings. Scrambling to her knees, she struggled with the rope tying her wrists, but it was tied too tightly. Already her fingers were numb.

  With some effort, she managed to get to her feet. She glanced around, looking for Jack, but didn’t see him.

  “Where is my son? I showed up where you asked me to.”

  Damien moved so fast she couldn’t track him. He was suddenly in her face, gripping her throat and digging his fingers into her neck. He lifted her off the ground and she kicked out, never touching him.

  “You never could follow directions. I said you had to come alone. Did you really think I wouldn’t know those human-loving wolves would come along and try to screw things up? You’re mine, and no one is going to take you from me.”

  She opened her mouth, but he tightened his grip and she wheezed but couldn’t form any words. He lowered her to the ground and eased his grip, but his hand remained wrapped around her throat, as if he wasn’t done reminding her that he could kill her.

  He snapped the fingers of his free hand. The wolves who were standin
g around watching parted and a young woman came forward, carrying Jack on her hip. Nila jerked, trying to push past Damien to get to Jack, and his hand tightened on her throat again.

  “Now, now, bitch, don’t think I’m going to give you back the kid so quickly. Maura is going to take care of Jack while you make up for your sins on your knees.”

  Jack’s face was wet with tears, and he wasn’t wearing a coat. She whimpered as Damien increased his hold on her throat and then he relaxed it again. Her eyes blurred with tears as she watched Jack reach for her, “Mama,” he pleaded.

  Gasping in a breath, she said, “It’s okay, baby.”

  Damien gazed at her with cold eyes. Had he ever really cared about her? Why had he stayed with her for so long when all she could see now was his hatred?

  “Is it, Nila? Is it really going to be okay?” he said, a sneer twisting his mouth into something gruesome.

  “Please don’t hurt him, Damien. I’ll do whatever you want,” she said, sniffling and wishing desperately that she could wipe her eyes. It was so cold that the tears were freezing on her cheeks.

  “You’ll do whatever I want anyway, bitch. You’re not in control here, I am.” Damien motioned to Maura and she turned to carry Jack away, when Jack suddenly shouted, “Carrot!”

  Nila gasped in surprise as something furry flew over her head and knocked Damien down. Hands grasped her wrists, and she screamed but then she realized she was free.

  She turned and found Malachi sheathing a knife. “Get Jack and get in the SUV. Go straight to Acksel’s house.”

  “Malachi!” She shouted his name as he pushed her away from Damien, who was struggling with the wolf, obviously someone from Malachi’s pack.

  “Go, Nila. Now!” Malachi turned and kicked out as a male from Damien’s pack rushed him.

  She looked over her shoulder to see Maura hurrying away with Jack.

  “Give me back my son, you bitch!” She screamed the words, tearing after the woman, determined to get Jack back.

  She closed the distance to Maura and lunged, grabbing Jack’s outstretched hand and shoving the woman away. Jack cried out in pain as Maura kept hold of his ankle, trying to pull him out of Nila’s grip.

  Instead of pulling harder and hurting her son, she let go and kicked out, her foot landing against Maura’s knee. Maura howled and let go of Jack, and Nila snatched him up before he hit the ground.

  Nila sprinted around the fighting wolves, not wanting to give Maura a chance to catch up to her. The SUV that they’d come in was parked with others from Malachi’s pack, and Nila opened the driver’s door and set a squirming, crying Jack on the passenger seat and started to climb in.

  “Not so fast,” Tanner growled, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her out of the SUV.

  “NO!” She grabbed the console in between the seats and kicked with all her might. Tanner punched her in the side and she grunted in pain, but didn’t let go of her grip on the console.

  Jack cried in fear and reached for her. Tanner grabbed her waist and gave a mighty tug that made her feel like he was going to pull her in half. One of his hands landed on top of hers, and claws emerged through his fingertips. He curled his hand and she knew he was going to shred her skin. If she let go, then Jack was defenseless.

  She jerked her head back and connected with Tanner’s face, nearly passing out from the pain.

  “Ah, bitch,” he snarled and dug his claws into her hand.

  She opened her mouth to scream, but the pain was so great that nothing came out.

  A soft growl sounded so close she thought it was Tanner shifting into his wolf form, ready to tear her to pieces, but as she blinked away the fog from nearly braining herself on Tanner’s hard head, she saw that Jack was the one growling. He perched on his legs, tiny needle-like claws springing from his fingers and thick fangs erupting from his gums. He gave a warning growl and then he sank his fangs into the top of Tanner’s hand.

  Nila heard his bones break and Tanner screeched in agony. The thick, metallic scent of blood filled the air. Jack growled and snarled, shaking Tanner’s hand like a dog shaking a bone. When Tanner lifted off her, she flipped to her back, bunched her legs up, and kicked hard, sending him flying.

  She watched Tanner roll on the ground and clutch his hand, which seemed to be missing at least one finger.

  Oh man, had Jack eaten his finger?

  She’d deal with the ramifications of her son partially shifting and saving their lives later. Shaking herself back to reality, she grabbed the door and slammed it shut, turning the key in the ignition and pressing the door lock. Not that it would stop anyone from getting into the SUV because they could just shatter the windows, but at least it would slow them down.

  She looked toward the park where she could hear the fighting still going on. She didn’t want to leave Malachi, but knew he would be pissed if she waited for him.

  Jack crawled into her lap, softly sobbing and babbling. She put the car in gear and drew him close with one arm, gripping the steering wheel with her free hand.

  “It’s okay now, baby,” she crooned, even though she wasn’t sure that was true. Whatever happened tonight, she didn’t think they’d ever be safe, no matter how many security systems they had.

  * * * * *

  Malachi watched Nila drive away. He’d been distracted with Damien, and looked over to see one of Damien’s friends falling away from the SUV, clutching his bloody hand.

  Damien ducked a punch and Malachi threw another one, which connected with his cheek. Damien spit blood onto the ground and laughed. “I’ll get her eventually. You can’t watch her every second.”

  Malachi growled and launched himself at the male, but another male barreled into him and pushed him away. A fist flew at Malachi and he barely dodged it, shoving the male off and leaping to his feet in time to see Damien shift into his wolf form and race out of the park.

  “Shit! He’s going after Nila!” he yelled to Acksel, who was facing off against another wolf.

  “Go with Ren, I’ve got this!” Acksel yelled back.

  Malachi and Ren raced to the other SUV, and they followed the road out of the park.

  “Where would she go?” Ren asked.

  “I told her to go to Acksel’s.”

  Ren nodded. Malachi used the corner of his shirt to wipe the blood off his face. He was going to be in a hell of a lot of pain later, but right now all he could think about was keeping Nila safe.

  They sailed down a dark road, and in the distance he saw the SUV’s taillights. Suddenly, the SUV jerked to the right and then sharply to the left as the brakes squealed. It spun around until it was facing them and didn’t move.

  Ren stopped the SUV in front of the one Nila was driving and they both got out. Malachi scented the air and smelled fresh blood. Ren went around the other side of the vehicle as Malachi rapped on the driver’s side window.

  Nila looked especially pale. Even in the glow from the dashboard he thought she looked like she was going to pass out. Jack was in her lap, and he turned his head and met Malachi’s eyes and smiled.

  “Carrot,” he said, the word muffled through the closed window. Malachi’s eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of fangs in Jack’s mouth.

  What the hell?

  “Nila?” Malachi said, but she didn’t move, her hand gripping the steering wheel and her gaze straight forward.

  “Mal? Come back here for a second,” Ren called.

  Malachi told Jack he’d be right back and walked around to the back of the truck, stopping in surprise as he saw the body of a wolf. He recognized the coloring as belonging to Damien. Ren knelt next to the wolf and looked up at Malachi.

  “He’s dead.”

  “What the hell happened?”

  Ren shrugged. “I’m guessing that he ran out into the road to try to stop her. Maybe he thought she’d crash instead of hitting and killing him.”

  Malachi looked at the SUV. Did Nila know she’d killed Damien?

  “Damn it,�
�� he spoke softly. He didn’t want Nila to suffer with the knowledge that she’d killed someone, even if it was her psycho ex.

  Ren stood slowly and said, “Get your mate and son out of the SUV and take the other one home. I’ll wait for Acksel here.”

  “This is my mess, Ren.”

  “It’s pack business. When are you going to learn that?”

  “I’m pretty hardheaded,” Malachi said.

  “Yeah, well, I know that, but I still like your sorry ass.” Ren pulled his phone from his pocket and Malachi went to the driver’s door. Jack had his face pressed to the glass, and he squeaked in excitement when Malachi stopped in front of him. Banging his little palm against the window, he said, “Carrot!”

  “Yeah, buddy. Nila. Nila!” He called her name and jerked on the handle a few times, hoping that Jack had just suddenly figured out how to unlock the doors.

  “Nila!” He shouted her name sternly and she seemed to react to that, at least a little. He wondered if she was in shock. “Open the door now, Nila. Jack needs help.”

  Her whole body jerked and she blinked several times, looking around before locking eyes with Malachi. He knew then that she did know what she’d done. “Don’t break down on me now, sweetheart,” he said loudly. “Open the door and let me take you and Jack out of here.”

  Her hand moved so slowly he wasn’t sure it would ever reach the button to unlock the door. The second the door clicked, Malachi wrenched it open and lifted Jack from her lap. He clung to Malachi like a monkey, repeating carrot and burying his face in Malachi’s neck. Malachi reached for Nila and helped her out. She was stiff as a board, but followed him dutifully to the other SUV. He cursed not thinking of putting in a car seat before they left, but he’d been so focused on getting Jack back that he hadn’t gotten the car seat out of his own SUV.

  Malachi helped Nila buckle in and put Jack in her lap, and she held him tightly. Malachi grabbed a jacket from the backseat and laid it over Jack to warm him up, turning the heater on high. When he started the engine, Jack laid his cold little hand on Malachi’s bicep and whispered, “Dada.”