Their Wild One

by Lacey Thorn

  She gave him a long look before nodding. She knew what he was doing. He could tell she didn’t like it, but he realized she understood any argument would make it that much longer before they got to her father.

  She grabbed Cody by the front of his shirt and pulled him to her. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  He smiled, dropped a kiss onto her lips. “I love you, too.”

  Michael stopped to drop a kiss on her upturned face, too, whispering in her ear before following Cody out. They headed into the tunnel then carefully made their way out of the den, shutting things tight behind them.

  “How do you want to do this?” Michael asked.

  “We’ll circle around and come at them from different sides. Signal if you see anything. Don’t engage alone. I’ll do the same.”

  Michael nodded and took off one way while Cody headed the other. They’d be less than a hundred yards apart but still be able to approach Alisha and David from opposite sides. If the bitch planned to catch them off guard, she’d be sadly mistaken.

  Cody didn’t encounter anything, and since he didn’t hear Michael, apparently, he didn’t either. He stepped into the clearing by Alisha as Michael stepped in by David, immediately separating the man from the woman he thought had saved him. Cody knew better. If she’d helped Jess’ father, it was for some ulterior purpose.

  “Alisha.”

  “Cody.” Her gaze slid across to Michael. “Michael.”

  “You’re Michael.” David grabbed Michael, holding tight to his arm. “Where’s my daughter? Is she safe? They’re coming for her. They’re killers. My god. I tried to stop them. I tried.” He shook his head then paused, wincing as if in pain.

  Cody stepped forward. “What happened to your head?” He kept Alisha in his sights. No way was he turning his back on her.

  “Bastard hit me. With my own gun. Took it right out of my hand before I knew what was happening. Slammed it into my head. Next thing I know, I hear them talking about getting Jess. That bastard boss of hers followed me to Oregon. I never suspected.”

  “The one from the lab?” Michael asked.

  “Driven,” David answered. “He’s been trying to track her down. Said he needed her. She was too important to their research to take a sabbatical. I should have paid closer attention. I could have warned Jess. He seemed harmless. Not like someone who’d follow me and hook up with the monsters taking over her cabin right now.”

  “They’re hunters,” Alisha spoke up.

  Michael moved so he faced her while Cody gave David his full attention. He took a look at the knot that had risen on David’s head and the accompanying gash that still seeped fresh blood. The man had taken a hell of a blow and probably had a concussion.

  “Well, what are we going to do?” David thundered as he pushed Cody’s hands away from his head. “Are we going after the bastards?”

  “They took Derrick and Adrian.” Alisha claimed Cody’s full attention with that comment.

  “What do you mean they took them?” Cody demanded.

  “I watched them drive up. I tried to warn Derrick and Adrian, but there wasn’t much I could do without exposing myself.”

  “God forbid you put yourself in danger,” Cody muttered.

  “I know you hate me. I know what I’ve done. But you know I’d do anything to protect Derrick. They’re going to kill him, Cody. We have to save him.”

  Him. Only Derrick. He was her only concern. If it had been anyone else with Adrian, she wouldn’t have given two shits. She probably would have left Jess’ dad to survive or die on his own. Cody had never hated anyone as he hated the woman in front of him.

  “Do you know where they’re taking them?” Michael asked.

  She nodded. “They… they killed everyone with me.”

  “And somehow you managed to survive. Imagine that.” The bitch was always out for herself. She’d probably hidden while those with her were killed.

  She turned on Cody and growled, baring her teeth. He was in her face in an instant, teeth bared, alpha rumble rising in his chest. He stayed there until she dropped her head, turning to the side and exposing her throat to him. She chose to forget there were alphas other than Derrick, but her wolf understood. Cody was happy to give the needed reminder.

  “They hid me,” she whispered. “I listened…while they…” She swallowed again, and tears slid down her cheeks. “Hate me all you want, but please don’t let them kill him. I know you love him like I do.”

  Cody growled again. “You have no idea what love is. But you’re right. I love him. We love him.” And he was including Jess in that we. He didn’t want Alisha to know that yet, though. Best she thought Jess was only mated to Michael for now. He wasn’t sure she’d be so onboard with helping Derrick if she knew he’d already chosen another.

  “We need to take Jess’ dad inside,” Michael suggested. “Then we can head out.”

  “Take me where?” David demanded. “I’m going with you. No way am I sending Jess’ mates out to fight without me. We’re family now, boys. We stand or fall together.”

  God, he sounded so much like Jess. Cody hoped Alisha was too into her own thoughts to realize what David had let slip. He gave the professor a pointed look, wondering what had led him to the conclusion he’d obviously made. A correct one, but still.

  “I’m not stupid,” he stated as he flicked his gaze between Cody and Michael. “How many of you?”

  Cody knew what he was asking and wasn’t sure now was the time to answer that.

  “There are four of them,” Alisha volunteered. “They stay together. An alpha pack, though Derrick’s the one true alpha.”

  “Four.” David seemed to mull that over for a moment before nodding. He didn’t say anything else, and Cody wasn’t sure what his feelings on it were. He knew it mattered though. Jess’ father mattered to her, which meant she’d value his opinion. It was too late to undo the mating, but David’s acceptance or lack thereof would have a profound effect on his daughter.

  “David, we’re taking you to your daughter,” Michael offered. “That head needs a closer look than Cody is able to give here. Plus, my mate won’t settle until she has you with her. I don’t want her upset.”

  Alisha sneered, and Cody watched as David noted it. He hoped her dad would pick up on what Michael was trying to share with him.

  “Where did the hunters take them?” Cody demanded, pulling Alisha’s attention back to him. The last thing they needed was for her to be the one to pick up on the subliminal conversation Michael was having with David.

  “There’s a cabin east of here, just past the old sawmill. Maybe twenty yards behind it. They’re heading there. That’s where they took the others first. They tortured them, looking for information we didn’t have. Then they took them to the cabin where Derrick was today. They…killed them. Gutted them and let them bleed in the dirt.”

  “Imagine how many wolves have faced the same fate because of you. Because you and those like you refuse to step in and lift one fucking finger to try to help, to offer safety. Picture those moments and tell me why I should give a single fucking care about you and yours, wolves who turned their backs on their own.”

  “I never turned my back on a gray wolf.”

  He was in her face again. “And my kind? How many white wolves did you let die? Black? Brown? How many could you have saved? I’ll find Derrick and Adrian. I’ll save them. You need to stay away. In fact, you should run as fast and far as you can, because I promise you I won’t lift a finger to save you. I’ll leave you at their mercy the way you’ve left too many wolves to count. And I won’t feel any guilt for ridding the world of one more monster.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Derrick blinked his swollen eyes, squinting to see past the swelling. Adrian was tied to the wall opposite him. The Huntleys had worked them both over pretty good. Mason seemed to take particular joy in putting his fists to Derrick’s gut and kidneys. At this rate, he’d be pissing blood until his animal genetics kicked i
n and healed the damage he’d sustained. There was a lot.

  And where the hell was Mitch? He needed to get there sooner rather than later.

  The group of hunters who’d taken them had sprayed something in Derrick and Adrian’s faces. Derrick had been watching for a dart, a syringe, anything that could be injected. Neither of them had anticipated a fucking spray full of shit to knock them out once they were hit full in the face with it. It had put them out instantly, only to have their abductors wake them with icy water thrown over them. They’d awakened Derrick first, and seeing Adrian hang limply across from him had sent Derrick straining against his bonds.

  Wrong move. Mason had latched onto it and played it to his advantage. Because now, he knew Derrick cared about something. Stupid mistake. One made when he was barely awake. One even his unconscious should have protected against.

  Adrian had passed out again when they were done beating on him. This time, Mason allowed it, turning his full attention onto Derrick.

  “Where’s the woman?”

  He remained silent, though he made it seem he tried to move his lips. He’d make sure all five of the bastards in the room felt his fists before he killed them.

  “Think we broke his jaw?” Jack asked, sliding the heavy brass knuckles off his fingers and shaking his hand as if he were the one in pain. He would be. Soon. Just as soon as Derrick figured his way out.

  “Maybe. Beat the bastard pretty good.” Mason walked closer and slammed another fist into Derrick’s side. His ribs cracked under the strike, and it took all he had not to jerk against it. “Not feeling much now, are you? We’ll leave you alone for a bit. Let that animal side heal you up, so I get the joy of beating you again. Gotta say I like that about you guys. Makes you the perfect training dummies.”

  They all laughed at that, turning and walking out, leaving Derrick and Adrian alone.

  “Broken rib?” Adrian’s voice was a low rumble.

  “Fuckers,” Derrick growled.

  “Dead fuckers as soon as I get us out of this,” Adrian continued.

  Derrick squinted again, his eyesight already getting slightly better.

  “Bastards dislocated my fingers. I should thank them since it helped me slip my hand out of the noose they had it in. Now, I just need to do a small shift and…”

  Derrick heard the crack as Adrian managed to pop his fingers back in place through a partial shift. Fucking bastards. He closed his eyes, plotting revenge as he listened to Adrian release himself.

  Soon enough, his friend stood in front of him. Adrian took care of the ropes holding Derrick in place, and they both glanced around. They’d been stripped to their underwear, which Derrick was thankful for. He wasn’t keen on knowing what they would have done had his dick been hanging out, unprotected.

  “I hear them moving around,” Adrian said, cocking his head to the side. “We might make it out of the room, but we won’t stand a chance after that. Not as weak as we both are right now. Thoughts?”

  “We need to lay low while we heal. Where the fuck are we?”

  Adrian glanced around, but the room they were in didn’t offer much in the way of clues. They could have been in any barn or building as far as they could discern.

  “We couldn’t have gone that far,” Derrick murmured. Plenty of sun still fought to get through the dirt-stained window above them.

  As they heard talking outside, they both flattened against the wall.

  “Who’s there?” It was Jack’s voice, and once again, Derrick thought how much pleasure he’d find when he got his hands on the bastard.

  “It’s Mitch, Jack. Calm down. You spooked or something?”

  Mitch. It was about fucking time he showed up. Jonah must have finally got in touch with him. Derrick and Adrian shared a glance. Where Mitch was, the rest of his team were. They just needed to wait for him. Then they’d make their way out and extract a little revenge on the way.

  “Nah, just didn’t recognize you.” Jack’s tone made it seem as if he still didn’t recognize Mitch, but the guy kept talking. He definitely wasn’t the brightest of the Huntley clan. “Think Mason’ll let us kill ‘em?”

  “Eventually.”

  Derrick heard the nonchalance in Mitch’s voice and easily pictured a bored look at his face.

  “Yeah, but it’s a sawmill,” Jack continued. “I’d like to saw one of them in half and see if they can grow back together. Or maybe grow another half, and we’d have two of them.”

  Was this guy fucking for real? Jesus! Just when Derrick thought he’d heard everything, some sick fuck threw something else out there. At least, he knew where they were at now. The old sawmill.

  “I seriously doubt they can regrow an entire half of a body,” Mitch scoffed. Derrick caught the underlying incredulity in Mitch’s tone but doubted Jack did.

  “You’re no fun, Mitch,” Jack complained.

  “Tell you what. Why don’t you go share your idea with Mason, and I’ll watch things for you here?” Mitch offered.

  “For real?” Jack’s voice went from excited to unsure between one question and the next. “You don’t think it’s stupid?”

  Derrick almost heard Mitch shrug. “Your choice. Take the offer or leave it. I’ll stay or go find something else to do.”

  “Fine. Fine. You stay here. Make sure you let Mason know if you hear them moving around or anything,” Jack ordered.

  “I think I’ll hear better if I’m closer to the door.”

  “Yeah, yeah. That’s a good idea. I’ll go check in with Mason. Be back out to spell you once I’m done.”

  “Take your time,” Mitch offered. “Don’t have anything better to do.”

  Derrick shared a look with Adrian as they listened to Jack walk away and heard Mitch head inside. His voice carried as he switched from the lackadaisical persona he’d used with Jack to a more authoritative one as he threw orders to any hunters he encountered. He barked at them to do this or that, every task sending them away from the door Derrick and Adrian were behind.

  Finally, the doorknob turned. Mitch poked his head in and put a finger to his lips before sliding fully inside and shutting the door behind him.

  “Good to see you’re up. Got here as quickly as I could. Can you move? We’ll need to be quick.”

  Derrick knew Mitch was taking in the bruises and cuts still visible on their bodies. “Adrian got us off the fucking walls,” he snapped. “We’re ready, but I want to get my hands on Jack.

  “And Mason,” Adrian added with a rumble in his chest.

  “I’m making no promises,” Mitch stated flatly. “We got in. We get you out. Period. If the opportunity presents itself, then so be it.”

  “It’ll present.” Derrick had no doubt someone would throw a kink in the quick escape Mitch seemed to have planned.

  “Did Michael call you?” Adrian asked. “Are they okay?”

  Mitch shook his head. “I haven’t heard from Michael, but my phone isn’t on me and hasn’t been for a few days. We were following the Huntleys before I got called off to take care of another little problem. Thankfully, I had a man on the inside who let me know two of my favorite alphas were in trouble.”

  “We saw Jonah,” Derrick told him.

  Mitch nodded. “Jonah thought the Huntleys were after a watcher. Female. Scientist. Seemed like a good idea to keep tabs in case the woman needed a friendly to offer help.”

  “The woman is my mate,” Derrick snarled then amended when Adrian growled beside him, “Our mate.”

  Mitch lifted a brow in surprise. “As interesting as I find that comment, now’s not the time for conversation. We need to move our asses. Christ, if you’d heard what the little dipshit outside had said.”

  “Oh, we heard,” Adrian assured him.

  “Then let’s move. I don’t want to be the one he decides to tie down and cut in half.”

  Derrick could see that suggestion had thrown even Mitch for a loop. Hell, they should all know by now, there was no end to the monstrosities the h
unters came up with when it came to the torture and death of shifters.

  “Lead the way,” Adrian ordered, and Derrick nodded.

  “Stay behind me. My guys are spread around, but they have eyes and ears on us.” Mitch tapped his ear, letting them know he was in communication with his team. “They won’t interfere unless we need them to. As long as you stay on my six, we should be good. Quick and silent.” Mitch opened the door again and peered out before signaling them to follow.

  Derrick motioned Adrian to follow Mitch while he took the rear guard. They were almost to the exit when a door behind them was flung open.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Mason asked. Jack strutted up to stand by him.

  “Fuck,” Mitch muttered and fiddled with his watch before moving in front of them. Derrick knew he’d given his team a signal. Whether it was to lay low or head in, he wasn’t sure.

  “Jack,” Mitch tossed out in greeting, widening his stance and crossing his arms over his chest. It was a way to make himself the larger, more threatening target. Derrick used it often.

  “Mason don’t know anyone named Mitch,” Jack said. “He knows everyone.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he’s the smartest among you,” Mitch offered, sounding completely unconcerned.

  Mason’s gaze narrowed, his face flushing red. Anger seemed to pour from him. “Looks like we got another dummy to entertain. What was that idea you had, Jack? Sawing them in half like a tree? Now, that might be interesting. What do you say we start with our new friend Mitch?”

  “Yeah, let’s start with Mitch,” Jack parroted.

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Jack, but that’s not going to happen.” Mitch pitched his tone to make it appear he was sad about that. Derrick almost laughed.

  “What do you think’s going to happen?” Mason asked, all arrogance.