Mating Games

by Nikki Jefford

  “You need her clothes, right?” Raider held onto them, reluctant to give up these precious reminders of Jordan.

  Elsie nodded. “Just one. The top will work better—it was closest to her heart.” She took it gently from Raider’s hands.

  Tabor stepped forward. “Who else is coming? We’re not leaving without at least two more males.”

  “Why males?” Sasha snarled.

  With his jaw set, Tabor turned to her. “Sasha, please don’t start with me. Females are as strong as males—I know that better than most—but I’m going into an unknown situation with my mate and sister. I want two more males to come with us. That’s all I ask.”

  It seemed perfectly reasonable to Raider, though he would have agreed to anything in exchange for Elsie’s help and Tabor’s cooperation.

  “Garrick offered to help,” Raider said.

  Tabor gave a growl that could have rivaled his wolf’s. “Anyone but him or Zackary,” he snarled.

  Raider sighed but nodded. “I’ll find two more males and meet you back here. Elsie, are you able to get started on the spell while I’m gone?”

  Elsie glanced at the tank top and frowned. “Yes, but unfortunately, we’ll have to search on foot. It only works if I’m holding the article and repeating the spell every few hundred feet. Hopefully, she hasn’t gone too far.”

  Raider’s heart plummeted. He’d already wasted most of the afternoon calling around the hollow and questioning shifters in the den. Jordan and Sydney had left on four legs and could have already covered many miles. They needed to leave now. Or hours ago, preferably.

  He hated letting go of Jordan’s pants. But he dropped them to the ground, joined by his own jeans and shirt. He shifted and raced blindly around the hollow until he’d returned with two of their strongest males—Wolfrik and Aden—and a straggler who had followed them back. Tabor wasn’t going to like it one bit. Too damn bad.

  When Raider returned with three extra males, he couldn’t tell whom Tabor was more troubled to see, Wolfrik or Zackary. Before Wolfrik could refuse to join the search party, Raider had snarled like a raging beast. It must have impressed Wolfrik, because he’d come along without protest. No one knew if he would actually cross the border once they reached the river. At least with Tabor and Sasha present, he would be more inclined to save face and continue with the rest of the group.

  Aden had been Raider’s first pick. Not only was the werewolf shifter more than willing, he got along with everyone and was the first in their pack to have killed a human—all without taking a single bullet.

  Zackary had run over to Aden’s territory wanting to know what was happening then followed them to the glade, drawing back only to sniff out a pair of pants that ended up straining against his hips, too tight.

  Tabor glanced at Aden briefly, gave him a nod, then looked between the other two before his icy glare settled on Zackary. Tabor’s upper lip curled. “I specifically said not to bring him.”

  Raider shrugged. “He found me when I was running around and insisted on joining us.”

  “He’s not welcome.” Tabor’s fists clenched and unclenched.

  Zackary frowned. “I want to help.”

  “Why is that? Did you have something to do with Jordan’s disappearance?” Tabor’s eyes flashed.

  Zackary winced. His eyes darted quickly to Elsie then back to Tabor. “I just want to help.”

  Before Tabor could lob another insult or accusation at Zackary, Elsie began speaking in tongues, lifting Jordan’s tank top in both palms as she spoke.

  Lowering the top, Elsie turned in place, staring into the woods.

  “She headed this way.” With those words, she led the way, taking a southern trail.

  Raider followed on her heels, not waiting to see if the rest of the group followed. Aden fell into step beside Raider. “Why aren’t we shifting?” he asked.

  “In order to perform the spell, Elsie has to go on foot, which means the rest of us do, too.”

  Aden gave a shrug of consent.

  “I assume we’ll return on four legs, though,” Wolfrik said from the back, “which means we should ditch our clothes. No sense leaving them behind wherever we end up.”

  “He’s right,” Sasha said.

  “No way,” Tabor snarled. “You and Elsie aren’t undressing. And keep your pants on, Zackary, unless you want me to make them stick to you permanently.”

  “Tabor!” Elsie turned around. “There’s no such spell. I’ll keep my dress on, if you want.”

  “I won’t,” Sasha said. “I like this dress.”

  Wolfrik chuckled. “Don’t worry, Tabor. I’ll follow the look-don’t-touch rule.”

  “And I’ll follow the rip-your-eyes-out-of-their-sockets right of a mate,” Tabor returned.

  Irritation crawled up Raider’s spine. “How about we focus on the rule of the pack,” he snapped. “We’re all in this together.” He looked over his shoulder at every face in the group. Everyone kept their mouths shut. Sasha pulled her sundress over her head and tossed it aside. Wolfrik stared at her breasts, and Tabor growled but refrained from attacking him.

  “Keep your eyes forward, Elsie,” Tabor said.

  Elsie rolled her eyes. “I’ve been living in the hollow for three weeks, and it’s not like I haven’t seen a nude male before.” She stopped and repeated her spell before continuing forward.

  Whenever she stopped, the rest of their group waited.

  Raider would have preferred racing through the forest, dirt and debris flying behind him. He’d already wasted time running around the hollow in a panic.

  Elsie moved quickly, settling into a rhythm where she no longer stopped to repeat her spell. It became hypnotic. No one spoke until they reached the Manama River.

  “Night’s coming. We’ll sleep here,” Sasha said.

  Raider clenched his fists. “We still have daylight.”

  “Enough to get us up the mountain, no more. We’re not sleeping up there exposed.” Sasha’s words were final.

  Raider didn’t argue even as his wolf raged inside him, desperate for certainty of Jordan’s safety.

  They set to work building a small campfire. By the time they settled into a circle around it, the sky had gone dark. Tabor stood up and reached into his back jean pockets. “Fish jerky, anyone?” he offered, holding out dry strips.

  “I’ll take one. Thanks.” Aden reached across the fire.

  Elsie wrinkled her nose when Tabor held a piece out to her.

  “Sorry, Elsie. Fish is all I’ve got.”

  She took it from his fingers with a forced smile.

  “You don’t like fish?” Zackary asked. Firelight reflected in his eyes. Tabor scowled at him, but then he handed Raider a piece of fish jerky. Raider handed it to Zackary—the shifter might not receive a piece otherwise.

  “I’d probably like it better if they didn’t eat it all the time at Balmar Heights.” Elsie frowned at the strip in her hand.

  Tabor gave a piece to Wolfrik last then sat between his mate and sister. Sasha put her hand on his leg and leaned her shoulder against his.

  Wolfrik scoffed. “With all their mighty spells and tricks, those wizards can’t even catch game.”

  Elsie straightened her spine. “They could, but it’s an unnecessary risk when there are ponds chock-full of fish and rivers teeming with them just outside the gates.”

  “Gates.” Wolfrik sneered.

  Aden stopped chewing to ask, “Do wizards choose life partners?”

  “They call the person their forever.” Elsie stared into the flames. “When they find the one they want to spend the rest of their days with they ask him or her, ‘Will you be my forever?’”

  “That’s very nice,” Aden said.

  “No, it’s not.” Wolfrik stood up and glowered around the fire. “Stupid, sentimental garba
ge. You could ask someone to be your forever and they might be killed the next day. If not the next day then another day soon enough.” Wolfrik glared at Elsie. “There is no forever, only a fleeting moment before death comes for us, most likely a violent one.”

  Elsie lifted her chin and locked Wolfrik in her gaze. “All the more reason to find someone special to spend those fleeting moments with.”

  Scowling, Wolfrik threw his piece of half-eaten fish jerky into the fire. “I’m going to hunt down some real food, not this dried-up scrap.” He stepped away from the fire and melted into the shadows.

  A sort of calm drifted around the circle after Wolfrik left. Violence and despair had radiated off the pureblood since his return from captivity.

  Elsie took her first bite of fish jerky and chewed slowly.

  “Do you have someone special back at Balmar Heights?” Aden asked. “A possible forever?”

  Still chewing, Elsie shook her long brown hair. “I’m not like them. There are some nice wizards up there, but none of them really understand the animal side of me. They’d rather I suppress it, but it’s a strong part of me.”

  Aden finished his piece of fish and watched her thoughtfully. Zackary watched her, too, the jerky forgotten in his hand. The two males stared at Elsie with keen interest—almost as though they were sizing up a potential mate. Ironic since they were the only two shifters in Wolf Hollow who had been told by the council not to mate. That made Elsie forbidden fruit.

  Tabor might have noticed the intention in their gazes if Sasha hadn’t repositioned herself between his legs. If his hooded gaze said anything, he was no longer thinking with his brain.

  Soft chatter continued. It helped calm Raider’s raging heart. He was saving that rage, storing it up for whatever awaited them beyond the hollow. Jordan would have returned if she could have, which meant she was in trouble. Raider had tortured his mind with all types of distressing scenarios when he first discovered her missing. On the trek across the hollow, he’d forced a wall of calm over his mind. They were headed for her. Every step led him closer. He could be calm. Rational. Whatever it took to get to her and bring her home safe. Once he got her back to the hollow, he’d make her his mate—his forever. And he’d make damn sure forever lasted a long time.

  Raider’s eyes opened at first light, blinking away sleep and the foggy haze of dawn slipping over the dark sky. Goose bumps rose over his bare arms. He got up, stretched, and looked around. The fire had burned out hours ago. Not even smoking embers remained. Aden and Elsie had shifted and slept curled in furry balls on opposite sides of the fire. They were the only two shifters in sight.

  Sighing, Raider walked softly into the woods to relieve himself. He didn’t need to guess twice as to why Sasha and Tabor had gone off someplace private. Hopefully, Wolfrik hadn’t stormed back to the glade, leaving the group without a farewell. Zackary was probably doing what Raider was—taking a piss. The shifter would never turn back, not without Elsie. Maybe he really did just want to help and make up for what he’d done to Tabor, but Raider doubted his intentions were entirely selfless.

  Movement in the trees opposite Raider caught his ear. Someone from their group was returning. Raider shook himself off before turning back. He stopped when he saw Zackary near camp, stalking quietly up to Elsie on four legs. He laid a dead rabbit on the ground near her head then walked away with silent footsteps, disappearing into the forest.

  Not a bad idea. Raider shifted and hunted down a rabbit of his own, wishing he could share it with Jordan.

  Soon.

  When Raider returned to the campsite, Aden was gone, Sasha and Tabor had returned in human form, and Elsie had shifted and slipped on her dress. At her feet, all that remained of the rabbit was fur and bones.

  Zack lumbered in on two legs. The zipper on the jeans he’d borrowed from the glade had broken, and he was trying to walk while holding them up.

  Sasha took one look at him and sighed. “Oh, for Pete’s sake, those are way too small, Zackary. Leave the pants behind.”

  “Better yet, stay behind with them,” Tabor said.

  Aden walked in, stretching his arms above his head, soon followed by Wolfrik, who walked in from the forest, rubbing his palms together.

  “Now that you’re all here, let’s go,” Raider said.

  Elsie waded across the river, Jordan’s tank top clutched in her fingers. She didn’t lift her long gown. The wet hem clung to her lower legs when she reached shore on the opposite side, chanting the spell.

  “Up the mountain,” Elsie said.

  “Why did she leave the hollow?” Tabor wondered aloud.

  Raider scratched his head. He’d wondered the same thing every other second. “Palmer said that Sydney was inconsolable after Jager called off the search for David. Maybe Sydney begged Jordan to take one last look with her. This was the last area he was seen in.”

  Sasha shook her head. “I don’t believe Jordan would leave the hollow without telling anyone.”

  “Nor do I.” Raider frowned. He had no idea why she’d left. Something had happened between the time he last saw her and when she talked to her family in the den. Her clothes had been cast off in a hurry. Whatever had pulled her away had been quick and unexpected.

  “Maybe she was tricked,” Tabor said.

  Raider frowned. “I doubt anyone could trick Jordan, and for what purpose?”

  “The great prize, of course: you,” Tabor said.

  Wolfrik snickered.

  Raider whipped around and glared at him then Tabor.

  Tabor flashed him a lazy smile. “Someone already tried to take Emerson out when it appeared she was a top contender to become your mate. Emerson backed off, Jordan moved in, and now Jordan’s missing—possibly Sydney. Hmm, who does that leave?” Tabor tapped a finger against his chin, a sardonic, close-lipped smile on his lips.

  “Camilla?” Aden scratched his head and frowned.

  Tabor gave a lazy shrug. “Process of elimination.”

  Sasha sighed. “Have you learned nothing from me, Tabor? What have I always told you? Never jump to conclusions. We’ll uncover the truth soon enough.” She pushed ahead, joining Elsie’s side.

  Tabor lowered his voice and leaned close to Raider. “And sometimes the most obvious culprit is the one to worry about.” He glanced back at Zackary and gave a knowing jut of his chin.

  “Right now, I care more about finding her than who did or didn’t do what,” Raider grumbled.

  They followed Elsie up the mountainside, and before long, they reached a cabin. The moment Raider saw it, his heart pounded against his rib cage like a fist trying to break through.

  Several shifters in their group, including Raider, shifted to sniff around.

  He picked up traces of David first, and when Raider found the kennel, his nostrils flared as he breathed in Jordan’s musky feminine scent. There were human smells, as well. Two male and one female.

  Fury, panic, and bloodlust yanked Raider’s lips up and over his fangs.

  He howled with enough wrath to rattle the cabin’s walls and shake its rotting foundation.

  chapter twenty-two

  Following the longest night of her life, Jordan watched daylight filter through the tent’s fabric, inch by inch. David lay in the fetal position, his back facing her. The blue dress was bunched into a ball in the opposite corner. Jordan lay alert atop the blanket, her head lifted, facing the tent flap. Several hours earlier, she’d decided what to do. She’d shifted and lay in wait for the moment Jay opened the tent, when she would leap out and attack him. He wouldn’t see it coming until it was too late.

  Her blood raced in eager anticipation. For the first time since she’d been captured, Jordan felt the thrill of freedom within her grasp. She was more excited than nervous.

  Jay said shifters had killed two of his sister’s children. Well, now Jordan was going to fini
sh the job and put this contemptible family out of its misery.

  No breeding. No babies. No imprisonment.

  Jordan would show Jay a thing or two about self-possession. Never piss off a wolf.

  She could sense him outside. He’d remained awake all night, and so had she. He had a knack for sitting still, but she wasn’t fooled by the stretches of silence. His breath was wakeful and foul. There had been times when he stood and stretched or added more kindling to the fire. The smell of smoke would thicken for a time, filling Jordan’s lungs inside the tent as she waited, listening to every breath Jay took.

  The other tent unzipped.

  “Morning,” Kirk said.

  “Morning,” Jay answered gruffly.

  Footsteps left the alcove then returned a short time after. The smell of wood smoke intensified again, and Wilma hummed softly.

  David shifted, and his breathing changed. He was awake but remained still, as though pretending to be asleep.

  Unlike with the previous meals, the humans didn’t invite David and Jordan to join them. Jordan smelled food she couldn’t place. It wasn’t meat or grains. After a time, she heard the scrape of spoons against metal cups as the humans ate in silence. Jordan bristled with impatience.

  After they finished eating, they bustled around the alcove, pulling apart the tent and stuffing it and its pieces into a pack. She heard the clang of metal cups rubbing against each other.

  It wasn’t until they finished packing that they spoke.

  “Take Wilma to the second campsite and get her set up,” came Jay’s now-familiar gravelly voice. “Come back as soon as you can.”

  Jordan’s tail twitched. Killing Jay was going to be easier than she thought.

  “Be careful,” Kirk said.

  “I’m not taking any chances,” Jay said. His voice softened. “Go on, Sissy. We’ll meet up with you later tonight, after it’s done. I’ll be expecting that apple crisp to be nice and warm.”

  “Oh, yes,” Wilma gushed. “It will. I’ll have everything ready. You’ll all be so hungry. I’ll make extra.”