by Fel Fern
“Raul, that’s not the entire truth, right?” Logan asked.
Raul growled. “Fine, you want the truth? I’m doing this for you. Happy?”
“I never asked you to,” Logan whispered.
“No.” Raul smiled, showing him a flash of sharp teeth, but didn’t elaborate. “Come on, let’s take a shower and get out of here. I promised you a tour of town. As for Bran, I’ll discreetly ask other members and pack contacts if they’ve heard anything about mercenaries nearby.”
Grateful, Logan followed him to the shower and was a little disappointed when Raul didn’t join him.
* * * *
Using Raul’s phone, Logan managed to contact the others and find how they spent the night. Relieved everyone sounded well, even a little grumpy, Logan arranged for them to meet later in the afternoon. True to his word, Raul showed him around Darkfall. The town wasn’t large, about the size of Blue River. Unlike Logan’s hometown, he noticed the denizens seemed to all know each other and were close.
“Afternoon, Raul,” an elderly human woman greeted them as they walked past.
“Mrs. Hall,” Raul replied with a nod.
“Oh, it’s odd not to see you by your Gamma’s side, or with that big gruff,” Mrs. Hall pointed out. The old woman adjusted her horn-rimmed glasses to peer at Logan with interest.
“Dino and Michella are a little busy today.”
“That’s too bad. I promised Michella a taste of my new apple strudel. Who’s this, a guest of yours?”
“This is Logan. He and his friends are staying with the pack for a while,” Raul explained.
Mrs. Hall gave Logan’s hand a pat. His wolf woke, wary of this old woman. Logan jumped, realizing she wasn’t human at all, but some kind of supernatural with magic. Was she some kind of witch perhaps? Raul seemed to act careful around her.
Logan’s mouth went dry, seeing her initially black eyes turning cloudy.
“That’s good. It never pays to be careful, especially with dark times ahead,” she murmured. She stared at Logan like he was a puzzle she couldn’t quite solve. “Young wolf, what you’re searching for might be right under your nose.”
Right under his nose?
“What does that mean?” Raul asked, frowning.
“Stay close to those you cherish, Raul.” Her eyes cleared, back to normal. She smiled at them. “Oh, and tell Michella to come by my bakeshop soon.”
“I will. Do you need me to accompany you back to the bakery?” For Raul’s suggestion, she gave him a light whack of her cane.
“I can perfectly walk on my own, young man.”
Raul inclined his head as she hobbled along with her cane. Once she was out of earshot, Logan tugged at his sleeve.
Logan hesitated. “Is she some kind of witch or magic user?”
Raul nodded, looking distracted. “More of a seer, but I hear she was a pretty formidable spell slinger in her time. She seldom makes predictions these days. Michella trained under her to get her abilities under control. It’s odd though. I don’t see Mrs. Hall come out of her bakery often.”
“Does she make good bread?”
Raul laughed. “Not really. Supposedly, she was a great beauty once. Fell for a mortal, a baker and took over her husband’s business when he died.”
“This town’s getting more interesting by the minute,” Logan mumbled. “Back at home, we didn’t have so many interesting townsfolk, just humans and us shifters.”
Raul shrugged. “It’s not a well-known fact, but the reason why most groups won’t attack us is not just because of our pack. Plenty of immortals and powerful supernatural folk settled down here because they know no one will bother them.”
“I see. No wonder my wolf is confused by the scent of the population.”
Knowing the old woman was a seer, the words she said bothered him a little. What was he looking for? Did she mean Bran?
“How accurate are her predictions, do you think I can talk to her again, maybe alone?” Logan asked.
Raul looked thoughtful. “Mrs. Hall has her good days and bad. Believe it or not, but this is the first time I’ve seen her so…aware. I’d advise you not to simply pay her an unannounced visit. Mrs. Hall has a mountain lion for a familiar, and that beast doesn’t let anyone near her. Ask Michella, Mrs. Hall and her familiar have a soft spot for her.”
“I’ll do that.”
Logan’s stomach rumbled, much to his embarrassment.
“Hungry?” Raul teased.
“What do you expect?” Logan quipped. “You made me walk so much. I’ve never had so much exercise in my life.”
“That little stroll?” Raul grinned. “We should change that, then, starting with an early morning jog.”
Logan groaned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Wolves need good and regular exercise. Lifting weights is a good complement to cardio,” Raul said.
Logan imagined Raul in a gym, dressed only in sneakers and a pair of shorts, torso bared, and his skin gleaming with sweat. With those muscles, it wouldn’t be hard for Raul to lift barbells. Oh God. He was fantasizing about Raul right when said person stood next to him? What was wrong with him?
“Thinking dirty thoughts, pup?”
Blushing, Logan shook his head and realized it was futile. Damn shifters and their amazing sense of smell.
“I give up,” Logan muttered.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed about being attracted to me, pet.” Raul checked his watch. “It’s about time you met your pack mates, right? I wanted to have lunch together, but maybe another time.”
“Are you sure?” Logan asked, wondering where the time had gone.
Raul fished out his phone to show Logan a dozen unread messages. “I’ve got errands to run, but I’ll meet you back later.”
“How will I contact you?”
“Billy will be around to watch you guys.”
Logan snorted. “We’re all adults. We don’t need a babysitter.”
Raul sighed, as if expecting this argument. “I know, but bear with it, okay? There are still pack members who are suspicious of your pack. Billy was a compromise. Don’t worry, he’ll be a shadow and it would assure other Darkfall wolves.”
Logan nodded, realizing he and the others still stood on uneven ground. They walked toward what looked like an old-fashioned diner. Logan spied his pack mates crowding one booth and Billy seated on the booth next to theirs, reading a newspaper.
“Oh, and one more thing, pup,” Raul said.
“Yeah?” Before Logan could react, Raul spun him by the shoulders and gave him a long and deep kiss. Logan’s face turned red. Why here, within view of everyone? He tasted Raul’s possessiveness in that one kiss, but Logan didn’t bother resisting, not when Raul’s mouth felt so good against his, all heat and passion.
Raul pulled away, thumbing his bottom lip. “I’ll see you later, pup.”
He left Logan, staring at his broad, retreating back. When Logan made a move toward the diner, the eyes of his pack mates were on him. Logan didn’t want to know what thoughts ran in their head. He’d done what he promised and brought them here. Raul was right. No one had the right to pass personal judgment. He walked inside, thoughts of food far from his mind.
“Afternoon, Logan. Had a busy morning?” Billy drawled when he approached.
Logan tensed, forgetting it wasn’t just his pack mates he should be worried about. The Gamma’s wolves were loyal to the three of them. How would they react to Logan stealing Raul away? Hold on a second. He didn’t steal anything or anyone. It was mutual attraction. Lines blurred with Raul, and Logan had no intention of backing down.
“Dino and Michella know,” Logan said quietly.
To his surprise, Billy nodded and went back to his newspaper. “Good, then.”
“That’s it?” Logan asked.
Billy frowned, raising an eyebrow at him. “Why, is there any more?”
Logan quickly shook his head and squeezed into the booth where his pack mates were ga
thered. Martin was there, still looking pale, covered in bandages, but much better than Logan imagined.
“Martin, how are you feeling?” Logan asked, not expecting Martin’s furious expression and the angry words that came out of his best friend’s mouth.
“How could you, Logan?”
Slightly taken aback, Logan couldn’t answer immediately.
“Bad enough you have that enforcer’s scent on you, but what about Ray, or Bran?” Martin demanded.
Logan curled his hands to fists.
“That’s enough, Martin,” Davis said quietly.
“No. I’m not going to keep quiet,” Martin retorted.
Logan gnashed his teeth and looked his best friend in the eye. Startled, Martin shut his mouth when he began to speak. “I got us here, made the call. If not, we’d be dead, too.”
“Bran isn’t here.”
“Oh, you’re going to use that card, Martin? I didn’t lose Bran. All of us did.” Once the anger in him had been unleashed, Logan couldn’t stop. “I got us here. It’s up to the rest of you what you want to do. I’m not the Alpha. You have no right judging me. Raul isn’t a fling. What happened between us last night was unexplainable, special.”
Martin leaned back, regarding him, before finally expelling a breath. “I’m sorry, Logan. You’re right. All of us have been tense lately. We’ve been talking. The Gamma’s wolves have done all they could, but if we’re unwanted here, we don’t want to cause them trouble.”
Logan hadn’t thought beyond taking one day at a time. Martin made a valid point though. They couldn’t take advantage of Michella’s hospitality if the rest of the Darkfall wolves didn’t want them here.
“Bran’s a priority,” Logan decided. “Raul says he’ll ask around, see if his contacts have any news about the mercenaries. Once we get Bran back, we’ll decide again. If matters haven’t changed by then, we’ll move.”
Moving right after finding Raul bothered Logan more than he imagined. After walking around Darkfall, he could imagine living here, waking up each day to Raul’s face, but what exactly was he to Raul? How did one define their relationship? Raul made it clear this wasn’t a mere hookup to him and that held true for Logan.
Logan shook his head. Priorities first, then he’d ponder on his relationship status with Raul.
“Good,” Davis said. “Hopefully, there’ll be good news. I never cared for Bran much, but—”
“He’s one of us,” Nathan finished. Kian nodded beside him.
“For now, all we can do is wait. It’s sucky, I know, but endure it for a little bit,” Logan said. “I know Bran’s fine. He’s strong, too.”
The others gave him skeptical looks, but he was sure Bran was still alive out there.
Chapter Thirteen
When there had been no immediate word from Joseph, Edward Perry began to pace and worry. He did that a lot lately. When he got sick of walking across the rotten floorboards of the rented house, he headed to the garage to observe the ugly, brown runt. Ed had been tempted to play with the wolf but decided it wasn’t worth the effort.
Alpine Industries marked their price down when their captives suffered permanent damage during transport, not that what the scientists did to these miserable creatures wasn’t a thousand times worse.
“Wet yourself again, mutt?” Ed sneered at the sad excuse of a werewolf. The creature huddled away from him as much as possible in the little cage. So tempting to place a bullet in the beast’s brain, but Ed wouldn’t get any compensation for that.
“Edward, you look worse for wear.”
Ed jumped at the sound of a second voice somewhere in the garage. Reflex made him grab the revolver tucked into his belt. These days, he never went anywhere without the means to defend himself, but of course, the intruder moved faster.
Before Ed could grip the handle of his gun, the blade of a knife was pressed against his throat. Not just any normal knife, it was the largest hunting knife Ed had ever seen, the edge silver and its hilt elaborate, bearing the sigil of the Order of the Knife. His throat bobbed uncertainly. Joseph lessened the pressure so Ed could speak but didn’t release him immediately.
“You have one sentence, Edward. Tell me what I need to know, or I’ll slit your throat,” Joseph said.
The hunter said it in a calm voice, as if they were two normal guys talking about the weather. Ed’s friends always warned him about guys from the Order. These hunters might be the best in the business when it came to killing the supernatural, but they weren’t right as rain at all. Full-blown crazy was the term Ed would use. One sentence? What did freaks like Joseph want?
“The formula’s on its way,” Ed croaked.
Joseph released him, but Ed couldn’t put his guard down yet.
“When?” the huge hunter asked.
“In three days.”
“And this formula works?” Joseph asked with narrowed eyes.
Ed hadn’t seen Joseph for a long time, but he noticed the new, ghastly addition to the hunter’s face. Inked into Joseph’s left cheek were two crossed blades, the symbol of his order. It was another reminder Ed was dealing with a fanatic, someone who would resort to any means to exterminate the supernatural.
“I’ve figured you’ll ask that. Side effects are inevitable, but they’re nothing serious like a headache here and there or intense craving for meat. I’ve taken it myself. Took down a werewolf without a hitch,” Ed said.
He didn’t bother telling Joseph the other serious side effects. The formula’s one serious flaw was the fact it was as addictive as any drug, except after three injections in, no one would go back to normal. They’d only crave more. Ed had seen the mercenaries high on the formula who’d do anything to get another taste. Well, it didn’t matter. Ed planned on taking his own life after he enacted his vengeance on that little Omega runt.
It took some time to convince Joseph. Ed felt like a salesman convincing a potential customer to try the product.
“I’ll shoot it into my veins first, so you can see it’s not dangerous,” Ed offered.
Joseph nodded. “What’s the plan?”
Ed jerked his thumb at the brown runt shivering in its cage. “We use this ugly fucker as bait to reel in the others. Alpine Industries would only be sending their transportation convoy in a week. By then, they would have nothing to collect.”
“For once, you and I share the same thirst for bloodshed, mercenary,” Joseph said.
“What are you planning?” Ed asked. He had a feeling stealth wasn’t in Joseph’s dictionary, not anymore.
“Those Darkfall wolves took out too many of my family from the Order. It’s time I repay them in kind.”
Madness glinted in Joseph’s eyes, making Ed doubt partnering with a psycho. Ed whirled to him, his mouth a thin and hard line.
“Don’t get in my way, mercenary. You enjoy hunting down your weak pups, and I’ll have a hell of time wreaking havoc for these arrogant animals,” Joseph said.
Ed swallowed. Why did he have a feeling Joseph was about to go berserk and suicidal? Whatever. Like Joseph suggested, he’d be spiriting his captive pups for some fun, while the crazy hunter tore bullet holes into that miserable town. “I can’t ask for any more.”
Joseph took out his phone and began taking snapshots of the brown mutt. Whining, the animal drew back, whimpering when Joseph kicked at the bars of the cage. “Look more lively for your friends, mutt.”
“What are you doing?” Ed asked.
“Readying our bait, what else? Get ready in three days with the formula. I’ll head into town today.”
Ed nearly lost it. “Are you crazy? There’s a reason why I’m here in Northfield. Let’s plan more, even if we have the formula.”
Joseph sneered, telling Ed the hunter didn’t think much of his cowardice. “I’m done waiting. Let me handle this.”
“What if they kill you on sight even before you can inject yourself with the formula?”
Joseph laughed. “They won’t. We have something they
want. Even after what you’ve told me, there’s no logical reason why the pack would take in a couple of runts. They’ve grown weak, sentimental. I’m going to take advantage of that.”
The mutt screeched when Joseph shoved a boot in. “Now, animal. I want to film you.”
* * * *
“Is there any news from our contacts about Alpine Industries?” Raul quietly asked Dino in their kitchen.
His best friend didn’t answer immediately. Raul followed Dino’s line of sight to notice Logan and Michella laughing and shoving at each other on the couch, both busy ramming buttons on their PlayStation 4 controllers. Loud crashes came from the TV. Raul had to smile at the sight.
“I can’t remember the last time she looked so relaxed,” Dino murmured softly enough for both of them to hear. “She turned into an adult so fast, so it’s odd to see her like this.”
Logan seemed to relax around her, which was a bonus. Raul promised his Omega information, but it was three days now and all Raul had gotten was the useless same old information.
“Anyway, our avian shifter allies flew all the way to Blue River, Logan’s hometown. That’s why it took so long. They’ve confirmed a new experimental site there. They also suspect mercenaries working for Alpine Industries have been taking refuge in Northfield. Most likely, they’ve taken Bran there.”
Raul appreciated the legwork. He’d been so busy with Logan, he’d neglected a little of his duties, but Dino and Michella didn’t seem to mind.
“You cheat!” Logan accused Michella.
“It’s not my fault you picked such a slow car,” she retorted, sticking out her tongue at Logan.
Raul rubbed at his forehead. When did their respectable Gamma turn into a teenager? That game console had been stuck in their closet for ages, a Christmas gift from a pack member who worked at an electronics store. How did Logan and Michella find it? That closet was a mess and crammed with stuff they’d accumulated over the years. Living in an apartment with four people wasn’t the best solution either.
