by Lacey Thorn
Chapter Three
Derrick leaned in and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her close to his chest. She struggled to stay conscious but couldn’t fight the dose of sedative Cody had given her.
“How much did you give her?” Derrick demanded as she faded against him.
“Enough,” Cody snapped. “We need to move. Someone’s coming to find their buddy. I doubt they’ll be filled with joy when they find him dead in a ditch. Though we should probably keep that between us.” He nodded toward the woman in Derrick’s arms.
“He got what he deserved. I doubt he’d have given a shit if it had been me in the ditch. Or her.” Derrick barely bit off the growl as he took in the condition of her vehicle and the limb that could have been fatal had it been even another inch to her left.
Cody followed his gaze then stuck his head in the Jeep. “Let me grab her stuff and empty the glovebox.”
Derrick tilted his head again. “They’re getting close.” Part of him wanted to stay and kill every fucking one of them, but something about the woman in his arms made him want to protect her more.
“I know!”
Derrick leaned in, pressing the woman between them to growl in Cody’s face. He was over the pissy snapping Cody was doing. There was no time for an alpha fight at present. Later. Maybe.
“Let me grab her license plate. Fuck! The last thing we should be doing is taking her with us,” Cody stated, but Derrick shook his head.
“We can’t leave her. She’s been seen. She won’t be safe if we leave her. There’s no telling what they might do.”
Cody sighed then began a quick pace Derrick easily matched, even with the woman in his arms. They’d head to the den they kept in Three Sisters to reassess and make sure she was healed. Then, when it was safe, they’d let her go.
“What the fuck was that growl for?” Cody hissed. “Are you trying to announce where we are?”
Shit! Derrick hadn’t even realized he was growling. And at the thought of the beauty in his arms walking away no less. His wolf pressed against his skin in agitation, but he managed to keep his next growl at bay. He wasn’t giving up the woman. Besides, from the brief conversation they’d had before Cody had drugged her, Derrick got the feeling she’d never walk away. She’d keep coming back until she got herself killed.
“Whatever you’re thinking, fucking stop,” Cody snarled. “Or I’m going to fucking drug you and hide your ass in these woods until you come to your senses.
“Fine,” Derrick snapped and moved ahead of his best friend and the closest thing he had to a brother. Despite the fact they were from different wolf packs, they’d formed a bond in childhood that had lasted into adulthood and would continue until death.
What he should be thinking about was the growing group they’d just discovered in their midst. As if it wasn’t enough to have humans hunting them, calling them abominations and failed experiments that needed to be eradicated from the earth, now they’d found a more concerning threat that attacked from within their species. A group of wolves who believed wolves should only mate and breed within their own packs. They didn’t want things to change, didn’t want the packs to integrate. They completely believed gray wolves should mate with only gray wolves. Brown with brown. Black with black. White with white. And so on. Not to mention their feelings on wolves mating humans or shifters of other species.
These dissenters had made their presence known on the heels of the announcement that an alliance had been formed by the four alphas in an attempt to bring all the wolf packs together under one rule. Derrick’s. The other three had decided it despite his resistance. The grays were the largest and most powerful of the wolf packs. The other alphas felt Derrick as head alpha gave them the best chance at coming together. There was strength and power in unification. They desperately needed that when faced with the enemies hunting them. In some cases, they even drugged and pitted wolves against one another or other shifter species. Even worse was being captured, tortured, and experimented on. Locked in cages. Mutilated. Then discarded with the trash. For too many years, they’d fought against hunters with no end in sight.
Wolves made it far too easy for their enemies. They were also making it far too easy for the troublemakers in the packs. By splitting off into smaller packs. By being unwelcoming to other wolves, other shifters, and humans. They’d isolated themselves, cutting themselves off from sources of help and protection.
Derrick planned to end that. Even if it meant going from pack to pack and beating sense into those most resistant. He and the three others expected some to balk at what they were working toward, but with all four alphas on board, they’d been confident they’d get everyone in line. That was before someone had tried to kill one of them. An attack which had led to them holing up at the den in Three Sisters Wilderness while they sorted shit out.
Remembering had Derrick choking off another growl. The attackers had come after Michael a week ago and managed to catch him in the shoulder with a fucking dart. A dart of all things. It was the weapon most commonly used against them by hunters. Cody had suggested that method had been employed to allow those responsible to cast blame on the hunters.
Unfortunately for them, Adrian had been with Michael. Adrian, alpha of the black wolves, not only prevented Michael’s death but caught one of the attackers in the process. They’d all been shocked to discover one of their own. One filled with hate at the thought of all wolves living together. One who’d killed himself rather than tell them anything else. Derrick and the other alphas hadn’t been prepared for that. If they had the opportunity to interrogate again, they would.
Derrick spotted the rockslide that marked the concealed entrance to their home and veered to the left, heading toward the hidden door that led down into the tunnel that ran parallel with their den and labs. The lab where even now Michael waited for answers.
Michael was losing his fucking mind from whatever had been in that dart. They still had no clue what had been in the tip that had hit him, but it didn’t appear to be anything they’d encountered or heard of hunters using. Which made Derrick wonder if the rebelling wolves had developed something to use against their own kind. The thought made him ache to lock his claws into a few wolves and remind them of their places.
He and Cody had been doing anything they could think of to help Michael. Earlier today, Derrick had gone with Cody to grab a few things he’d hoped might cure their fellow alpha. On the way, Derrick had gotten a call from Alisha. She’d asked him to meet her at the cabin, stating it was important. Cody hadn’t needed to point out his suspicions of her showing up out of the blue shortly after the attack. He had his own. So he and Cody had veered off to meet her. Now, they had this new problem in his arms to deal with.
Cody dodged around him and immediately triggered the hidden latch. He dropped down then glanced up, holding his arms out to take the woman so Derrick’s hands would be free to close things up behind them. Common sense. He knew that, but damn, it took all he had to force himself to relinquish her to Cody. He nearly howled as his best friend turned and headed down the tunnel with her, leaving Derrick to follow. He was quick but thorough as he locked shit up. His arms felt too empty.
Cody had already reached the bend in the path and headed toward their current home. Adrian was at the door, arms crossed over his chest as he watched them. He lifted a brow as he took in the woman with them.
“Do I want to know?” he asked.
“We didn’t kidnap her,” Derrick assured him.
“Yeah, we did,” Cody countered as he carried her back toward the bedrooms. Derrick dodged around him and pushed open the door to his room. There was no way he’d let her sleep in anyone else’s bed. Cody seemed to fight with himself as he paused on the threshold. Then he stepped inside and moved across the room to lay her on Derrick’s mattress.
“You seriously took a woman?” Adrian demanded. “A human woman? What the fuck were you thinking!”
“She saved my life,” Derrick stated, an
d Cody snorted.
“She clipped the ATV that was chasing you and sent it off the road. You’d have been fine either way. What she did was see you shift, wreck her car, get herself injured, and make it impossible for us to leave her for our pursuers to find,” Cody countered.
“Hunter or wolf?” Adrian asked, and it infuriated Derrick all over again that it was even a question that had to be asked.
“Human. But they were with Alisha. Could be a hunter for all we know. Wouldn’t surprise me if that viper found a way to team up with them,” Cody answered. “She wasn’t expecting us to drug her, so we had an advantage. Still, she came here looking for Derrick and wasn’t alone, so I seriously doubt it was a mere social call to see if he might be interested in mating her.”
“Fuck,” Adrian snarled. “Now, we have active hostiles in the woods around us. Any chance you were followed?”
Cody snorted. “Not a chance.”
Adrian glanced at Derrick, who nodded in agreement.
“Did you sense anything from her? Was she behind the attack that injured Michael?” Adrian questioned.
“Possibly,” Derrick replied. “She’s definitely up to something. She arranged to meet us at one of the rustic cabins, and it was obvious from the start she had a plan in place. For what, I’m not sure. She didn’t get a chance to act it out.”
“I’m sure my death played a starring role in her plans.” Cody shook his head. “Bitch would love to see me torn apart. I’m a bad influence, dragging Derrick away from his pack and putting ideas in his head.”
Derrick growled.
“Give me coordinates, and I’ll head up and try to get eyes on where they are now,” Adrian offered. “Best to make sure they don’t stumble across us here. Not yet. Not until we know what’s going on with Michael.”
“Let’s hold off on that.” Derrick was more concerned about the woman in his bed than the group outside. “The alarms will trigger if they move close to us. Or if anything they’re chasing does. For now, I want to focus on Michael…and her.”
All their glances moved to the blonde beauty lying on Derrick’s bed. God, he ached for her. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before. If he wasn’t mistaken, Cody appeared just as smitten, though his buddy was obviously fighting his attraction. Derrick wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Especially since he had plans of making her his.
Adrian reached to trace his fingers along her hair, his lungs seeming to fill up with her scent as he inhaled deeply. There was no hiding the growl that surfaced from Derrick’s chest. More surprising was the emotion behind it. He could tell Adrian and Cody thought he didn’t want them to touch her. But it was something else. He wanted to touch her first, which made absolutely no fucking sense at all.
“It’s like that, huh?” Adrian questioned, still not moving his hand.
“Yes,” Derrick snapped as he tried to sort through his feelings.
“No,” Cody countered at the same time.
Derrick let his gaze bounce between the two men.
“We don’t know anything about this woman,” Cody thundered. “She could be a hunter or working for hunters or part of god only knows what. You can’t run into things with your eyes closed and dick out, Derrick. Stop and fucking think before you do something that could get us all killed.”
Cody was angry, shaking with it, and Derrick called him out on it.
“You want her, too.”
Cody’s glance flew to the bed then fired back to Derrick’s. He swallowed.
“Admit it,” Derrick ordered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cody denied then reiterated, “We know nothing about her.”
“I know I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life,” Derrick replied, walking toward the bed and sitting beside her. “I know she sets me on fire with wild, wicked need.”
Cody clenched his hands, glanced at the bed again then turned and headed toward the door. “I’m going to check on Michael.”
“Well, that was interesting,” Adrian commented, sitting on the other side of the bed so she was between them. “Cody had a bag which I’m presuming has her stuff in it.”
“Yeah, he grabbed it from the Jeep after she crashed. Shit!” Derrick moved then, turning her toward him and tugging at her shirt. “I forgot about her side.” He eased her wrist out in front of her. “And her arm.”
“Damn, that scrape looks nasty. I don’t see anything with her wrist though,” Adrian commented, reaching to help Derrick turn her.
“Jessara Michelle Mueller. Dr. Mueller.” Cody walked back into the room, carrying both her bag and his larger medical bag. “Move so I can take a look at her side and wrist.”
“Thought you were checking on Michael?” Adrian questioned with a lazy grin.
“Move,” Cody barked again.
Derrick growled, disliking the idea of Cody touching her when he was angry. Not that he thought Cody would hurt her. Not intentionally anyway. Adrian chuckled, but Cody merely stood over Derrick, waiting. Reluctantly, he moved so Cody could take care of her.
“How long will the sedative you gave her last?” Derrick asked.
“A few more hours if we’re lucky,” Cody murmured as he ran his hands over her side. He reached over and rummaged through his bag then went about cleaning her scrape before gently handling her wrist. “When she wakes up, I’ll need to take her down to the lab so I can get a better look at this wrist, but for now, I’m going to put a small splint on it and wrap it. I don’t see any other injuries, but short of stripping her, there’s not much else I can do until she wakes up.” He made quick work of spreading an ointment over her side then bandaging it up. His hands lingered, and Derrick was pretty sure Adrian also noticed they were shaking. Cody pushed away from the bed and jerked his case back up, leaving her stuff by the side of the bed. “I’m going to check on Michael now. Get me when she wakes.”
Derrick nodded, watching until Cody exited the room.
“He’s got it as bad as you,” Adrian commented. “You need to take care of that.”
Derrick turned, brow lifted in question.
“Things are too important for any infighting, right now. It’s us against—Shit! Everyone it seems at times. We need to stay smart and stay together. We can’t let anything come between us. Not our packs and not a woman. No matter how badly we want her.”
Derrick’s gaze snapped back to Adrian.
“We?” he questioned.
Adrian blew out a shaky breath. “Oh, yeah, brother. I got it bad.” He shook his head. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Michael feels the same when he sees her.”
“By the way,” Derrick started while his mind processed Adrian’s words. “When was the last time you spoke with your beta?”
“Earlier today. Why?” Adrian demanded then shook his head. “Alisha.”
“Alisha,” Derrick agreed. “Call him again. Make sure everyone stays alert.”
“Fuck, isn’t that perfect? Even when we’re trying to unite, we’re issuing warnings to remain cautious against unknown wolves. If they can’t keep us apart one way, they’ll try another. The bastards make it damn hard, Derrick.”
Derrick bowed his head as Adrian made his way out the door, pulling it shut behind him. He sank to the bed beside Jessara and turned, pulling her close to his chest and wrapping himself around her. He could fight hunters. He could fight rogue wolves who wanted to keep the packs segregated instead of together. But Cody, Adrian, and Michael? He’d never fight them. Fight for them, yes. Fight with them, yes. Fight against them? Never. Not even when it came to the woman in his arms.
That threw him. He’d never been so pulled toward a woman. He’d never felt such an instant connection, one that hit him physically and mentally. His wolf was practically screaming the word mate. The thought of Cody or Adrian both wanting her should have him ready to rip their heads off, yet it didn’t. His wolf was…content. It seemed okay with the other men wanting her, too. That was a ludicrous thought. Wolv
es didn’t share mates. Especially alpha wolves.
Jessara reached for him, snuggling toward him, though she remained unconscious. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her scent, and felt his wolf’s contentment at having her in their arms again. He swore he’d have let her walk away before desire for her came between the four of them.
The beast inside him snarled. His wolf didn’t like that idea at all. Whoever she was, Jessara Michelle Mueller was now a part of their little alpha pack. No matter how much any of the others might try to fight it, Derrick knew without a doubt she was there to stay.
Chapter Four
Jess’ mind awoke first. It had always been that way for her. Before her body was ready to move, her mind was already processing things around her. Room temperature. Ambient light. Subtle noises that could tell a person where they were before they even opened their eyes. Like the fact she wasn’t alone. The fact a heavy arm lay across her hip, hand curled up so the palm rested on her lower abdomen, fingers spread wide. He smelled good. Felt even better pressing against her back. She had no idea who he was, where she was, or why they were in bed together. With their clothes on.
Her right side was sore, an ache settling into it as she came awake. Her right wrist was splinted. What the hell had happened to her?
She lay quietly, rolling through her memories of the day. She’d woken early and gone for a short run then showered and taken the long trek into town to drop some stuff in the mail then gotten fuel for the Jeep. Nothing exciting there. She’d grabbed an early lunch at the diner then headed back to the remote cabin she’d called home for the last three months. Then… What? What had happened? Had she hit her head? She lifted her hand to check.
“Head hurting?”
The voice didn’t come from behind her but from the corner of the room. A man sat there, his emerald eyes seeming to glow. It was eerie. Disconcerting. Familiar. It tugged at something hovering on the edge of her brain.
