by Helen Scott
An idea was forming inside me and I knew the guys would hate it, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to work. The idea of Blake going back alone to Jax’s pack was uncomfortable to say the least. Especially since we’d only just sealed the mate bond. Having him leave now would be like having someone cut my arm off for a bit. Even if I knew I’d get it back, it would still hurt like hell in the meantime.
“You going to the pack could be useful for us, if you really think you can get information about the oracle,” Roman said, sounding doubtful of Blake’s abilities. “If we can find her and talk to her, then we might be able to figure out what’s going on, why Nina has three mates, and what this unusual situation means. Plus, if she thinks you play an important role in Jax’s life and future, it would be good to try and get clarification on that.”
“It’s not getting back or getting the information that I’m worried about, but I am worried about the mate bond. What if Jax can smell Nina on me? Or sense the bond somehow?” It was the first time I’d heard Blake sound nervous.
“Could you sense it between Micah and me or Roman and me?” I asked, trying to prove to him that we were the only ones that could feel the mate bond. It was that very fact that also explained why it could be so fucked up, because anyone could claim they were mated. Say, for instance, a sixty-year-old alpha and a sixteen-year-old girl, which was what happened with my old alpha, and my parents objecting was what got them killed.
There were some that claimed that healers or witches could ferret out whether or not the bond was actually there, but I wasn’t sure I believed that. After all, they’d tried to give me that outlawed potion that forced a mate bond and it didn’t work. So how good were they really at what they claimed they could do?
Eventually, Blake shook his head. “No, I couldn’t. But we probably shouldn’t have had sex. He’ll be able to smell you on me, I know it.”
I nibbled on my lip for a moment. This was the opening to present my idea, but I knew they weren’t going to like it. “We fought. We held you prisoner until you escaped. Then after leaving a false trail for Roman and Micah to follow, you circled back and captured me to bring me in. We fought some more, but you won. If the two of us go in, then we’ll definitely get the information we need about the oracle.”
14
Micah
What the hell was my beautiful woman thinking? She wanted to voluntarily go back to Jax’s home base in hopes of what? Finding information about the oracle? Information that Blake could get?
“No. I’m not okay with this,” I said, shaking my head and releasing Nina’s shoulders so I could cross my arms over my chest. I wasn’t the only one saying that, of course.
“No, Nina, it’s reckless and unnecessarily dangerous. I don’t want us to be separated like that. I can’t look out for you that way, and I definitely don’t want you to do it either.” Roman’s voice was a strange mix of anger and fear, one I’d never heard from him before, and considering how long we’d been in the same pack, it made me realize just how not okay with this idea he was.
“I know I’m new to this family, but I agree with Micah and Roman—it’s a bad idea. Being apart after only just forming the mate bond is going to be hard, distracting even, and possibly painful, but we can handle it. I fully believe that I can go back to the pack and do this, and once I have the information, I can return and leave that pack for good. Then we’ll be able to find the oracle and get some answers.”
Nina snorted. “’Cause that’s what oracles are known for—their straight answers. Honestly, I think you guys are putting too much weight on this oracle. Is she our only shot? Maybe. But who’s to say she’s not just a crazy old woman stirring the pot because she’s bored? All I want is for Blake to stay safe and have someone with him who can watch his back.”
“Then I’ll go with him,” I said before I could really think it through, my frustration getting the better of me. The offer was out there now though, so not much I could do about it. Although, I would do pretty much anything to keep Nina away from Jax. Even being in this forest in the middle of fucking nowhere hadn’t been enough, since his men had still found us. Sending her into the wolf’s den? Not going to happen.
“You can’t. The second you or Roman show up, he’ll kill you, unless he thinks he can lure Nina out by keeping you alive. Right now, I’d say he’s angry enough that he wants to cause Nina pain, wants to break your—our mate bonds more than anything, so I would lean toward him killing you.”
Nina wasn’t going to back down so easily though. “I can protect myself, and I know enough about how Jax thinks that I can get myself in there safely.”
“And what about getting yourself out? Or do you want the two of us to storm the castle?” Roman demanded before turning away from Nina and running his hands through his hair, which made it stick out on both sides, giving him a slightly more crazed look than I thought he probably intended. It was as though he couldn’t believe this conversation was actually happening. If I was being honest, I couldn’t believe it either.
I hated what I was about to say and could feel the nausea in my gut before the words even left my mouth, but it needed to be on the table. “What if you don’t get a chance to get back out? He’s already tried to force the mate bond once with the old potion, but he could try again, give you a second dose, then rape you. At this point, based on what we know and what Blake’s said, I don’t think he has any lines he’s not willing to cross to get you. And if we were to try and get you out, the likelihood of us succeeding without being captured is already extremely low, and what do you think he’d do if he did catch us? I’d bet money he’d make you watch as he executed us.”
Nina paled slightly at my words, and I knew that it had at least made her think about some of the nastier things Jax could do, other than just keep her prisoner in a warehouse. Not that I was dismissing the trauma she endured at his hands while in the warehouse and while trying to escape, but it could also have been a lot worse. Jax had still had his nice boy, romance his mate plan going. Now? I didn’t think he’d be so nice.
Just as she opened her mouth to reply, Roman hissed, “Quiet!” His eyes darted to the door and the roof.
My metaphorical hackles went up. Something was wrong. I wasn’t sure what he’d heard or scented, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Roman stripped down and shifted in record time, then Blake and I followed suit. Nina rushed over and opened the door to the cabin, grabbing a cell phone that had been sitting on the table on the way. It was almost like we had all discussed what we needed to do.
I bounded out into the woods, stopping as soon as I found some cover. The scent on the air was wolves and ones I didn’t recognize at that, which could only mean trouble. I still didn’t know what had alerted Roman, but whatever it was, I was glad for it.
Nina made a dash for the tree line and stood somewhere behind me. I knew the wolves were coming from the other side of the woods based on their scents, and if we didn’t do something, then between our sweat and fear, they’d be able to track us. We’d lead them straight to us, so I did the only thing I could think of.
I peed all over the ground in front of me.
A murmur of surprise escaped Nina, but it was barely audible to me so I knew the other wolves wouldn’t hear it. I moved a little farther in one direction and peed again before moving farther in the other direction and repeating the action until my bladder was empty. The scent would be strong enough that we would be shielded from them, and provided they didn’t cross the line of pee, then we would be safe.
In all likelihood, they would cross that line, but my hope was that we’d have a decent amount of distance between us and them at that point. All of us were hidden in the bushes a ways back from the cabin, when the wolves I’d scented only a few moments before appeared out of the other side of the woods, like a fog moving silently over the ground. I looked toward Nina, her blonde hair a beacon in the shadows of the trees.
My paws were light as a feathe
r and soundless as I made my wave over to her. Gently, I nuzzled her hand to let her know I was there before I tugged on her fingers with my teeth. She was still standing, and we needed her more hidden than that. I wasn’t sure if she understood me at first, but then a moment later, she squatted down next to me, where she was more covered by the leaves of a low growing bush.
The new wolves sniffed around, scratching at the ground in places, no doubt getting our scents as deep into their brains as they could. It was the kind of thing a shifter did when we were relying on instinct more than human thought in our wolf form. If they scented us, we would be in trouble, that was for sure.
We needed to move farther away while we still had the chance, though that would mean risking drawing their attention. To me, it seemed like only a matter of time before they found us hunkered down behind the bushes.
I looked over at Roman, and when I caught his eye, I gestured to the woods behind us with my snout. He nodded and moved up to Nina’s other side, licking her hand to draw her attention before he made the same gesture I did. Nina nodded, which surprised me, and when Roman nipped at the edge of her tank with his teeth, tugging in the direction he wanted to go, she didn’t hesitate to follow.
If nothing else, Nina was good in a crisis. I just wished she hadn’t had so many in her life to make her develop that particular skill. She had barely even scratched the surface of what she’d told us about her life. I was sure that when we got into it at some point, when we weren’t in danger and we trusted each other even more than we did now, she’d tell us everything and we could all help her heal together.
If we didn’t get out of this situation, then that would be a pipe dream.
A yip caught my attention, and I turned to look at the wolves that were surrounding the cabin in a semicircle. My heart froze in my chest as I wondered if the wolves facing the side of the woods we were hiding in could see us, but their attention seemed primarily focused on the cabin door. Still, my senses were on high alert as I tried to figure out which wolf had made a noise and why.
I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw Roman and Nina frozen and watching as well. Even Blake, who I could barely see through the trees, was at attention, waiting for their next move. Another yip sounded, and a figure emerged from the trees. He looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure I could place him.
A noise that I wasn’t sure how to describe came from behind me. I knew it had to be Roman since it was a very wolf-like noise, and when I looked back at him, I saw his lips raised and teeth bared in a vicious snarl. Whoever the man was that had led these wolves to the cabin, whom I didn’t recognize by scent, was someone we both knew.
It was only when I saw the sad acceptance on her face that I realized the man must have been Brecken. Roman’s friend. The man who owned the cabin.
Roman had trusted him with the safety of his mate, and he’d just betrayed that. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was Jax’s source for the coordinates that Blake had been given. The man didn’t know it yet, but he’d just made four enemies. Blake may be new, his mate bond with Nina even stranger than my own, but I had no doubt that he would side with Nina over his own pack, over Jax, which also meant that a stranger like Brecken stood no chance.
The man knocked on the door of the cabin, and when no one answered, he opened it and strolled in, a big fake smile plastered on his face. How could a man walk into a place where someone he’d called a friend at one time or another was staying, smile on his face, knowing that death awaited him outside? I had no doubt that was why there were five wolves this time, along with Brecken. Roman and I were not supposed to make it out of the attack.
How Roman stayed still and didn’t launch himself at his friend, I had no idea. If it were me, I was sure my emotions would have run away with me and I’d have exposed us all. It was something I needed to work on, especially now that I had Nina and knew she couldn’t shift either. My girl needed her protectors, and I was honored to be counted among them.
“How the hell am I supposed to know where they are?” Brecken demanded as he looked down at one of the wolves, whose head was tilted to the side. “When Roman called me, they were still here. I had no reason to think they’d be anywhere else.”
The wolf that had tilted its head shifted, and a man I didn’t recognize stood in his place, deadly anger written all over his face. “You told Jax they’d be here. They’re not. I think you owe Jax the bonus he gave you back.”
“Listen, maybe they just went out for a run or something. I mean, all their stuff is still there. They’ll be back, I’m sure. When they return, you can get them then. Just wait them out. Easy.”
“If they don’t come back, then Jax will be paying you a personal visit. One I doubt you’ll enjoy,” the wolf said before shifting back and heading into the woods. He and his friends blended into the trees just like we had, and I knew then that we had to come up with a different plan if we wanted to get any of our stuff back and make a getaway.
15
Nina
I couldn’t believe Brecken had betrayed us like that. No, wait. I could. Most people in the world were selfish and looked out for themselves first, never mind anyone else. That was a lesson I’d learned a long time ago.
As Roman disappeared into the line of trees, I followed him, trying to step where he stepped and move as quietly as he did. It was harder than it sounded, since I was still in my human form and probably would be for a long time yet. I hoped one day my wolf would make her appearance though.
I checked over my shoulder to make sure that Blake and Micah were following as well. For a moment, I thought I’d lost them, they were like shadows moving over the ground. We followed Roman for a long time, until we came to the clearing that we’d found the other day, right before Blake and Ray attacked us. I looked over at my newest mate and wondered what had been going through his mind at that point. We’d certainly had no idea that we were coming back to an ambush.
Roman shifted in front of me, and I got a moment to stare at his fine behind before he turned and I got to stare at something even more fun. Something that was hardening under my gaze.
“My eyes are up here, angel,” Roman’s voice chided.
Should I be thinking about sex at a time like this? No. Could I stop my brain from rolling in the gutter like a pig in mud? Also no.
With great effort, I yanked my gaze off his magnificent cock and up to his face, offering him a sheepish smile in return.
“Now that I have your attention,” Roman began, offering me a wink before his face turned serious, “we need to figure out what we do now and where we can go from here. Micah, Blake, do either of you have any places we could stay?”
“We can’t leave without our stuff,” I interjected before either of the guys questioned could respond.
“I know, and we won’t, but we need a distraction, something to lure them away from the cabin, make them think we’re not coming back so there’s no reason to hang around,” Roman explained.
I couldn’t explain the panic of losing most of the things I’d only just gained. I wasn’t sure any of them would understand. I’d had so much taken from me throughout my life that it was something I was both used to and couldn’t stand.
Roman had been able to have a friend go round to my old apartment and take care of everything while we were still friendly with the pack. He’d also dropped off most of my stuff, at least the stuff that was easily portable, at his apartment, which was part of what we grabbed before we made our getaway. There was honestly only one thing I really cared about, and that was the photo of my family. It was the only thing I really had left of them.
Even when I’d been homeless and had had most of my other belongings stolen by thieves, I’d kept ahold of that photo.
I wasn’t about to lose it now, and especially not because of Jax and his stupid obsession.
Roman watched my face, seeming to understand the emotions he saw playing out there, or maybe he felt through the mate bond, I wasn’t sure which.
Maybe it was both, but either way, once I’d calmed down, he nodded at Blake and Micah.
“The only place I have is on pack land,” Blake said as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I might have somewhere, but I’d need to make a couple calls first,” Micah replied, choosing his words with care.
Roman nodded and began pacing in thought, something I didn’t object to and wasn’t sure I ever would, since he cut a fine figure striding across the clearing. I wasn’t sure if Roman was the kind of man who appreciated input while brainstorming or if that would just add to the noise, but I figured it would be better to voice an idea than keep it to myself and for us to be stuck deciding what to do for longer.
“What if we call Brecken and tell him that the cabin’s been compromised and we’ve made a run for it? We could say that we scented the wolves or something and didn’t even go back to try and get our stuff.” I shrugged.
“Do you have a phone?” Roman asked.
I nodded and slipped the phone from my pocket. “I don’t know whose it is, but it was on the table so I grabbed it. Being in the woods without any kind of navigation or way to contact the outside world seemed like a bad idea.” I stretched out my hand and offered it to him.
“It’s mine,” Roman said quietly, relief evident in his voice.
I handed it over without complaint, but was surprised when he followed my suggestion. After tapping a couple of buttons, he listened to it ring, forcing himself to breathe hard like he’d been running.
